2 Year Runniversary! 😬🎉🎉🎉. And an NRC Speed run .

[Instructor57]

I have decided to post this here on Couch as this is where it all started .

(I usually post on Bridge to 10K)

So It was 2 years today (24th May 2020) when I first put on my trainers and tentatively went out for C25K W1R1 during first lockdown at the age of 63 having never run before .

And yes, it nearly killed me !

And to top it off, when I got back I didn't do any stretches.

I spent the night in bed with my quads in agony and the most of my rest day with ice packs on them .

I did however manage run2 after 1 day rest .

From this point on I have religiously done the Dynamic warm ups and the post run stretches as referred to in the programme guide

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

If you haven't read it then I suggest you get yourself a cuppa and do so now 😁

I managed to continue through the programme with just 1 days rest up to and including W8R1 where I injured my pirifomis by going for an over enthusiastic sprint Finnish .

I now have those wise words of IannodaTruffe etched into my brain !

'Conversational pace' 'Conversational pace' anything more is too fast !!!

I of course now know this to be true !

Thank you Tim !

I ended up having 2 Osteopath (Or is it Psychopath) appointments and a session with a sports physio who happens to be an extreme marathon runner , and now my go to physio !

He managed to get me back running after 18 days off .

I then managed to go out and complete W8R2 albeit, very slowly !

My graduation run was quite emotional, thinking back over my C25K journey and all the VRB's I had met through this forum , most of which are still here and running !

Thank you all for your support and friendship through our journeys.

Fast forward a bit now after many 5K's , 10K's and up to 9 miles 10 months ago !

Been a proud member of this amazing admin team here on the running forums now for 12 months, Firstly as an Ambassador then more recently as an Admin and it's a pleasure to work alongside you all .

I have had several setbacks during the last few months which many of you already know but keep fighting back and pushing forward and currently working my way through the NRC HM plan and recently completed the James Dunne 30 day challenge strength and mobility program .

Today's run was an Intervals run !

Yes I know , not conversational pace !

And definitely not for during C25K.

It was great fun (Even though I used to avoid them) I now enjoy them ! And I see others have started to do so as well 😁👍

Today was 20 X 30 second run intervals at mile pace (Appart from interval 1 and 11 which were at 5K pace!) Followed by 1 minute active recovery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this run and it absolutely wiped me out 🥵 but great fun , and what better way to celebrate 2 years of running !

Long may it continue .

Have fun everyone , read the guide , keep hydrated and remember, 'Conversational pace'

Oh, and not sure if he will curse me or not for this but , Happy Birthday to our one and only Mr AlMorr 🎉🎉🎉

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Thank you very much Ian for wishing me a happy 76th birthday and congratulations to you on your 2nd anniversary of starting C25K, Many runners on this forum have said that run 1 of week 1 is the most demanding run of all and some thought that they were going to die, of course they didn't but you seem to have had a hard time on that first run, from then on it wasn't so bad,

I am so happy that you had a good run today. I am not running today but hope to run 8K tomorrow.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Have a great day AlMorr and loads of cake ! 😬🎉🎂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

👍 🎂... and chocolate ice cream swirl, 😋

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Oh yes !Of course 😬😬😬👍

[roseabi in reply to AlMorr]

Happy birthday, Al!! xx

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to roseabi]

Thanks Roseabi, I am having a nice birthday with 🎂 and ice cream swirl👍🎂but no 🏃🏾today.

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy Birthday 🎈 Al

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks W&S 🎂🎂👍

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

Happy Birthday 🎈🎉 did I really read you are 76 years young and planning on a 8K tomorrow? I am so ashamed of myself I can’t run any more than a 5. An 8 would def take the wind out my sails actually I just couldn’t even try. Well done you, hope you have a great day. Enjoy.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Digdeep on wishing me a happy birthday, yes I am 76 years old or young as you say, you have nothing to be ashamed of, take all your runs slow and steady, I am having a lovely birthday today. 😊 🎂

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy birthday AlMorr 👍🎉🍾🎂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Julia 🎂🎂👍🏃🏾

[Catho78 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy birthday🎉, enjoy your day 🤗

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Catho78]

Thanks Cath78, I am enjoying my birthday, every day at 2 pm I take my neighbours dog Holly a walk, today Hollies owner gave me new running clothes, that was very nice of him.

[Catho78 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

That sounds like the perfect birthday present, enjoy 🥂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Catho78]

It was a perfect birthday present Catho78🎂🎂👍🏃🏾

[Frenc Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy Birthday 🥳 🎈!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Frenc for your greetings regarding my birthday 🎂 🎂👍

[Liono Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy Birthday AlMorr!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Liono]

👍 🎂🎂🎂👍Thanks Liono🎂🎂👍

[BrokeyNotSoBusted Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy birthday AlMorr 🎂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to BrokeyNotSoBusted]

Thanks BNSB🎂👍

[Oldgirlruns Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

I’ve only just read Instructor57’s post so I’m a bit late in wishing you a very happy birthday Al - I hope you’ve had a lovely day!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Thank you very much Oldgirlruns on wishing me a happy birthday, I have had a lovely day, my neighbour, that's the owner of Holly the dog who I take a walk every day at 2 pm gave me some running clothes including a rain jerkin for running, no excuse for not going to a parkrun if it's raining.I seem to have "hijacked" Instructor57' original post but I do notice that it was Ian on this post who wished me a happy birthday first. 🎂🎂🎂👍🏃🏾

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

No worries Al

Happy to share my post with you !

Hope you had a great day 😁👍

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks Ian, I had a wonderful day yesterday. 😊 👍

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy belated birthday!! Hope the ice cream was good!!!🍨🍦

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Hedgehogs123]

Actually Hedgehogs123 I have just returned from my midweek run and am now eating another ice cream chocolate swirl, this mornings run was 8K ran in a time of 58:07, thanks for the belated birthday🎂greetings, I had a lovely day yesterday. 😊

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

That was an excellent time. I always like to reward myself on my longer runs with something yummy on my return, makes the run much more worth it!! Enjoy!!🤣🏃‍♀️🍨🍦

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I did enjoy thanks, the run was ran in a park only a 3 minutes walk from where I live, not my usual around the loch run, there is a Primary School next to this park, I began the run at exactly 9 o'clock when the bell rang, I was congratulated by non other than 3 people walking their dogs, around about the 3K distance, then at around 7K another man using a walking stick shouted to me 'well done' and at the very end of the run as I stopped I told another man walking his dog that I had just ran 8K, he also congratulated me, so unusual to get as much praise in that park, it made my day after my birthday yesterday.

[JetsNanna Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Happy Birthday AlMorr . I hope you’ve had a fabulous day 😊

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to JetsNanna]

I had a fabulous day yesterday 👍👍🎂🎂

[Beatlesforever Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Belated birthday greetings AlMorr! Hope you had a fab day 🎂🍦🎉

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Beatlesforever]

Thanks Beatlesforever, I had a good day 👍 🎂

[Roxdog Graduate]

Happy runniversary! The trials and tribulations, setbacks snd triumphs , they are all part of that running journey! Hopefully lots of triumphs to come! Thanks for being a constant presence on the forum and for all your support!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Right back at you !It was you who got me into James Dunne following my unjury 👍

Hope that knee mends soon 🤞

[roseabi]

Congratulations!!! xxxxx

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to roseabi]

Thanks Abi xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

What a journey, what ups and downs you’ve had, that looks like quite a workout, I’m on week 1 of that plan and much less intervals, have fun and keep running

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you !And yes, it a great plan (So far 🤣)

[nowster Graduate]

Happy runniversary.

We did sort of start out about the same time. I had originally started in the late March of 2020, but had to stop. Tried again in April, but had the same problems. Worked out they were due to medication. Came off the medication at the end of May, got infected bites from red spider mites (this is now a recurring theme each summer), then properly started with four Week 1 runs over the course of a fortnight in the June. You graduated at the start of August, me at the end of it.

I've also had my share of physio visits. It's definitely a learning process. The most important thing you learn is to listen to your body and know when you shouldn't be running, something you often remind me about. 🤣

Here's to many years more! 🍻

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thanks Paul !Yes we were around the same time , I remember your journey !

There was another who was around your time also and always replied to you , can't remember his name now but dosent appear to be around anymore !

Jools2020 also started at the same time as me (same day).

We have all had our ups and downs but still here !

And yes listening to our bodies will keep us going .

I've had a few niggly illnesses in the last few months but fingers crossed no running injuries since week 8 (well, a couple of minor niggles that's all )

Haha , any reminders to anybody about recovery are certainly meant with best intentions 😁

As you say, here's to many more years 😁🤞

[Vespina Graduate]

Happy runniversary. Sounds like a great run and really interesting to hear more about your running journey.

And happy birthday to you, AlMorr

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Vespina]

Thank you !It's been an interesting 2 years 😁

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Great way to celebrate your runniversary, Ian, with some intervals! They are such good fun. I used to avoid them like the plague! I’ll try this one sometime soon. 👏👏👏👍🎉🍾

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks jools !and yes the intervals were fun.

seems to have started an interval craze since i started this plan 😂

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Yes it does! 😂

[Catho78 Graduate]

Happy runniversary, glad you enjoyed your run, I must try some intervals, sounds good, keep on running 🏃🏼‍♂️

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Catho78]

Thank you !and yes the intervals are great fun , although i used to avoid them 😂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations, Ian.

Your contribution to the community is highly appreciated.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Many thanks Tim, I truly appreciate your comments 👍

[Frenc Graduate]

Happy 2 years! What a journey. From ice packs to set backs to strong finishes to giving sound advice and making me laugh! You have made this running malarkey all the more doable and fun. I hope Misty has made you a runniversary tea 🤣. Or perhaps she’s having a celebration snooze 💤. Here’s to many more years 🎉🎉🎉.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Kate !It's been fun (well, mostly) and thanks for your support !

Misty is outside playing somewhere !

It's her birthday on Friday , she will be 7 😁

[Frenc Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Cat cake 🍰 all round! Well, not a cake made out of cat, but you know what I mean 😁.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Frenc]

I used to bake a lot before I started running!But don't anymore as there is only me to eat them !

Never made one either out of or for a cat before though 😁🤔

[Frenc Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

That’s probably a good thing.

[Hidden]

Happy Runniversery, enjoy your journey and plan, happy running.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks 😁👍

[BrokeyNotSoBusted Graduate]

Happy runniversary. Thanks for sharing your journey and your time here.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to BrokeyNotSoBusted]

Thank you , your welcome 😁👍

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Brilliant post Instructor57 - it really does show what can happen when you embark on C25K! Although in my case I’m happy to do a slow 5km and not a lot else! Go you!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Thank you , and nothing wrong with a slow 5K 😁👍

[Cmoi Graduate]

Congratulations on that run for your second runniversary Instructor57 ! (Mine was last week but I forgot it.)

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks and happy belated Runniversary to you 😁

[RunBrianRun Graduate]

Congratulations on your admin badge Ian. 👍 I think I must have missed the original post. I dip in and out of here nowadays.

Anyway, take care, good luck with your running goals, and thank you for the time and effort you spend on the forum helping others 👍

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks Brian , it was 12 months ago when I joined the admin team as an ambassador here on Couch and Bridge , but more recently as an admin which I get a lot of pleasure from 😁And here's to many more year running 😁🤞

[Mormor1]

Happy runnerversary.... I started a month th later... Unimaginable where you can get to incrementally.... Now on a hm plan and have just discovered James Dunne's 5 min warm up stretches...

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Mormor1]

Great !The James Dunne 30 day challenge is also worth a look .

Good luck with the HM plan 👍

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate]

Brilliant post with very wise words. You also reminded me, this week was also the time I decided to tackle C25K 2 years ago during lockdown and yep I remember that first run, week 1 was a killer, I was convinced that my 1 min of running was at least 10 mins or it felt like it!!! 🤣 . Never did I imagine I would go on to be totally addicted to ParkRun and be able to run 10 miles (without stopping for massive breaks in-between!)

Like my post a few days ago, during a run with good old Coach Bennett, I was reminded of all the things I'm grateful for and as you say, this forum and the people within it are brilliant. I love the fact there are 'regulars' who post often and full of motivation , support and advice for others. I will be eternally grateful for all the help I've had on here, I don't really know anyone on here and yet in one sense I do.

Anyway, that was a much longer answer than I planned, my apologies. I'm off to grab a coffee and click on the link you've posted re stretching, every day is a schhol day as I think the saying goes!! 😃🏃‍♀️

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Hedgehogs123]

Yes, it's amazing where 2 years can get us to !Long may it continue 😁👍

[Solor Graduate]

Enjoyed reading this, I’m still at the stage where I can’t really believe I can do 5k and have little expectation beyond that original goal. To hear of your progress despite setbacks is encouraging especially as we are same age and both previously non runners. Did my first 5k yesterday and, to be honest, it was probably the first time I fully took on board the ‘being able to hold a conversation’ advice l. It did feel super slow but so what?

Thanks for sharing on c25k.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Solor]

Thank you and your welcome !And congratulations on that first 5K. 👍

And yes, the conversational pace is vital , especially on the longer runs and makes them so much more achievable and enjoyable and less stress on the body !

The tricky bit for me is always setting off slow enough at the beginning of a longer run so as I can let the pace creep up as the run unfolds .

I certainly remember my first 5k and 10k, they both wiped me out at the time and I remember thinking I won't go further than this 😁

Oh how those goal posts move 😁

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Happy Runniversary!!! For yesterday!!! I am running ( ha ha) late !!Here is to many, many more safe, happy and exciting runs! xxx

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Many thanks Hil xx 😁

[FrankyC Graduate]

Happy Runaversary 😃

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to FrankyC]

Thank you 😁👍

[Beatlesforever Graduate]

Brilliant, a very happy runniversary to you! 🥳🎉 (I've only just got the email notification!)

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

Sorry Instructor57 but I missed this due to not being on the forum much the last few weeks for various reasons!...Happy belated 2nd runniversary - how time flies, and what a journey it's been. We've all had our ups and downs but am thankful to be still running (just about!)

And a very happy belated birthday to the one and only AlMorr . Sorry I missed that too!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Thank Diane!Don't worry , I'm always missing posts 🤣