Yay! Finally graduated today! So emotional

[Miracath]

Well I'm 61 years old, 3 stone overweight and have literally never willingly run a step in my life!! Today I graduated and managed to run 4.75k in the 30 minutes. I was so happy when I walked back in the door I burst into tears!!! (Soppy cow alert!) I really didn't expect it to be such a big deal, especially as I have actually been running the 30 minutes since week 7, as that is how my route works, so I was just running that little bit extra to get to the footpath to walk back home. But the fact I graduated and actually achieved this seems like the biggest thing since passing my driving test nearly 4.5 decades ago. I will miss Laura, although I think I'm most likely to carry on using the app to time myself, and hopefully get faster & make it to 5k in 30 minutes. Thank you all you lovely people for being so supportive and all round great!.

[SendWine Graduate]

Well done nothing wrong with being a soppy cow, it's well earnt I'm sure ❤ 🐄

[Miracath Graduate in reply to SendWine]

Thanks very much! It does feel like a big achievement

[misswobble Graduate]

Great job 💪👍😃🏃‍♀️ You can move on with Laura with th follow-on programme. C25+ Stepping Stones podcasts

[Miracath Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Oh! really! Thanks - I thought that the Bridge to 10K was the next thing, but that sounds much more manageable. The thought of even trying to run 10k gives me the collywobbles! Where do I find the C25+ stepping stones podcasts?

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Miracath]

They’ll be on a sticky on the right hand side of the page I imagine. If not, they’re on nhs Livewell website. Couch to 5k+stepping Stones podcasts 👍

You will do 10k by the way if you want to that is

Stepping stones are tricky. Slow fast slow to start with but hang in there cos they're awesome practice 💪.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Miracath]

Check the podcasts out.. but a bit of consolidation first will be useful too

Some different routes... a few shorter runs and some 30 minutes in there too... then move onto the podcasts

nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/c...

[Deborahchick46 Graduate]

Well done. It's a massive achievement. Enjoy the rest of your running journey 💪🏃🏃🏃xx

[Miracath Graduate]

Thank you so much! It's amazing that I'm finding it easier to run (well, jog to be honest) than walk these days! Incredible!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations Miracath you are now a graduate and see that word next to your name

[Miracath Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it! I was going to try to get my graduation run in, by the end of August, but the weather hasn't been good, so September is every bit as good as August! Ha ha!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Miracath]

To see the word Graduate next to your name, go to the September graduation post and tell the administrators you have completed C25K with week 9 run 3

[Hidden]

Very well done and congratulations 👏👏👏👏 it obviously meant a lot to you.. you should be very proud 😀😀

[Miracath Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much! I didn't realise it, but once I had completed it, I did feel such a sense of achievement. Mainly because I have been so very unfit for most of my life.

[Hidden in reply to Miracath]

I seem to remember getting something in my eyes about w9 r3 too

I was 56 when i graduated i used to smoke 40 a day prior to that ..

It is huge achievement for all of us 😀😀 welcome to the grad club ..

[bluepanda Graduate]

Congratulations! 🙌🙌 I’ll imagine I’ll probably cry too when I eventually graduate so nothing wrong with that! Happy runnings xx

[Miracath Graduate in reply to bluepanda]

It was just so unexpected! I'm not usually the crying type! But it does feel like a big achievement, and one that only a few months ago I would never ever have imagined I could do.

[BarbieW Graduate]

Very well done Miracanth and no apologies needed about your feelings. Isn’t it a fabulous sense of achievement to finish that graduation run!

I carried on re-running week 9 and tried out all the presenters at least once, until I was comfortable with running for 30 minutes 3 times a week before I started trying to up my pace. I have the stepping stones podcasts to try next. Like you, the thought of running 10k does not fill me with eager anticipation just yet, but who knows, maybe in time.........

[Miracath Graduate in reply to BarbieW]

I think that is a good idea! Some people seem to think that the Stepping Stones podcast is quite a step up from graduation, and I don't want to disappoint myself. So I'll try out the other trainers and do a few weeks of 30 minute runs and see how I go. Thanks so much for your lovely helpful comments.

[Tinker5393 Graduate]

Congratulations. What a fast time , enjoy your graduation . 🍾🍾🍾

[Miracath Graduate in reply to Tinker5393]

Thank you! I'm confused as I think I jog about as slowly as it is possible to go. But I have measured & re-measured the distance and it seem to be right! So maybe I'm not such a tortoise after all!

[Mellowyello Graduate]

Sincere well done Miracath! I’m the same age and just finished week 1 - you’re an inspiration! 👍🏼👍🏼

[Miracath Graduate in reply to Mellowyello]

Thank you so much. Honestly, week 1 was so so much harder than week 9! I thought by the end of week 2 that I lead weights in my legs & I couldn't breathe. So just keep at it, and you'll get there! It's a total miracle to me to have achieved this, but the excellent program and brilliant support & advice on here have made it happen.

[Mellowyello Graduate in reply to Miracath]

You’re inspirational!!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Congratulations... great job. 4.75k in 30 is very impressive, you’ll soon be at 5k. Enjoy your future running journey.

[Miracath Graduate]

Thanks! I love your name!! It says it all!

[Languid_Lil Graduate]

Brilliant! Well done you 💐🏅🍾👏💐🏅🍾👏💐🏅🍾👏

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Huge well done... and congratulations... we love ..'soppy cows' here xxx

The best bit? This goes on...the next best bit... we will be right here with you!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

This guide to post C25K running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Hidden]

Congrats. Donut time. 🍩😊

[MVBrown Graduate]

Congrats and well done on achieving a spectacular feat. No wonder you were emotional. It’s a huge achievement to run for 30minutes. 👏👏👏👏🎊🎉🎊🎉

[Karen376 Graduate]

Well done you congratulations happy running 😊

[Getfitok Graduate]

Brilliant! Well done you 👍

[Manxmezzo Graduate]

Wowsers - fantastically well done and what a great time. Congratulations!

[Secretraver]

Congratulations. What an amazing achievement. I am on Week 4 so a bit to go yet but feeling confident because Micheal Johnson says I can do it!!!

[DorsetRunner Graduate]

Nice one - well done - you rock!

[Beanjo Graduate]

Well done Miracath- huge achievement 👏👏 and a very impressive time😊

I continued to run the 3x30 minute sessions for a couple of weeks after I graduated and now do some runs that I just track time and distance, and some where I use the stepping stone podcasts.

Like you I’m not itching to run 10k so just trying to build up my strength and stamina and enjoy this new feeling of achievement.

Congratulations 🍾🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Oldlady57]

Soooooo filled with run envy!!!!! Well done you!! Massive congratulations. A huge achievement 👏👏👏👏👏🎓🥇👏👏