Have just completed W9R3 and feeling pretty good. But I’m not posting to say that – thought it might be good to give a brief rundown of my c2%k journey in the hope that it will be useful to other ex-couchers:
W1: 60 seconds must be easy, right? Not if you’re running too fast and not breathing properly! I didn’t really get the hang of that until much later. Came home repeatedly dejected and wondering how on earth I would get through the whole programme.
W2: Crikey, now 90 seconds?? Still not got the hang of breathing or pace (in fact it hadn’t even occurred to me). Came home out of breath and somewhat underwhelmed every time.
W3: OK, kinda not scared of 90 seconds any more, but still shattered every time.
W4: 3 minutes then 5 minutes?? Blimey, getting serious now. Quite pleased with myself that I am managing it, but still unnerved but what’s to come.
W5: 20 minutes??? You have got to be kidding me! No way am I ready for that! This was the first time I really thought about my pace. The only way I was going to get through that was to slow right down. (It seems that I run comfortably at around 8.5 km/h). Did it first time, and felt great.
W6: Still up and down with the pace but at least I’m aware of it now. Also aware that being embarrassed/scared of the run/hills/pedestrians/traffic ahead increased anxiety and made breathing more difficult. Started to learn to relax, and take deep breaths, and keep my nasal passages clear (TMI, sorry!)
W7: Most people agree this week’s the worst – 25 minutes three times. And it is, and from memory this is where I most often had to repeat runs (FYI the 9-week programme took me about 22 weeks!). But also its where I really started to learn about breathing and pace, and for the first time I thought that maybe I could do this – even though I kept failing the runs!
W8: By the time I’d conquered W7 with several attempts, 28 minutes didn’t seem that much of a leap. I just got on with it. Some were easier than others (but none were actually easy).
W9: By the time you get here, I think your own euphoria carries you along. To go from not running since school (I am 47) to even being in with a shout of running for 30 minutes made me feel like a different person to the one who started back in mid-October.
And today, even though it was windier than I would usually go out in, I was so determined to get this done. And I did.
And you can too.
Written by
Tinf
Graduate
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Excellent post! My own experience was the same concerning learning to jog and not run! Slowing right down has also allowed me to jog through b210k also, the speed aspect is what comes later. Look out for other runners on your route who look as fit as butchers' dogs and you will see some of them on their slow jog long run barely exceeding jogging on the spot! Slow is good at all levels, especially during c25k. Congrats!
Great encouragement, thank you and well done on completing the programme! I’m on week 7, about to do run 2, finding it quite tough! 🏃♀️🏃♀️
Congratulations on graduating & on a great post...that all rings true with me...all the way through there are doubts & who cares how long it takes?? It def took me longer than 9 weeks & that’s partly because I was convinced that I couldn’t do it!! But I could and I did & you have too & that is what this is all about...it’s a great achievement & one to be proud of!!! Here’s to the rest of your running journey 🥂
Crickey! reading your post and then thinking back to doing 90 second runs and how they seemed to take alot of effort has made me realise how far (quite litrally) we go on the programme.
Firstly, congratulations! You did it! Well done! Secondly, thanks for a great post! Very motivating. I started week 8 today so it made me reflect on my own journey and appreciate my achievements so far. Thank you! Well done graduate 🎓
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Graduation!!! 
Graduation
Graduated!
GRADUATED!!! 😁😁😁😁
Graduated!
