Stepping Stones: dodging dog walkers, weeing in the long grass and crying at the finish line. Jeez! 🙄

[Flaraflarkin]

Flip the dog! 2nd go at Stepping Stones - Mentally and physically felt like I was back to slogging it on W6! Panicking 5minutes in about needing a wee - dived into the long grass Ssssh!! I am finding this soooo hard - and have had to dig out the sheer grit and determination that I stashed away back then, knowing I would need it again! Swiftly avoiding people on the common for fear of looking like a mad woman - I'm back to telling myself again that I can do this and stopping is not an option - out loud 👀 I cannot believe how much my head is telling me just to stop. At the finish line when Laura says "savour the moment" Well I got something in my eye; looking across the common at humans and dogs I just thought to myself it's not about how fast or slow or Park Run or anything. It's about just being here 😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Fluster and flaps... tears and triumphs.... this running has it all ! Well done you...!

Being here is all that matters ! xxx

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

It does! It's like all the trashy soaps rolled into one! 😂

[oldwheezer69 Graduate]

I quite often get emotional at the end of a run. I couldn't run for one minute at the start of this. Keep it up, you're doing great 😁

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to oldwheezer69]

Thank you, you too 😊

[Pancakes Graduate]

Well done super star - I’ve got W6R3 tomorrow I’m dreading it - I really admire you for carrying on! I’m so tired my gremlins are telling me to quit - but.......

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Pancakes]

Ugh! Those flipping gremlins 😫😫 Kick them off the pavement, and keep on plodding! You can do this one, remember it's all in the head and think of all of us here cheering you on!! You're nearly at W7!!! Incredible 🙌🙌

[Empem Graduate]

I'm a bit anxious about Stepping Stones.Tried the Speed one -didn't quite pull it off, but ran a week nine podcast again after that, only I miraculously found I was able to run longer on in to the five minute walk and maybe a little faster for a time.Yes let's keep trying..c'mon us!

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Empem]

Hey well done you! Yes I know I'm going to have to grin n bear this one and take it as another personal challenge until I can see/feel it getting a bit more manageable 😫 I'm finding it incredibly difficult, and it's highlighted how slowly I must have been going in W9!! But I guess that's fine and this is the next step of the journey 😊

[Empem Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

I'm planning it'll be at least three weeks before I'm able to move up a notch with either speed or distance.There's quite a bit of discussion about consolidation at this stage and just enjoying being a runner up to a Week 12. I planned to get to Week 9 back in February,I think it was, so we've done that and now sort of need to prove it wasn't a fluke for a while.!