Self doubt, nagging voice in the head, brain gremlins...your boys took one hell of a beating, your boys took one hell of a beating!

[trogdelight]

With apologies to Bjørge Lillelien. That was one hard run. Last time 28 minutes beat me. This time I wanted to give up almost the whole way around the second half. My brain was telling me to quit at almost every point.

But do you know what?...I'm better than that, we all are. I owe it to myself, my family and everybody on this forum to rise up against the stupid, nagging voices in my head and defeat them. Sometimes running is hard; sometimes it tests us both mentally and physically; sometimes the only thing that keeps us going is putting one tired foot in front of the other.

We all started this program for a reason. For me, watching my father die after a lifetime of poor health choices made me realise that I had to start looking after my health. When I got home tonight, I went and looked at my two boys sound asleep in bed and realised that I want to be there for them for a long time yet, and I can do it better if I am fit and healthy.

So, guess what brain gremlins? I'm not going to be beaten by you and neither is anyone else. We are all going to smash this program and beyond; you ain't seen nothing yet.

[JennyH10 Graduate]

I love this post, it is so true.

My mum had a major life altering stroke 3 years ago and it has given me the kick up the backside I needed to get fitter and healthier, I will not go down that same road. We can do this for us, our physical and mental wellbeing and so that we are here for our loved ones too.

[trogdelight Graduate in reply to JennyH10]

It's never too late to get healthier.

[Eiralas Graduate]

Absolutely! Well done for rising above the gremlins, putting them in their place, and completing the run.

[trogdelight Graduate in reply to Eiralas]

thanks

[Wobblewobble]

Its staggering how the brain is so defeatest when the heart sooo wants to succeed.

Havent got kiddywinkles but I so want to be healthy and trim and so want everything to be much easier than it is carrying all the (self inflicted) weight around, cant even bend down and tie my trainers let alone fit nicely into my clothes!

I havent managed to run and only on W1R3 but absolutely not giving up or letting the side down so brisk walking and going to repeat week 1 until i can run!

If someone could just find the connection, to flip on the flipped off willpower they would make a fortune.

Good luck to you.

[trogdelight Graduate in reply to Wobblewobble]

you will get there

[Flaraflarkin Graduate]

What a great post! Go you trogdelight 👊🤘🙌

[Elfe5 Graduate]

Great post. I love your determination - and for such excellent reasons. Stamp hard on those gremlins! 😀

[Lordi Graduate]

Look at it this way...getting through c25k wakes all those running gremlins after they've been very happy with you for years lounging in front of the TV! They are not happy bunnies! They are just projecting, it's they who can't do it/don't want to do it and not you! During my own journey to c25k graduation I really hated hearing how "It gets easier" from c25k graduates and more accomplished runners, but I really wanted to believe it (though I couldn't see how it could get easier with increasing time and distance), but believe me it really does and those gremlins will fade and maybe only make an appearance now and again when you move up to a much longer running goal.

My gremlins started to go away after I learned to slow down and not try to translate marginal improving fitness into faster and faster (longer) runs during the allotted running periods. Dial it back a notch or two and you will find you're fitter than you believed and can trundle along much more easily and be able to think about something other than how many minutes are left until the end of the session.

Gremlins are quitters, so they give-up and go away after being ignored. Smash 'em is the right idea!

Slow down, get the breathing under control, talk to your legs (sounds odd I know, but that's what I do) my legs never want to quit quite when my brain (inner couch potato) would like to, so I have to keep going and then ask them again later...

[trogdelight Graduate in reply to Lordi]

I love the idea of talking to my legs.