I've graduated - yeah - go me!!

[Smileymiley123]

I'm so happy to say that I have completed run 3 of week 9 and officially graduated. The app really is great -and I love Jo Whiley - she's so good as a coach. Now I think I'm going to try and do the park run once a week - how often would you think I need to run just so I can do the park run - would once a week be enough - will I lose my running skills if I don't do 3 runs per week. I think i'm only at about 4.1 km rather than 5 km, but I'm so chuffed that I made 30 minutes.

[backintime Graduate]

Congrats! Yay you!

I'll leave the experts to reply over running frequency, I'm still plugging away at my week 9 consolidation runs, I will get to 5K at some point

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to backintime]

Thank you yes I am pleased I did it in 9 weeks and I think from no minutes to 30 minutes is great so now just need to up the speed slightly or just run for a bit longer until I’ve done 5k. I think I might find running slightly longer at a slower pace might be easier.

[damienair Graduate]

Hey congratulations and very well done. You will love Parkrun. I do it every week. I run on Monday and Wednesday evenings and do Parkrun on Saturday mornings. I like to run twice during the week. If I do a long run on Sunday I will run again on Tuesday or Thursday evenings instead.

Once a week would be fine, but I think as you get into running Parkrun and coming back each week you will probably want to improve your time. If you do want to get better running twice during the week will help.

Well done again on your graduation.

Damien

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to damienair]

Thank you for your words of encouragement. I’m doing my first park run this Saturday and I’m quite looking forward to it as I’m going with a friend. We started doing the training together but then did it separately as realised it was doubtful we could run and talk so it will be interesting to see how we get on we might have to run in silence!

[damienair Graduate in reply to Smileymiley123]

Run for fun. First Parkrun is fine. Just get your PB time. Then come back next week and blow your 5K time out of the water.

Damien

[wappingdave Graduate]

wow 30mins. That is amazing and well done. I am planning my graduation on the parkrun in a few weeks when I am finally ready. I keep dreaming that we run off and they all leave me for dead at the back. I guess that wont happen. I hope.

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to wappingdave]

No....that won’t happen! I’m not quite sure if the logistics though because I looked at my local one and times ranged from 16 minutes (just wow!) to one hour eight minutes so don’t know how the fast ones get through all the slow ones?

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations on completing C25K with week 9 run 3 and graduating, well done.

To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE 🎓 next to your username leave a message on the May graduate post in the pinned posts on the right side of the healthunlocked C25K home page and tell the administrators that you have ran W9R3 of C25K and graduated 🎓 🏃 😊

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you I think I’ve posted in the right place so I’ll wait and see. I’ll be dead proud having the word graduate next to my name.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Smileymiley123]

It's there now, you can now be dead proud of yourself 😊 🏃 🎓

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Oh yes so it is. Thank you that made me smile so much. It’s like getting a sticker at school I’m so happy. 😃

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Smileymiley123]

Talking about school or college, last year there was a young graduate of C25K who also graduated from her college course at around the same time.

She told us all here on the forum that the C25K graduation meant more to her than her college graduation. 😊

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

That’s so lovely I guess they knew how much effort they had put in and maybe how challenging it had been as their own personal journey.

[Debston Graduate]

Congratulations 🎊, well done you!!!

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to Debston]

Thank you so much. I am chuffed for keeping it up. I just wish I loved it. Do you love it?

[Debston Graduate in reply to Smileymiley123]

I do love it, rather to my surprise! If I'm honest, I didn't really expect to finish the programme until I got about half way through and then suddenly realised that I could actually do this! So I am really happy to have graduated a couple of weeks ago and still aiming for three runs a week. Not reached 5k yet so that's my next goal!

[patoc37 Graduate]

Well done!!

I do Parkrun each Saturday. Now I'm a lazy sod and I might not run from one Saturday to the next but I doubt if that's the right thing to do. I sometimes do 3k or 5k on a Monday night but I probably get away with it as I cycle to and from work every day (12k total).

You'll love Parkrun and if you're anything like me, it's addictive!

[Elsiebea73 Graduate in reply to patoc37]

Are Parkruns only on Saturdays? I can’t do Saturday mornings

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to Elsiebea73]

I think most of them are on Saturday but some on Sunday you need to choose your location and the website tells you what days and times they are parkrun.org.uk

[patoc37 Graduate in reply to Elsiebea73]

I'm in Ireland and they all seem to be on Saturdays but there may be some in the UK on Sundays. Enjoy...

[Smileymiley123 Graduate in reply to patoc37]

Hmmm I’d be happy if that was my addiction. I’m just not quite convinced yet. I did the couch to 5k nine years ago and did the breast cancer race for life and was so pleased with myself at the end. Great feeling. I have cut out my barcodes and ready to go. Not quite sure how it works I guess we queue up somewhere and give in our barcodes at the beginning and then do something at the end?

[Granspeed Graduate in reply to Smileymiley123]

Most parkruns have a briefing before for new runners. You May be able to find out on the web site. Otherwise go a bit early & ask a steward. 👍😄

[NewRunner4 Graduate]

Well done, must be a great feeling. Go you indeed!!!

I love seeing all these posts of people completing the programme and immediately talking about their next steps, improving times, longer runs or whatever each individual’s goal is.

Good luck with your continuing running!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

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

The NHS recommendation is that we all do a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio exercise each week. That doesn't have to be running.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Getfitok Graduate]

That's great! well done you