What a journey it was... physical and mental struggle... week by week, run by run... and such a beautiful, unexpected result. I started KNOWING I WON'T be able to complete it, just wanted to give it a go for a couple of weeks... to do something positive and active during the lockdown... and it went like this...
Week 1 - will I manage to run for 60 seconds? Pain in knees, burning pain...running is definately not for me. π
Advice from this forum received - run slower, hydrate, run on soft surface.
Week 2 - oh dear 90 sec run, it is 50% more than in week 1π±. Don't know if will manage. I manage and no pain in knees! π
Week 3 - 90sec and 3 min???? Oh no, terrifying... stay calm, at least try it. Managed, no pain! π
Week 4 - 3 min and 5 min?????? Are you kidding me? I won't last...
Embarrassing playlist helpedπ!! Managed, no pain! π
Week 5 - run 2 - 8 min????? I remember losing sleep over this one... won't manage, no chance... and then Run 3 - 20 minutes???? π€£π€£π€£ Who created this programme??? π€£π€£π€£ Have they missed the fact I can just manage 8 min now??? π¨π± Was honestly terrified but gave it a go and managed πππ - the burning knee pain returned π’π’π’ long rest was needed...
Week 6 - back to 5min, 8 min was fine... seemed to be easy now. R2 2 x10 min - run too quickly the first 10 min and almost did not finish!!! But my running buddy kept me going!!! Thanks Curnie1 π€.
Week 7 - if I managed to run for 20 min before, I can try 25 min and even fall down like a proper runner does! π.
Week 8 - 28 min, no problem! π and 30 in week 9 is just a standard now! π
My confidence level increased amazingly. I don't recognise myself.... who is this woman who wakes up, puts the black running shoes on and goes out in the fields to run in the sun, in the rain, in the wind??? π
I am a slow runner, in 30 min I am nowhere near the 5K mark, saying this on two occasions I managed to run to 5K mark... it takes me 46 min, which on a good running day I can do in one go now π.
I guess I wanted to say a πBIG THANK YOU π to the forum for your continuous support, to our π©βπ« ADMINISTRATORS π¨βπ«@IannodaTruffe, @Oldfloss, @UnfitNoMore, and others for reviewing the hundreds of posts daily and responding to all the queries ( I know you do it as volunteers! πππ) and finally to my amazing and supportive πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ buddies: FreedomToRun π©βπ , @Curnie1π¨βπ, and AliMcCo π©βπ! Well, well, we all graduated now!!!
ππππ
It has been emotional!!! πππ€£
Thank you all!!! ππ