Today was a great running day - almost as good as graduation a couple of months ago! When I graduated I wasn't even running 4K, which was disappointing to be honest though I was over the moon I could run for thirty minutes. Honestly this programme is a miracle worker - I struggled with the one minute runs when I started. Anyway post graduation I shed the support of Laura and the headphones and soon got used to running in silence. I built up to four k and then , while on holiday in rural Brittany to the magic 5k, running faster than I had been and achieving that in 37.05. Since then I have continued to run on alternate days (with an occasional two day break) but until today and never been close to that time. I don't know is because many routes here include quite steep hills which slow me down, but although I have ran 5k a total of 17 times I never got near my first ever time again! My breathing was hard, my legs felt like jelly , the wind was against me , and sometimes I just had to stop .
Tonight though after work I set out and tried to breathe deep breaths, not hunch over and moved my legs faster. And it worked, I did my 5k run around the farm lanes and the village (choosing a flattish route) in 36 minutes 33 seconds! I was absolutely chuffed and elated and keep gazing at Strava and my new perosnal best record.
Yes, improvements after finishing the programme can't come as fast as they do while doing it, but come they do, and I hope I can keep improving this 5k time and also my stamina- maybe 6k is my next challenge!!
Consolidation 16: My second 5K 😃😃😃
First time running 5k
My first 5K! 
Week 9, Run 2, done.
Finally ran 5k! 
