Meat free Monday includes no alcohol - all an attempt to put me in a good place for today's grown-up run. However helping a friend with last minute revision for an English exam, meant we didn't actually eat until 9.45pm. Mmm veggie lasagne sits heavily I can tell you. So I didn't get my technology right, forgot to set the Michael date reminder, slept through the alarm oh and was carrying the best part of Puglia's pasta on my stomach. Hey ho an hour and a half later than I should have been. Grumble, grumble
Out I went having disabled the mechanical map my run lady. Down the slope of hope on the warm up walk, passed the house with the barking dogs. New day of being a grown up runner, so I thought this time I wouldn't tell the dogs to eff off, so I just said 'ssshhh'. Good job really, as the lady of the house came out as I was passing, to put out her bins. Now this lady is of an age - what that is I am not entirely sure and she was wearing a traditional grembiule (Gremb you lay) a floral cross-over pinafore a la Ena Sharples. My friend G (she of the broken 5th metatarsal) and I have a theory that there is a certain age, when clothing boutiques in Le Marche stop serving you and tell you that now you have to wear the grembiule.
In addition to reaching this age and wearing this grembiule, you also have to get your hair done in the helmet style. Think Vanilla Ice style with a burgundy rinse. This is the uniform style for ladies of that age in our village. The worrying thing is I think I am actually nearing that. In fact G thinks I am already there because she bought me a gorgeous blue floral grembiule in which both Mr JCR and I could fit, as my welcome to Italy present.
So chuckling at the thought of the grembiule, I carried on up the hill that kills where a car very kindly waited for me to pass. That never happens here - truly the running gods are smiling. I carry on up to Lover's Lane, no Anouska and Albino today, i must have missed them by at least an hour. Back down to the Villa Bali, and to the hill that kills, its hard and very warm again. Back up the hill that kills and I overtake someone well they were walking, anyway he looked like Babbo Natale and said Forza Signora as I passed him. Continued on, Mr Smooth doesn't say that much now, but as I rounded into Lovers Lane I got the 5 minute warning, and shortly after Ultravox's Vienna came on the playlist. As an eighties girl I loved that song so much - this is when music seemed to matter a lot, and I can remember feeling gutted that it was kept off Number 1 by Joe Dolce's Shadduppa your face. A fake Italian singer with a very dodgy stereotypical Italian accent and song.
One minute to go and Vienna is fading out and all of a sudden Mr Smooth is telling me the 30 minutes is done and that I can walk now. I whooped loudly and hoped that Babbo Natale didn't hear me as he came into view. It must be perplexing to be overtaken by a runner and then see that same runner then walking...
So that's it I am a fully fledged grown-up, now to do some real learning.
There are a whole bunch of people without whom I couldn't have done this.
Mr JCR who very kindly allows me to talk about him here, and who also prepared a bucks fizz cool down drink.
Then and here's the big thank you call, first and foremost my running buddy Rebecca7913 who kindly allowed me to stalk her as a virtual pal. Her example early on was brilliant. To RebeccaSK who is my role model for sticking at something even when it hurts.
Our two fab mentors Oldfloss and IannodaTruffe without whose support and advice me and I am guessing many others wouldn't be where we are.
Our administrators who keep this place safe and friendly.
Some of the folk whose posts and feedback have spurred me on Hidden snack_shack sheps (my clone) mrrun
It tells me I cant tag anymore but not to forget, IgaT, JannowRuns, Irish John, Lard of Ale, ManofKent, Helene Corsa ,Froggy Runner, MFamilias, RunningRaspberryDiva, MrsT82 SC1472, and Rignold king of squats, reluctance, NiborS, SCB1, MummyCav, SlinkiMalinki and Feeling Fab. There's so many more If I forgot you I apologise....
Yay! Huge congratulations and fireworks - you've done it! Well done! I never doubted you would do it - even if you did. Get that "graduate" after your name. I still look at mine sometimes and can't believe it.
The photo - whereabouts is this? It's important because, in my head, I have images of the hill the kills, Lovers Lane etc. You have achieved big things - I shy away from hills and I'd not even contemplate running in the temperatures you have to. Far from being your role model, you feel like MY role model!
I hope you'll stay on the forum like so many of us have - your writing reminds me that running should be light-hearted and FUN!!!!!!
That's back up the slope of hope my warm down walk... just before the house 👟👟💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
So one day you could try the hills... how about it? Then you can join me when I wear my grembiule.... although still not sure about the helmet hairdo!💂♀️
Well done Jan! Complimenti! Fantastic achievement (though I figured you'd ace it anyway...)
What a really great post. I am going to be chuckling about the "Vanilla Ice with burgundy rinse" hairdo forever (I entirely get what you mean...) and will add Vienna to my playlist in your honour.
Well done on joining the big kids Graduate enjoy the day and by the looks of it the weather. Are you going to move upstairs with the adults after a few weeks consolidating?
Ooh not sure they are very grown up and talk of splits and things. Quote what they'd make of me and the weird world. But yes consolidation month coming up.
Complimenti!! (No idea if that's correct but google told me it was Italian for congratualtions). An amazing achievement and fabulous photo. It may be a little while before I join you, but join you I shall and we can enjoy a glass (or 3) of that burgundy.
Yey!!!! JanDefinitelycanrun!!! Happy happy happy for you...when you do, eventually, start to wear a grembiule and run in it you will def have to post a pic of that!!!! Ena Sharples does C25k on lovers lane???!!!!!
Please keep posting on here...you have really kept me going & spurred me on to do better...for which I will be eternally grateful...😍
Well done thats amazing I am so happy for you all the hard work payed off. I am only just finished wk 3 day 3 and cannot fathom wk 9 but u give me hope
My pom-poms are waving, I'm doing victory flip flops and summer salts followed by full victory dance for you! Champagne bottles are popping, liquid victory is squirting in the air, pouring into the trophy for you to drink it all! Fiesta begins, vine bottles are opening, posh snacks are brought in, music is playing, confetti is flying!
I wish you many more red faced runs with happiness and joy in your heart. I am confident that you will be having more running adventures as a grown up runner. I hope you will keep us in the loop and make me (us) smile.
Thanks Iga, maybe I need to reduce the number of posts as it's a bit self indulgent for every run. But I will keep popping up I think, like you and the pom-poms
Brilliantly well done and entertainingly written up as ever! Very funny you should mention grembuile- I didn't know the word but have one in my kitchen caused by a visit to Italy...I want someone clever to start making them in funky fabric, and for kids, too.
You really don't want the kids variety I promise you but I will ask my mate G about funky ones... since she broke her foot she has developed a liking for beer. So will ask her over a beer
Despite all the necessary congratulations - my mind has been taken back to a very indignant teenager who bemoaned the fact that Ultravox were robbed! The grown up me says that you should enjoy your next few runs as a graduate!!
Fan'beeping'tastic!! Well done Mrs JCR, brilliantly written as always. Always more to learn but never grow up, I don't intend to! Looks kike Vienna will be finding it's way onto a few playlists and, altogether now, damn you Joe Dolce!
. Funnily enough it's the first time it's ever come on, born to run loads of times and Duffy and her Mercy really a bit too often. But Joe Dolce, history needs to be rewritten ...
Fantastic such a big well done to you , as we both graduated today we deserve to have the biggest of smiles all day . It is true grit and determination that gets us to the end of this program but the hard work is so worth it .
bask in that well deserved glory, ( in a cool and shady corner though )... you have had a terrific journey so far, and in some really testing conditions too...
You need to go and get that badge which has been polished just for you... maybe a glass of chilled, something bubbly? And.... relax.... because.. guess what... this is just the beginning, of another wonderful part of your running journey
Thanks oldfloss looking forward to the consolidation month, because I think that's the one that will pay off for me. Drinking those bubbles steadily!🥂🥂🥂
That should have been (I was knee deep in studying): very well done! I continue to be in awe of your achievement in such weather (envious of the environment tho!). Here's to many years of happy running. Keep posting - here or in big school!
What an amazing a achievement! Well done. The fact that half of your program has been in extreme heat makes this even more celebratory. I ran in 21 today and it was burning and very hard. So I doth my pink hat to you. Go and enjoy your wine. I hope you'll keep posting because being 8 runs behind you in following in your shadow. Xxx
Congratulations JCR - you did it!!! Time to celebrate🍾 I hope the bottle of wine is open.....?? Nine weeks has gone both slowly & very fast. Your posts have kept us entertained throughput & I look forward to seeing you next post with your graduation mead shining brightly! And I look forward to more tales from a fully fledged 🏃🏻♀️ Well done!!!! 🎉 🏁🏅🍷😁🐒
Jan, you have brought a wonderful enthusiasm and a sparkling prose style to this forum and I sincerely hope you will hang about for the foreseeable future.
Well done graduate and fellow runner (again!!)
Incidentally, what shade of red have you managed to get to?
It was Monarch, in my defence it was a warm morning... thanks for the lovely reply. It's someone else's turn I think as I can't hog the airtime. But I thought I could pop up from time to time....
Thanks RRD your running name is our legacy... I am going to pop in every now and again. Because this is my running home, and I am still watching you all do your journeys. This is the only social media I do, and I love it so much. Good luck in your next runs
Hooray!! Well done, every kilometre you've run was worth it & every line about your runs was appreciated! Hope you are basking in glory & idly planning new routes and your next steps. I share the same theory about the grembiule (& note that they are standard issue in Spain too at a certain age) and also feel similarly aggrieved about Joe Dolce even now! I admit to having Ultravox's greatest hits on my iPod! Wishing you many happy runs and looking forward to hearing about them. X
Doesn't it just! It feels as though I really knuckled down and did something special. It's the next phase that worries me - no emotional crutches available, just me, the roads and the trainers to move me along.
I know what you mean, I've enjoyed the structure of the program and just working through it. It's going to be harder to keep motivated but I'm going to keep to the same running schedule.
That's why I did my Mr Smooth reminders in my phone just to keep the nagging going. I really wish they did a CF5-10K that would help no end. But I'm picky I still would like Mr Smooth. Join me and @SuzyKK in the backmarker club!
Only reading your graduation post today - fantastic news & big congratulations on graduating! I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing now - tried stepping stones, but have currently gone back to simply using W9R3 as was not doing as well... am totally inspired by your hills & heat, so will watch out for you here & in 'Senior School'!
BTW, I think what you should do is gather together all your run diary posts & have them published - it would be a best seller!
Thanks SuzyKK - Stepping stones, looked like stepping mountains. I don't know which of our mentors always says to consolidate, so I thought I'd be sensible and do that first off. I feel like a newbie again. Mr JCR is watching the cycling on Australian TV and there's an ad on and the strap line is you don't need to be famous to be brilliant. That sums up the plan for me...so fellow newbie graddy, I don't know whether to post in the new place or stay and skulk here!
Aww I'm so pleased you've graduated .. huge well done! Not an easy task as we all know! Mr Smooth has done his magic 😁however, selfishly I will really miss your fab advice and giggletastic posts as they have inspired me through many of the runs and helped me get to the bitter end!Please keep posting and making us laugh as it helps as much as the practical advice too🎉🎉
Very, very well done. You must have felt to proud of yourself to reach the end of the programme... and so you should. You got off that couch all those weeks ago and since then you've ran through some crazy, bonkers heat, you've visited that little village they called London for a nostalgia run and ran past everything in between until you smashed week 9. <high five>. Well done again - genuinely pleased for you.... and I don't even know you
That's the nice thing about the programme I feel I 'know' so many running friends. And so many wanting you to succeed, it's not like some of your work colleagues being snidey, or family making sarky comments. If they had one of these forums for everything you did in life, I am sure we'd all be top notch at everything... looking out for you on the podium too! Not long now.
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Graduate week 9 run 3 🎖🏆👟🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
Week 9 run 3: graduation 🏃♀️
Week 9 run 3 - Graduation 👩🏼🎓 
Week 9 Run 3 !!! Graduated! 
Week 9 run 3 Graduation run done ❤️🍾🏅😀
