Well, not sure how I feel. Bemused again I think! It was OK, I’m glad I’ve achieved it but haven’t really had any extra energy flying around to pick up any pace at any point. Plus, I know this is a bit ridiculous, but I seem to be preemptively mourning the loss of the programme! 🥺 How daft is that?! I should be on a high looking forward to week 9 and graduating! Instead all I can think of is how much I’m going to miss it and how lost I will be in consolidation and maybe a bit aimless. Oh dear, I think I’ve got a bit of the blues... How did everyone else feel at this stage and cope? How did people build up to the 5K? I’m nowhere near that but it would be good to have some sort of idea. Suggestions and mojo boosters gratefully accepted please!
Week 8 run 3 done - feels weird: Well, not sure... - Couch to 5K
Week 8 run 3 done - feels weird
Great run. Yes, it’s a little emotional... you’ve run the long road, and now you’re entering the stadium for your victory lap... and as you take that in it’s only natural to be thinking how soon it’ll all be over. Worry not, once we’ve cheered you over the finish line and onto the podium, we will be directing you towards consolidation club to help you through what is a tricky time... and hopefully you’ll come up with some new goals for your next running adventures while you’re getting 30 minutes done more and more comfortably. If you want to go further... we have you covered with forums here that go to 10k and all the way to ultramarathon!
A couple of years ago I was a little sad that I was coming to then end of the plan... but I did arrive with the goal of running Marathon du Medoc this coming autumn... sadly that’s not happening as I refused to book anything with this virus around... but it gave me a long term goal, which made the intermediate goals a little bit of a no brainer, I pretty much had to start going up the distances! Right now, I’m off plan... but I have my marathon plan ready to end 21st September next year... the day before that starts will be my birthday, and also the day of my next half marathon, that plan is preceded by two back to back 10k plans... so work starts August 3rd for me! I may be planning a little more than most people would be comfortable with... but I have the next 14 months motivation all sorted!
Thanks so much UnfitNoMore, you encapsulated how I’m feeling so well! 😊 I definitely want to continue and have new goals, just a bit wobbly about that initial transition period. May not be quite up to your energy levels (!), but so great to hear that it’s nothing new and there is a route to follow too. Really appreciate you’re lovely post, not to mention your inspiration as to all the future possibilities! Thank you! 😀☀️🏃♀️
I graduated 5 years ago, lapsed and am re-doing programme now. I remember feeling a bit like this then, there are always new challenges, not quite the same, I know. Some virtual ones may be be good at the mo. Also, do you "Park run"? At the minute you can register and post your times for your own 5 k's... might help. Well done for getting so far!
Thanks tara-j! 😀Good on you for getting back to it as well! I’m kind of envious! 😂Funny how this programme gets under our skin, isn’t it. It’s the whole joy of it and keeping us sane during such unusual times too. My local park run (when back) is a bit of a trek, so virtual sounds good. My goal will be to get to 5k once I’m comfortable with the 30min runs for sure. Thanks for the suggestions and good luck with your own goals too! 😊🏃♀️🐢
I hear you, feeling the same, it’s been a great couple of months on here and the support has been amazing. We’ll all have to join Bridge to 10K (hell we deserve it! 😂) and support each other on there as we have done on here! Now go and get that graduation badge and stop worrying! 🎉
Aw, thanks for the virtual kick up the proverbial Busylady1! 🤣👍 You’re right of course and I will definitely join that one once I get the 5K sorted first. Onwards and upwards once again for both of us! 😊🌻🏃♀️
Have to say I felt the same. I didn't feel ready to lose Michael so must admit I've carried on my consolidation runs with week 9 runs 😊
It's like the build up to christmas and then all of a sudden it's over lol!
I wouldn't worry about the 5k, although maybe this could be your new aim? As you build up and get fitter you will naturally cover more ground. The 30 mins is more important I think, your building stamina and fitness. Be proud of such an amazing achievement and only that you got yourself to this point 👍👏
Ooo have a look at the Nike app too. There are lots of different runs to try on there. I'm going to have a go after a couple more runs. I like the look of the mindful runs 😊
Thanks Brunsamarathon! 😄 That’s a brilliant idea getting to “graduate” every week during consolidation! Totally up for that! 😊How do you reset week 9 though? Love the Christmas comparison too! 😄When I think back to week1 and how long that 60 secs felt 🤣 it is amazing how far we’ve all come over the last two months! Feels longer, but in a good way. It’s like now life will consist of “before C25K” and “after C25K” 😂. So back to building up the 30mins and new beginnings! I like the sound of the mindful runs too - I didn’t enjoy mindfully eating an 🍎 when I tried it, didn’t have the patience! 🙃 - but mindful running sounds good. We can compare notes! Thanks for your lovely support! 🌻🏃♀️🐢
Haha the little fanfare after every 3 runs is a great boost! 🤣 You can just tap on the runs in week 9 (or any week) and choose to complete the run again.
I just did my first run today using the nike app and it was pretty good I have to say. Although i have to admit i listened to the mindful run before hand and didn't think i could handle the thinking while running, breathing is much more important lol!
It would be great to compare notes and keep in touch. I'm finding the encouragement on here is still very much needed, perhaps even more so for me, while moving on with the running if that makes sense 🤔🏃♂️👍
I agree the encouragement on here really is needed. If I’ve added in an extra rest day, I read these posts and they motivate me to get out there! I’m not sure what I’ll do when I’ve finished and there’s no more forum 🙈😊 I think I’ll need it for that extra push whilst still in the early days of all this
That is me! When I feel like slacking I have a read on here. It sort of gets my head back in it lol!
I still post on here and follow the bridge to 10k forum, although not quite ready for that yet 🙈
Ah easy, I’ll be doing week 9 for a while then, graduating every 3 weeks. 🤣Good to know you enjoyed the Nike app too. 😊 Definitely want to keep in touch with you, would feel weird not to! 😄 Looks like we may be hanging around the forum egging everyone on for a while longer too. Excellent news! 😊🤸♂️🐢
Lol it will be good to be the ones egging on 🤣 Mature students type thing 🤔😂
Is anyone on Strava to follow?, to push each other on 💪🏻🌈☀️
Well I got Strava (but never used it) and Map My Run which I’ve used once but still need to look at. 🙄Brunsamarathon is far more up on these things I’d say. 😊👍🏃♀️
I am on strava but haven't really used it properly. Just to see where my run has taken me. That's a good idea though. All pushing would be gratefully received, especially up the hills lol 😂
Hi I'm currently doing my consolidation runs and I repeat week 9 run 3 on the app each time, it certainly helps me. There's also 5k+ which is delivered by Laura via podcasts. So don't despair! 👍🏃🏃♀️
Thanks for the encouragement as always Cockneymick! 😊Sounds like a good plan and that you’re enjoying it! 😊 Will work my way up to the 5k in time. Can’t have the blues for long with the support on here, that’s for sure! 😄👍🏃♀️
Forget about 5k, it will come, most important thing is that you're exercising every two days. Keep leaving the house every two days to exercise, that is a massive achievement in itself (well it was and still is for me) 🎉🏃🏃♀️🍀
Yeh, that’s so true, haven’t been this fit in years! Go us! 😄👍🤸♂️
Aww, it sounds like a great run but I totally get how you feel. We'll have to make sure we all keep in touch and like someone said above, join the bridge to 10k! I'm hoping to complete my second consolidation run tomorrow, I'm still running to week 9 with Sanjeev 😃 I might give the c25k+ podcasts a go but it does feel a bit like being in limbo at the moment 😳
Yes, it would be so lovely to keep in touch. 😊 Feel like we’ve all had such a great adventure together! 😄I’m not quite at the bridge to 10K standard yet but would love to join that in the future. It would be like part 2! 😄 Shame there wasn’t a bridge for the bridge to 10k! That’d be perfect! 😅Thanks for always cheering me from the sidelines! Much appreciated. 😊 Let me know what you think of the podcasts if you try them. Plus, Brunsamarathon did say the Nike ones looked interesting. Onwards and upwards to week 9 it is then. 😊🏃♀️🐢
Oh I'm nowhere near ready for 10k - haven't even managed 5k yet! But the plan takes you either from 5 to 10k or from running 30 minutes to 60, so I might give it a go - once my hayfever is under control 😳
I've also downloaded the zombies run app, which sounds fun. It's set out as quests you need to complete and it gets you to run intervals by running away from zombies 😂
We'll get there. Enjoy week 9! 👍🏃♀️😃
Thanks very much, I think I will now. 😊Ah, good to know! I didn’t realise it did 30mins to 60mins. Makes total sense though. 😊 Anyway, never mind that, you’ve completely distracted me with your running away from zombies app 🧟♀️! 🤣 Brilliant, I like your style! Can’t wait to hear how you get on with it. 😄👍🤸♂️
Can relate to this. So proud to be almost at the finish line but as it comes closer it also brings sadness that we may lose momentum without the support from each other.
Luckily we have the consolidation club to move to so we can keep going together! 😀
I plan on doing the week 9 for a while then aim for 5k.
So reassuring that so many of us feel the same! We’ve had such a brilliant time these last few weeks. It’s such an amazing experience. 😄 So, thank you for your mojo boosting! You’re right, hurrah for consolidation club and here’s to keeping each other’s momentum going! 😄 Plus, you finally lost your “t”, Thismumcan- run! 🤣👍(sorry no underscore on my phone!) Great stuff! 😊🏃♀️🐢
Hiya I have just completed w8r3 and I feel a bit the same. I have decided tho if I cant go any faster than I am at the moment then so be it, for me it's about getting fit not speed. Dont forget how amazing it is that we have got this far it's a huge achievement. X
Congratulations to you too Neverrunbefore74! 😊You’re right, we’ve done so well to get this far! It’s just that it seems if you want to continue in a lot of these programmes, virtual or otherwise, that you need to have that magic 5K under your belt. For now as you said though I have other goals to reach. 😊 So week 9 and 30mins here we come! 😀🏃♀️🐢
Yes, I have just finished this morning but my plan is to keep running to the W9 R3 podcast but in the days between I will be doing this: nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1.... We will see how well this works.
Big congratulations to you CBDB! 🏆👍😊 Well done on your achievement and future plans! 😄 I like doing a bit of yoga and Pilates on my rest days when I can. I’m definitely going to keep repeating week 9 for the foreseeable too but first I need to get it done for graduation! Oh, the irony if I end up on IC right at the end! 🤣 Let’s scrap that thought! 😊 Good luck with your consolidation! 😁🏃♀️🐢
Well done! Honestly I did mine yesterday and you took the words out of my mouth. I also felt like it's the fastest I ever run but turns out it was the slowest 😂 but I will blame the heat for that! Next time I will run in the evening 😁
Just repeat 9.3 3 times a week for a while? I’m 4 weeks post graduation and I still use it. I’m starting b210 in July and I’ll still use it for the 20 and 30 minutes runs x
Thanks for the advice ForestGrump63! 😊Yeh, you’re right, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. 😄Congratulations on your own graduation and good luck with starting part 2 in July! Another adventure in the making! 😄👍🏃♀️
Thank x
I’m also not anywhere near 5k when I finish this week, me and my 🐌😊.
My plan for the consolidation runs is to keep adding a little bit of time (like we have with this plan) till I get to 5k. Not sure how long that will take though 😬. That then gives me a target to aim for and I see people do still post about their consolidation runs on here. So I can stay for a little while at least. They won’t kick me out just yet 😀
Thanks for the advice, loving your thinking Reliclullaby! 😄 We sound like we’re at a similar stage. I really like the idea of adding a little extra at a time! I think once I get week 9 under my belt I’m going to do 3 weeks of 30mins and then use your idea to build up over time. And of course you’re right we can still post on here in the meantime. Happy days and happy running!😊👍🏃♀️🐢
I graduated just over a week ago and to be honest I felt the same. I made 5k on run 1 of week 8, week 9 felt like it would be a bit of a given. I finished feeling a little aimless. I found a few helpful posts on here giving advice about what to do after you have completed C25K especially regarding consolidation.
For me I felt like having something to aim at was really important so I've decided that I want to improve my 5k time and do parkrun regularly when it restarts. Then eventually invest in a Garmin watch and use Garmin Coach to work towards 10k in a few months time.
I've started running a 5 run cycle using the 3 C25K+ podcasts which are a good challenge, Week 9 of C25K for a full half an hour run at my own pace, and my local parkrun course is a 10 min walk away for a 5k run.
Big congratulations on your 5K achievement and graduation Stubot! That’s rare and fantastically well done. 😀👍🏆Thanks for sharing your post graduation experience. I really like having a wee mission to aim for too and it sounds like you’ve got yours sussed. 😀Well done on managing to regain your focus and good luck with your 10K! 👍🏃♀️🐢
I am on my third time of doing c25k , the last 2 times I didn’t manage to keep it up and I think it was because like you I felt a bit lost .....so this time around I have decided to try and consolidate by just continuing to do w9r3 for as long as it takes me to build up to 5k and to a point that I feel much fitter and more comfortable at running......I am seeing graduation as just the half way point and will just keep doing the programme until I feel ready to let go and move on.......I think it may take a while.....I need the structure of the programme and the support of the coaches.....I hope that makes sense 😀😀 good luck and well done
Ally25 that makes absolute sense to me! 😊Good for you going for the hat trick, even if unintentionally, that’s so impressive! Totally love your idea of seeing graduation as a half way point! As someone else who loves the structure of the C25K, that’s such a clever, motivational shift. 😊This is why this forum is so great, all the amazing suggestions and view points you end up hearing. Thank you and continued happy running! 😀 🏃♀️🐢
Thinking of graduation as a halfway point is a genius viewpoint - thanks for that tip! I'm nearing the end (4 runs to go) and so I'm also starting to think about 'after'. B210k will be my future goal... but not yet 
I know, such a clever idea! 😄👍
Hi Gannet1, you're almost there, only three more runs to graduate. Enjoy it!
I graduated a while ago although I've gone back to the beginning as I had a 6-month running holiday 
Last time I didn't reach 5K either by week 9, but don't worry, it'll come soon for you. My first 5K took me about 45 minutes. I'm hoping to be faster this year.
After graduation, I consolidated for a month because I wasn't in a rush. Then I started Juju's Magic Plan in the Bridge to 10K community. (healthunlocked.com/bridgeto... There's a time based option that'll get you running for 60 minutes. I followed that one and by the end of 8 weeks I was running about 7K. I'm a slow runner so time was a better option for me. If I'd gone distance, I might not have got home before dark
If you're like me, enjoy running for thirty minutes - I still think back to my first ever run and how it almost killed me 😱
Hey, thanks for the encouragement! 😊Only just found out about building up to the 60min. That sounds more like it to me! 👍But definitely not for a while. Like you said, steady consolidation and no crazy gazelle imitating in case I end up on the IC too! So impressed you got to 7K, must’ve been very hard for you to have to stop for so long. Great to hear your back on it though! 😄So funny when you said about maybe not getting home before dark! 🤣👍 Brilliant! I know the feeling. 😊So looking forward to getting on with it now. You’re right, that first run was a killer 😆and look at us now! Happy running! 😊🏃♀️🐢
I felt exactly the same about the same stage as you are at.
I think for me it was realizing that this was totally achievable and then the challenge and excitement seemed to fade away once I knew I could do it.
But I wanted that graduate badge next to my name so that was what drove me on to complete the plan.
Don't worry about the 5k. I've done 2 consolidation runs now and I am nowhere near 5k yet. I'm not stressing about that though and my plan is to just run for 30 minutes 3 times a week for the next 2 weeks. Hopefully speed will come as stamina improves. Then I will see what distance I am covering and make a plan of how to increase distance, hopefully reaching the 5k. Maybe I'll try the speed and stamina podcast with Laura.
I think you need to make little challenges for yourself. I've been doing my consolidation runs "naked" without having Michael to give me markers and encouragement so that's my first challenge. It's been different, a bit more difficult, but good - almost like a proper runner🏃♀️
Good luck with the rest of the plan. The end is within reach now and you will have that graduate badge too 🙂
Hey, Birdlady64, I’m obviously losing the plot as I posted a reply to the Night-Watchman twice as I thought I’d erased it by mistake! 😊Anyhow, what I meant to say to you is, yes, you get it and you’re right, it’ll be lovely to get that badge! 😄Building stamina will serve me a lot better in the long run too. I had no idea Laura did a speed and stamina podcast, sounds great. Love the fact you call running without Michael going “naked”. 🤣You’re a proper runner however you do it! 😊Thanks for your wise words, I’ve redound my mojo! 💗🤸♂️😊🐢
Fantastic!
Hey, thanks for the encouragement! 😊 Yeh, I’d like to take my time in consolidation too, in case I do something crazy, like trying to run like a gazelle and ending up on the IC for months. 🤣 I really like the sound of building up the time. You did so well with your 7K! Must’ve been hard to have that 6 months off but then so impressed you’ve got back to it! Loved your quote about maybe not getting home before dark! 🤣👍You’re so right, that first run felt so long! 😂 Yeh, looking forward to it with renewed optimism, thank you! 😊🏃♀️🐢
Hi I did 5k today but graduation was a couple of weeks ago. My usual run is 30 mins and no where near 5k in that time. Some people stick with their 5k week 9 coach but there is some good links on what next when you get your shiny graduation badge. 😁
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