I felt weirdly anxious this morning when I got up knowing that today was the day that I was going to get this done 🤞 I hadn’t slept well as ‘it’ had been going round in my head and the tunes 🎶 from the playlist I’d compiled just before bed were still ringing in my ears.
MinnieMoo55 and I had arranged to run together at exactly the same time so 10.30am for me and 3.30pm for her. I started getting ready and realized that my lucky 🎄🩲 (of course I couldn’t not wear them 🤣) were wet in the washing machine 😱 I threw them into the tumble dryer and then felt in a total panic about getting out on time with 10 mins to take off 🚀 I decided I’d just have to do my warm up commando 😳 what a sight 🙈 and thankfully well out of view of anyone 😂 So, dry knickers on 👍 leggings, trainers and off I went on my warm up walk.
Martha Reeves started off by telling me I had ‘Nowhere to Run’ 🏃♀️ Oh yes I do I said and headed steadily down the road feeling not too bad when The Isley Bros asked ‘Who’s that lady?’ I had purposely put my tunes 🎶 on shuffle and it never ceases to amaze me how the right song and lyrics arrive at just the perfect spot to give a boost 💪 Seven Seas of Rye, one of my fav Queen tracks followed, by which time I was at the bottom of the road where I have to wait at a huge traffic junction with pedestrian lights🚦 Unfortunately I must have just missed them so I knew there’d be quite a long wait 😬 Just back from the pavement is an enormous concrete pot with trees 🌳 and shrubs in, a bit like a mini roundabout so without having stopped I just kept running round and round it. The people in the cars 🚗 at the lights must have wondered what on earth I was doing 🤔 and when The Average White Band said ‘Let’s go round again’ I burst out laughing so they must have thought I was even more bonkers 🤣 It felt as though I’d run at least 1km going round and round then, just when I thought the lights must have broken the green man allowed me to cross 👍 Over the road I went and turned onto the old railway line as Frankie Valli sang ‘Who loves you?’ Jo then told me I was only halfway through 🥴 and 👺 made an appearance. I knew I should be much further along but having been delayed at the lights I was feeling a little disheartened 😕 Peter Frampton’s ‘Show me the way’ started playing and when he asked ‘I wonder how you’re feeling?’ I laughed, swatted the gremlin👺 away and thought, actually I’m ok. At 20 minutes I really started to enjoy it, smiling and singing along, and just as Steve Winwood told me to ‘Keep on Running’ I could see a very ‘fit’ 30 something male runner 🏃♂️coming towards me. I obviously put on an extra spurt (sorry, so shallow 🙄) and as he passed he gave me a huge smile which made me feel 👌 Jo said 25 minutes as Boston sang ‘More than a Feeling’ and as I started thinking about when I would do my first Consolidation run (yes, really 😂) Bachman-Turner Overdrive burst forth with ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’ and then Jo said I was done. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and wondered whether MinnieMoo55 across the pond would be feeling the same 😊
Due to my 🚦 delay I had further to walk home but burst into a huge grin when the fireworks went off at the end of my warm down walk and I was finally a graduate. I still had a further 10 mins to walk home and was accompanied by Fleetwood Mac ‘Go your own way’ and very aptly The Doobie Brothers ‘Listen to the Music’ 🎶
What a challenge this has been but I am immensely proud of myself. I feel fitter, stronger both physically and mentally and when I think back to how I struggled to run for 1 minute to get to 30 minutes it’s incredible. I never thought my back and neck would tolerate it, but it has 😃C25K has provided me with the focus and distraction I needed and I hope to be able to carry on getting out 2-3 times a week, getting more comfortable at 30 minutes and eventually building to running 5k, in however long that takes. They have a park run here in Toronto too so maybe we’ll join in with that one day... when we all can 🙏 I also have that longer term aim of running 5k across the Toronto islands before we head for home in Summer 2023. I can’t wait to be able to run at home by the coast and in the countryside lanes when we return to retire. My husband talks about us ‘running together’ now all the time 😬 and I’ve told him slowly for me 🐢🐌 and not too far 🤣
There was a bottle of 🍾 chilling in the fridge so when I got home and after I’d done my post run stretches 😇 I rehydrated in the ‘probably not recommended way’ 🥂 and he cooked brunch.
I can’t end without saying thank you 🙏 to each and everyone of you on this fabulous forum who have posted, replied, liked, inspired, motivated and advised... I couldn’t have done it without you 💕 And to some very special people who started at around about the same time as me, you know who you are 💁♀️
And a very special shout out to my running buddy MinnieMoo55.... see you in Consolidation 🥰
Sorry this is long but I’ve been advised it’s important to document these occasions 👍😂
Caroline xx
Written by
CazzaW
Graduate
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Thank you IannodaTruffe and I just wanted to thank you for all your helpful advice and the invaluable posts and links, I couldn’t have done it without them 👌
Also just read your Sept 20 update, so sending you very best wishes ☺️
Well done Cazza! Sounds like Spotify really knew what you were doing today! 🤣 Havnt got out to start week 9 as I would have normally today as was waiting in for my TV to come back from repair, plus absolute stiff legs after Saturdays exertions! 🤣 May try to get out soon though as think I have work rest of week.
Again massive congratulations graduate! The liquid lunch is well deserved 😉😁x
I think a week 9 90s week is very likely! May have to alternate between 90s dance, britpop and all out 90s cheese 🤣🤣. Not looking good for me to be running until Wednesday now 🤦🏼♂️ should have just went this morning, I'm sure the achey legs would have went away once I started 🤣
Yay! For those lucky pants and beating off the gremlins.
Bet you’re glad that you came clean with hubby so you could properly celebrate 🥂🍾🥂
Consolidation...if you sign up with Park Run, you can do a (Not) Park Run by covering 5k and logging the time with them. I’ve done one...by including the 5 minutes warm up, 30 minutes jog and then however long it took me to walk back to the start 😂
Onwards and upwards! Look forward to your consolidation posts 🐌🐢🏃🏻♀️🍁🧡🍂
Thanks Lottie, yup we definitely celebrated 🥂then I put my feet up and did nothing else all day 🙄 my excuse was resting my ankle 🤣 Will try to get out for a walk today but it’s raining here at the moment 😏
Thanks for the Park Run info. 👍 I think today I’m going to try and negotiate my way around what I need to read now going forward, getting my badge 👏 (I’m so excited at that 😆) and do I need to get onto something about consolidation?
Because I follow you, I get an email notification with a snip of the post...
Yours ended with “thanks for the Park Run info 👍 I think...”
I thought “oops, I’ve put her off!” 😂
I’m following October consolidation club, and will be 9 runs before I think about what’s next. I guess one aim will be to finally get to 5k...not bothered by speed 😬🐌🐢🏃🏻♀️
My pleasure, sounds like you did lol. So pleased for you, it’s a great feeling right, all that hard work off pays off 🍾 I think I spent my grad run remembering week 1, seems unreal the difference in a relatively short period of time. Here’s to new adventures 🥇🥂
(Apologies for the lengthy reply but it’s important I do it justice!! )
What an A-MA-ZING post
I am so excited reading it and didn’t want it to end!! I was on that run with you.. every step of the way!
🏁🎓👏👏👏 such an amazing feeling isn’t it?...
I didn’t sleep the night before either and I also did new playlist but Mine wasn’t on shuffle! It’s brilliant how they play in exactly the right places for you! 🎧 🎵 👌 love your choices too ... pinching a couple to make a new playlist for me - thanks 🙏🏻
I also did a run with someone thousands of miles away - MccHa was in Singapore and I was in UK... we had about 20 of us in total doing a group run and the buzz was amazing! 🐝 (read my post ‘run the world’ as it gives you a flavour of the day)
Commando warm up! That’s genius and also pure comedy to read!
Absolutely howling at your extra spurt infront of another runner (a fit 30’s male!) 🤣🤣 it’s not shallow - it’s bloody necessary! The mini roundabout run - creativity at its finest 👌 Love, love, LOVE it! 👏👏
I do that when I come across any other runner... I give them a nod as they pass and silently say to myself ‘look like a professional Jane!’ And then once they pass I return to snail pace 🐌 🤣
So pleased you had the bubbles chilling! 🥂🍾
We took ours to the finish line... in fact we went completely OTT but why not! 🤷♀️
It’s so important to document this and you’ve done it so amazingly well!
Huge congrat’s to you and MinnieMoo55 - I’m genuinely so chuffed for you! 💕🤗
Please continue to post about your consolidations 👍😀
The people on here are just such an amazing support and I would not have got to graduation or continued without them! Love my running family 💕
I’ve read many of your fabulous posts and have laughed so much whilst reading them 😂 it was you saying that it’s important to document this time that encouraged me to write it 👍 I saw the pics of you two at the finish line 🥂🍾 you can never go too OTT at these moments 😆🎉 I just wish I had a girly running mate over here (apart from my hubbie who is so proud of me and thinks I’ll be his now 🙄🤣) but maybe once restrictions ease and I get to know more people.
Am going to spend today getting my badge ⭐️ (am ridiculously excited about that 🤣) and reading the stuff about what next... I think I need to link into something about consolidation do I?
It’s been really helpful reading others posts too about what you’re all doing/have done post grad so I guess I just need to find out what app/coach (or not)/podcast is right for me.
I’m not sure there is anything to link into for consolidations- I certainly didn’t but I’m no expert... I continue yes with the week 9 runs ( I was reluctant initially to say bye to my coach) but eventually found strava.... gives audio cues for pace and distance which ticks that box for me and plays in background with your playlists - another tick ✅ but then you can earn virtual trophies 🏆 - you know I’m such a sucker for bling! I’m like a child! ... but they keep me motivated.. some are achievable but others a bit of a stretch so it’s best of both worlds 👏👏
You will find what works for you! 💕
Love that your hubby is so supportive! 💙 he gets brownie points from me 👍😀
Consolidations are the fun part, Initially you do 30 mins to embed but then you can do 2k, 3k, etc etc choose distance and pace fast or slow... the important thing is to have fun snd enjoy 😀
I’m still calling mine consolidations (think I’m on number 29). I graduated on 3.5k so the advice is to add 10% either distance or time (not both) per week and build up to 5k..
I completed 5k’s then have achieved the heady heights of a 10k ... I tend to stick to 30 mins or 5k but there really are no hard or fast rules..
A lot of us have stayed on C25k forum to post - it’s our spiritual home but also gives us opportunity to give some support back to newbies coming thru 😀💕
Thanks StoneDragon 🙏 it’ll be you soon so keep going 💪🏃♂️ but take care of those ankles. I had a problem one of them that delayed me a bit, ice pack was straight back on when I got back yesterday 🙄 but no ill effects today.
What an amazing run for you CazzaW (Caroline) all those tunes playing just at the moment you were at certain places on your run, I especially like that bit on the roundabout.
To get your graduation badge and the word graduate next to your username tell the administrators that you have ran run 3 of week 9 and graduated, it's in the pinned posts of the right side of the Healthunlocked October Graduation C25K page.
That's fine CazzaW, we are all here to advise and help each other, I am a 10 mile graduate, I only run twice a week which is the minimum amount advised, I suppose if I was 30/40 years younger it would be double that at about 4 or 5 times a week, I only started running at the end of 2017, began C25K in April 2018 and graduated 2 months later in June. I used to go long bike rides, 2 hours from my house got me quite far, I was thinking how far I would get, or at least the distance I would cover if I ran for 2 and 3/4 hours, how many laps around a park, I might do that sometime, you enjoy your runs.
Well done 👍🏻 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. It’s a fabulous feeling 😃🏃♀️.
Such an achievement and it’s amazing how fitter we become. The health benefits are great.
Enjoy the glow and look forward to the consolidation runs, I found you need a little more motivation when you say goodbye tot the app. However, such a lovely lot on here that always spur each other on 😃
Thanks Jules 😊 yes such a great feeling and strange as I sort of feel relieved now, as though the pressure is off 🤷♀️
Will definitely be using this forum for continued support and motivation, I couldn’t have got this far without everyone. Hoping to get out for my first consolidation run tomorrow....think I might just stick with Jo for a few runs and then see how it goes 😁
Congratulations Cazza!! I’m so delighted to read your post!
I would love to have seen you going round and round that pot. If there were any runners watching you from their cars, then they 100% knew what you were up to 😄👌🏼⏱
I’m glad to hear you revelled in your graduation glory all day and put your feet up 🌟🏆🌟
Very well done and a big giant welcome to Grad Club 🙌🏼🎓🤩
Thank you CC 😊 I haven’t stopped smiling since 😆 I feel so excited to have graduated from running high school, now onwards to College and Grad Club 😂
I spent quite a lot of yesterday reading the post grad. links, info. and advice in Consolidation Club.... all hugely helpful 👌 I guess it’s now about me finding my own way and seeing what’s right for me. I was worried I’d feel flat but thankfully I don’t so fingers crossed the motivation will last 💪🏃♀️
Onwards and upwards with Consolidation runs 😁.... well, when it’s not raining anyway 🤣
I think I carried on smiling for a good 2 days! 😄 you’re so right, consolidation is an interesting time, trying to figure out your next steps and you’re putting yourself on the right path by reading all the relevant info. It will help with motivation at the very least 👍🏼
Good luck and keep us updated with your adventures 🤩
Thank you Racing 😊...apologies for the abbreviation, I should ask if you mind?
So glad you could sense my joy and exhilaration 😆 just hoping I don’t come down to earth with too much of a reality bump 😬
Glad you approved of my tunes🎶and as you can tell the Average White Band and I are on excellent terms again, in fact I couldn’t have done without their support at my 🚦 delay 😂
I read quite a lot on Consolidation Club yesterday and the other links...all very helpful 👍 Have been in communication with roseabi too. On that note, and I should tell you that I am somewhat technologically challenged 🙄 but please can you tell me how you get names highlighted in blue, as you have done with roseabis? I’ve tried every which way, copy/paste, highlighting, link from profile name etc. but have failed ☹️ any top tips welcome please!
Still aiming for that Toronto Islands run 🤞🏃♀️🏃♀️
Hi! Type the @ sign, and then immediately follow it (no space) with the name of the person you wish to mention. You will see a list of names come up at the bottom of the screen - tap on the correct name and voila!
Hooray, success 👍 thank you for replying as did Racing 😊 I knew there had to be a quicker way of getting up someone’s name!
Sadly it’s pouring with rain over here too but hopefully, at some point today when it stops I shall be heading off for my first 30 min consolidation run 🤞🏃♀️
😂😂 Racing is absolutely fine , although nothing like my running style 🙄
Glad there’s been reconciliation with AWB 👌
Mentioning someone in a post you need to insert the magic @ before the name ( no space between @ and name )
When you type say CazzaW your name appears on a blue band just below this box where we type .( the @ then doesn’t show when name appears in blue though )
Then the person gets a notification alert that you’ve mentioned them in your post 😃👌
I’m having good and not so good consolidation runs but what I’ve learnt is for I need to simplify and just stick to a few 30 minute runs before I try anything else .
I think it’s a bit like learning to drive a car , we’ve passed the test , taken the ‘L’ plates off but are still tentatively learning how to be a better driver (runner 😂😂) I think nowadays there are ‘P’ plates ? For ‘just passed my test ‘ drivers . Need some of those 👍😂
I could still to do with a bit of consistency . Then I think on each run I need to decide is this run to run a longer distance whatever the time/pace? Or is this run to do say 5k but quicker ?
I tried out a couple of 25 and 35 min guided runs with the Nike Run Club App and Coach Bennett tells me I can’t do both 😂😂 and he is so right 👌
But I think sometimes thats what I do and it spoils the enjoyment .
The thing is to not lose motivation but get back out and have a better one 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️ I think ! 😂😂😂
I’d like to try that theory out on my next run but the rain is constant right now .
Hope you are luckier with weather and get some good runs in , the info here is so worth reading and people are posting such good ideas 👌
Good morning RacingintheStreet 😊 haha I did it, thanks for the instructions 👌
It’s pouring with raining here too and very windy.... leaves everywhere 🥴 slippery 😬 but hopefully due to stop sometime later so am planning on getting out for C1. I’m definitely just going to do a minimum of 3 weeks doing just 30 minutes with my ‘P’plates on.... love that analogy and so true... before I move onto anything else. I feel I must get more comfortable at doing that first and have decided I shall stick with Jo and my grad run playlist at least initially. Thank you for all your helpful advice and I hope your next run is a good one..... no Racing 🏃♀️😂😂
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Clothing Catastrophe 
W5R3!! Can’t believe it!!
