I’m a graduate πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ’ͺ - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

134,110 membersβ€’159,473 posts

I’m a graduate πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ’ͺ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduate
β€’63 Replies

I am over the moon with what I have achieved in such a short period of time!

Recap: Never managed to get into running, as a child or an adult, the bright tomato face at school within minutes. Beat breast cancer a few years ago, all the treatments thrown at me. As you can see in the picture, no more tomato face! This was taken during my cool down walk.

In fact, part of my C5K running route is where I used to walk, very slowly on shaky legs with a friend. Every tiny incline was like moving against a wall and it used to utterly exhaust me.

It has made this journey extra special, and helped me feel strong and empowered. There are lots of stressful things going on in my life, but running has been, and will continue to be, my vent and stress-buster and help me get through this phase, I’m sure.

This forum has been a tremendous support, the wealth of experience and the fantastic cheering on that I have had, and the lovely friendships that I have made.

This is just the beginning of my new life as a runner! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

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Dragonflies profile image
Dragonflies
Graduate
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63 Replies
β€’

Well done you! What an inspiration you are. You look chuffed to bits and quite right too! Great achievement! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply to

Totally chuffed!

Grandadmike profile image
GrandadmikeGraduate

Fantastic feeling isn’t it ? Well done to you !

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toGrandadmike

Thank you, great feeling!

Whatnog profile image
Whatnog

Congratulations Dragonflies!!!! Looking at your happy smile and reading your post has made my eyes watery!! Such an inspiration! Keep running, keep smiling!!! πŸ˜ƒ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toWhatnog

Thank you Whatnog πŸ™. Admittedly, my eyes were very watery and runny for most of this run. Not sure it was the wind chill factor or emotions, probably a bit of both πŸ˜‰

steviej99 profile image
steviej99Graduate

Brilliant, inspiring, well done you

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply tosteviej99

Thank you πŸ™

jayval70 profile image
jayval70

You are such an inspiration. And you are hardly red at all!! Congratulations. Enjoy your graduation day πŸŽ“πŸŽ“πŸŽ“

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply tojayval70

Thank you πŸ™ I will!

ForeverYoung21 profile image
ForeverYoung21Graduate

Amazing story, well done you! Such a massive achievement!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toForeverYoung21

Thank you ForeverYoung, and a massive congratulations to you too on graduating today! I look forward to hearing about your future running journey πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

Hooray! πŸ™ŒπŸ€© 😁πŸ”₯πŸ’₯⭐️⭐️⭐️

Your lovely big smile says it all Dragonflies!

What a journey you’ve been on... and what a amazing start with your new running future! It must feel incredible to see your strength build like that, you can clearly see how far you’ve come!

I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts and watching your journey progress.

HUGE WELL DONE DRAGONFLIES! xXx 😘

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply to

Thank you so much ThunderSloth! As you know I am in your fan club and I look forward to every single one of your posts, love your writing, your humour and your progress! Thanks for cheering me on 😁

β€’ in reply toDragonflies

That’s really kind Dragonflies, I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of trying to capture moments in writing, I’m a graphic designer / illustrator by trade, so my experience is in visual communication. I’ve enjoyed attempting to paint a picture with words! By the way... I’m in the Dragonflies fan club πŸ˜‰πŸ˜

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply to

And we are both in the graduate club now!!!

Oldlady57 profile image
Oldlady57

Congratulations β€œGraduate” another huge achievement!!! Fab photo of a very happy smiley face, love it!!! Go celebrate, you’ve worked hard for this πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸŽ“πŸ₯‡πŸ˜Š

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toOldlady57

Thank you so much Oldlady! Your comments of encouragement have helped me a lot, and your inspirational progress. Thank you πŸ™ 😁

Samarika profile image
SamarikaGraduate

...Congratulations πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘ŸπŸ†

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toSamarika

Thank you Samarika! I hope to follow in your footsteps and tackle a Parkrun sometime next month after consolidation 😁

SubterraneanAlien profile image
SubterraneanAlienGraduate

Hooray! Well done! Bet you feel fab now, don't you? Enjoy your graduation day!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toSubterraneanAlien

Thank you SA, it wasn’t my easiest run if I am honest, but I feel fab all the same 😁

molly1973 profile image
molly1973Graduate

Congratulations on your graduation! What a fantastic experience after your previous adversity. So pleased it helps and you feel more empowered to cope with everything life throws at you. Very inspiring πŸ‘πŸ’ͺ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply tomolly1973

Thank you Molly, and glad your knee is on the mend.

Wimborne profile image
Wimborne

Big Congratulations. Brilliant just brilliant. You are so a runner πŸƒπŸΌβ€β™€οΈ. Happy running graduation πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“ day to you.

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toWimborne

Thank you so much Wimborne, hope you are still feeling high after your own graduation a couple of days ago 😁

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.

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toIannodaTruffe

Thank you so much for all the fantastic advice and wisdom you impart to all of us novices here on the forum πŸ™

Crawlhome profile image
CrawlhomeGraduate

Huge congratulations Dragonflies, great to see that smile and remember this is just the start of your running journey! πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸΎπŸΎ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toCrawlhome

Oh yes, it so is just the start, exciting!

Jogunlikely profile image
JogunlikelyGraduate

Woo hoo x great job Dragonflies πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toJogunlikely

Thank you Jogunlikely, it won’t be too long before you join me on the podium, keep all the good work going πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

paul1960 profile image
paul1960Graduate

well done

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply topaul1960

Thank you Paul, I wish you well on your continued running journey πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

kwell39 profile image
kwell39Graduate

Way to go and much praise for graduating! Cheers!! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply tokwell39

Thank you Kwell 😁

Amazing achievement Dragonflies! Well done you!πŸ™Œ

Your smile is beautiful, & you look so proud! Gorgeous pic! 🀩

You truly are an inspiration, you’ve had such a journey... but look at you now! πŸ’›

I really admire you Dragonflies! Onwards & upwards from here!

Happy graduation! πŸ’ͺπŸ€©πŸ™ŒπŸ…πŸ‘Œ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply to

Thank you for your kind words Dreams79. You are not far behind me, I look forward to seeing you on the podium soon 😁

Nift profile image
NiftGraduate

Well done you....you’re a star....enjoy your hard-earned success, and accept thanks for inspiring others.

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toNift

Thank you Nift for your kind words. I see that congratulations are in order for you too! Well done! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ…

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate

Congratulations. You’re amazing, you can achieve anything, you’ve beaten a lot and you just did what was impossible as a child... go you! Enjoy celebrating and your next runs.

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toUnfitNoMore

Thank you UnfitNoMore and thank you for all the support that you give to so many of us through your posts and comments πŸ™

I guess it just takes a very long time for some of us to grow up πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduateβ€’ in reply toDragonflies

I’ll let you know when I do... I’m growing old, refusing to grow up!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toUnfitNoMore

I felt like a kid in a gift shop when I received my graduation badge πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

What an inspiring post! I’m so pleased for you. The feeling strong and empowered bit resonates with me too. Congratulations and welcome to the graduate club! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply to

Thank you so much Faith! I feel very honoured to join the graduate club and I look forward to many more running adventures 😊

Scarlettbunnykins profile image
ScarlettbunnykinsGraduate

Really inspiring!!! A huge well done!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toScarlettbunnykins

Thank you Scarlettbunnykins, you are nearly there, enjoy your graduation week!

Scarlettbunnykins profile image
ScarlettbunnykinsGraduateβ€’ in reply toDragonflies

I'm still on Week 8 as was struck down with the lurgy. I've really missed running which I never thought I'd say! What are you going to do now you've graduated?

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toScarlettbunnykins

Sorry you have been unwell. I will do consolidation runs for a couple of weeks, carrying on with my knee strengthening exercises and set off to a park run sometime later next month. For now I am very happy with 5k, which I am close to completing in 30 minutes, so I want to have a go at a 5k race plan and do some races next year.

Scarlettbunnykins profile image
ScarlettbunnykinsGraduateβ€’ in reply toDragonflies

Sounds like a plan. You go girl! Looking forward to following your antics post-graduation.

newrunnerbrewood profile image
newrunnerbrewood

Huge well done Dragonflies. Loved your really inspiring post. Hope you enjoy running as a graduate. It’s a really great feeling to just lace up and go!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply tonewrunnerbrewood

Thank you, I look forward to to improving my pace and cross the hurdle of running together with others!

Nita49 profile image
Nita49Graduate

Many Congratulations Dragonflies πŸ’πŸŽ‰πŸ™Œ

Your smile speaks a thousand word.

Really well done and enjoy the rest of your running journey β€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈπŸ’ͺ

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toNita49

Thank you Nita, I will!

Allbarron profile image
AllbarronGraduate

Thank you! What an inspiration. Like you I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I found even going up the stairs challenge. I took up C25k last year but life got in the way and I didn't complete it. I would love to experience the high of running! Guess the only thing stopping me is me! Hope you go from strength to strength! Well done

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toAllbarron

Thank you Albarron. It does take quite a while to build up your strength again and trust me, there has been many stop-starts of various exercise regimes. For example, since recovery from cancer I have tried starting running twice before I started C5K this year. I also underestimated how much it hit me mentally and I still don’t feel on top of things they way I used to. Just like with C5K you just have to keep chipping away at it - that is why, and not until now, that I feel stronger, both physically and mentally, thanks to finally getting into running. Don’t give up. I am sure you can find a way. Remember most ways are not straight but winding and narrow.

New_Runner_KD profile image
New_Runner_KD

πŸƒπŸ€ΈπŸ€ΈπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ Huge congratulations Dragonflies! So so pleased for you!!!! Enjoy your day and revel in your fantastic achievement!!! Keep posting!!

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply toNew_Runner_KD

Thank you KD, I am looking out for your graduation post, and rooting for you!

New_Runner_KD profile image
New_Runner_KDβ€’ in reply toDragonflies

Thanks Dragonflies :0) Two more runs for me! Can't quite believe I've managed to get this far!

GBNDT44 profile image
GBNDT44

πŸ’ͺπŸΌπŸ‘πŸ½

uncle_wiggy profile image
uncle_wiggyGraduate

I am so happy to see your graduation post Dragonflies, your journey goes far beyond running 5k & it's wonderful to see that smile. We're all very very proud of you! πŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸ’πŸ†πŸŽ“πŸ₯‰

Dragonflies profile image
DragonfliesGraduateβ€’ in reply touncle_wiggy

Thank you uncle wiggy, for those heartwarming words πŸ™

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