So this morning I finally broke the 5K barrier and I’m chuffed 💪🏻 that’s all the important bit, so if you don’t want to read the epic tale,scroll away now😜
For various reasons I haven’t run since Monday. Work has rudely got in the way and because I like to run in the mornings I just couldn’t fit it in. I could feel myself becoming anxious about waking up early enough to go out so I took the pressure off and thought I’d just go with the flow. I was going to do Thursday until someone put an early zoom meeting in the diary...again, rude!
Anyway I decided I was going to do it this morning and go for the 5K. Sunny and breezy but my route was going into the wind at the start so that was good. Set off for my brisk walk only to have one of the cats (who was lurking on the green watching birds) start following me... I tried to ignore him but had to turn round when I got near to a main road so he would follow me back. Anyway, managed to get him in the front garden, chucked him in the front door and set off again, this time jogging as I was already past my 5 mins warm up!
Running into the wind was quite hard and all the to-ing and fro-ing had put me out of sorts. The toxic 10 was extra hard and it took me ages to get into a rhythm mainly because I was speeding at first in case the cat had come back out and followed again! I silenced the negative demons beginning to make their voice heard and plodded on.
By the time I reached the beach I was over halfway with my 30 min timer. I was following the same route as Monday and knew what I had to do to get the 5K. The wind was behind me but my hair was really annoying me - normally I plait it in two french braids to keep it off my face and cool me down but today I had just shoved it up in a ponytail- forgetting how long my lockdown hair has become and it kept bouncing about all over the place and into my face! 😡
I had decided that the pebbles were not going to do me in today and I called them a few choice things as I ran over them. I still had a way to go but I slowed right down and thought of how I was going to post that I had got my 5K. On to the smooth path and I knew all I had to do was the extra where I had stopped on Monday. Daft Punk came on my playlist to see me to the end and I thought this is prophetic because that song saw me home on my graduation run. There was a fair bit of bloody mindedness because I was NOT going to give in although I’m not going to lie, my breathing was quite heavy for the last 200m.
So I got to the marker, did my brisk walk back to the house, quick photo -sorry I think I may have had sweat poring off my nose at that point! 😛and mapped my run before doing my stretches... 5.2K!! 40 mins. As you may have gathered, I’m really quite pleased with myself. 🤣
This programme has taught me 1)to slow down and 2) the mental stamina to push on when the going is tough. And if you are still awake after all this, I just want to say that if this 50 something girl can do it so can you! 💪🏻🏃🏼♀️
Written by
SweatyHettie
Graduate
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👏👏👏👏. Great achievement. Well done. Am reading posts to encourage me to go out and do my W3R3. Thanks for sharing. Am getting up and getting ready to head out now. Enjoy your next run. 💪👏🎉
Well done! You've inspired me for my run tomorrow, I've done several 30 mins and still only at 4.7k and seriously struggling - it's just not getting any easier at all for me and knocking my confidence and motivation... so thank you! I will go out tomorrow with a stronger mental attitude. Naughty cat
Ah Beetroot you’ll get there 4.7 is great - to be honest I think it was beginning to eat into my motivation too- so having done lots of 30 mins I thought I would just run longer and see how far I got. The fact that I was so close on Monday spurred me on to keep going today. Now that I’ve done it I feel the pressure has lifted a bit because I know now that I can do it so I don’t necessarily have to every run, if that makes sense. Good luck tomorrow and enjoy x
Good and detailed report from you SweatyHettie, congratulations on completing run 3 of week 9 and graduating from C25K 🎓,
I think everyones hair is needing cut, but I am using this as a excuse to grow my hair long to match my beard, I usually get my hair cut every 3 months, it was due to be cut on Tuesday but of course the hairdresser is closed, next haircut due on 1 September,
So happy that you enjoyed graduation run, the badge and the word GRADUATE 🎓 is now next to your username, now go and celebrate your wonderful achievement 🏃🏾 👍 🎓.
Hi I graduated a couple of weeks ago but my first aim in consolidation was to enjoy a few 30 mins runs then get to 5K in however long it took. Now that I’ve done it I can relax a bit and just smell the roses 🌹
I think the enjoyment comes at the end! But I was certainly of the mindset that nothing was going to get in the way today.
I’m glad your cat turns back, I expect mine would have eventually but I wasn’t risking it near the busier road. His brother joined me for yoga afterwards just to demonstrate what a cat stretch should really look like😹 also wasn’t helped by the dog helpfully joining in with down dog by lying on her back under me for a belly rub!! 🤣
Good luck with all your runs, I am proof that the programme works - enjoy and keep us posted
Brilliant...I'm so pleased for you. When I read your posts I can relate. maybe your runs have an element more drama that you articulate so well, so look forward to reading.
this week I will carry on as before and enjoy it. I have in the time since graduationmanaged to shave a bit of time off each run. but at the moment learning to enjoy it..sounds like you are too xx😉
😃hopefully not so much drama in the next one!! I was intending to run this morning as i don’t work on Mondays and I usually go for a run first thing but I actually slept in for once ( v rare for me) so my long dog walk later will be my exercise today.
Yes I am enjoying it, never thought I’d say that, but I do need to remember that it’s my choice - and not to put pressure on myself. That’s why I wanted to put the 5K to bed. I’m going to do a few more runs doing my own thing and then I might check out some other plans -lots of people talk about the Nike run club- but mainly I just want to continue to increase my stamina and enjoy myself.
your so right!! This is something you enjoy and do on your own terms and a lie in is sometimes more needed than a run!!
yeah I have been thinking about what to do next, still haven't decided just take everyday as it comes.. I just super proud that I have never given up...even after graduation that is a big achievement for me and for everyone who works hard to achieve their personal goals. what ever you end up doing yoh will ace it♠️🏃♀️👍
Great post, really pleased for you, sounds like the odds were against you that morning, what with your cat and your flyaway hair 😂 but you battled through and reached your 5k, well done SweatieHettie 👍
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