Just here to say hello and thank you to all of you in this wonderful community! Yesterday, I did my very first C25K run after meticulously preparing it with the aid of the FAQ pages and all those other helpful posts.
I must say that I have never felt more supported in my whole life. School had basically teached me that I’m not good at sports at all, and while I have done a little bit since (especially dancing), I always felt that running was not for me.
So I felt very nervous yesterday and even prolongued the warm up walk because I didn’t want to start running with too many people around. Then Laura said „you can do it“ and I started to run and literally began to cry out of sheer relief. The sentence „you are going much to slow, try harder“ had been in my head for so long, and here I was running and even being encouraged to take it veeery slowly.
I went as slow as a snail, knowing that if I went any faster I could easily spoil my first run, and all through the way there was that silly happy smile on my face because I was finally doing it (oh, here come the tears again!).
Then I thought: That's it! For me, it’s not about reaching any other goal besides being healthy and happy. It’s not even a goal, it’s the way. If I keep on running, I want to have that silly happy smile on my face no matter what.
For the rest of the day I felt as if the volume of my lungs had suddenly doubled and there was oxygen everywhere in my body. In the evening, browsing through the forum, I realized that I had just discovered the Japanese „slow running“ mentioned in some posts.
I’m looking forward to my next run tomorrow. Again, thank you so much!
Written by
RunawayBetty
Graduate
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Great for getting started. It really is amazing how c25k and this forum can make you feel . Just keep it slow as you are and make sure you're drinking plenty water 7 days a week not just on run days, about 2-3 throughout the day .
C25k is an amazing plan and really does work you'll get lots of encouragement and support on here good luck 😊😊
Thank you, and thank you for the reminder! Seems ridiculous, but drinking is the thing I am most prone to forget ...
Well done for getting started and overcoming those demons. This program is so addictive and you’re going to have so much fun completing the runs week on week. Keep us posted and keep smiling!
Well done Runawway Betty (great name btw!). Thinking about it is worse than actually doing it! An encouraging post for anyone who is thinking of starting this programme.
What a lovely post and great preparation our first run was laughable as after about 40 seconds one of us was bent double trying to breathe and the other one sounded like a sick train breathing, you have started and that is the hard bit, that grin is priceless you can’t get it in any other way because it comes back every time you run
Thank you! Yes, I did read the guide several times before going on my first run, and I keep returning to it. I think it was THE crucial thing to do, because it kept me from making mistakes that would otherwise have turned my first run into a desaster (And I would have ended up by saying "See? I told you running was not for me ..." )
I was so heartened by your meticulous preparation. Knowledge is key in understanding how the plan works!! Your first run and after glow are exactly how W1:R1 should be if you have read all the information!! A massive well done to you!!! Enjoy your rest day and you will be running away to W1:2 . Welcome & thanks for such a lovely post!! 👍🌟🐌😁🎈
What an absolutely lovely post! Well done on getting out there for W1R1, that’s truly the hardest part. Embrace your inner snail and enjoy the programme. Keep checking in too so we can encourage you! 👍🏻🏃♀️
I know the feelings you describe, I started on Monday, also snail like and I don’t care what others think..... Well done for being brave enough to give it a go. That barrier is down now, roll on the next run!
Thank you so much! I know that you just started - I read your posts before I went on my first run and took them as an example. They showed me that it really matters to go slowly. So thank you again, you helped me a lot! And enjoy your upcoming week 2!
Thanks for your kind words. I was encouraged by all the other lively people on this forum, their advice is invaluable and encouraging. Keep going, we can complete this together!
Wow, let me just say that I am completely overwhelmed by your warm and welcoming responses!
I have to admit that posting to a forum was the big other thing I had never done before, and doing it in English made it even more challenging (I am not a native English speaker, so please excuse any mistakes in my posts).
Thank you so much for your support! :-)) (And yes, I did my second run today!)
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