Excuse the photo, its a bit cliche but I am proud of it all the same.
Its been a long slow journey with lots of bumps along the road but today I graduated! Four weeks ago having done week 9 runs one and two I was feeling so confident but it shows how quickly I could be knocked off my snug little perch. The following day I was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. I didn't run for a couple of weeks and the past two weeks I have kept trying week 9 run 3 ..again and again and again until eventually today I completed it. I am not sure how I was meant to feel. I had just achieved something amazing ..an overweight grandma ..who has always struggled to exercise and I have to say never truly enjoyed it. I simply stared at the 'graduate' message on the app in what was very thick cooling fog here in the hills this morning. But I did it. I have learnt so many lessons, how to run is the least of them, I have always been frightened of failure. I have learnt no matter what obstacles are put in front of you, with perseverance and consistency you can steer a path through them and succeed. My obstacles will have been different to yours but we all get them. In weeks to come as my running journey continues I will reflect and share those obstacles with you because they are a huge part of who I am today. This so called 9 week journey of C25K actually has taken me exactly 12 weeks but the bigger truth is my journey back to health has taken over 2 years.
I know I couldn't have done this past 12 weeks without this forum. Friends and family have not always been understanding of the struggle we all face in completing this program. Many of you have kept in touch through the 'chat', you all know who you are and you have been a huge part of my journey. Thank you x
Now where is that podium and badge.
Written by
Jullaly
Graduate
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Thanks Jay, I was frightened I couldn't complete it so kept myself quiet ..for a change ..lol, hope all is well with you. Im back and intend to stay back
Very reasonable. Great you fought through with it. Sorry it was in such difficult circumstances.
Well done Oldladyruns! Many congratulations on graduating. I always worry when regular posters go quiet and so I am pleased to see that you are back! Enjoy the feeling and the great world of running that awaits
Very well done for bouncing back, keeping at it and being victorious in the end. It ain’t easy but my word the sense of achievement is worth every second. Congratulations on your well deserved graduation!
What a fabulous inspirational post. You have overcome your obstacles and here you are! Up on the podium where you belong 👏. Enjoy the moment and the next stage of your journey 👏😘
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I’ve missed you and was worried about you too. Sooooo glad to hear from you and you’ve graduated!!!! 🥇 👩🎓 🍾. Cheers to you my dear so very bloody well done! You’ve certainly been tested during your journey and come through fighting fit. You and Jay66UK were my running mates when I started and so pleased to have you back on the team! Xxx😘😘.
Thank you my friend, you've been a great support. I hadn't posted until I knew I was back in the game!! and back I am. I have a race for life on Saturday. I was worried I wouldn't make it but Im just about back to full fitness now
That’s so great to hear. Although we are all friends on here you don’t want to pry into peoples personal lives so didn’t want to bother you. But really pleased you’re back with us! Xx
HURRAY! Congratulations and well done. I don't think it matters how long it takes....it's the doing that matters. Glad you're on the mend after illness, and a rough few months. The summer is ahead, take the chance to look after yourself a bit. Lots of love. 🥇🥇🥇👏🍾
Thats fantastic, well done to you. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts and you have helped me to reach week 7, looking forward to graduating too. Fantastic achievement. Congratulations. 🏃♀️🍾😀
Congratulations. I thought I may have missed your graduation post. You've done brilliantly with all the ups and downs you have had. It is surprising the wider benefits this programme brings.
What I'd really like to know is what your friends who laughed say now! Hopefully they just think running is part of who you are now.
Firstly, thank you for all your amazing support. Secondly, you are so right my friends just see me as a runner ..no comments ..in fact some are coming along to a race for life next weekend to cheer me over the finishing line ! How things change
Hello oldladyruns, I thought I hadn’t seen you and your cows for a while , and sorry you haven’t been well. So double congratulations to you for sticking to it until you graduated. You have done brilliantly and so deserve to step on the podium and pick up your shiny graduates badge. Whoop whoop! 🏃♀️🤸♀️🏃♀️👏🍾🥂🐄🐂🐄
Congratulations to you 'oldladyruns' (that should be young lady runs) great achievement for you, especially after your recent chest affections, well done.
Thank you, I can’t really put into words what this means to me. Although this took me 12 weeks rather than the 9, the last 2 years have been a massive journey back to fitness. Thank you to the admins x
Thanks for the link, I’ve been to sign up for my badge ..yay.i can’t express in words the support the admins have given me, I know I couldn’t have made it without all the help this forum has given
Thank you I will keep running, I’m not going to give up on all the effort it’s taken to get here and besides I love running and that is something coming from an old exercise phobe!
Ah fantastic- I’ve been wondering where & how you are. So glad you are back and a graduate!!! Yippee. Superstar. Huge congratulations for completing it in the face of such adversity. Stay on the forum and keep us posted of your next steps
Thank you my friend ,can’t thank you enough for your support. I did go quiet on the forum but was scared I couldn’t get back to where I left off ..that frightened of failure reared it’s head but I knocked it back today..I’m back lol
Your journey has been a real inspiration to me. Huge congratulations and well done on graduating - you deserve it. I haven't posted on here for weeks as I have found it difficult to maintain motivation following graduation. However, your story has been fantastic to follow. Thank you for sharing it with us. Happy future running. 👏👏👏💪🎓
Thank you for thinking of me. I am still running but I am struggling a bit and am frankly envious of all the graduates who seem to be making leaps and bounds with 10Ks and Park Runs and PBs. I have thought about you often and hope you are now off the IC and back to running? How is your foot/toe? 😀🏃♀️
Everyone is different, and it really does depend on what you want to achieve. I'm aiming for distance at the moment.
Toe is all healed thank you, it gives a weird twinge with too much pressure but is back to full function.
I'm doing 10k twice a week just now with a 5 thrown in too but I've got my eye on a 14km route near work on brand new tarmac that I think would be quite a treat to my beat up pavements near home.
🤔 I'm sure there's a saying about envy robbing us of joy. Please don't feel you need to keep up with anyone. Maybe join the B210k lot and start the 10k plan if a structured plan works better or join a local running club for social fun.
You've had such a great acheivement; everyone on the couch will envy you. No need to compare really, we are all so individual and wonderful in our own right 👍😁🤗
Great news that you're back on track with your running!
You're right of course - I should stop comparing/envying and just set my own course. Trouble is I'm not sure what that course should be at the moment. A structured plan is good for me so I may try the B210K plan, although not sure I can manage it. Won't know until I try I suppose!
Thanks again for the support and encouragement. I'll keep you posted. 👍😀
You are the inspiration, I found it difficult to post on here in the forum when I was struggling but today when I cracked it after 2 weeks of trying that last run, I was elated. Let’s both try and keep that motivation .
Thank you for your kind thoughts. You'll have to keep posting now - look at how everone has missed you!! Well done on overcoming many obstacles. I'll try to emulate you and keep going with the running despite feeling a bit disheartened about it. Onwards and upwards! 🏃♀️🏃♀️
Thanks Tasha you have kept me on it ! What’s next ..a 5K race for life on Sunday in Newcastle ..then I’m not sure but I will keep running that’s for sure
That's so freaky. I was just thinking about you and I clicked on your username to see how you were getting on... and Boom!! You've done it!! 👏👏👏
I'm so pleased for you. Many, many congratulations. It's not been easy for you but you didn't let anything hold you back 🏅 truly a five star finish 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I know you're going to keep moving forward from strength to strength both running and with your health and self-development. Gosh, just got a tad choked wishing my own Mum could have shown such determination, commitment and courage.
You're an absolute 🌟. Keep on running lovely lady 👍😁🏃♀️
What an amazing achievement you must be over the moon and so so proud of yourself. It’s stories like yours that inspire people like me to keep trundling alone. From one over weight grandma to another WELL DONE & MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS !!
I’ve had some bumps along the way but we grandmas have to be the role models to our grand children .. my eldest granddaughter proudly announced that her grandma was a runner during her sports day at school this week lol
I’m fine thanks, how are you? How are you getting on, how far/ long are you doing now. I did two or three post grad weeks but then I missed a couple of weeks due to different reasons and finding it hard to get back on track🙃
I'm ok thanks. Had a period on the IC so just started w1 of the 10k plan this week. Yes sometimes life just gets in the way doesn't it. Hope you do come back, miss you
Yipee! Yippe! So lovely to see you back and delighted to see that you have made it! Well done! Congratulations! Enjoy your time on the podium! 🎓🥇🍾🥂🎉🎉🎉 And all the very best for your onward running journey. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️ And I do hope the race for life on Saturday goes really well and look forward to hearing all about it.
Thank you and can I just say you have been such a wonderful support throughout my journey
This is the news I've been waiting on! I've been thinking of you, and most recently today can you believe (just catching this post now for some reason).
Sorry to hear you've had yet more bad luck and trust all is looking up at last.
Fantastic LOR! 👍 After breakfast this morning checked the emails and couldn’t believe it - you’re back. You have been worried about and missed by all of us on here. Huge congratulations on graduating. 🍪 can’t find a digestive for the 🐄. For you 🍾🥂 xx
Yes I celebrated with a shared digestive biscuit with Dolly the cow .. it never tasted so good as when I was munching it on the podium. Thanks for all your support
Oh massive congratulations to you! Your journey is amazing and your achievement is even more special because you kept going! You’re a big inspiration! Well done you! You certainly do run!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🎓🏆❤️
Congratulations. You have shown what will power and determination can achieve. I have just started (W3R1). It really is remarkable how much encouragement, and help you can get on these pages. 👍👍
It’s so very true, this forum is very supportive . I can’t count the times I have been picked up, dusted off and told to get running again, without that I would not have got to where I am now..keep going and we will all be behind you.
Oh wow! Super well done! You have inspired me to get back out there! I graduated a couple of weeks ago but I’ve lost my mojo and been niggled by minor issues in this heat but now I am determined to get back on it! Congratulations and thank you! 🏃♀️
Thank you, I’m thrilled I got there in the end and enjoying it! So many grand parents on this forum and what a wonderful message to show our grandchildren
thanks Oldfloss it has been quite a journey but I managed race for life today ..with only a short walk in the middle due to extreme heat. Thanks for all your help, its very much appreciated.
I don’t know you but I feel very proud 😘 we started about the same time and I also took 12 weeks because I damaged my Achilles. Well done and good luck for the future. I bet your ‘friends ‘ aren’t laughing now 😁
OOoooh, well done, that’s great! I remember that you went through some tough times a while back as well, I’m so glad you graduated, you deserve that badge missus! 🎉
Better late than never -> massive congratulations to you! (I've been having major technological problems) Couldn't let this one pass by without acknowledgement of your absolutely amazing achievement. Hope you're still buzzing! 🎉💐
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Graduated !!!
Graduated at last
Graduated!!!
I have graduated!!!
I did it, I GRADUATED today.......
