I actually did it!

[Graciea]

Back in January I remember thinking, you will never be able to run for 30 minutes, you can barely make 30 seconds! But low and behold with a lot of stubbornness and determination (and a bit of a tantrum around week 8) yesterday I went out for my final couch to 5k run!

I was aiming to do a charity run this Saturday, completed the programme just in time and the charity run has been cancelled. In a way it feels like I’ve done all of this hard work for nothing, but I know that’s silly...it’s a massive achievement regardless!

But my question now is, what can I do to stay motivated? What’s next that I can work towards? I’m not sure that I even enjoy running yet, but I love the feeling of achieving something that I never thought possible afterwards.

Happy running everyone 🥳

[Hidden]

Well done Graciea, it's a wonderful feeling 👍 keep enjoying your running and stay healthy

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, I’m going to keep it slow and steady.

[Hidden in reply to Graciea]

Ain't nothing wrong whatsoever with slow and steady, running is running whatever the speed 👍 that charity race will still be there in August we'll expect you on the start line!!! Good luck with the nurse training 🙂

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Slow and steady is my new motto in all aspects of life! The nurse training has definitely taken a turn we didn’t expect but we will keep on going 😊

[Hidden in reply to Graciea]

Great Motto 👍 has the nurse training been put to one side and they've asked the student's to step up and help in the hospitals etc?

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Hidden]

It’s all going remote/online for now so we can help out in the hospitals where we are needed but it’s not counted towards overall academic hours. It’s something they’ve never had to deal with before so taking it one day at a time.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Congratulations on completing the program - a great achievement in itself!

👏👏😀

As for 'what next'? Try clicking on the pinned post titled 'April Consolidation Club for new graduates' - lots of ideas and useful information there which you may find helpful.

It's a pity about your charity race of course but once things are more settled you will still be able to take part in something similar, so hold on to that goal!

Keep running and stay safe! 👍🙂

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

they have rescheduled it for August, the little demons in my head say “you can’t keep running until August” so watch this space!

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to Graciea]

You SO can!😉😀

[Granspeed Graduate]

Hurray for your achievement. 🎉👏🏼🎉 Don’t forget to apply for your badge - there’s a pinned post for April graduates. 😄 Do keep running - the Consolidation Group will help, and it does gradually become “part of life.” I’m sure there will be charity runs in your future. Go for it! 👍 And well done you. ⭐️🎶🎵🎶⭐️🎉

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Granspeed]

Thank you! I will jogging on and mumbling to myself along the way 😊

[Granspeed Graduate in reply to Graciea]

As we do! 😄

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

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

Keep running, keep smiling

[Graciea Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you, I will have a look and see what inspiration I can find to keep me jogging, stay safe and well

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Congratulations! Stubbornness? Determination? The odd tantrum? Yep... sure sounds like a runner 🤣

Shame about the charity run but having seen in the replies that it’s been rescheduled then all I can say is in the same way 30 seconds was impossible and now so easy, 30 minutes will do the same... so come August you can cross that finish line smiling and looking even more awesome because of the delay. Consolidation is going now, then training to make that charity run easier... and then? Well, some people raise money running 10k too! There’s always another running adventure to be had, enjoy them all.

Oh... and celebrate well!

[Graciea Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Definitely! Running gives us a bit of ‘me time’ some time out to think and reflect - even if 80% of the time it just me saying “why the hell am I doing this, just give up and walk..no one has to know!” But the 20% when I zone out and almost enjoy the process is worth carrying on for. I have definitely a long long way to go!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Graciea]

It will change as you keep doing it... I’d say I’m down to 10% where my inner couch potato tries to make me stop now... used to be at least 99.9 🤣

[Irish-John Graduate]

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATE!

As for staying motivated - I have a positive and an "oh crap - ok then" set.

On the positive side, I enter for events a couple of months or more in advance, and in places I'd like to visit but somehow "never got around to it" So, Spurs me to keep on training because of a deadline but as treat to look forward to also

The "Oh crap!" one is when I slack off because of "bad weather", "too tired" "too much going on" etc etc etc and it stretchs on beyond reason is - I take out a pair of pants from four years ago and put them on.

I never want those to "fit snugly" again! Being two thirds of a "FOB" is bad enough without completing the trip lol

Again, congratulations on your graduation and wishing you many happy miles in your future

[Graciea Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Oooh that’s a good idea to have something to aim towards, I’m just glad I make it to the end with collapsing. But I’m stubborn and determined to beat the evil ‘you don’t even like running’ Demon in my head!

Happy running!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Graciea]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😊

[Hidden]

Well done 👍 👍👍

[Healthisfun Graduate]

Well done, that's brilliant x

[Annamm]

Well done! x

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Congratulations 🏆👍😁🍾🥂🎉👏🏻

[Getfitok Graduate]

Congratulations, well done you 🏃‍♀️👍