Now that I've completed the program, I wanted to post a bit about my journey as encouragement to others starting out. Really, if I can do it, anyone can.
My motivation goes back to March 2020 on the day I was sent home from work and told to start working from home (it was only my 5th day in the office with a new employer and I haven't been back to the office since, but that's another story).
Because it was about 10am the commuter bus had stopped running and I had to catch a different one which dropped me off about a km from home. As I walked up the road with my laptop bag and heavy winter coat it started to drizzle and I was puffing a bit. A passing car pulled over and offered me a lift up the road and I accepted. I was 54, 18 stone, a former heavy smoker and clearly so unfit that walking up a pretty flat road caused me to look in such distress that someone actually pulled over to help. It ate at me over the next year of lockdown and working from home - where, if anything, I became even more unfit. I have a 4 year old son - and I need to stick around for him.
A year later, my work had a month's challenge - do 30 mins activity every day for a month. That was the spur - but I was worried about the danger of sudden exercise.
I decided that I'd start with some walking just to get the joints moving. I did that for a few months on and off - about 2km on a route that pulled in a couple of hills, and there's no doubt it helped get me moving, and my time did improve, but after a few months or so I'd reached a plateau.
That's when I saw C25K. I knew I needed to do more but it was scary - it looked like it'd take commitment and might involve a bit of pain and effort - maybe even some willpower. However - I kept thinking back to that image of me struggling up an almost flat road and decided to try it. Not to 'do it' because I fully expected to fail, but to try it. In fact, when I started I was already making excuses for why I probably wouldn't complete. Top of my excuse list was that 'the weather will probably stop me doing the last few weeks when it gets colder'.
I was also really embarrassed at the thought of people seeing me - so I found a small park nearby and decided to go at dawn when there was no one around.
And so I was off. I won't give you a week by week account, but suffice to say that I was daunted by each step up, until about week 5 where I realised that the program was really working and started to trust it. I had pains in my knee (bursitis I think) that meant i had to take 3 days recovery instead of 1 which lasted until the middle of week 5 and then miraculously disappeared. There was also some lower back pain in the early weeks.
I had 2 colds that kept me off the trail for 4 or 5 days - BUT - I discovered that I was enjoying it. That was totally unexpected and I even started to become obsessed with when I could get out there next.
Anyway, I completed it. I've lost a bit of weight, I am fitter and can run around with my 4 year old much more easily. My legs have changed shape!! I can actually see the difference in them! My tummy is starting to recede a bit and I can feel more muscle down the sides under the fat. I can take a lungful of air without feeling like there's something restricting how much. I can walk around with ease - I could walk up that road now with a laptop bag without breaking sweat.
So to sum up - I have done it and if I can anyone can. I was unfit, overweight, lacking willpower, uncertain, but I had a reason to try. One other thing - if you're reading this you've already found the forum, and i think it is an essential aide to completing. Read the posts and links that the admins provide - they are billed as being essential reading and I found that they are.
I'm now planning to consolidate over the winter and then do the 10k plan in the spring. Not 'try' this time, but 'do'. I've been empowered by C25K to know that I can and will do it.
Good luck on your journey.
Written by
RunDone
Graduate
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This should be mandatory reading RunDone, what a great tale and description of your C25K journey! It really changes us doesn’t it, and I love how its lessons cross over into our daily lives too. Enjoy consolidating and happy running 😊😊😊.
Fantastic stuff. Moving up to 10K is fun. Take it easy especially if you're overweight (I am still 3 stone overweight- I put a bit on since I got to 15K and got injured trying to do 20K each week too soon plus eating too much as I thought I was burning it all off -idiot). Starting again at 3, 4 and 5K runs for a while. Go to Parkrun - it is great fun.
You won't regret it. Don't be shy. I hesitated posting there thinking I am not going to be able to talk about 10K plus runs. But we can provide advice and encouragement if you ask about moving up to 10K (after Consolidation!) And there's always someone recovering from injury to advise on that if you ever need any.
Congratulations Run Done! That is absolutely fantastic!
I hear what you're saying about being self-conscious.... I'm doing the 12 week Fitness Plan and the early exercise days require you to do certain movements like chest presses and rowing movements while you're walking. Fortunately for me I live on a farm so there's nobody around to see me, but I did wonder if I would have the courage to do it in a public place - being self-conscious can certainly break the plan quite easily.
Before I started running (when I THOUGHT I was still Miss Fit) I would sometimes see people running really slowly and would think to myself 'why bother', well... am I eating those thoughts now because I probably run slower than some of those people. But at least we are out there and the people with the nasty thoughts are the ones generally not so - who actually cares what they think.
You should be so proud of yourself and story is an absolute inspiration. I hope admin put a link to it so that others who are unsure can read it too. ✋🏻🏃🏻♀️
Beautifully expressed RunDone. You have learned a lot and this will put you in a good place for consolidation and beyond. Enjoy being a C25K graduate and a runner👍👍👍Your kids will definitely enjoy their 'all new' active dad!
I really enjoyed reading your post RunDone ! What a positive read and it shows how clever the C 25K is if you trust it! Well done for making such a positive change to your life!
Well done. Fab story, true inspiration. You've given me even more encouragement to continue my running journey, who knows I might join you on the 10k sometime, just want to maintain through winter for now. This really does change lives.
There's a forum 'Bridge to 10k' where I was provided with a link to 'Ju Ju's magic plan' for 10k. Also I see Zenlabs has a 10k trainer app. The two look very different though.
I remember about 20 years ago I kicked a pile of 'snow' that turned out to have a milestone in the middle of it and jarred my knee. It was stiff for more than a year until I had to run for the bus one day - and the next day it was better. To think, with a bit of exercise I wouldn't have had to limp for a year!
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C25K changed my life!
C25K Complete - My Story
C25K and my progression
My first attempt at c25k
My Journey 
