Good morning all. I have been a graduate of C25k for 2 months now. I've struggled with maintaining my 3x a week running schedule and with the change of season. I've had other stuff taking priority too ( mum receiving some bad news about her health has taken its toll on my time, energy and emotional state!)
However, today I have embraced a new and positive mindset ( for the day at least!) The sun is shining, it's a beautiful autumn day out there, so up I got and off I went!
I wasn't fast, but once I got into my stride, I really seemed to 'get' it today! I'd set my challenge for 4.4km as I'm progressing slowly towards 5k. When I got to 4.3k I thought to myself - I think I could do a bit more today, so decided to go for 4.6k, but that then seemed so close to 5k, I decided to carry on - I'd reached what I set out to do and any extra was a bonus.
Well - I only went and did it!!! It took me 43mins, so no prizes for speed...but I have now not only graduated from the program, I've actually achieved it!!! C25k ☺️☺️☺️
My knees are protesting slightly, my hip is wondering quite what has happened, but here I am on a Sunday morning feeling ready to tackle the week ahead 😃
Love to you all - I'm not on here as often as I should be, but you are all always with me with every step 😘
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Jingle_berry
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In general terms it's not advised to increase distance in big increments to avoid risk of energy but sometimes when we get in the zone... we just have to go for it!
ive been building up slowly, but as you say, today I was in the zone and kept on going! My runs through the week won't be 5k, but I might save it for the weekend ☺️Park run was going to be my New Years Resolution, but I might make it my advent promise instead xxx
Been trying for ages to post the results - site won't let me. Not sure what is going on, tried it on my phone also but no luck. Wonder if NHS is going 'all-UK only'? anyway - I don't want all the people who showed me so much support and encouragement to think I am ignoring them so if you don't mind (and assuming you are able to post at all ) would you please post the following for me (just copy and post I mean with a suitable heading so people know what it is ) ? Well, how did the 5K race go?
My First Race (Irish-John)
I had a restless nights sleep wondering what I had let myself in for. when I got up, found it was a very chilling 43F outside Then I wasted a lot of time getting gear together for running somewhere else rather than simply out the front door. Spent an age getting the hard frost off the car windows, got stuck behind a bus until reaching the thankfully traffic-free highway and so to the Park.
HUNDREDS of dogs! I know it was a charity for them but this was overwhelming. all sorts and sizes and of all demeanours!
If I were Trump, the first law I would pass is that any dog-owner who uses an extendable Leash without any concern for others should be strung up with it!
Checked in and got my number card with chip, and four safety pins to secure same.
Then self-pierced right nipple affixing same to running shirt.
Friend Kevie finally showed up - the guy I owed a favour to who chose to collect it in this manner. He laughed when he saw me - t bulging belt bag because I had to put my phone, car keys, inhaler, player and earbuds, FKT and wallet in it. No way was I chancing that stuff to my unattended car.
Inhaler - oh crumbs! took the swift inhalation I should have an hour before. Then realised would not be able to take second puff before Race start time
Confidence sinking fast as was my stomach - way beyond my usual running time now and having run once on anything like a full stomach and regretting it, I had only eaten a banana an hour or more ago...but feeling like I really should do something for what felt like falling blood sugar...
also realising my five minute warm up walk would not be achieved, had no idea how this Park was laid out and also knew I would just be obsessing about missing the start time.
So - we all shuffled over to the Start line. I went to the back. Surrounded by the people running with dogs. I hastily retreated to the front (is that action even possible? ) - surrounded by serious grim Gazelles. I go to the middle - surrounded by LOTS of people now and I don't like that...
And...we're off! Hit start on FKT, tuck it back in belt bag, turn on BBC Play on player and spend the next five minutes trying to find a space where I am not constantly dodging or being broadsided by other runners...
Five to ten minutes in - trying to remember to keep slow and slower still, lots of people passing me. LOTS OF PEOPLE!!!
Man, this is NOT for me!! On top of everything else we are running counter clockwise. I ALWAYS RUN CLOCKWISE
'Everything else' being - very cold air sparking my asthma, my lower legs feel like lead, probably because I did not do my warm up walk, the BBC Play on my player is pants -but there is so much stuff cluttering my belt bag I cannot reach in easily to change the track. These dogs are barking and jumping all around because the back of the pack is catching up with me...and EVERYONE is passing me, I haven't passed ANYONE since I started
I miss my safe familiar Park This is NOT for me!
The course is really twisty and curving - I am used to seeing most of the path I run...
Thank GOD! (we are allowed to say that since the election ) the first Mile sign!
that cheers me up because now I can relate it to where I would be in MY park
I CAN do thi....WHAT THE EHCK IS A HILL DOING IN FRONT OF US!!!!! Kevie said there were no hills!
I get up it by remembering the good advice from here that someone posted a couple of weeks ago 'Don't slow the pace, use shorter footsteps.." and I manage it.
Plod plod plod - I think I am being lapped by the 10K runners - they run around the Park twice, we do it once...
Where is that second mile marker?
A LONG time later the '2' sign appears. Thank GOD (we ARE allowed to say that now since the Election )
but - I am feeling very slow and tired and weary....
Run on for a time more and - what the hell??!! a sign saying '6' ???
OMG - I'VE WANDERED ON TO THE 10K ROUTE!!! : O
No - absolutely could not have, no way! They said REPEATEDLY that the 5K and 10 K route was the same, only 10K being twice around so it has to be that...but wheres the Finish Line? Damn these bends and curves and...oh dear God no...another hill....
I swear, it was only by thinking of how you all would cheer me on that got me up that hill. That - and envisioning what I was going to do to Kevie who swore it was a 'nice level course'...
Got to the top and a gentle incline down now. OK - that is something to be grateful for...and I am starting to pass people!...actually I am starting to pass a LOT of people!
That cheers me up but I am really feeling the strain on my legs and lungs. To motivate myself I risk breaking stride (I didn't though) and fish out FKT....
I'm doomed...I still have 12 minutes to go....I know to within a tenth of a mile where that puts me relative to my nice safe and familair Park and I honestly don't think I have it in me to finish this 5K running.
I know what Hilary felt like Election night now...
It must be the air is too cold, or missing my warm-up walk or SOMETHING...
Then it hits me - the 'tenth of a mile' markers in my nice safe and familiar park ar enot tenths of a mile apart...they are one tenth of a Kilometre apart.
I haven't been running five kilometres all this time at all - just 3.1 kilometres....
I would have stopped running and started walking then except that would have been giving up completely and in a strange way I felt it would let the Forum down too...so I ran on.
Around another blasted bend -and there was the finish line.! Dang! They did not bother putting up a '3' sign and I HAVE been running 5K in my safe and familiar Park after all!
Oh the relief!
And I ran that last fifty yards like a Gazelle!
(56 year old Gazelle but still of the species )
Glanced at the time clock and was THRILLED beyond belief!!! - a quick mental calculation told me I had actually run the 5K in ....37 minutes and 45 seconds!!!
WHAT A SURPRISE!
Some nice person took a photo of me for you all - but I cannot get it to post. Site keeps telling me there is some problem uploading it so I wish I could, but can't
There was another surprise for me and then ANOTHER one however.
I got THIRD PRIZE in my age group!! - there were only three of us in that group though LOL.
But the BEST surprise was - my 'quick mental calculation' of my time of 37:45 contained a flaw. ..
FKT counts down so I am used to deducting time displayed from starting time. Somehow I got this mixed up with 'clock time'
the result - without having looked at FKT and doing it all in my head, I deducted my REAL finish time from my usual FKT starting time of 40 minutes, took the difference and then ADDED it to the 'clock time for 37:45.
In reality - and I could not believe it....I ran the 5K in 33:45. !!
No wonder I felt knackered for so much of it I went from a PB of 37 minutes and a big hunk of change ONCE, to 33:45!!!
I was in the upper 50th percentile also I will have you know - placed 60th out of 121!LOL - AND came in 30th out of the 40 males who ran the 5K race!
So - I allowed Kevie to live, he and his family had me over to a well-deserved lunch and now I am looking forward to running another 5K race sometime...hopefully without those hills though
Thank you all - you really did get me around this morning
(site won't let me post for some reason so my thanks to aliboo for making sure you know I am not ignoring you all in my 'victory' )
Woohoo Irish-John that's FANTASTIC. Very very well done. There's nothing like the adrenaline of a race to put wings on your feet. Such a shame that this wouldn't post because everyone should read it. It's such an inspiring story. Why not send a personal message to Realfoodieclub or poppypug to see if there's any way they can move it to its own post.
Hi John , Im really sorry but at the moment the site ( as you know) is experiencing problems with submitting posts. We have informed the HU Support desk, as other admins are having the same problem. Hopefully it will be fixed shortly.
Well done on your run , sounds like you had a really good time ! xxx
Woo hoo John! What a triumph! 😊great write up,sure they will sort your post out later! What a speedy boy you are and what a gazelle like finish! Brilliant!😊😆
Irish john 🌟🏃👍 huge.... Well done on your 5k race as usual your account of the race was phenomenal😊😊 and as exciting to read as the race sounds😄 hope you get this posted as everyone deserves to be inspired by you😊 I tried to copy & paste but no luck!! Keep trying to post though😊👏👏👏👏x
No way we would miss you too much😊you keep me motivated !! Harder I think once graduated!! Sounds silly that but I must get a goal in mind as was aiming for 3 runs a week but due to weather dark nights struggling at 2 a week just now but I will get going!! I also had a few problems posting things I think the whole site had a "gremlin" so try again today we need your achievements posted!!! 😊😊x
Thank you PC It is kind of a lost feeling when you go from the structure and timetable of the programme to having to be self-motivated. I think I m lucky that my mixture of "sweat, torture and fun" is working for me and the race results will keep me at it - the torture of hills day, the sweat of "shorter but speedier" day and the relief/pleasure of long leisurely run day
Weather is about to get savage for running outside here and I just have no interest in running on a treadmill or tiny monotonous indoor track so I will really need inspiring from you all to keep it up. I don't know what I will do if the Forum isn't really accessible any more, fingers crossed they sort it out soon.....
Thank you I will never forget the feeling when I realised the time I'd done it in, one of the nicest moments ever Worth every mile of struggling through the programme and between
Sounds like a good helping of chaos, emotion, hard work... And... Fun? That's why I love racing. You should be very proud of yourself. Will the next be just around the corner?
Absolutely!! Thanksgiving Day they have a fundraiser for the local schools so I will give that a go
My only ewworry now is that they will not be able to figure out and fix whatever it is that is stopping me from making a Post on the Forum. I would lose a lot of motivation if I lost touch with y'all like that. No fun running without you lot .
This is just brilliant Irish-John .. such an honest and inspirational post. Your worries at the start and beforehand sound just like me. I would be terrified of going off too quickly and ending up sprawled on the ground, gasping for air after 10 minutes...
You had to really dig deep by the sound of it..BUT you were ABLE TO.😊All those runs around your park and on your hills paid off.
I'm thrilled that you have done so well and relieved to hear you actually enjoyed it (afterwards) if not during and that this forum helped you round a bit.
Congratulations on your first race and PB. Hopefully this will get posted officially soon.
Oh Irish-John I only logged on to whinge that I was miserable because my back was still aching but seeing this has wiped the misery right off my face and I am grinning from ear to ear. Bloody well done you. You should be so proud of yourself.
Oh well done Irish-John, I'm made up for you and I love your account of your triumph - ever thought of writing a column?? And to get a PB too! So thrilled for you - must be like graduating all over again. Were you on the Red Bull by any chance?
That Red Bull is pure poison! I was on an Overnight shift and a co-worker gave me a can of it when it was still a relatively new thing on the Market.
It tore my stomach apart and played havoc with the adrenaline titres in my system - I could feel it ripping around. Awful stuff, believe me.
Glad you enjoy my meandering thoughts and notes, I actually used to write a column for fun a good while ago - all about Historic features in my old home town. I think it lasted six submissions
Well done! Although it does beg the question as to why you seem to have issues when you run? Is there a gremlin that you can't shake off? Bonus seems to be that the dogs were not part of the issues you had
Fantastic run✋🏼 Sometimes it just has to be done to put any lingering doubts to bed once and for all! Now you can consolidate that new distance as you feel. I intend to use Parkrun for that purpose over coming weeks. I have one PR under my belt from yesterday so will build on it. It might just be the thing for you too 🏃🏻♀️😀🎓
Millsie-J - I think that's just what I need to do! I'm going to sign up for the 3/12/16 and just give me another couple of weeks to consolidate.i am feeling fearful and nervous, but time to feel the fear ☺️Well done on completing your first park run xxx
Brilliant! Sign up now and get it done. Then you can get your barcode printed and laminated, although ive just used one of those plastic name badge holders. Also i found out yesterday for my local PR that if you leave a copy of the barcode on you car dashboard we can park free of charge. Perhaps worth you checking out incase same applies. Saves me £3 each week as i have to drive there...... its my most local but not that local😂
Great post about park runs I'm still lacking in confidence to try one as so slow & only done 5 k once with my son & took 44mins .33secs when I checked results I think slowest was 43mins I'd be so em arrest being last & keeping the volunteers back to record my times!! Struggling a bit since graduating end oct as was aiming for 3 runs a week & only getting 2 in as had visitors etc & dark nights & wet!! Must get going!!! X
Actually the person who struggled in last got the biggest cheer of the day because everyone knew that person really did what was for them a very hard run!
One thing I was not worried about myself if I came last was being scorned by people who know whatbeing any kind of Runner involves. I just hoped I would get around without having to walk, a personal goal. Lots of people did walk but nobody thought they were anything but good sports for being part of it all to begin with
I'm sure there were some "serious competitors" taking part but I could not tell them apart from the rest of us. The overall feeling was a shared sense of fun and so forth, I was radiantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed it all as a result
It did turn out to be great fun. They had music and raffles afterwards and I really enjoyed how happy everyone was. And you are right, it is a relief to know for sure I can do 5k on a "real" Course and under a bit if pressure I'm looking forward to the next event and also it's nice to feel like I can directly support worthy causes in such a direct manner through the entrance fees too And congratulations to you on your new PB
Tiacon , I feel fab. Haven't sat down yet, I feel invigorated!! Have prepped and half way through cooking next weeks evening meals - organisation is the key to make sure running doesn't slip xxx
Thanks Oldfloss . I've lived the majority of my life looking for excuses NOT to do things, so as from right now - no more!! Your hugs are greatly appreciated 😘
Thanks OldPossum . I'm so glad of this forum, everyone just 'gets' it!!! I'm proud and still a little surprised. I think as I mentioned above, I'll make my week day runs my progression runs, then '5k it' at a weekend. ☺️
That's how I've been playing it too. There just isn't enough time in a working day😞 I am definitely still making progress though. I read an article recently which suggested that if you can run for 30 minutes three times a week, you can run a half marathon - with training 😳😳. Happy running 😀
Razouski , if someone had told me last year that I'd be up on a Sunday morning running, let alone managing 5k, I'd have looked for the flying pigs and then picked myself up from the floor from laughing too hard at the mere mention of me and running in the same sentence!! You will do it too and soon and love the feeling 😘
Well done, first for getting out there with that mindset when you have difficult stuff going on in your life (hugs for that) and especially for doing your first 5k, in what i think is a very respectable time.
I totally understand where youre coming from as I had the same situation with my Mam too, and it does take over everything else .
I am so pleased that you managed to get out there and complete your first 5k ! Many Congratulations to you !
I did my first run yesterday in over 4 weeks and it just felt so good to be back out there again. Try and make some regular " me time " it works wonders for your mindset and general well being .
Thank you poppypug . I know what you mean about getting out there, it clears my mind and makes me feel ready to take on the world!!! It's just hard to remember that on a cold, damp, miserable morning 😠
And again...Jingle all the way! Woo hoo. Well done you That first 5k is like graduation all over again isn't it. Hope things improve for your mum. You hold on to that "I did it!" feeling. Run happy
Thanks McFitty . It was just like graduation you are right! Next stop park run - am booking in for 3/12/16 😳
Unfortunately my mum won't improve- she's got a tumour on her liver that we hoped was operable but it isn't 😔, however it does seem to be growing very, very slowly and isn't impacting on her health too much at the moment 🙂
Whilst I can't cure cancer, I can make sure I'm fit enough both physically and mentally to help out - and running helps with both of those, so I need to keep going 😊
Been there and it's tough. Wish I had been running then. It is cathartic. You have a great positive attitude though and keeping yourself happy and healthy is one of the best things you can do for your mum. Biggest hugs xxx
Your kind words have brought a lump to my throat 😘 but in a good way. You are one of the most kind and supportive people I have never met - thank you 😊
Well done! It really is a special feeling (I only did my first 10 days ago and have just come in from my second). Graduating was brilliant but there's something special about knowing I've gone from couch to 5k. Here's to many more!
Well done JB, you must be so proud - go you! So sorry to hear about your Mum; big hugs to both of you. Been there myself and it's hard. Sounds like the running is helping you keep happy and sane though, you sound so positive in what must be a sad time for you. So another big hug, this one just for you ((( )))
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Then I wasted a lot of time getting gear together for running somewhere else rather than simply out the front door. Spent an age getting the hard frost off the car windows, got stuck behind a bus until reaching the thankfully traffic-free highway and so to the Park.
) the first Mile sign! 
Woo hoo I've finally smashed it!
Sooooo happy, I've finally done it. Merry Christmas everyone
