name change and thoughts... thank you all. - Couch to 5K

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name change and thoughts... thank you all.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate
60 Replies

hi everyone! yes, i changed my name. i no longer feel that desperation to change i had when i started. i have changed already! with huge progress thru mental will and strength( as i am certainly not a natural runner and not very fit at all...) so i thought 'changing woman' described me better than 'dying to change'. i am no longer dying for anything. i can honestly say i try my absolute best on every single run. i really give this my all. i am still slow as anything. i cannot go any faster yet. i still find every run a real challenge (understatement) i still flag often, but i do it, I KEEP GOING , i still manage every one , week after week, one after the other... i will have done this programme in 11 weeks, i think, with one week extra on week 4 and Christmas stretching it from 9 weeks, and it's like a miracle. this programme is pretty clever. i would love one more thing... to enjoy it. maybe that comes after graduation. i wont give up. i said i would see graduation and not give up, and i have (well, very nearly there) i am not a giver upper. the best thing this has taught me is this: things i am sure i absolutely cannot do....i can! how good is that!!!how daunting was one minute to start with? if you had said i would manage to squeeze out 30 minutes at the end to me, at the start, i would have thought you were mad! written with all best wishes from a changing woman, and thank you ALL for your support. this forum is second to none. it is the best i ever came across on line. its enabled me to do it at all. and my BF most of all. he of the stop watch. and the holder of the gold medal for me on tuesday...

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changing-woman profile image
changing-woman
Graduate
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60 Replies
David_G profile image
David_G

Well said changing-woman 🙂👍 That’s a well-deserved and accurate name change!😀 You’ve done so well to get to where you are and I’m sure you’ll graduate with honours!Good luck with everything. We’ll all be rooting for you👏👏

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to David_G

thank you so much xx truly...

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate

It’s a good name change!

I think many of us don’t think of ourselves as natural runners.

Are you running on a treadmill? If you are, then maybe you will start to enjoy it more when you run outside. In the open air! With the challenges of the weather. Maybe you need to be rained on, feel the wind in your hair and be warmed by the sunshine! Feel the bite of the frost on your fingers on a cold winter’s day! 😊 Know how it feels to run on frozen mud, or the springy grass. Appreciate the smoothness of freshly laid tarmac!

If you haven’t been running on a treadmill then all of my poetic words are wasted 😂😂😂

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Jools2020

your words are lovely. yes, i did it on the tread. i am planning to go outside at some point jools, i am just very scared x

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Jools2020

and thank you for all your support all the way though jools x

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to changing-woman

You are very welcome!

My advice for you is to carry on with what you know until after you’ve graduated and done a few consolidation runs. Nobody’s expecting you to suddenly get faster, it takes time. It might seem scary to run outside, because it’s not what you know. When you’ve graduated, you could just try a short run outside on a sunny day. See how it feels!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Jools2020

i will do that. a short run on a sunny day . yes.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate

I bet looking back now ( I remember your first posts!) You never thought you would get here ! 😁👍

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Instructor57

honestly, i never thought i would get here. never ever, truly xx lol

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate

I’ve seen you change, this place is just so encouraging, you did week 4 twice? well done I hated every minute of week 4 i couldn’t have done it again We didn’t really enjoy the run but loved the sense of achievement after and then one day realised we were actually enjoying the running and that was probably more than a month after graduation, lovely new name 😀

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun

yes your names are lovely, and yes i hated week 4! i love the feeling after a run, its worth all the rest! thank you for your encouragement xx

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate in reply to changing-woman

Thank you, we’ve had them a long time so just put them together here when we started running, because we lack imagination and couldn’t think of anything else xx

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun

lol

An apt change of name changing-woman 👍.

But but but you're still

Chuffin-Fantastic

Ok so let's go outside, perhaps for that final run 🙄👍 trust me, trust the journey you're been on so far, if you've been this far on a treadmill focusing on a spot on the wall or tv screen, you'll love outdoors.... Perhaps have you ever thought that yes.....

Dying-to-change ▶️▶️ has changed 🥳

Now a changed woman let the world meet the runner ✅

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to

bless your heart x

Rennur profile image
RennurGraduate

Approved.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Rennur

i thank you

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Highly appropriate.

Well done you.

Just a note from an old fart.......I find reading text that does not have a capital letter at the start of each sentence and no paragraphs really difficult.........I am probably not the only one.

Keep running, keep smiling.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

understood. is that one change too far for me though? lol

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor in reply to changing-woman

Maybe I am the one who needs to get used to 21st century textese...........

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

haha

in reply to IannodaTruffe

Maybe!👍😂😂😂

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to

Lol

Jell6 profile image
Jell6Graduate in reply to changing-woman

Perhaps start small, and treat yourself to a capital I, you deserve it🙃😉

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Jell6

hahhaahahahaha

in reply to IannodaTruffe

Grammar and speech marks as well please !

But I fear we may have to put

roseabi on the naughty step regarding spelling 🙄

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to

oh blimey

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

e e cummings style?

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to nowster

exactly. am huge fan.

Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate

Love the name change, it suits you well- on a mission to succeed x

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Bambi2020

i am on that mission!xx

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

Well done on your progress so far. It doesn't stop with graduation, of course. 😉

And for enjoying it, it'll be more likely when you're able to get outside, have got used to running outside, and can relax whilst running.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to nowster

Yeah ...

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to nowster

yeah...that's right...you sign up for a 9 week finite course and suddenly you're running for the rest of your life...hahaha

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate

Who is this changing-women, what happened to dying to change!!! 🤣Like your coach, i had Laura, says, you've got this!!! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Peter44

thank you... i trust so...

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWGraduate

Oh brilliant! Love the new name...so appropriate 👍🥰🐌🐢🏃🏻‍♀️

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to LottieMW

I think so!

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWGraduate in reply to changing-woman

👍🥰

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to LottieMW

yes!

Frizzbomb67 profile image
Frizzbomb67Graduate

The name suits you 😊 and yes, I’d say enjoyment comes after graduation when it’s just not so flipping hard. Stick with it kid!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Frizzbomb67

Here’s hoping xx

Couchphoenix profile image
CouchphoenixGraduate

You know exactly how I feel about your name change 👍😁. It takes a long time before you enjoy it, you’re still a new runner, your body is still gaining fitness and stamina, you’re still learning, as am I.

I did loads of consolidation runs before I began to enjoy it, but one day you’ll glance down and find you legs are just carrying you along, your breathing is good you’re enjoying your surroundings and you’ll smile as you’ll be amazed that the body you’ve always had is capable of things you never even dreamt of. Well done changing-woman you’re new name says it all 🏃‍♀️

Running outside next, when the weather improves ok, you’ll love it

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Couchphoenix

Ok xx

limu_mu profile image
limu_muGraduate

changing-woman suits you. Best of luck and keep going!!! 🏃‍♀️

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to limu_mu

thank you so much :-)

jwillmac profile image
jwillmacGraduate

How inspirational! I too didn't think I could do this. Ex husband was a decent marathon runner , kids all excelled at sport and still do as grown women. Me , just mum, the home maker .But at the age of 61 in the first lockdown I did C25K, graduated last July and I'm still plodding around my area 3 times a week for 30 to 40 mins. Keep it up and all the very best!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to jwillmac

well done you! i will keep it up... xx

Asthmaticsnail profile image
AsthmaticsnailGraduate

Love this 💕 well done you! xxx

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Asthmaticsnail

thank you so much :-)

Zip54 profile image
Zip54Graduate

Love the new name. Love reading your posts please keep it up 😊

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Zip54

what a lovely thing to say, thank you!

Fionamags profile image
FionamagsGraduate

Well done on your determination and motivation. I love that you've changed your name to something a bit more positive as well - all these things help. After your graduation run, you should pop over to the consolidation club (in the pinned posts) where you will see lots of great suggestions for keeping fresh and consolidating what you've achieved. I think they now have a programme to follow as well - which wasn't there when I graduated.

I found that I started to dip in and out of my 'happy pace' the more that I ran and started to find real joy in running the more that I did. Some runs will always be 'stinkers' though - but gradually the joyful ones outweigh these. Keep at it and you will find your happy pace!!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Fionamags

ooh interesting. i will take a look xx

johnm12 profile image
johnm12Graduate

Really well done. Yep this programme changes a lot of things. I went for a run in the wind and rain today and enjoyed it! That is a bit weird. Once you get running outside ( try it whenever you feel like it) I bet you will just love it. Brilliant job though. Keep enjoying the programme. It is addictive

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to johnm12

Thank you!

JulieByf profile image
JulieByfGraduate

Well done you. I am about to start my final week 8 run and looking forward to smashing week 9. I think this has taken me about 11 weeks too, sometimes life just gets in the way of best intentions and runs. I too hope to eventually enjoy the longer runs 🤞

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to JulieByf

Good luck ! Xx

Rodstar profile image
Rodstar

Well done you! I feel exactly the same as you and I've been on/am going on exactly the same journey. We'll get there as long as we keep that mental strength and the feeling I get when I complete each slow and tiring run makes it all worthwhile.👍👍😜😜

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply to Rodstar

Exactly xx

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