Well, its been exactly a year since I graduated C25K and I'm still running, so I thought I would post a few comments, as encouragement to anyone currently doing C25K. [Sorry long post warning!]
When I started C25K, I was like so many people, having last run about 35 years ago as a teenager and even back then I hated running. I had the C25K app on my phone for a few months before I managed to find the courage to give it a go and like so many I was very conscious of those first few runs, lots of anxiety about 'what if I can't even manage week one?' Made even worst as I live in a small village with some very good runners in it, the sort of runners who think nothing of a 24hr endurance run (can't believe such things exist)! In the end I came up with the perfect way to try week 1, do those runs in Germany! At the time I was working in Germany most weeks, stuck in a hotel four nights a week, so it made perfect sense to take my running gear with me, because that way if I failed, there was zero chance I would meet anyone I knew - then I could just deny I even tried running !
Anyhow, I am pleased to say that I completed week 1, however I didn't factor in the +30 degrees temps in July in the part of Germany I was in. I wouldn't say week one was easy as those 60 second runs seemed to go on for ever and every. At least getting week 1 out of the way gave me the confidence to continue week 2 at home. Once I got into the programme I didn't find it too bad, although some runs were better than others. I think I made a massive leap when I realised it was as much a mental journey as a physical one, the moment I started to believe in myself made a big difference.
In September 2019 I graduated, having completed 5k in just under 33 mins, I then started consolidating running 5k three times a week. All went well for a few weeks, but then without warning, one evening after a run, my left ankle decided to swell and become very tender to walk on never mind to run on. In fact running was out of the question for about 10 weeks or so. Still no real idea what I did, all I can think is that those first few weeks of consolidation running were along a poor quality single track road with a really strong camber on it, so I think this was causing my foot to over-pronate, or something like that.
By the time I could run again, I was struggling to run 2K, at which point I really did think why am I bothering as all that hard effort seemed to be lost. However, my wife encouraged me to keep going out and after about 3 weeks I was back up to the 5k mark. Since then I haven't really looked back, as I have continued to run 5k three times a week (most weeks). At first I was very focused on speed and completing a sub 30min 5km, which I eventually got down to 27:50, which I was more than happy with. I then slowly started to add some distance and got up to 7.5km on a few runs. By this time, I had taken onboard the advice on this forum to slow down to build stamina, so I made a real effort to slow down (not as easy as it sounds) and eventually managed to settle into a pace which enabled me to run my first 10k in 70 mins. Having now run 10k, I seem to have got the 'distance bug' and I am currently half way through the bridge to 10k magic plan, as I thought I should work up to 10k properly! Rest assured I don't plan to go above 10K (ever !).
Anyhow, enough about me, as this long post is just really to say to everyone out there who doesn't think they can do this, then think again because you really can do it. If you have completed week 1 run 1 then you have done the hardest part as you have found the motivation to get out there. All you need to do now is to hang on to that motivation for the next 9 weeks and just remember why you are doing C25k whenever you have a tough run. Four pieces of advice to share (i) use this forum, there is no such thing as a silly question, (ii) remember you are not in a race, its not a competition against anyone else, (iii) slow down, slow down and slow down and finally (iv) believe in yourself. !! You really can do this.
So to finish a couple of stats as I know some of you like stats, so far this year (sorry don't have 2019 figures) I have run 380km, with an overall average pace of just under 6min/km, with my fastest 1km split of 5:17 - no idea how that happened. I now own three pairs of running shoes - that's the beginning of a collection! I've lost a stone in weight and feel so much fitter than I have done for years. And....a massive well done to my wife who also completed C25K, after she got so fed up with me going on about running, she finally decided to give in a join me, so now we both run, even together sometimes !
Finally, the photo is from this mornings autumnal early morning 5K.
Keep running everyone !
************* Graduation *************
Graduation!
1 Week Post Graduation
W52 R??? Graduation Anniversary.
Entering 5k runs after graduation 
