Well I have waited a while for this day. My couch to 5k journey has been a long one. I have started and quit the program about 3 times due to work commitments and other excuses, but after my brother booked a 5/10K mud run for my 30th Birthday later this year I thought I better soldier down and finish this program once and for all.
It started well by completing 3 runs religiously each week. However in week 6 I took a fall, ended up in A&E and was told I had sprained my ankle.... I thought here we go again, another c25k I won’t complete, however my physio was great and I started back at week 3, 3 times a week. Yesterday I finished week 9 run 2 in 25 degree heat (ouch) and I was talking to a neighbour about the program. He challenged me to try a 5k park run this morning, I took his challenge and signed up. Not going to lie, after waking up this morning I really couldn’t be arsed. But something inside of me said, come on, you CAN do this.... low and behold I dragged my self to the rainy course (with my amazing cheerleader girlfriend) stood at the start line and ran!
The first lap was pretty tough as it wasn’t like the run I had become accustomed too it was full of people and reasonably hilly, however once everyone had found there pace I was left in my own little music world passing some and being passed by others - I was in my 5k bubble. I passed my girlfriend and the 2.5k mark and honestly thought I need to walk, just for 1 minute, but I pushed on knowing that I had ran 28 mins none stop yesterday - so it was possible. Come the 3.5k mark I had to mentally remind myself that I had 250m left until I was 3/4 of the way around the track. The 4K mark came which is about how far I ran in w9r2 and I thought I’m done, but I wasn’t, I pushed through and could see the start line, I took my head phones out to let the crowd cheer me to the finish line. I saw my beautiful girlfriend filming me to the finish line and heard my neighbour shout quick Chris you’re going to be over taken, from somewhere I found a last bit of speed and I passed the finish line before being overtaken - I’d done it! And it feels great.
Despite thinking that 5k feels like a long way at the start the program has taught me to break things down, tell your self 1 more minute until I’m half way rather than thinking it’s along way off, it makes reasonable goals achievable. When I’ve been struggling for motivation I have come to this board to read others stories to give me the push I need. Hopefully my story will now help at least one person out there to graduate this life changing program.
Chris Wilson - W9R3 - Graduated
P.B 5k in 32m11s
************* Graduation *************
Graduation complete 
Graduation Run Through the Gulf of Mexico
Graduation Run Done
Week 9 run 1, accidently closed the app but got my first 5k!
