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.
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!!!
πππ Thank you SaltdeanSizzler, I am pleased to learn you found it inspirational π.
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! π€£π€£π€£
Absolutely incredible. Massive congratulations!! You can only get better! You will be doing 5k in 30 minutes in no time!!! So chuffed for you πππ
Great post! Oh and WELL DONE for graduating when, like me, at the start you knew you couldnβt do it.. for once itβs good to prove ourselves wrong! Hope to follow more of your posts on consolidation..π€ΈπΎββοΈππ
Thank you Joanney69! π 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? π
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 π
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' π€£ but once I'd done it once, next time was a bit easier, and now I'm running Michael-less and timer-less βΊ who would have thought??!! π
Didn't think I could complete c25k, but I proved myself wrong gladly. And today, I actually ran 5k βΊ
You are too kind Blackshoe76 ππSimply the best???....mmmm π€π€think thereβs a song of that name, might add it to the playlist just next to Too Shyπ......... No Curnie1, donβt even go there, your street cred and reputation is tarnished enough ππ
Thank you Blueskyabove!!! πππ I am pleased as well... I can finally have my ice-cream today... πππ€£ yes, yes, I've been waiting with it until the graduation day...
Looking forward to our future runs... and in the meantime... celebration time ππ₯πΎ
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 π 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 πonce again congratulations on such a detailed report of your running journey with C25K. π ππΎ π
Thank you AlMorr, for the lovely response, the references... π and... for being there for many of us...π 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! π Thank you one more time!!! π₯πΎ
Ah I missed this earlier- I graduated today too! Congratulations my fellow graduate what a brilliant post! πππΌββοΈππ₯³ππΌππΌππΌ
Iβm a fair bit off 5K too but Iβm going to do a few 30 mins runs and then maybe see what time it takes to do the 5K. Iβm not bothered about speed or doing it in 30 I just want to run it consistently and see how long it takes.
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Week 9 Run 3 Complete! β
Week 9 run 3 - Graduation π©πΌβπ 
Week 9 - Run 3 completed π
Week 9 Run 3 - Graduation! π
Week 9 Completed! Graduated! πππ
