I graduated

[iamhallie]

I'm so pleased to say that on Saturday, I completed my final run of the Couch to 5K app.

As so many of us have said before, I too never believed that I would be able to run. I've always been overweight (and still am), and I would use this as an excuse for running. Give me a group game like rounders and I was your girl, but I refused to run. I would milk my asthma on sports days or when we did athletics in PE. I was a detrminet to my own health by swearing blindly I was incapable of running.

In Summer 2020, I decided it was time to stop making excuses. I realises my excuses were childish and I wanted to feel fitter, I needed to put in the work. I started doing fun youtube workouts from zumba, to cardio, to yoga. During this time, I tried couch to 5k twice, but could not even get halway through the session. I was disheartened and beyond embarrassed. I continued to work towards better fitness instead of thinking 'I just need to lose weight'.

In January 2021, I completed a 3 week Chloe Ting workout challenge. Once I had proved to myself I was capable of this, I tried to tackle the Couch to 5K app again. I watched lots of personal experience videos and logged into this app, reading lots of encouraging comments.

I took 1 main piece of advice - slow right down. I did this, and 2 months later have graduated.

I am so so so pleased.

I'd be lying if I said I loved running. I find it really difficult and I often struggle to find the motivation to go. But I can say I absolutely adore what running (and the couch to 5k) has provided me.

I've gained fitness. I've lost a small bit of weight. I've increased my confidence in myself. I now believe I can do anything I put my mind to.

Thank you to this community for being so kind, inclusive, and supportive.

You truly can do it. Mind over matter. You are strong and capable.

[Snail61 Graduate]

Congratulations, that's a great achievement!🏁👏👏👏

[iamhallie Graduate in reply to Snail61]

Thank you so much!

[Hidden]

Congratulations and very well done 🎉🏅🎉 Well done too on deciding to give it another go and managing to get through the programme.

I think the biggest barriers we face in life are our own mind-set and self-belief. You overcame them and look what you achieved. x

[iamhallie Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much! I completely agree. Thanks for the kind words x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

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

To get your Graduate Badge leave a message at this month’s Graduation Badge Post, which you can find in the Pinned Posts here healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations to you iamhallie on graduating from C25K, well done.

[iamhallie Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you!

[00marks Graduate]

Congratulations! Well done.

[Katnap Graduate]

Awesome! For consolidation and (maybe) continued progress, we will meet you on the Bridge to 10k 💪

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[Rwran18 Graduate]

What a honest and lovely blog. Your sheer determination has got you through this. Like you, I can’t say I love running and have no aspirations to run a marathon, but I do enjoy being out in the fresh air , having time to myself to listen to music as well as trying to keep my fitness up. It’s definitely a case of ‘mind over matter’! Enjoy the rest of your ‘journey’😘

[BuilderBoysMum Graduate]

Congratulations on your achievement. It really is amazing what we are capable of doing when we put our minds to it. Am also a complete non-runner, on the larger side, and the wrong side of fifty so have all the excuses primed and ready 😉I just have my final run to do, and I will be graduating too. Go, us!!