in the last month, I ran, but also, I walked

[icklegui]

...across the stage at <fancy venue> to shake hands with the appropriate big cheeses at my university and become a PhD graduate. I don't think I'd have made the finishing line without the mental support from running! They say the PhD is a marathon, not a sprint, and I never thought I would be either a sprinter or a distance runner, but now I'm hoping to get back on the Bridge to 10K and beyond.

Big thanks btw to those who, months ago now so you may not remember but I do, replied kindly to my emotional post about running for the first time near my workplace (where I did my PhD) - I am still there but dropping to half-time soon so the wrench of leaving is lessened, if indeed I ever do leave!

Have had a few good runs lately - a bit short and far between but never mind. Still getting out there with a max of 10 days ish between runs - got a few new merino wool tops (ebay!!) so I am kitted out for a variety of weather conditions and have every incentive to keep getting out there.

Though I realised how attached I was to tech and stats and mapping - my increasingly old Android phone does not let the location service play nicely with tracking apps, and overnight MapMyRun became utterly convinced that I was in a field somewhere near Manchester and not in Croydon and it is hard to convince it otherwise. I have resorted to Google Fit which being google should probably play best with the operating system until the phone falls over completely, but it doesn't give me as nice breakdown of my splits as I would like. Any tips on cajoling MapMyRun, Strava etc to cooperate on Android, welcome! (and yes, the GPS and google location service is fine, google maps finds me, just MMR, Strava no longer get the right info from the location service whereas MMR used to work perfectly from leaving the front door). I liked tracking my stats and my route!

Happy running all, tracked or untracked

x

[Hidden]

Congratulations!

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Gran4z Graduate]

Brilliant work, a PhD - respect to you, congratulations. Happy running to you too, tracked or not, whatever! Enjoy and enjoy your doctorate too, what an achievement.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Gran4z]

I am continuing to enjoy having a phd thank you! Running is definitely happy too.

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Congratulations!! 👏🏽👏🏽🏆

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Fabulous450]

Thank you!

[IgaT Graduate]

Congratulations!!!! That's huge!

[icklegui Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Haha, graduation was massive! And it was huge in that it took me sooooooooooooo long. I'm not the fastest at anything and that's fine

[IgaT Graduate in reply to icklegui]

LoL I meant a huge accomplishment but we are all doing everything in our own pace. Like me and C25K I cannot wait to start again, but I am still on recovery and checking I my running shoes weren't the culprit.

And it doesn't matter how fast or how slow, you are now PhD!!!! Yeyyy!!!

[icklegui Graduate in reply to IgaT]

I knew what you meant really I am proud of myself for getting through the PhD and for getting through the very long graduation ceremony!

Everyone's pace for everything is necessarily unique, and deadlines aside, that is fine

I am looking forward to seeing your next post detailing your next run - I know you will look after yourself and recover well, and hope you can find the culprit indeed as it must be very annoying!

Very much hope you are well xx

[IgaT Graduate in reply to icklegui]

My first run, not my choice, was today when I was running away from storm that has caught me and my dog on the walk. So few minutes of run - done

It will take a while before the next proper run, but hey Ms Doctor - you can run for me

[sallenson Graduate]

Well done tiger. I remember the rollercoaster ride that was my doctorate only too well. But loved the mad dressing up bit at the end.

Will getting onto the W9 podium match getting "doctored". Maybe not. But from where I'm standing they're pretty bloody close!!

Can't help with the Android glitches I'm afraid. Mine's been bang on so far. Maybe time to buy yourself an HRM. As a graduation present...

[icklegui Graduate in reply to sallenson]

You know what, I was more proud in some ways of c25k because I have never been fit or sporty so the running is totally unexpected. Mind you by the time my PhD rumbled on for the eleventieth year, finishing that was unexpected too! If yours was a rollercoaster it sounds technically more fun than mine!

[Fabulous450 Graduate in reply to icklegui]

Tales of the unexpected! Committed and completed! You will always have these examples of massive achievements to remind you of what you are capable of, even when it looks like there’s a mountain to climb! “Dr Icklegui — The runner”! 😁🏆

Looking forward to my running graduation 🎓 one day! It still looks like a mountain, right now at W2R2, but I’m just soaking up the inspiration (thank you ❤️) and focusing on the next bit!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to icklegui]

Eleven years!! That's a long haul. Well done you for hanging in there for so long. If you've got the mental strength to do that you shd be running ultras

[icklegui Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Tee hee - it was supposed to be eleventy as a Lord of the Rings ref - it was actually about 8 years including the saga of the corrections. Multiple endings, just like LoTR...

[Tjar]

Well done that lady!!! 🍾

I’m sorry, completely useless on the Android subject.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Tjar]

Thank you! And my phone is probably the useless one - slight case of planned obsolescence perhaps along with my not having bought a very popular phone in the first place!

[Sortyourlife]

Massive respect to you for doing this whilst doing a PhD too!

I’m doing my masters atm and I just stopped doing everything fitness related when I started it in September. In the past couple of weeks I’ve done loads whilst I’ve been off uni, but I’m still in over the summer so I’m hoping I can keep it up over the summer!

Congratulations and good luck with everything 💞

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Sortyourlife]

Thank you so much. I really wanted to answer this with something meaningful about looking after your health - especially mental while you're under stress! But it's so hard to feel alright about fitting in things like running! It has been a struggle ever since starting university (undergrad) to get that balance, do things that are either enjoyable, stress-relieving, or fitness related, while knowing you have exams or the constant study of a Masters etc. It takes a while to get that habit forming, knowing that a run will relieve some stress and so it's better to just do it and then go back to work rather than fret about the time "lost". I was inspired by quite a few people who would say things like "i go for a run every couple of days otherwise I feel a bit ... not good" or my boss who would simply disappear for a 10km "light jog" an hour at lunch and come back looking calm and ready to work for the afternoon. Obviously, I'm not at the light 10K jog at lunchtime stage, but what little I do helps

Keep going with your masters and good luck with it x

[Sortyourlife in reply to icklegui]

Tell me about it ahah!

Aw thank you so much, yeah I realise now how much better I’ve felt over the past couple of weeks I’ve been off just going for walks and obviously now starting to run too.

This semester I’ve just got a project to do, so I’m hoping I should be okay giving myself that hour or so (accounting for a shower too) break 3 times a week ahah, even as it gets closer to deadline day.

Fingers crossed anyways!

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

Congratulations on your PhD icklegui! That really is a massive achievement. 👏👏👏 And I am pleased to hear you are still running. Do get back on the ole Bridge to 10k - I have just started it, would be lovely to share the ride with you! Happy running, buddy. x

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Sadie-runs]

Aw somehow I forgot to write a reply - I will definitely consider the bridge again (I got up to 6K ..!) but I would really like to make it so I run 3 times a week. I took C25K slower than that but it would be so nice to keep up with people on the Bridge even though I *know* there's no pressure to!

[Fishypieface Graduate]

Missed this - belated congratulations!!

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Fishypieface]

Thank you! I am always pleased to see your posts and comments, I am glad you are still about! Your story sticks in the mind happy running x

[Fishypieface Graduate in reply to icklegui]

Ah thanks icklegui! I’ve been on the IC for 9 weeks or so... am trying to slide off it and back into the real world but it’s a bit touch and go. I’ll be starting from the beginning at this rate! Don’t think I’ll ever be at the light jog at lunchtime stage!! 🙄😂 Enjoy summer running x