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!!!!!
Written by
Gthants
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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
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! 🤣🤣🤣
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……)
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.
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!
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.
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!"
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!
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
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Week 9 - Run 3 - Graduate
Week 9 Run 3 - COMPLETED
Week 9 Run 3, Graduation 🎉😄🎉
Week 9, Run 3 - DONE!!! 🥳
week 9 run 3 RESULT!!
