Done it

[daycartes]

Well here we are 9 1/2 weeks later. Unlike the film of the same name there was nothing erotic nor romantic about this (these) feet. It was sheer hard work. Pleasurable though when a run was completed. For me the most important part of the training was making myself have a rest day in between runs. I ran Monday, Wednesday and Saturday every week without fail, even when we went away for a week we carried on with the routine. On the rest days I could feel the muscles in my legs rebuilding themselves so that the next time I ran, my body was ready. I really think that this has been one of the best courses that i have taken part in. It seems to have been so well thought out. Each week the idea of running 90 seconds, 3 minutes, 5 minutes seemed unachievable yet when you put your mind to it it just seems to happen. And those repetitions in week 8 well they are progress in that they are building stamina.

Week 4 run 2 was a bit of a turning point. After completing the run and walking back home I felt a stab of pain in my chest and this continued for a while so I sat down and rested when I got home. It eventually went away. Run 3 I noticed that I was breathing much more easily when I ran. I came to the conclusion that I had freed something up in my chest and from then on my breathing was fine.

At the start of week 7 I started to use another app, mapmyride. An old app that I initially obtained to do cycling with but got used to measure my walking. Now i used it to measure my running. I wanted to see how far I was running as the C25k doesn't really tell you. Having used this app for week 7 I decided in week 8 run 2 to continue running after Laura told me that I could stop, I continued to 4k and thought why not try 5k so I carried on. It wasn't a very good time but I had managed to do it. I knew that I should be sensible and not overdo things so the rest of Week 8 and the first 2 runs of week 9 I kept rigidly to the program. This morning on my final run I decided to repeat the 5k and was pleasantly surprised to knock over 2 1/2 minutes off my time from last week.

So this is what I intend to do post graduation. I am going to run for 30 minutes on Monday, rest Tuesday, 5k Wednesday, rest Thursday and Friday, 30 mins Saturday, rest Sunday. When the 30 minutes coincides with 5k I shall enter a parkrun. How have you continued to progress since graduation. Oh and I was not alone these 2 spaniels have done every run with me so they too are graduates. Well done Mollie and Bella.

[Hidden]

Congratulations on your graduation! Well done to the pooches too; they look dog tired

If you go to the pinned posts you can ask for your graduate badge. There is also a really useful guide to post c25k running. I don't think you need to be sub 30 minutes to do park run, I would just go along and join in.

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Congratulations to you, Mollie and Bella on completing the plan 👍😁🏆

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Congratulations to you and your 2 dogs for completing c25k you should be so pleased and proud .

You're right to continue 30 minute runs 3 times a week for the next few weeks. After that maybe find some new routes then mix up your runs . A 5k a short run and a faster run. It's totally up to you.

Again congratulations 😊😊👏👏👏👏

[Grannyhugs Graduate]

Congratulations on all 3 of you graduating. I'm a few weeks ahead of you. After graduation I did 3 runs of 5k for 2 weeks then started ju Ju's magic plan to 10 k. Just finished week 3vwhich got me to 7k, next week I go up to 8k. I opted to move to 10k distance as decided i wanted to slow down not continue chasing faster 5k time. PB 31:47 All the best with your consolidation runs.

[Granspeed Graduate]

🎉👏🏼🎉Congratulations on a job well done. Enjoy your consolidation runs. 👍😄 It’s quite ok to join in Parkrun now if you wish to - there will be lots of people taking more than 40 minutes! Have fun whatever you decide to do next.

[RunningMigster Graduate]

🥂🍾🥂

Excellent. Love a good news story to start my day

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Well done to you all and a great attitude throughout the programme. A badge each for Mollie 🏅 and Bella 🏅 I'm sure they will benefit too from all this added exercise 👍🏻

Good luck with Parkrun, I hope your local one will allow the girls to join in too!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

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

No need to wait for a 30minute 5k before doing parkrun.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[BarbieW Graduate]

Many congratulations daycares and hounds! Hope you all feel proud and smug!

Enjoy Parkrun when you go, but remember you are only allowed to take one dog with you on a short lead, so will they fall out with each other if you choose the other? Maybe take them in turn...........!

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Many Congratulations on finishing the program! Enjoy the celebrations and your consolidation runs next week!

[daycartes Graduate]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the positive comments and advice. They are well received. I’ve decided to design my own park run as I do so I enjoy running with Bella and Mollie. Perhaps others, locally, will join me.