I did it - Graduation and my first Parkrun! - Couch to 5K

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I did it - Graduation and my first Parkrun!

Languid_Lil profile image
Languid_LilGraduate
β€’39 Replies

OMG I am on such a high!

I just did W9R3 at my first Parkrun in Conwy!

I was *so* nervous at the start line surrounded by other runners who looked like they knew what they were doing. It didn't last long though as pretty soon *everyone* had left me behind. I looked around for the fabled Tailrunner - nobody! [edit] OMG I wasn't last! The tail walker & some other people must have been way behind & I just didn't see them! [edit]

At first, I was filled with panic. "I can't do this, what was I thinking? I can't breathe, my chest hurts, I have to stop. Nobody will mind if I just stop now."

Then another little voice (no, not Sarah Millican) "No worries, you got this, you know what to do, slow down, find your pace, it doesn't matter what anyone else does, get your breath back, take control, relax"

And I did! The weather was bloody awful, it was really wet and cold, I really think I was last, but I flipping well did it! I ran the whole 5k, I didn't stop, I totally rock!

Thanks so much for all your help and support, I could not have done it without you guys xxxxxx

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Languid_Lil profile image
Languid_Lil
Graduate
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39 Replies
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Samarika profile image
SamarikaGraduate

...Awesome -Big Congratulations and Very Well Done πŸ‘ŸπŸ† :-)

sparkyjohn profile image
sparkyjohnGraduate

Brilliant, really well done πŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒ

Great photo too πŸ†πŸΎπŸ©

busylady profile image
busyladyGraduate

Well done!

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate

Congratulations!

Very well deserved and what a way to finish this. I have family near there and that parkrun is on my list of ones to do. Great job... and yeah, the gazelle types are only intimidating for a few seconds! No tailwalker is unusual, makes marshalling a pain. Same time next week then?

slow-farah profile image
slow-farahGraduate

Well done! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

I'm so proud for you! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to you for graduating and completing the parkrun on your own. Here's your graduation donut! 🍩😜

That is slightly worrying that was no tailrunner in sight, unless there was somebody further back than you, as I've seen others mention on here that that is illegal!

EDIT: Looking at the results, you weren't in last position there were others behind you so the tailrunner might have been minutes behind you!

Oldlady57 profile image
Oldlady57

Huge congratulations LL on a fantastic job very well run πŸ₯‡πŸŽ“πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ΄σ §σ ’󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

MVBrown profile image
MVBrownGraduate

Excellent and congrats on your grad park run.πŸŽ“πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸŽŠπŸŽŠπŸŽŠπŸŽ‰πŸŽŠπŸŽ‰πŸŽŠπŸŽ‰πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Congratulations and very well done.. A great place to graduate!!!

boniobiscuits profile image
boniobiscuitsGraduate

Nia, you are flipping amazing!!!!!

I am so, so thrilled for you, there will be no stopping you now girl ;-)

Love, love, love the photograph, you look so happy x

Pancakes profile image
PancakesGraduate

Amazing and inspirational!! Well done you!! πŸŒŸπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘

Dechrau profile image
Dechrau

Woo hoo, many many congratulations!!!

SANDI_runs profile image
SANDI_runsGraduate

Congratulations on your graduation and you did it in style at a park run. I still have to experience one for myself.

HillsEverywhere profile image
HillsEverywhereGraduate

Congratulations !!!

Kerrylh profile image
KerrylhGraduate

That's fantastic well done you πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘πŸ…

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate

Well done to you for completing the Conwy 5k parkrun, you were not last, the winner ran it in a time of 16.51, the person who was last (not you) ran it in a time of 53.55.

Oaktree2 profile image
Oaktree2

Fabulous, well done! πŸ’ͺπŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ†

Hatetoloverun profile image
HatetoloverunGraduate

Yayyy!! You super woman! Well done ! Enjoy now πŸ˜€

antonioa profile image
antonioaGraduate

That's awesome. Definitely mind over matter - it's needed at times. A big, big welcome to the club and let's both enjoy the limelight. Well done xx

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

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

Keep running, keep smiling.

Languid_Lil profile image
Languid_LilGraduateβ€’ in reply toIannodaTruffe

Thanks for this. I see that I need to make a plan to keep me running, and I need to keep it sensible so that I can continue without injury.

My original aim was to do a Parkrun in November but I guess I blew that out of the water lol. Then, when it became clear to me that I was capable of running 5k (just v e r y v e r y s l o w l y 🐌 - average pace just over 10 mins/km) my goal was to work towards a sub-50 minute Parkrun. Astonishingly, I actually managed that yesterday - absolutely amazing. So my goals over the next 2 months are consolidatory:

* continue running - 2x or 3x per week

* aim for 2x 35 minute runs & 1x5k per week, a Parkrun if I can make it.

* gym 2x per week, some strength training plus possibly one of the runs on a treadmill

* after 2 months, start aiming to reduce my Parkrun time. Not before. Of course it *might* happen of its own accord - yesterday was only my 3rd ever 5k so it would be natural to improve a bit, even if I'm not concentrating on improvement.

Anyone got any thoughts? Is it pie in the sky?

β€’ in reply toLanguid_Lil

Any plans to do the C25K+ podcasts with Laura?

I'm not sure how well they are geared to slow runners like us. I had a quick listen to the first one the other day and just the start with the walking to a beat was faster than I normally go when I'm jogging!

Languid_Lil profile image
Languid_LilGraduateβ€’ in reply to

Hi there fellow 🐌!

That's what puts me off them as well. I definitely do want to speed up a bit but I think I'll be a gradual process. I found myself going far too fast (for me) at the start of the Parkrun and I really had to slow down - I wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes at that speed. I thought I'd try the Nike+ ones out, or failing that just have a written plan.

β€’ in reply toLanguid_Lil

I don't feel my body can cope with going much faster. I tried again this morning for the final minute of 25 and I can feel the extra pressure around my knees and the top of my ankle. I reckon I'll have to shift a couple of stone before I can run faster comfortably. Or maybe I really ought to get a biomechanical analysis done even if it costs an arm and a leg to see what they say.

Bandit14 profile image
Bandit14Graduate

Knew you'd do it - massive congrats🍾

Keep running and enjoy today and beyond😊x

Taffywasawelshman profile image
TaffywasawelshmanGraduate

Brilliant well done! I’m on W8R3 today and hope to finish W9R3 on a 5k at Dulles airport next Saturday. Hope to emulate your success!

trapeze profile image
trapeze

amazing achievement, well done

MrsWobble profile image
MrsWobble

Wow amazing well done you so chuffed for you xx

Sooz31 profile image
Sooz31Graduate

Congratulations that is amazing you have done such a great job!

Downtwo profile image
Downtwo

Congrats. What an achievement! An inspiration to all of us stragglers round the track.

linda9389 profile image
linda9389Graduate

Wow that's amazing, awesome, well done you. I finally did my first parkrun yesterday, well over a year since I registered and a whole 15 months after graduating. I used to live in Llanrhos so definitely hope to do the Conway run on a visit back home at some point. It looks like a great course. πŸ˜€

Flutegirl profile image
Flutegirl

Brilliant job- well done πŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ†

WynB profile image
WynBGraduate

Really fab- congratulations πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

CKem profile image
CKemGraduate

That’s brilliant!!! Well done!! Our graduation run was a park run too. It was so friendly and it didn’t matter we were slow 😊

Languid_Lil profile image
Languid_LilGraduateβ€’ in reply toCKem

Brilliant! Well done!

paul1960 profile image
paul1960Graduate

well done

Dee_N profile image
Dee_NGraduate

So sorry I missed this!! You amazing lady! Well done! Xx

EEPaul profile image
EEPaulGraduate

Congratulations, especially in the rain. I've done the same today (W9R3 and first Parkrun - Southwark), but at least it didn't rain

TormundsBeard profile image
TormundsBeard

amazing achievement you should be very proud! congratulations and keep up the great work

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