It is exactly one year since I started the Couch to 5k programme! I’d decided to begin on January 1st as a New Year’s resolution but I couldn’t wait and off I went. What a year!
When I started, I was just doing it to find a cheap and convenient way to exercise. I really wasn’t expecting to love it. Don’t get me wrong, there have been plenty of tough runs. Lots of mistakes made. Plenty of times I didn’t want to run and sat at home. A few times I shouldn’t have run but did. One big fall. A LOT of doubts and gremlins. I wouldn’t change a thing-running is just the best.
The highlights aren’t the PBs and the races, although I’m really proud of them. There’s a hill nearby where if you hit it at the right time-fully warmed up and feeling good you feel like you’re flying as you come down it. It’s thirty minutes of complete freedom. It’s the grotty day where you force yourself out of the door in the pouring rain and before you know it you’re grinning like crazy as you’re splashing through puddles. Discovering stunning new places. It’s thinking you can’t possibly run a step further, but you do and you suddenly realise you’ve got grit that you never knew was there. Feeling fit and strong. It’s the positivity and camaraderie surrounding you when you’re standing in the starting pen of an event. Sitting on the ground utterly exhausted but amazed at what you’ve just done. It doesn’t matter if that’s your first series of minute runs or a half marathon. There is so much joy to be had in the journey.
Today was a short run around a local reservoir. Totally flat, beautiful views, epic puddles and rogue sheep! Nothing special-just a run. Slow and steady. Massively proud.
Next year’s runniversary? Who knows! With the support of all my wonderful virtual run buddies here, anything is possible. The most wonderful and unexpected bonus of being a runner is the community you’re part of.
I will keep on running and I will keep on smiling. Whoever you are, you should too!
Runniversary
Runniversary
First post graduation run, missing Michael and c25k 🏃🏽♀️😕
C25K completed, first run alone a disaster..
Seven year runniversary
Happy first runniversary MissUnderstanding , and what a lovely photo! Just don't go celebrating your second one like I did though 😉🙄
Thanks! It’s a lovely place to walk or run. Was super lucky-there have been some serious downpours all day and it stayed dry just until got back to the car. There were some great wildfowl but just a bit too far away without a camera better than the one on my phone!
Memory’s failing me! How did you celebrate your second runniversary Cmoi ?
Oh, just a quick trip to A&E SkiMonday ! As MissUnderstanding unfortunately managed to achieve that in her first year (and unlike mine, her fall wasn't even her fault) I'm very much wishing her wonderful, faceplant-free running from now on. 👍😊
Ah! Not a good way of celebrating! Wasn’t it about that time that you ran the Maratrail?
The maratrail was a few months earlier SkiMonday , 15 months and two days after completing C25K (obviously not what's recommended 😦) and the faceplant was exactly two years on from completing C25K. Basically ever since the St Jacques I've done very little except fall, get ill and battle with the climate! 🙄
That’s definitely one “achievement” I’m not keen to repeat!!!