C25K Done and dusted ! 😬

[Instructor57]

Well, here we are , a little later than planned but we never know what obstacles life will throw at us, i guess it's doing your best to deal with them that makes us who we are .

i was a bit more relaxed going into this final run after my talk to the physio yesterday , so i was able to actually enjoy the run even though there were times of discomfort .

it was actually very emotional !

even on my 5 minute warm up walk i was thinking back through the weeks of this amazing program , because that's what it is , AMAZING.

i truly thought i would die on week one 😂

i have met some truly inspirational and lovely people on this forum and i want to thank each and every one of you , it's also you that make this journey as amazing as it is ! (wow, i'm getting emotional again)

so onto the run !

it started off really well, probably a little quicker then it should when i looked at my watch ! so slowed abit straight away , there were still 25 minutes to go haha

10 minutes in, feeling good , Pink floyd in my ear, weather cool with a little breeze .

at around 12 minutes i had to remind myself to relax, i could feel my posture stiffening , but when i did, it certainly helped .

i was coming up to the halfway mark and started thinking not only about this journey but actually about my life !!! what's happening to me LOL (i'll save that for the end ok!)

so, around a corner to my now not so scary hill 😁

yes, it slowed my a little bit but that's fine, it doesn't worry me now though 😊

i always feel that once im up the hill that i can definitely finish the run .

my friendly downhill bit next with 10 minutes to go , Hmm, in not usually this far along with 10 to go ! my pace must be ok ! 😊

5 mins left now and another little incline, it was fine and then i passed where i was at at 30 minutes on my previous run ! happy days 😬🏃‍♂️

run just passed the road i started on when Laura tells me congratulations! you have done it !!! 😬😬😬

C25K Completed !!!

So, what was i thinking about earlier on ? well, first of all, my name on here is Instructor 57, 57 of course being my birth year (im 63)

the Instructor bit goes back a while !

i have always loved challenges and completing things i start .

when i was 16 i learnt to fly gliders , i have around 12000 flights on gliders,

when i was 18 i became a gliding instructor , at the time, the youngest in the country .

i then did my private pilots licence at the age of 20, and after that learnt to fly and bought my own hotair balloon , i have also instructed people to fly balloons ,

things are a little more sedate these days, i am now a Driving instructor , so hence the name Instructor57 😊

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate]

What a wonderful post, huge congratulations on your amazing achievement. So happy for you that you achieved this after all that happened. Good luck with all your future endeavours, running included. Will watch for your progress as you move into consolidation.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Many thanks for your kind support !👍😊

[Dreambird Graduate in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Well done -,many congratulations 🥳 Lots more happy running journeys 🏃‍♂️ 👏👍🤩

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Dreambird]

Many thanks 😬👍

[Runner_P Graduate]

Fantastic news, many congratulations 🥳🥳

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Runner_P]

Many thanks 😁👍

[EThomas Graduate]

Huge congratulations. You appear to have left Gizmo behind.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to EThomas]

Absolutely, no mogwai was going to stop me today 😬

[sally1993]

Omg I got emotional reading this, especially the first bit!!! Well done to you! xxx

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to sally1993]

Thank you Sally !

And thanks for your support .

Good luck with your journey you can do this 😬👍

[nowster Graduate]

A well-deserved congratulations. 🏆🏅

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Many thanks ! 😬👍

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

This guide to post C25k running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Why thank you kind sir 😬👍🏃

[Nannalaine]

Well done 👍 hope some day I’ll get this message too! Excellent 😁

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Nannalaine]

Thank you !

Just keep going out doing the runs .

You will get there ! 😁👍

[Smile23 Graduate]

Well done

What can i say you must and should be proud if yourself🍾

Everyone who graduates add that little bit more self belief to me (and i am sure others)

Fantastic achievement 🥳🥳🥳

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Smile23]

Many thanks for your kind words !

And yes, I know what you mean !

Thus forum and the people on it are so inspiring .

You WILL do this 😬👍

[HappyNoodle Graduate]

Well done! 🏁🏅😍

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to HappyNoodle]

Many thanks 😬👍

[Ling_Bedford]

Congratulations on your achievement!

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🎉🎉🎊🎊🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

I've just done my Week 1, Run 1 yesterday and I felt great!! Hopefully I'll keep going and get to the end!!!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Ling_Bedford]

Fantastic ! Just keep going out doing the runs ! Yo WILL get there ! 😬👍

[SJ60]

Wonderful! Congratulations ...such a well deserved victory 🙌🙌🌟🥇 now go and put your feet up and enjoy your graduation day to the full 🥂

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to SJ60]

Many thanks , I will 😬👍

[Hidden]

Congratulations 🥳 🏃and Very Well done Inspector 57 !

What an amazing story... and post...

Wow, I don’t know what to say other than thank you for all your kind words and advice and happy running.

Just amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for your support, you are almost there now ! 😬👍

[PlymBorn]

Yay !!!! 👏👏👏

Well done Ian ... took a wee bit longer but rightly so given circumstances.

Huge achievement 🏅not just in completing C25K but staying stoic and coming back from injury and not giving up 👍

Absolutely brilliant ... you sir are now a graduate 🎓

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to PlymBorn]

Haha, many thanks for your support 😬👍

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Many congratulations, Ian, on your fantastic achievement! 👏👏👏👍

I’m so glad to see you took it steady. I suspected yesterday that you were going to sneak off and graduate today 😀. Graduating IS emotional, isn’t it!

Good to learn a little bit about you, too! See you in consolidations. Hope you will continue to post in here as well as on Strava.

Enjoy your Graduation day! 👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you Jools , and yes, it was surprisingly emotional, I hardly slept last night !

And of course I will still post !

I love it here 😁👍

[Kish247 Graduate]

Congratulations. Lot of Pink Floyd fans on here!!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Kish247]

Thank you ! 😬👍

And yes, I'm a life long Floyd fan and seen them many times , first was in 1973 ! Haha 😂

[Kish247 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Nice! I was -13 then

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Kish247]

I was 16 😂

[ForestGrump63 Graduate]

Yey! Well done 👏👏👏

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to ForestGrump63]

Many thanks 😬👍

[PhoenixRise Graduate]

Congratulations Instructor57!!! Well done!!! What an achievement!!!

What a rollercoaster of a last run and C25K experience you’ve had. Overcoming injury to battle on and still popping on here every day to inspire others.

Love the Instructor background story - explains your nurturing nature!

Congratulations! Enjoy a tipple and hot bath!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to PhoenixRise]

Many thanks , I'm actually in the hot bath now 😂😂😂

[Maurs12 Graduate]

Congratulations! Celebrate, Spoil yourself - this is an important milestone.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Maurs12]

Many thanks 😬👍

[Sedge Graduate]

Congratulations Instructor57 ! Phenomenal effort to finish the programme, I kmow you've had to battle against injury, but you have done amazingly well, and I am sure have/will inspire others!

Unfortunately my final run has needed to be postponed, a slight strain to a muscle at the inside top of my leg has meant I need a couple more rest days..... penciled graduation in for Saturday if I recover in time....

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Sedge]

Thank you , I appreciate it 😬👍

Oh dear ! That's a pity !

BUT, as I'm sure you know, your doing exactly the right thing ! Graduation will be there just waiting for you to take it !

Rest up , and fingers crossed for Saturday 🤞

[Weddingrunner]

Whoohoooooo!!!! 🥳🥳🥳 huge congratulations!!!! Such a wonderful post to read!!! Well done you! 😊😊😊 Go and celebrate! 🍾

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Weddingrunner]

Many thanks !

You will not be far behind 😬👍

[MontyMooDog Graduate]

Many congratulations on your graduation.🍷Enjoy your day as it's a great feeling isn't it?👍😂😀

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Thank you 😬

Yes it's amazing!

[IzzyWiz Graduate]

Congratulations. I also graduated this morning & I had to hold back the tears. 11 weeks ago I could not run the length of 5 houses...

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to IzzyWiz]

Excellent !

Well done to you too ! 😬👍👏👏👏

Amazing isn't it 😬

[Islandmacmum Graduate]

You are truly inspirational. Today I was struggling through the first half of my run and then I thought about you doing this with sciatica and that spurred me on. Absolutely brilliant - congratulations! 👍🏻

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Islandmacmum]

Many thanks !

Pleased if spurred you on 😬👍

[f1madman Graduate]

Congratulations on becoming the youngest glider instructor and also completing the C25K programme, Instructor! What next? Consolidation? Have you thought about your goals after that?

Never doubted you could do it, I'm about to start Week 8 some point this evening hopefully, so taking my time a lot more time than you (think I should'vve been done and dust last month but oh well).

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to f1madman]

Many thanks 😬👍

I appreciate it.

Oh, good to hear your on week 8.

And to be honest , your the one taking the sensible approach 😁

I got a little impatient 😂

But, at the end of the day you will graduate.

And hopefully pain free .

Good luck with the rest of the program 🙂👍

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to f1madman]

P.S

Sorry, you asked what's next , well a few days rest then back out there working towards the 5k , my graduation run was 3.9 so just build that up now to 5k 🙂

[f1madman Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Nice goal to have m sure you'll get there safely. Unfortunately I had to abort my WK8R1 25 mins into it. The back of the left knee pains surfaced again. Let us know how you get on and if you start listening to the stepping stones podcast

[Jnubster Graduate]

Massive congratulations on your achievement 🤩💪🏼 such an awesome feeling!!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jnubster]

Many thanks ! I'm still buzzin 🐝 😬

[Jnubster Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Oh heck yeah 🐝 I was literally buzzing for days and when I think about how much I’ve achieved I can hardly believe it!!🏃🏽‍♀️💪🏼🤩

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jnubster]

I'm like a little kid, I keep looking at the Graduate badge 😂😂😂

[Jnubster Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

I couldn’t flick my phone up for ages as I thought it would disappear 🙈🤣🤣

[Feltip Graduate]

Well done 👏💪 so pleased for. It just shows what can be achieved, positive mindset, words of encouragement, self belief, determination

Despite the injury set back you persevered and won

Congratulations 😊

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Feltip]

Thank you, and thanks for your support , I appreciate it 🙂👍

[Roxdog Graduate]

So, so, so pleased you completed the programme! You must be relieved and very proud.

I think running triggers emotional responses often, so hopefully every little achievement will mean a lot of joy, pride and the odd tear sometimes.

Well done and of course once you have that physio appointment you will have even more confidence!

It is so exciting to finish the programme because now you can run 'free' which is so lovely.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Many thanks , and for your support，I really appreciate it .

Yes, the last few weeks have certainly been emotional and challenging both physically and mentally.

I've had a full workout ! Haha 😂

And thank you for your suggestion regarding the James dunne videos ! They have certainly helped me , oh and btw, my physio knows him and holds him in very high regard ! 🙂

[Roxdog Graduate]

Just to add, the glider story is impressive. If you love free flying you'll enjoy the next phase of running!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Thanks, I started gliding at 16 when I was an apprentice at an aircraft manufacturers .

And yes I will enjoy the free running .

I need to find some different routes now 😬

[Baymax_Dad Graduate]

Sir, you are in inspiration. you overcame every obstacle that was thrown in front of you. you should be very proud of yourself.

But time for your next challenge. You got one one in mind?

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Baymax_Dad]

Thank you for your kind words !

My next challenge with the running is to get to 5k, then improve my pace .

Other than that I have an ongoing challenge of learning to play guitar 😬

[Baymax_Dad Graduate]

That's also on my bucket list. I would like the piano but a little large for a small house with young kids So Guitar might be the thing. Helpful tips on that are welcome please.

keep pounding the road sir and the distance will come. I am looking to conquer the 5k mark then i am tempted by a parkrun ( parkrun.org.uk/ ) with a group.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Baymax_Dad]

Yes, I have already registered for parkrun 😬

I have several guitars , 4 acoustic, one 12 string and 2, 6 string and a fender Stratocaster electric that I have modified to replicate David gilmours strat from Pink Floyd ,😬

[030961 Graduate]

Wonderful news Instructor57. You’ve kept loads of us going and thank you.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to 030961]

Thank you !

That's nice to know 😁👍

[61Lady Graduate]

Hoorah! So happy for you 🎓🍾🎓🍾🎓 wonderful achievement.

Why not be emotional ... you’ve overcome every hurdle and persevered which is really something you should be very proud of.

Couple of days rest and hope trip to physio goes well

Congratulations !

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to 61Lady]

Many thanks , I appreciate it 😬👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

Missed your graduation post but Congratulations !!! 👏👏👏🎉🥳

I bet it was an amazing feeling especially as you wondered at one point if it was going to happen. What an emotional rollercoaster!

Love the story around your name - going up in a glider and a hot air balloon has long been on my bucket list. I'd love to do the latter over the Serengeti or Masai Mara at migration time

Let's hope the physio sorts you out soon.

Onwards to consolidation!

Happy running 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️😁

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Thank you ! 😬👍

Yes, the last few weeks certainly were a rollercoaster.

It all fell apart after week 8 run 1

I wondered at one point if I'd ever run again !

Its actually feeling quite a bit better now so I'm a lot more positive about my future running and looking forward to see the physio next Tuesday .

Oh yes, ballooning over the Serengeti would be amazing ! 😬

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Glad to hear that. Positive mental attitude is a big part of the battle

You never know - may get that ballooning trip one day... 🤞

Good luck for the physio appointment

[wobbles_when_runs Graduate]

OMG! I don’t know how I missed this!!!

CONGRATULATIONS! Wow, you have done it.

You’re so inspirational and thank you for sharing your story. Well done Ian. From a fellow pilot and instructor 😁✈️

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to wobbles_when_runs]

Hi,

And thank you !

I appreciate it , it will be your turn soon 😬

Oh, another fellow pilot ! That's interesting 😬👍

[Irish-John Graduate]

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATE! 👍🏻🙂🍻

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Many thanks John ,

I appreciate it 😬👍

[Gannet1 Graduate]

Well done Instructor57! 😊 Lovely to read your victory post and such an interesting story! You’ve already achieved a lot, but here’s to your new era of consolidating and beyond! Hope you celebrated your wonderful achievement in style!🏆🤩 Best of luck with phase two, look forward to reading about your adventures, 😊☀️🌈

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Gannet1]

Many thanks for your reply 👍

I actually completed my first 5K this morning, and will now consolidate on that 😬

[Gannet1 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Wow! ☀️There’s no stopping you! Well done! 🙌 Life just got even more exciting then! 👍 Happy running! 😊🏃‍♀️🐢

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Gannet1]

Haha many thanks 😬👍

[Moomin63 Graduate]

Huge congratulations to you! I have enjoyed reading your posts, hope you will continue to do so, Well done again and happy consolidation runs!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Moomin63]

Thank you !

And I'm very happy to know you like to read my posts 😬👍

I will certainly continue to post here !

This place has been amazing support to me , so if someone gets something from what i post then that's great 😁👍

[Eightpaws Graduate]

Congratulations!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Eightpaws]

Many thanks 😬👍

[Chokka Graduate]

Ooppps ... I missed it!

Sorry I’m so late, but soooooo many congratulations on your graduation ... & having stormed through that first 5km barrier already!

Love your posts ... please keep them coming!

Hurrah!!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Chokka]

Many thanks ! 😁

And happy to know you like my posts 😬

[Fifitrixiebell73 Graduate]

Ian, many, many, congratulations on your graduation! 🥳🥳🥳🥳

Good things come to those who wait!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Fifitrixiebell73]

Many thanks !

I appreciate it 👍

I'm in a much better place now 😁