Yes, yes, today is the GRADUATION day!!! 😁😁�... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Yes, yes, today is the GRADUATION day!!! 😁😁😁πŸ₯‚πŸΎ Week 9 Run 3 completed!

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduate
β€’63 Replies

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. πŸ˜–

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 1😱. Don't know if will manage. I manage and no pain in knees! 😊

Week 3 - 90sec and 3 min???? Oh no, terrifying... stay calm, at least try it. Managed, no pain! 😊

Week 4 - 3 min and 5 min?????? Are you kidding me? I won't last...

Embarrassing playlist helpedπŸ˜‹!! Managed, no pain! 😊

Week 5 - run 2 - 8 min????? I remember losing sleep over this one... won't manage, no chance... and then Run 3 - 20 minutes???? 🀣🀣🀣 Who created this programme??? 🀣🀣🀣 Have they missed the fact I can just manage 8 min now??? 😨😱 Was honestly terrified but gave it a go and managed 😁😁😁 - the burning knee pain returned 😒😒😒 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 πŸ€—.

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! πŸ˜†.

Week 8 - 28 min, no problem! 😁 and 30 in week 9 is just a standard now! πŸ˜‹

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??? 😏

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 😏.

I guess I wanted to say a πŸ™BIG THANK YOU πŸ™ to the forum for your continuous support, to our πŸ‘©β€πŸ« ADMINISTRATORS πŸ‘¨β€πŸ«@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! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘) and finally to my amazing and supportive πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ buddies: FreedomToRun πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“ , @Curnie1πŸ‘¨β€πŸŽ“, and AliMcCo πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“! Well, well, we all graduated now!!!

πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸŽ“

It has been emotional!!! πŸ˜†πŸ˜‚πŸ€£

Thank you all!!! πŸ˜ƒπŸ˜

Written by
Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76
Graduate
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63 Replies
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OldSpeckledHen profile image
OldSpeckledHen

You are ABSOLUTELY BLOODY AMAZING!!! Such a funny and lovely post to read!! Well done πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜Š

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toOldSpeckledHen

Thank you OldSpeckledHen, love your nick name!!! :-))) It has been a journey and you have contributed to mine on several occasions, so thank you as well!!! :-)

SaltdeanSizzler profile image
SaltdeanSizzler

What a fabulous inspirational post ! Thank you 😊 and huge congratulations on completing your challenge and graduating πŸŽ‰πŸ₯‚πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ†

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toSaltdeanSizzler

😊😊😊 Thank you SaltdeanSizzler, I am pleased to learn you found it inspirational 😊.

and thank you... it is a celebration day for me... I may have an ice-cream today... it was my carrot on the stick during the last 4 weeks! 🀣🀣🀣

Have fun with your Week 4! ;-).

happytanya2 profile image
happytanya2

Absolutely incredible. Massive congratulations!! You can only get better! You will be doing 5k in 30 minutes in no time!!! So chuffed for you 😁😁😁

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply tohappytanya2

Thank you very much HappyTanya2 😊. I do feel acomplished today.. and yes, hopefully with time I will get a bit quicker πŸ˜‰.

Enjoy the weekend and good luck with week 7! 😁

PeggySusi profile image
PeggySusiGraduate

Great post! Oh and WELL DONE for graduating when, like me, at the start you knew you couldn’t do it.. for once it’s good to prove ourselves wrong! Hope to follow more of your posts on consolidation..πŸ€ΈπŸΎβ€β™‚οΈπŸ‘πŸ˜Š

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toPeggySusi

Thank you Peggy63! Yes, you are right, we did prove ourselves wrong! The nice wrong!!! 😁😁😁

Thank you, I will keep posting from time to time! πŸ˜‰

Joanney69 profile image
Joanney69Graduate

Great post ☺ πŸƒ

I think all those who have been there can identify with at least some of your highlights!! πŸ˜‚

And it will definitely encourage those who may be thinking about, or just starting on their c25k journey 😁

Very well done, runner

Happy running πŸƒ and stay safe ☺ 🌈

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toJoanney69

Thank you Joanney69! 😊 Indeed, I wanted to share that my journey was not all pinky and rosy... and still, I somehow managed to complete it... ech...

How are your consolidation runs progressing? Do you switch the app from time to time to listen to the familiar voice? πŸ˜‰

Joanney69 profile image
Joanney69Graduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

I ran with Michael on week 9 run 3 for another 9 weeks!! Just getting out there for 30 minutes 3 times a week, but I didn't have the courage to go on my own πŸ˜‚

Then I decided I needed to cut the apron strings, so I ventured out one day on my own - it was very strange, waiting for Michael to tell me how long I'd run and how well I was doing & my personal favourite 'push through the pain' 🀣 but once I'd done it once, next time was a bit easier, and now I'm running Michael-less and timer-less ☺ who would have thought??!! πŸ˜‚

Didn't think I could complete c25k, but I proved myself wrong gladly. And today, I actually ran 5k ☺

Onwards we go

Happy running πŸƒ ☺️

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toJoanney69

Fab update! Thank you for sharing... 🀣🀣🀣 now you got me thinking how big is my addiction to Jo! 🀣

I will get a chance to test it soon!

🀣🀣🀣

Congrats on running 5K distances now - fab result! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

Joanney69 profile image
Joanney69Graduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

Thank you 😊

I'm sure you will be fine - don't forget to come back and give us an update 😁

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

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toIannodaTruffe

Thank you IannodaTruffe, I knew I can count on your post here! πŸ˜‰

Dtay1978 profile image
Dtay1978Graduate

Congrats πŸ₯³

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toDtay1978

Thanks Dtay1978! 😊 Good luck with your week 6! :-)

SandraY1 profile image
SandraY1Graduate

πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽŠπŸŽŠπŸŽŠπŸŽŠπŸŽ“

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toSandraY1

This was nice and loud, thank you!!! 😊😁😁😁

I can see your graduation is approaching as well!!! Fab news! Keep going and I will celebrate it with you as well!

Curnie1 profile image
Curnie1

So , soooooooooo pleased for you and equally proud of you Blackshoe76.

An amazing achievement!

Well done you!!πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜ŠπŸ˜ŠπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toCurnie1

Oh Curnie1, milion times thank you!!! 😊😊😊

and you know what I have to say... you are simply the best!!! 😊

Curnie1 profile image
Curnie1β€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

You are too kind Blackshoe76 😊😊Simply the best???....mmmm πŸ€”πŸ€”think there’s a song of that name, might add it to the playlist just next to Too ShyπŸ™„......... No Curnie1, don’t even go there, your street cred and reputation is tarnished enough πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toCurnie1

Haha I've just noticed this reply 🀣🀣🀣🀣🀣🀣🀣 yes, go for it, you never know what Tina can do for your running efficiency!!!

FreedomToRun profile image
FreedomToRunGraduate

Absolutely brilliant!!! Best news of the day!! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

Well done and now we are graduates we can get into the consolidation runs πŸ˜‚

Go enjoy yourself and bask in the triumph πŸŽ“πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸŽ“πŸŽ‰

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toFreedomToRun

Thank you Blueskyabove!!! 😊😊😊 I am pleased as well... I can finally have my ice-cream today... πŸ˜†πŸ˜‚πŸ€£ yes, yes, I've been waiting with it until the graduation day...

Looking forward to our future runs... and in the meantime... celebration time 😁πŸ₯‚πŸΎ

Congratulations on Graduation πŸŽ“ πŸ₯‡

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply to

Thank you Cyclonoe51 and good luck with your Week 9!!! 😊

β€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

Thank you! πŸ‘

Go59 profile image
Go59Graduate

Big congrats! πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toGo59

Thank you Go59 😊 and good luck with your Week 8 Run 2 - hopefully the wind won't be that strong...

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate

What a inspiring and detailed post from you Blackshoe76, many graduates reading your running journey must bring back memories of their 9 weeks of C25K, I notice you couldn't sleep the night before run 2 of week 5 and found run 3 impossible but of course you ran it without any problems whatsoever, like many runners I found it difficult to get to sleep the night before run 3 of week 5.

To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE πŸŽ“ next to your username leave a message on the May 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“once again congratulations on such a detailed report of your running journey with C25K. 😊 πŸƒπŸΎ πŸŽ“

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toAlMorr

Thank you AlMorr, for the lovely response, the references... 😊 and... for being there for many of us...πŸ™ I noticed you were advising many new runners and I got a bunch of helpful tips from you too... so in a way, my success is your success as well! 😊 Thank you one more time!!! πŸ₯‚πŸΎ

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

πŸ‘ πŸƒπŸΎ Thank you πŸŽ“πŸƒπŸΎ

Dtay1978 profile image
Dtay1978Graduate

Congrats πŸ₯³

CherryCore profile image
CherryCoreGraduate

Amazingly done! Best of luck!

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toCherryCore

Thank you CherryCore! 😊 Good luck with your Week 9 - it is just about to start, isn't it?

CherryCore profile image
CherryCoreGraduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

Thank you 😁 Did first run of week 9 today, got soaked in the rain, eyes full of dust and a massive grin 😁

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toCherryCore

And this is how you rock it CherryCore!!! 😁 Well done!!!

CherryCore profile image
CherryCoreGraduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

Yeah, I think it's great to give _it_ a try, generally 😁 especially, if I'm already out πŸ˜‚

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toCherryCore

πŸ˜‚ Great attitude to have!!!! Success is guaranteed!!!

Emvsl profile image
EmvslGraduate

Well done!! Inspiring actually. I’m on Week 4 and posts like this really spur you on. Thank you πŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌ

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toEmvsl

Hi Emvsl, I am glad I can be of help! 😊 Good luck with the future runs... you will get to week 9 in no time!!!!

Treewoman profile image
TreewomanGraduate

Hero!

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toTreewoman

Oh Treewoman, if you remember when I started your profile inspired me big time!!! 😊

Thanks to people like you, newbies believe it is actually/maybe possible haha

Have a celebration toast with me!! πŸ₯‚πŸΎ

Treewoman profile image
TreewomanGraduateβ€’ in reply toBlackshoe76

I raise my cuppa tea to you, fellow graduate!

Nevvy profile image
Nevvy

Brilliant! Reading your week by week story brings it all back for me!

Congratulations on your achievement!!πŸ‘

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduate

Thank you Nevvy!! 😊 😁 Was you expierience as eventful and full of doubt as mine? 😁😁😁

robertmark97 profile image
robertmark97Graduate

Well done,Brilliant that you have got through this πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply torobertmark97

Thank you Robertmark97! 😊 I am pleased as well...

Fionamags profile image
FionamagsGraduate

What a journey! You did it though - and have already got a 5k under your belt. Amazing! Congratulations!!!!

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toFionamags

Thank you Fionamags! 😊 I can't believe I arrived.... in a 🐌 speed but got here at the end... πŸ˜†

RunningMigster profile image
RunningMigsterGraduate

🍾πŸ₯‚ Huge congratulations πŸ₯‚πŸΎ

What a fantastic achievement. You must be, and should be, so proud of yourself.

Now keep up the good work!

Mig

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toRunningMigster

Thank you Mig 😊

I will give it my best shot and hopefully life won't get in my way! πŸ˜‰

Elfrun profile image
Elfrun

Well done that girl

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toElfrun

That girl says 'thanks' Elfrun πŸ˜‰

KayJay2020 profile image
KayJay2020Graduate

Well done you! I loved reading your post and can relate to so much of what you said! Congratulations!

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toKayJay2020

Thank you KayJay2020! It had its ups and downs πŸ˜†, hopefully your journey will be easier!

SweatyHettie profile image
SweatyHettieGraduate

Ah I missed this earlier- I graduated today too! Congratulations my fellow graduate what a brilliant post! πŸŽ“πŸƒπŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌ

I’m a fair bit off 5K too but I’m going to do a few 30 mins runs and then maybe see what time it takes to do the 5K. I’m not bothered about speed or doing it in 30 I just want to run it consistently and see how long it takes.

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toSweatyHettie

Thank you SweatyHettie and big congratulations to you too!! πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ₯‚πŸΎπŸŽ‰πŸŽŠ

Yes,l I have a similar plan, just keep repeating the 30 min runs until it gets easier! πŸ˜‰ Let's stay in touch!

Well done Blackshoe76 you magnificent creature!

I, of course, KNOW I will not be able to do it and after completing week one my legs hurt, so I'm bang on track!

Really well done, it's a great achievement and something of which you can be proud.

Now...ice cream.

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toGrandmasterFunkballs

Thank you GrandmasterFunkballs 😊.

By the sound of things you really are bang on track πŸ˜†... pain in legs is a'must have' ingredient of the future running success! 😁

Well done for starting though and good luck with your Week 2! 😎

Gememms profile image
GememmsGraduate

This is brilliant and a great story that many can relate to with their own running - well done.

Blackshoe76 profile image
Blackshoe76Graduateβ€’ in reply toGememms

Thank you Gememms, much appreciated 😊, my fellow graduate!

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