Today’s soundtrack was a 28 minute guided run with Jordan Hasay on NRC. Nice slow pace around the junior parkrun course that I’ll be marshalling at tomorrow. Set off nice and steady with Jordan and another woman guiding me and talking about her career. I was so distracted and comfortable in the run that time wasn’t anywhere near my mind, but I was aware of the laps, which were roughly 1k each. As I started lap 5 I began to grin uncontrollably and smiled over half way around that lap before being told to stop running. Could have gone on, but as I’ve said before on here when someone like this tells you it’s job done then there can be no discussion, no argument, not even 100 yards more running. Breathing is now so good that I’m hardly out of breath and the recovery is very quick. No aches, no pains, no sense that I can’t get that 5k. This running plan and the support of you guys right here has taken me from a 40 a day couch potato smoker to someone who can actually run again, and much further than I used to. Thanks guys.
Week 8 Begins: Today’s soundtrack was a 2... - Couch to 5K
Week 8 Begins
Well done you ! Lovely positive result 😁😁
Thanks... feels good. The changes in my fitness are stunning considering I couldn’t pick laundry off the floor without sweating back in May.
You're the epitome of a success story which will encourage any that are doubting the programme works!! Well done, and the bubbly is chilling nicely for that podium place you've reserved yourself 
I got 5 to go and the last is a 30 minuter entitled “just go with Mo” which I’ve been wanting to do for a long time!
Brilliant well done UNM!! Sounds like you nailed everything and well done for stopping😊😊
Cheers... somewhere in the back of my head is my old coach screaming in my face when I did an extra lap 😂
A HUGE well done. I've been following your progress and you've come so far! You deserve a huge drink, a pat on the back and should be so very proud of yourself. :-). 1 more week and you've done it. Keep doing the park runs and marshalling 😀
Thanks Maz. I’m gonna Marshall the next two weeks and then I may have to run one! Love marshalling though, and I do 2 mornings a week on it.
That is wonderful news from you UnfitNoMore, no more slouching on the couch, no more watching TV for hours on end, and certainly no more 40 fags a day, you now have a really healthy lifestyle. Just shows you that after week 8 run 1's 28 minutes that you 'could' have ran on for a further 100 yards but quite correctly stopped when you were told to stop. Good luck for you marshalling at tomorrows junior park run. Today you were going at the right pace, the fact that you were able to listen and speak to that women about her career. You are an inspiration to others who have stopped smoking, yes after some time they too can get their breath back and start to run and like you have a much healthier lifestyle.
I have followed some great inspirations on here too... my job was so much easier because of them, and hopefully I’ve paid back to those a few weeks behind, and I see them inspiring those just starting out... this is a truly amazing place... I can never leave.
Sounds like a great run!! ☝️ I’m one of those a few weeks behind that you have inspired-love your comments and advice-I never want to leave either!!! You’ve totally got this 👍
Thanks Marcia... it’s been a great journey, made all the better by those before and after me in the process... seeing people run 30 minutes when I struggled with one was cool, and it gave me hope, but it was detached from where I was... what they were doing was impossible for me at that time, so I got greater inspiration from those who were just out of reach... those doing what I’d do next. Keep posting here on your journey, it’s really helping the next ones along... and keep sending your smiles!!
Awe that’s lovely 😊 I really can’t top what you said! 100% spot on... it’s amazing the change a few weeks on here can do... and I’m not just talking running, this community is the absolute hub of positivity, and positivity breeds positivity! I’m excited about my future challenges in running. It encourages me to do other things in my life too. Love reading other posts and their journey too!
Week 6 starts in the morning-hopefully it will end with a smile - a few posts have me wondering about it 🤔I can’t see what will be worse than the 20 min shock of week 5’s last run but I haven’t looked ahead so don’t tell me! I like to just get out there and go or I’ll just think about it!!! Someone said this run is actually the ‘bad boy’?!???? Eek!! All I can do is give it a go 🤷♀️
Happy running, looking forward to your next post and some wise words for mine!
It’s not that bad a run... slow and steady and you’ll have it
That's awesome! Keep with the plan and keep smiling 😸
Thanks... 5 runs, then consolidation and then onto the next plan... loving every minute of this now.
Oh that’s great. Well done 👍. You are doing so well and the obvious physical improvement is such an encouragement. Good that you could have run on, but great that you stopped!
Thanks... I’m stunned every time I go out at the changes... and I can pick laundry up these days 😂
Brilliant..and you are welcome 😉
Couldn’t have done it without you... slow and steady... slow and steady... and the big message slow and steady! I’d have taken months and more injuries getting there if it wasn’t for here.
X
Well done - the end is in sight!
Kinda... I can see my start line at the end of W9R3! Thanks
Aah that sounds like an amazing run!! Massive congratulations to you!! It’s great that you’re feeling so good too! No smoking and back running! You’ve a lot to be proud of. Plus your little one has done this too (though ahead of you, 🤫) and it’s a great thing to do together. Well done to you both!! Let’s get you onto that podium! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️
She’s one run off finishing this... but she says she’s doing 28 minute runs now... apparently we started this together and that’s how we will finish. Reminded me of me... she’s doomed 😂
I will smoke a good Cuban on Christmas Day every year as that was me and my grandad after dinner. That’s the only smoke I’ll ever have.
Thanks Fab... you’re one of the ones I watched a few weeks ahead of me that inspired me in the attitude and commitment, I just followed your lead.
Aah thank you!! Your daughter is truly amazing! Isn’t that such a wonderful thing to say. Finishing together. 😍😍! You’ve been an inspiration to so many people since starting this programme! It’s been a pleasure to share your journey! Well done!! 😁❤️
Well if it was the other way round I’d do the run 😂
Who am I trying to kid... I may run 29:59 though 😂
Not me I hope?!! 🤣 You wouldn’t do 0.01 and we both know it! 😉❤️
Go you!!!! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 what an awesome feeling isn’t it??? Great news that you’re breathing and recovery are improving, success all round I reckon. You’re doing amazing
Thanks, yeah... it’s almost an unbelievable feeling!
Fantastic! The power of distracting the mind and just let the body do it's thing. Stopping smoking in favour of a new healthy habit is no mean feat...a double congratulations to you!! 🏃♀️🏃♀️
Thanks. It took a lot of headspace app use!
I haven't smoked for over 18 years, and last night I dreamt that I was, it was so real !!
How far we have come😇
I never remember my dreams... but i guess dream smoking isn’t to bad! One way of beating a craving I used on food and tobacco was to meditate and imagine eating that cake or smoking that cigarette... bizarrely it really feels like you’ve done it! Saw it on TV a few times, never really believed it!
We have come a long long way, for the first time in my life I’m somewhere I wasn’t expecting to be the year before.
I don't usually remember mine either, but the smoking dream has been fairly recurring over the last 17 years!!!
It must be a destressor 🤣🤣
Well, it must be working... and you’ve stayed away from awake smoking 💪
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