Hello C25k runners. I thought I’d post this just to show how I celebrated my graduation run 5 years ago this week. No I didn’t eat both ice creams!
At the age of 60, it wasn’t easy to start running, and it certainly didn’t look pretty, but I did manage to complete it within the 9 weeks. On the big day I found a nice route around a park in Southsea and I ran around it 4 times to run my 1st ever 30 minute run, which turned out to be 4km. On the 4th lap I was cheered by an elderly man sitting on a park bench. What a feeling! I was ecstatic.
Since then I have run parkruns, fun runs, and races. My greatest distance is 10 miles in the local Great South Run. I have gained medals and T-shirts galore and bought lots of running tech. My greatest achievement was being taken off medication for high blood pressure 6 months after graduating and running 3 times a week. I have also made some great friends as a result of running.
All of this started with 1 minute runs on c25k, so stick with it, run at conversational pace, take on the advice of the wonderful mentors on the forum, and give each other support to reach that target. If I could do this, I know you can too.
And no, I still cannot run 5k in 30 minutes, but that doesn’t bother me at all.
Written by
Dexy5
Graduate
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Well said Dexy5 and congratulations on your 5th C25k anniversary. Good subliminal message there…if you run you can have guilt free ice creams too 😋! Triple chocolate brownie in my case, but hey, each to their own.
Seriously, the hard bit of C25k is in those first few weeks of doubts and uncertainty; the rewards for getting through that are amazing, as are the people on this forum who help each other to do things they thought impossible. You can do it!
Congratulations to you Dexy5 on the occasion of your 5th running anniversary on completing C25K, what a wonderful 5 years you have had, lovely photo, I am sure that you enjoyed that well deserved ice cream✅🍦
You were one of the people I noticed early on. I graduated in July ‘18 - sadly no icecream. I lapsed for a bit but am re-doing it and love it. I’ve even got a bike now! Congratulations on your achievements
Hello again Sybilw . The great thing about doing it the 2nd time is that you know 30 minutes is achievable. I think on the first time round it is an unknown journey, with gremlins putting doubts in your mind. I shall be looking out for your graduation.
Great post and the confirmation that running is very good for health benefits, i too am 60 but graduated 7 weeks ago and have got up to 5K (completed a few times in 39 minutes!) when i started i too wasn't a pretty picture lol, all that huffing and puffing and sweat and feeling like an imposter! to now i love the running, don't care what i look like, and it too has improved my health significantly even in this short time i have been running, and couldn't believe i could get from running (or plodding) from 60 seconds to to reach 5K in 39 mins. So the programme is worth it and although it is very tough to start with push through it and challenge yourself and you will get there and the feeling it gives you when you graduate and can run for a full 30 minutes is like no other 😀
Yes i am 60 and wish i would have tried it years ago but never thought i was good enough and it was too hard, i have always loved watching the olympics, and track and field sports, my passion though 😀to watch are triathlons right up to iron man, if i would have started this in my 20's or even 30's who knows i may have joined a triathlon club, but i'm too old now and wouldn't have the time for all that training........if only! as long as i can continue to run that's good enough for me
Congratulations fellow 2018 graduate. It really has been life changing hasn’t it? Friendships forged, experiences made, bling won and cake consumed. Perfect 😍
Wow, you're looking great for someone who graduated 5000 years ago! Seriously, though, I rave about C25K to anyone who'll listen. It's such a fantastic program. Enjoy your running, and I hope you enjoy many more running years
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January 2018 Graduation Badge 
