Just completed the programme! C25K ✅

[Earthwindfire]

Hello everyone! I can’t believe I’m writing this but I have just finished W9 R3, completing the programme!! 🥳💫💪

This is my first post but right for the very start I’ve been reading the advice and stories from others keeping me going. If I wasn’t feeling it one day, I’d log on here and after reading I’d always reach the conclusion that I didn’t have an excuse and got myself out the door!

I started this programme after doing all the cliché lockdown activities us Brits seemed to be doing....weekly banana breads, bread making (more carbs), dodgy home DIY and boozy quizzing with friends and family. Needless to say I came out the other side the most unfit and heaviest I’ve ever been. After a colleague mentioned this app, I thought I’d give it a go but secretly assumed it would fade in my life as quickly as the clichés above. However here I am 10 weeks later with a healthier mindset and body (-10lbs) feeling determined to continue improve my fitness and ability - I actually enjoy running in the cold/wet/rain who knew?!! 😱

If anyone reads this and thinks they can’t/won’t complete it - trust me if you stick with the programme, you will and it is possible! Just keep going - you won’t always have a good run, but I promise afterwards you’ll be thankful you did it - and the next one will be better as the KM’s start racking up 🏃‍♀️

So THANK YOU to this amazing community for keeping me going and motivated even though you didn’t know you were at the time! I promised myself if I finished I’d go and buy myself some proper gear now so I’m off to the trainer shop this afternoon 😁

I’m excited and nervous about the next phase so any advice on how to keep building up time / distance from here would be greatly appreciated!

I’m now a runner - I can’t believe it, it still doesn’t sound like me!! 🤩 Take care everyone.

Katie

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

You are now OFFICIALLY a RUNNER, congratulations on completing run 3 of week 9 and graduating from C25K, well done 😀 🏃🏾 🎓

To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE 🎓 next to your username leave a message in the pinned posts on the right side of the healthunlocked October graduate home page and tell the administrators that you have ran W9R3 of C25K and graduated 🎓 🏃🏾 👍

[Tinytears60 Graduate]

Wow!

Love your story!

Congratulations 🥳

🏁🎓👏👏👏👏👏

And bloody well done!

Not only on your running journey but also your amazing weight loss! ... oh and not forgetting the banana bread baking 👌 yummy!

I think you deserve some of this to celebrate

🥂🍾

If I can suggest 1 thing - book in for a gait analysis - it’s the best present you can give yourself- the running shoes are amazing! 👟👟 it’s a real game changer!

Enjoy basking in your graduation and so well done! Chuffed for you! 💕

[nowster Graduate]

Congratulations! 🍾🏆🏅🏃🏼‍♀️

And welcome.

[Week7 Graduate]

Congratulations...for more inspiration look at the posts on Bridge to 10k.

Same lovely people...they just run a little bit more!

[Gastry Graduate]

Brilliant, well done.

[CBDB Graduate]

Woohoo!! 🙌 🎊 🎈🎉👍👏

Well done! What an achievement! I’m just a 3-4 months ahead of you but still in running amazement!! Hope you’re enjoying your new legs! 🦵

What I did for consolidation is follow the NHS 12-week fitness plan. nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1...

And I replaced all the runs in there (as it integrates with C25k) with 30min consolidation runs, which in the last 6 weeks, I extended slowly to 60 minutes.

I think this was great for me as it forced me to go slow, increasing my runs, and building up my core strength through a variety of workouts.

And after 12 weeks of doing that I not only have a strong habit/urge to run 3 per week now but I also have a large desire to do 3 workouts per week.

And this is all new to me. So I feel so fortunate to have found running and this community.

In the first 6 weeks I also slowly moved over to the Bridge to 10k forum, staying active in both. But I found the advice on B210k is geared for people who have made running a part of their lives, where of course C25k was about getting you there!

And you’re there! Well done!!! Enjoy and delight in being a runner! Happy running! 👏🙌🤗👍🏼💪🏃🏻‍♀️

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Well done!!!

[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.

[Goodstart Graduate]

Well done to you! I'm not much ahead finished lat month and am running 3x 30 minutes a week consolidation runs for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Not bothered about my time but need to keep it regular. Good luck and hope you got some nice gear! 👏💪