Final run done - at a very windy parkrun - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Final run done - at a very windy parkrun

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduate
β€’43 Replies

Dear friends I have graduated! Can't believe it. I was nervous about the last run this morning even though I had already run the 30 minutes twice this week. I thought I would do it differently this week and do my 5 minute warm-up walk before the run started, so that I could set off running with everyone else. Unfortunately I got the timings wrong as the parkrun started late and had to pause the app and brisk walk on the spot aargh. When we did get going it was nice to set off at the back of the rest of the crowd instead of watching everyone else disappear into the distance. The challenge today was that it was exceptionally windy, and initially I felt as if the wind was just carrying me along. Unfortunately, later on I was running straight into it. It was almost impossible to make any progress. My legs were still going up and down but I wasn't moving forward at all. Laura seemed to have given up on me completely. I was gasping for breath which is always a bad sign of an impending need to give up. Then fortunately I turned at corner and the wind became easier. I managed to keep going and finished my 30 minutes at about 3.5k. I walked into the wind again - all the people in my bit of the parkrun had given up running and were walking into the wind with extreme difficulty now. A smug runner who had already finished presumably ages ago ran passed effortlessly in the opposite direction without looking at any of us. (He was running with the wind - of course it looked effortless!) My son joined me at the end and we ran the last bit together. Hoorah.

What am I going to do without Laura to encourage me and tell me what to do? I hope that I have the determination to consolidate and keep going. I am planning to keep running 3 times a week including the parkrun on Saturdays.

Good luck to everyone on the programme - if I can do it you can too!

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silverflowers profile image
silverflowers
Graduate
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43 Replies
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Maz1234 profile image
Maz1234Graduate

Congratulations silverflowers on graduating c25k especially with the weather against you.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toMaz1234

Thank you so much :) I guess it could have been worse - driving rain I find particularly distressing!

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate

Congratulations on completing C25K, not nice running in gale force winds, you can repeat run 3 of week 9 with Laura as the 6/30 minute consolidation runs before you think of what you want to do next.

To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE πŸŽ“ next to your username leave a message on the January 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 πŸŽ“ πŸƒπŸΎ πŸ‘

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toAlMorr

Thank you AlMor. That sounds like a good plan to me. It will take me a bit of time to wean myself off Laura and I'm not ready quite yet!

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduateβ€’ in reply tosilverflowers

You never need to wean yourself off Laura, I do a mix of anything from 3K to 10K runs from time to time, however, I also do some 20, 25 and 30 minute runs from the C25K app with Laura just for old times sake, so keep Laura for as long as you want to, she is also on the speed, pace and endurance podcasts as well.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toAlMorr

Thank you -I didn't know about the speed pace and endurance podcasts. I will go and look for them. Much appreciated.

Rigpig profile image
RigpigGraduate

Congratulations, that’s a great achievement. There are 3 post graduation podcasts that help you along n different ways. I’m going to use those for a few weeks to see how I get on before deciding anything.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toRigpig

Thank you! I don't really know what my longer term ambitions are yet. I still have a long way to go in improving my fitness I think but I want to take things gently one step at a time...

Granspeed profile image
GranspeedGraduate

πŸ‘πŸΌπŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸΌ Congratulations! The very first thing to do is enjoy that glow of success. πŸ‘πŸ˜„πŸŽ‰

Then you might want to follow the Consolidation Club posts on here, which I think will have lots of hints & tips as well as contributions from other runners at the same stage. You’ll soon find your way forward.

But don’t forget to celebrate now!! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰β­οΈβ­οΈπŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toGranspeed

Thank you Granspeed! :) I have been to the consolidation club. My aim for now is just to keep going with the 3 30 minute runs... want to carry on improving my fitness but don't want to overdo it. I didn't really imagine I would make it through the programme to be honest! :)

Granspeed profile image
GranspeedGraduateβ€’ in reply tosilverflowers

See how awesome you really are? Happy running. πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘

damienair profile image
damienairGraduate

Thank Laura and part company. Now your a graduate and your own journey begins. I am a huge fan of parkrun. I have met such lovely people from my own community and other communities through parkrun, I’ve made great friends along the way too. I run 2-3 times during the week and do parkrun too most weekends.

Enjoy running by yourself without Laura. It feels weird for the first few weeks, but you’ll find your own way.

Congratulations on your C25K Graduation and well done on your first parkrun especially considering the challenging weather.

Damien

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply todamienair

Thank you Damien! :) My parkrun is pretty big (over 550 this week) but happily has lots of slow folk like me at the back and we can encourage each other! :)

Wenderwoo profile image
WenderwooGraduate

Congratulations πŸ†πŸ˜

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toWenderwoo

Thank you! :) So glad to hear that you are managing to run again. I hope that the 2 runs a week plan works out. Slow and steady will get you there :)

SteveWebbo profile image
SteveWebboGraduate

Congratulations Silverflowers :-)

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toSteveWebbo

Thank you! :)

Comfortnotspeed profile image
Comfortnotspeed

Massive Well Done!!! Woo Hoo You πŸ˜€

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toComfortnotspeed

Thank you! Hope your running is going well :)

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Huge congratulations Graduate... fear not... lots to follow... a coupe of weeks or so consolidation and then take a peek here..

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toOldfloss

Thank you, Oldfloss. I know lots of people have been here before me and I will try and learn from their wisdom. Consolidation beckons for now... :)

JoDak profile image
JoDak

That's amazing. Massive congratulations. Especially as your running outside on all different levels and in all weathers. I feel like I'm cheating by running on the treadmill.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toJoDak

You're not cheating! You're doing it your own way. The outside is always there if you want it at some point in the future. Well done and keep going!

JoDak profile image
JoDakβ€’ in reply tosilverflowers

Thank you!

Buddy34 profile image
Buddy34Graduate

Congratulations on completing c25k you must be so pleased πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜ŠπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toBuddy34

Thank you Buddy34, you've been a great help and support. I really appreciate it. :)

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate

Congratulations on your graduation. Your windy parkrun yesterday sounds a bit like ours along the seafront at southsea. I found that doing parkrun helped me keep up the running as it is so supportive, and I have become totally addicted. The Run Director usually starts his talk at 9.00 but so long as you’ve done a warm up before then , you’ll be fine.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toDexy5

Ooh I'd love to run by the sea! Yes parkrun is a definite fixture for me now and committing to running it with other people definitely makes it harder to chicken out whatever the weather! Hopefully I'll be more chilled now I'm off programme and haven't got to do exactly what I'm being told to do every second. :)

Speedy60 profile image
Speedy60Graduate

Congratulations. Well done, and on a windy day too! πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸŽ‰

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toSpeedy60

Thank you Speedy60 :) Hope your new year running is going well.

Speedy60 profile image
Speedy60Graduateβ€’ in reply tosilverflowers

Thanks, it's going ok. I don't mind rain, or cold, or the dark, but I do hate running when it's windy.

Slowandsteady_ profile image
Slowandsteady_Graduate

Well done that’s amazing!

I’ve just completed w9 r1 and feel exactly the same as you about what to do next. I’m enjoying it so much and want to keep up the momentum. Park ribs are the goal for now.

Congratulations again!! You should feel so proud πŸ₯‡πŸ‘πŸ»

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toSlowandsteady_

You're nearly there! Well done. Good luck with your final two runs and I would definitely recommend parkrun. I would look at the online results and find one near you with plenty of people running at your speed, so that you have company and encouragement. :)

Nilsam profile image
NilsamGraduate

Congratulations πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ well done.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toNilsam

Thank you! Good luck with your running too :)

DeterminedBear profile image
DeterminedBearGraduate

Very well done!

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toDeterminedBear

Thank you! :)

BaddieThePirate profile image
BaddieThePirateGraduate

πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ˜€πŸ…πŸ₯‚ There are a couple of C25K+ podcasts to build up speed and stamina with Laura on. You could consolidate by redoing the last week, then try the podcasts...

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toBaddieThePirate

Yes - sounds like an excellent plan - thank you!

Larrykat profile image
LarrykatGraduate

Congratulations on graduating and on planning to keep going. I am 14 months on from graduating, still not at 5k in 30 mins, not that it matters, I now run 1 1 hour plus conversational pace session, 1 45 minute threshold session and 1 training session with my running club (which varies week to week, covering hill work and speed endurance etc). I discovered with parkrun and running generally a community of people that supported me and improved my mental and physical well being, I hope you do to.

silverflowers profile image
silverflowersGraduateβ€’ in reply toLarrykat

Thank you, Larrykat. What you have done sounds fantastic. I don't think I am ever going to be speedy, but I would like to have running integrated into my life and currently can only dream of ever being able to run and have a conversation at the same time! I think I have a long way to go and hope I will be able to make the progress that you have. :)

Larrykat profile image
LarrykatGraduate

A conversational pace run, is more like a slow jog for me, fitter people could probably run faster and hold a conversation. Everyone is different. I have a friend who is slightly faster then me at parkrun, but we do our long run together once a week, catch up and just enjoy each other's company. We just plod along at a pace that suits us, I find it very relaxing.

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate

Of course you will be motivated to run especially as you’ve found parkrun, that wind was a battle

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