I know I am being a bit ridiculous but tomorrow is my last run of week 9 and I am really nervous as I so badly want to complete it. I have never thought of myself as a runner (never ran before) and never stuck at something like I have with C25K. Any tips for fighting the demons in my head that tell me to stop when I'm tired, or that I can't do it. I am going to try and think about those wonderful marathon runners, if they can run that far surely I can do 5K (having already done it twice this week).
Sorry for the waffle, but the support on here is fab.
Written by
Manxy72
Graduate
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I was nervous too but the elation when I started off carried me through, well I think I floated round! Use your nerves in a positive way, you can do this, you know you can 😊
I know ‘positive mental attitude’ is the cliché recommendation, but it’s true! You’ve come amazingly far AND the weather forecast (provided you’re in the UK) is looking more favourable for tomorrow. Crack on a great playlist, don’t clock-watch, breathe deeply and you have this!
I completed my last run of week 9 today and my legs felt so tired 7 minutes in but I just concentrated on the music and told myself that I’ve done this run twice already so I know I can do this.
You’ve got this! Get your music on and know that this is nothing that you haven’t already done. 😃
I’ve finished that run today too and just make sure you’re comfortable before going , have your music all sorted and then just think of the feeling of accomplishment that is waiting for you at the end. I had a little cry afterwards!
I understand that you feel a little nervous about your graduation run, but as you say you will be thinking of the runners in the London Marathon, what you should do is run your graduation run around 8am, congratulate yourself once you have completed it, report back here and get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE next to your username, then sit back and watch the LM on BBC 1 and cheer the runners on from your couch. Good luck, I was a little nervous about week 9 run 3 but more nervous about run 3 of week 5. 🏃 😊
You’ve done it twice so you can do it again. Go slower if you want to; write the celebratory post you’ll write back home in your head. I did it on Friday and did both those things. Good luck!
You’ve come too far to give up who you are. And you are one Class A runner, Top Cat, and you can do it. And most important, you know all that. Go get that badge, it’s all yours, you deserve it in full! Good luck!
Thank you so much, I can't quite believe how lovely and kind everyone is, it really feels like everyone roots for each other. I am feeling so positive about it now. Early night for me and then up and at it early x
You just said it yiurself....you have already done it twice! I know exactly what you mean, but take the pressure off and relax and enjoy...look forward to reading when you have done it.
Slow and steady. You know you’ve got this. We’re all here cheering you on and we know you’re going to just love it. Channel your inner Bob the Builder and get out there and nail it !
Well Done for getting this far Manxy and you will do great. I took Jo Whiley out with me for a couple of weeks post graduation just to make sure I stuck to consolidation of W9 R3.
I did my penultimate this morning, will be dping Wk 9 R3 on Wednesday. I have had a bit of a shinsplint issue, but that is under control, so I am as happy as you like, just looking forward to finishing, after all, its nothing we haven't done before. Relax and enjoy the accomplishment
I'm on week 8 run 2 next but frightened to look at week 9. There again at age 61 I've amazed myself and think the app is brilliant and I find I enjoy it
I agree my daughter in law did the marathon today in just over 41/2 hours so proud of her
you will do it if you have come this far you can finish, believe in your ability and think how fab you will feel when you come on here and graduate. I did today and I couldn't be happier. the support on here is amazing, don't worry about getting to 5k, just run for 30 mins, and slow down when you need to. I run like a tortoise x
I felt the exact same way with my last run. I had managed to complete the whole programme without having to repeat a run or give up on one of them. For some reason I felt like I was going to fail at the last hurdle. Like you, I had already done 2 before but my head started playing games with me. Then my husband said he would wait for me at the "finish" line and that gave me all the encouragement I needed to get round. You've got this, you know you have. Enjoy it and ignore the naughty little voice in your head!! 🤞🤞
Even after graduation there may be days when the gremlins strike. I have been running a couple of times a week since graduation and am amazed at how different each run is. One day I might struggle to run for 30 minutes yet on another day I can manage 40minutes. What seems to work is to ask myself what is making the run difficult, legs, feet, or breathing. By the time I have gone through all the possible reasons for stopping I realise that none of the problems will improve by stopping running, so I just try and go easy on myself and tell myself to keep going, but really slowly. My aim for each run now is to go slow enough to keep going for at least the magic 30minutes. Anything else is a bonus.
Go easy on yourself and go slowly when the gremlins strike. Good luck
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Week 9 run 3 completed 
Week 6. Run 3. Nervous :(
Week 9 Run 3 Complete! ✅
Week 9 run 3 completed
Week 9 run 3 done it🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
