Graduation πŸŽ“ run - no roast or pancakes - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Graduation πŸŽ“ run - no roast or pancakes

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate
β€’37 Replies

Long meandering post alert 🚨

Just back from week 9, run 3.

The weather is a bit rubbish, heavy rain and strong winds. I was determined to have a good one today nonetheless.

This last few weeks I’ve tried (honestly) to not pay too much attention to pace but the competitor in me can’t help looking at it.

Setting off I had a fairly good pace for the first km or two, but at some point at around 15 mins or so I felt quite out of puff and regretted setting off so quickly ( by my meek standards anyway).

For the second half of the run today I tried to focus a little on calming down and regaining control of my breathing.

To be honest, it was a struggle to keep going ( but I did ) and on reflection that pace was about 30 seconds per km faster than what I’ve been doing this last few weeks !! So it was not clever, and I think for consolidation runs I’ll try to find more of a happy pace and gradually build up speed over time.

Happy to take advice on pacing from anyone ?

Anyway 9 weeks ago, I struggled to run for more than a few minutes and the thought of running more than that seemed impossible. This programme is amazing in gradually building your stamina, fitness, and confidence. Some determination is needed.

I can do it, and so can you.

Happy running all πŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

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MartinKH profile image
MartinKH
Graduate
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37 Replies
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Joanney69 profile image
Joanney69Graduate

Woohoo 🎊 well done Martin, great job 😊 🌟 πŸŽ“

Well done for getting it done, despite starting too fast - lesson learned 😁

Get yourself up here on the podium, we've left you a space 😁 πŸŽ“ πŸ₯‰ πŸƒ πŸ†

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Joanney69

Thank you so much Joanney.

See you in the podium, if I can find it 🀣

Yes I def went a bit too fast today, got to calm down a bit and work up to it.

On the plus side, the rain β˜”οΈ was so heavy is washed most of the mud off my trainers 🀣

Thank you again πŸ™

Joanney69 profile image
Joanney69Graduate in reply to MartinKH

That's the ticket - see the positive in the worst situation πŸ˜‚ clean trainers πŸ‘Ÿ πŸ‘Ÿ are not to be sneezed 🀧 at 😁

Enjoy your celebration lunch & Happy Birthday to your OH πŸ₯‚ πŸŽ‰ πŸ’ πŸŽ‚ 🎊

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Joanney69

Thanks Joanney.

Had a lovely birthday lunch with OH, and I had a celebratory pint 🍺 πŸ‘

JonnyBeGood profile image
JonnyBeGoodGraduate

Congratulations πŸ₯³ on completing C25k!! Now you can enjoy some pancakes!! You did some really good times there, even for the second half!! Well done!!

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to JonnyBeGood

Thank you very much. You’ll be joining us shortly. Keep up the great work yourself πŸ‘

It’s my other half’s birthday today, so we’re just off for nice celebration lunch.

JonnyBeGood profile image
JonnyBeGoodGraduate in reply to MartinKH

Awesome, enjoy!!

πŸŽ‰Brilliant run and times! Huge congratulations on completing C25k!!πŸ₯³

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to

Thank you so much Delly-dot.

It are doing great yourself. Keep it up πŸ‘

in reply to MartinKH

Enjoy your double celebration lunch!

Brilliant, what a great achievement, excited to get there too.

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to

Thank you very much jorge3.

Hope you are enjoying the programme and look forward to hearing about your own graduation πŸŽ“πŸ‘

Annieapple profile image
AnnieappleAdministratorGraduate

ExcellentπŸ‘Congratulations Graduate! You can now bask in the glory of the finish!! What an achievement! πŸ₯³πŸŽˆ

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Annieapple

Thanks very much Annieapple, I must say I am really proud to have got through this great programme. It’s been an amazing journey, and one that I feel is just beginning really.

Happy running πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

Well done! Last Saturday I was using extremely bad language directed at the wind and rain as I was so fed up with it all!

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to

Thank you Catgirl1976. I know exactly what you mean, I was cursing 🀬 myself halfway round today so setting off a bit too fast.

Good for all of us though to get out there in these conditions, imagine how nice it’ll be to run in summer β˜€οΈ

Happy running.

Speedy60 profile image
Speedy60Graduate

Congratulations. Really well done. πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸ…πŸ†πŸ₯‚πŸΎ

Regarding pacing, I just trotted about for a few weeks after graduation, enjoying the freedom of not being told when to stop and start. I turned into a bit of a running geek and read up all the links on here and runnersworld, and some YouTube stuffπŸ€“, mostly on form and running posture. I found myself getting faster without even trying. I'm not interested in running fast, but I would like to run efficiently and without injuries.

When I decided I needed a bit more structure, I followed a recommendation here and downloaded the Nike running app. Coach Bennett does talk quite a lot; I wouldn't use the app all the time. He is hugely knowledgeable though and has some great running tips, especially around pacing.

Happy running πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Speedy60

Thank you very much Speedy60, some really good tips there that I’ll def look in to.

I appreciate you taking the time and trouble πŸ™

Running efficiently and injury free sounds good to me πŸ‘

Speedy60 profile image
Speedy60Graduate in reply to MartinKH

Looks to me as though you're already doing ok. That's a pace I'm still dreaming about.

Buddy34 profile image
Buddy34Graduate

Congratulations on completing c25k you should be so pleased and proud.

And a sub 30 run for your graduation day

πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³

Get your graduate badge here

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Buddy34

Thank you very much Buddy34.

I am both pleased and proud, and I massively appreciate all of the support on here.

Happy running πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘πŸ’ͺ

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate

Congratulations πŸ₯³

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun

Thank you very much

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate in reply to MartinKH

Graduation is a very special run and i’m sure you will be grinning all day long

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun

You’re right, I am like a Cheshire Cat 🐈 😎

D48P profile image
D48PGraduate

Congratulations πŸ₯³ πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to D48P

Thank you very much

mom24uk profile image
mom24ukGraduate

Yay that's absolutely fantastic! Well done! πŸ‘πŸ‘ŸπŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸ†πŸŽ“

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to mom24uk

Thank you so much mom24uk.

Keep up the great work , and look forward to hearing all about your graduation πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“ soon.

Wenderwoo profile image
WenderwooGraduate

Yay! Many congratulations on your graduation. And you cracked the 5k too which is not that common I believe. There’s a consolidation club post: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

And a more detailed one on what you can do next too:

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Well done, now it’s time to celebrate πŸ†πŸ‘πŸ˜πŸΎπŸ₯‚πŸŽ‰

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Wenderwoo

That’s fabulous, thank you for those links Wenderwoo.

I’ll have a good read through those.

And yes thanks it does feel great to get through the programme, looking forward to future runs πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Sar9 profile image
Sar9Graduate

I have no idea about pacing - still trying to figure this out for myself.

Although many on this group have told me not to worry about pace - run at whatever is comfortable. Apparently increasing the amount of time you are running by 10% at a time, builds stamina and fitness which in turn increases your pace. Seems logical.

This is certainly going to be my aim as focusing on pace seems to make it less enjoyable!

Big congratulations on graduating - amazing!! Enjoy your freedom πŸ™‚

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to Sar9

Thank you Sar9, that is good advice and I’ll def give that a go.

Happy running πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸ‘

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

This guide to post C25k running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

Thank you very much for the congrats and the link, I’m really looking for to keeping up the running πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

I also really appreciate all of the superb support on here.

Roxdog profile image
RoxdogGraduate

Well done, you must be proud!

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate

Thank you very much Roxdog, yes I am proud and delighted 😁

Happy running πŸ‘

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