2 years after C25K Graduation

[damienair]

Just realised today is my 2nd year anniversary as I graduated from C25K on the 22/06/17 which also happens to be my Sons Birthday, so easy to remember. I celebrated this morning by running at my local Parkrun and as an anniversary bonus I shaved 15 seconds off my previous PB time and got a new time of 26:15.

C25K is amazing. It has changed my life. I’ve ran 5K races, 41 Parkruns and volunteered at Parkrun 10 times. I’ve ran 10K races and lost just over 2 stone in weight. I’m happier and healthier now at 45 than I was at 25.

So to everyone working their way through the C25K program, keep it up, running is amazing. I have made many friends and am part of an amazing community.

Damien

[Couchpotato2 Graduate]

Wonderful and happy runniversary! Lovely way to celebrate 🎉

[JaoJao]

Thanks for sharing your journey Damien, and I’m sure there are many more Park Runs ahead

[damienair Graduate in reply to JaoJao]

Thank you. Every Saturday is Parkrun day. I love Parkrun and everything about it.

Damien

[backintime Graduate]

Happy C25k birthday and happy birthday to your son too.

A new PB is a great present too. Thank you for being around on the forum and motivating us.

[damienair Graduate in reply to backintime]

Thank you. We are just back from the Cinema. The new Toy Story 4 Movie is great.

[backintime Graduate in reply to damienair]

My youngest (13) wants to see it, and Xmen and Spiderman and and and ...

[damienair Graduate in reply to backintime]

Yep I hear ya😀

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Happy Runiversary to you Damienair and happy birthday wishes to your son as well, great getting a PB, to run a sub 30 minute 5k on a regular basis is excellent. 😊 🏃

[damienair Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Cheers. Trying to go sub 30 was the holy grail. And it takes a lot of hard work slogging through the winter to get there. But it is well worth the effort. Just being able to run a full 5K without stopping is a great achievement, but there is nothing wrong with the odd walking break either. Some people can walk up the hills and pass you out on level ground.

Damien

[Debston Graduate in reply to damienair]

That's what happened to me yesterday at my local Parkrun, I was trudge running up the blooming hills, passing people (very slowly) and then they were whizzing past me on the downhills because they had saved their energy! Blooming cheek! 😝

[damienair Graduate in reply to Debston]

Ha yeah I know. A few months ago I struggled at my local Parkrun and I was competing with a lady who would speed walk and jog and run. She had energy management off to a T. Took me a few weeks to beat her to the finish line.

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Happy Runiversary Damienair, May you have many more! Well done done on the PB - think I’d need to take the bus to get there that fast!

[damienair Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Thank you so much. I wasn’t always this fast. I used to struggle to get around in 36 minutes last year. Winter running and interval training helped me get my time down. I genuinely gave it everything I had today. I was exhausted at the end.

Damien

[MuddledGardener Graduate]

Happy Runniversary! 🎉🎉🎉

[damienair Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

Thank you.

[Hidden]

Congratulations Damien. It’s been a great couple of years. So pleased that you have had so many positive effects from your running 🏃‍♂️👍😊

[damienair Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. C25K is one of the best things I have ever done. And this forum is a great way to keep motivated.

Damien

[theoldfellow]

I think that says it all: 'happier and healthier at 45 than at 25'. I agree, I'm happier and healthier at 69 than I was at 25, by miles.

Happy Anniversary. Well done!

👏

[damienair Graduate in reply to theoldfellow]

It’s great. Wish I’d done it a few years ago. But better now than never. I love running. It’s a great equaliser, all ages and all backgrounds. It’s so positive.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Celebrations all round, well done and congratulations.

[Debston Graduate]

Happy anniversary, what a fantastic way to celebrate and an amazing time for your Parkrun, I dream of being so speedy! It sounds like the C25K programme has brought wonderful life changes that have made you happier and healthier. Hope you and your son had a really lovely day.

[damienair Graduate in reply to Debston]

Cheers. The winter training has paid off. Interval training is great for your pace improvement and general stamina. We watched the new Toy Story yesterday as a birthday treat. Brilliant movie for any age.

Damien

[Kertesz]

Congratulations Damien - what an amazing time!! And you are deffo C25K’s unofficial Parkrun Ambassador!! I love you passion for it!

[damienair Graduate in reply to Kertesz]

Thank you. I genuinely would not be still running if not for Parkrun. It keeps me motivated and competing against myself. A Saturday is not complete without Parkrun. I’m even listening to the podcasts now.😂 My family think I’m crazy. 🤪

[ScottJB Graduate]

Great work. I’ve just completed week 8 but already thinking ahead to after I graduate and I’ve signed up for a 10km in October. Out of interest what came first for you, sub 30 min 5km or 10km in distance? I’d love to be able to do both, but thinking post graduation focusing on intervals and increasing distance, and hopefully sub 30 mins will take care of itself?

[damienair Graduate in reply to ScottJB]

I concentrated on 5K initially, and worked to get as close as I could to a sub 30 min 5K. 2 months after finishing the C25K plan I entered my first 5K road race. I gave it my all at the time and got 29:56 and was thrilled. I then started working towards 10K and reached 10K a couple of months later in a time of 1 hour 15 mins. I then stopped for the winter and in January 2018 I started working my way back to 5K. Then I hurt my back in March 2018 and had to stop for 6 months. After months of physio and recovery I started back again and got up to 5K In September and continued in October and November. Stopped again in December. So in January this year I decided I was going to really go for it. I trained hard all through January, February, March and April doing interval training and working on distance too. I’ve got my 5K time down to around 28 mins for a nice 5K and 26 mins for a race 5K. I’ve also ran a couple of 10K and 6K races. My 10k Time is 58 mins currently.

My next goal is a 25 min 5K and get to around 25 mins by the time I do my 50th Parkrun which gives me 2 months or so to get there. I’m going back to interval training next week.

Best wishes.

Damien