Week 9, Run 3: Totemic

[Gthants]

I did exactly the same run as run 1 & 2 this week. But I ran without music for the first time. I heard birdsong, the voices of the dog walkers and other runners I greeted, the sound of my feet hitting the ground ... over and over. 30 minutes took me to 4.7km.

I've said to a few people that the hardest run I have done was Week 1, Run 1. Getting up and out that first time is a big deal. But this run was harder. This time I really had to push on through.

This journey has been huge for me - as I know it is for everyone who undertakes it. To go from struggling to cross the patio to running for 30 minutes three times in one week is simply mind-boggling.

So: totemic - this is what we can do. This represents the power of mind over matter. A year or so back, in the depths of long Covid, when I'd spend a day a week and often three days every six-eight weeks in bed, the idea of walking for even ten minutes was far-fetched. I'm far better than I was, though I still have off days. And of course a year ago this would have been impossible. But I did not give in. Today was really hard, but now I have the capacity to run through it.

I must confess though that the ending was something of a let down. It was lovely of Laura to congratulate me, but I was at 42nd Street at the weekend and a chorus of high-kicking dancers appearing from the hedgerow was kind of what I wished for ...

Oh, and by the way: I GRADUATED!!!!!

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Huge congratulations 👏🎉👏🎉👏🎉 coming back from long COVID is a battle and look how far you've come! We will sing and dance for you 🤩 it takes courage and hard work to get where you are

[Gthants in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you so much!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Yeayyyyy. Go🏆🏆🏆🏆 you!🤸🤾

[Gthants in reply to Oldfloss]

🫣

[ToothPickJafah Graduate]

Huge, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!! 👏👏👏

Here’s your high kicks 😉

youtu.be/BEOCmyGXL_4(Not working as expected?)

[Gthants in reply to ToothPickJafah]

Well that's made my day! Thank you so much for going to the trouble of posting that. I've done 42nd Street & Grease inside a few days, but now Offenbach has obliterated those and moved in as my current sound worm! 🤣🤣🤣

[ToothPickJafah Graduate in reply to Gthants]

No problem at all! Glad that made your day 🤗💃😉😂 now enjoy the rest of it!

[Huffnpuf Graduate in reply to ToothPickJafah]

That looks like 5k's worth to me!! 😳

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Huge congratulations on your graduation!

👏👏👏👏👏🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️😉🏆👍🥇🤩🥂🎉

[Gthants in reply to Jools2020]

Yay! Will we be (re)cheering you soon?

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Prob next week ! Should get one more run in this week 😊

[Sax64 Graduate]

Absolutely fantastic 🏅🎉🎊🥂. You've so earned this, totally inspiring. Enjoy your celebrations 🍾.

[Gthants in reply to Sax64]

Yeah. I've always been useless at celebrating stuff, but from where i started, this is BIG and I'm going to get myself a little treat!

[BarbieW Graduate]

Many congratulations - you’ve come so far, and banished those gremlins so well. (Sorry can’t do the high kicks myself just yet, but will keep trying……)

[Gthants in reply to BarbieW]

I just watched a video of them and I think I pulled a muscle just watching! 🤣

[BarbieW Graduate in reply to Gthants]

lol

[Catalpa111 Graduate]

fantastic! I (literally) know how you feel! Doing my first week of graduate runs. Determined to keep this going.

[Gthants]

Brilliant! Can I ask what runs you are doing this week, oh fellow GRADUATE?!

[Phdgranny Graduate]

Well done!!

[Gthants in reply to Phdgranny]

Thank you

[Gthants]

I can wait . . . 😁

[TimeInNature Graduate]

🥳 Congratulations 🥳

[Gthants in reply to TimeInNature]

Thanks ... fellow graduate!

[BR808 Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating! It’s a massive achievement, hope to join you soon.

[Gthants in reply to BR808]

You must be really close...?

[JetsNanna Graduate]

Brilliant! Really well done. Relish that feeling and keep up the truly good work 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼😊

[Gthants in reply to JetsNanna]

Yes - keeping it up is the thing now!

[Dendev75 Graduate]

what a great post! Struggling with long covid to completing ct5k is just an amazing achievement - a huge well done! 👏🏻🎊🎉🏃🏽‍♀️ what’s next in your running journey? Any plans to do a Parkrun? I tried around 4 weeks after completing and I’ve loved it ever since - great atmosphere and support and encouragement along the way.

[Gthants in reply to Dendev75]

I am working most weekends and have a teen who is exploring universities, so it's difficult to fit in, but I definitely want to try a Park Run. After running solo, the idea of being with others is both exciting and daunting!

[Novice2023 Graduate]

Huge congratulations- long Covid messes with your mind as well as your body so overcoming that aspect I found was as important- I must try running without the distraction of music or audiobooks. So well done to you for doing this.

[Gthants in reply to Novice2023]

Music - and the lack of it is something I'm going to try - especially as I want to run more out in nature, so that I can FEEL the connection.

[BahamaMama1 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

today I put music on for the first time. Really did not like it and will be going back to bird song and bubbling streams.

Congratulations on graduating!

[Gthants in reply to BahamaMama1]

Entirely dependent on mood. I've certainly gone off the music! Thank you & happy running!

[00marks Graduate]

Congratulations on completing C25K!

[Gthants in reply to 00marks]

Thank you! It feels HUGE! 😁

[Frankenfoot23 Graduate]

That's so brilliant, well done! All being well, I'll be graduating tomorrow. I think it's very important what you said, it really is mind over matter. The first few weeks do seem to be the hardest, and then something clicks and you think, "Hey, I can actually do this!"

[Gthants in reply to Frankenfoot23]

OOOh - good luck with your run tomorrow! For me this was another mind over matter one, but you can absolutely do it. Look forward to you posting about a great run!

[Frankenfoot23 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Thanks so much! I'm trying to decide whether to make my Week 9 run 3 a parkrun. Not sure I have the confidence, but then, I felt the same in week 1 going out of the front door - a challenge in itself

[Gthants in reply to Frankenfoot23]

I hope to try a ParkRun before the season closes.

[SueAK Graduate]

we’ll done 🎉! Haven’t run for ages, dipped back in, and saw this 😃. An inspiration. High kicks galore to you!

[Gthants in reply to SueAK]

Hope you get back to running soon!

[Huffnpuf Graduate]

Congratulations 🎊 👏 🏆🎖.Not sure if I can manage the high kicking, don't want to risk an injury 🤣🤣 well done for all your hard work.

[Teaching]

Congratulations 🎉🎉

[Wine]

Fantastic and a beautiful post.... 🎉🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳🥳👏👏👏👏💛💛🧡💚💜❤️💙Really brilliant