Firstly, thanks to everyone who responded to my last (also my first!) post, your comments were much appreciated and I hope it was of some use to those who are earlier in their C25K programs.
Wk 9 (actually nearly week 8 for me as I ran every other day) was a typical week.
Run 1 (Monday 8/5/17 ) - Brilliant, enjoyed every second, added an extra few minutes on the end and finished feeling elated. I didn't think when I started this I would be able to run for 30 plus minutes (NOT 5K!) and feel this good.
Run 2 (Wednesday 10/5/17) Awful. Running on mental power alone. Felt physically ill and was sooooooooooo relieved when the app said you can stop now. Nothing left at the end.
Run 3 (Saturday 13/5/2017) Exeter Quay Park Run - Did it with my son who inspired me to start running (though I had't told him that, so he was a bit surprised when I asked him to join me). Ran the 5K in less than 40 minutes (just) and came in just under 7 minutes slower than him. Mitigation:
I am 61, he is 28,
I've been doing this for 8 weeks, he started at the beginning of the year.
I'm really overweight, he isn't!!
As we logged our times I felt great, proud to have completed it, incredibly grateful to my son for having inspired me to do it and for being there at the end of the programme. Tired but felt terrific.
So C25K in a week: Emotional and Physical Highs and Lows, most of which I'd experienced during the programme to some extent. But a brilliant ending and now I have to work out how I'm going to progress from here because I'm not going to stop running now. Just bought a second hand copy of an old Jim Fixx book . . . . .
Good luck to everyone on the programme, persevere and you too can graduate.