I completed the program with a run yesterday evening. I had hoped to finish the program with a parkrun this morning but I began to get nervous about that and thought I should stick to my usual run and focus on getting the program completed. I did it, but not without difficulties.
I set off feeling edgy and my legs felt tired. The clouds parted about five minutes into the run and the heat suddenly became unbearable. I had expected it to be a cool run. I think my brain was telling me to quit most of the first fifteen minutes. I do an out and back the same way route and always find the last leg easier. But I kept on going, reminding myself why I wanted to do this - it just felt like mental sabotage at times, knowing it was the last run and somehow my brain wanted me to quit.
I didn't give in. However, during the last minute I expected the worst. Of all things, there was a peacock sitting on a wall and I had to run past it. I know they can be iffy at the best of times and expected it to attack me and peck me to death before I reached the finish line. What a way to fail the program! However, I managed to skirt around it and didn't even capture it's interest.
Crossing the finish line as such, it wasn't elation I felt but relief that it was over. And I'd needed the loo for the last ten minutes of the run too. So not the glory run I hoped for, but that's me graduated now. I wonder if anyone has any real horror stories of their week 9 run 3 finishes. Might be a good poll to do
Thanks to everyone here. I truly wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for the support and help on this forum.
All the best.
Written by
Frankenfoot23
Graduate
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Absolutely fantastic news! Congratulations to you-what a brilliant achievement! 🏃♀️🏅👩🎓❤️🎉
It’s been really hard with the weather being so hot so you’ve done extra well. It’s so much worse when you think it’s going to be cool but it isn’t-I’ve been caught out by how warm it is by 9.30am and been practically crawling along, sweating by the end. That’s me as someone who has run for over a year! To cope with that as a newer runner doing couch to 5k is a serious accomplishment. If you’re tempted to feel a bit down about having found your graduation run tough, you can remind yourself that you were more than tough enough to battle through and that’s to be celebrated!
My graduation run was fine but I didn’t enjoy it in the way that I thought I would. I was expecting to feel like I did at the end of week 5. I was pleased to have done it but there wasn’t the big high at the end. Over the next few days, it sank in that I really was a runner now and I felt better about it. Plus, as I kept running I found lots of new routes and new ways to run which brought me a lot of joy. You’ll have all the new seasons to run through. Autumn is wonderful when it’s cooler and breezy. Spring when everything is bursting into life again. It’s an exciting time to look forward and think about where you want your legs to take you next!
You’ve graduated at a very convenient time too-we’re just about to bring back our graduates club. The first official posts will start in July but there’ll be a trailer this week!
Thank you so much for the kind words I love what you say about the new seasons - it will be fabulous running and experiencing the falling leaves - or snow. And now I can feel brave enough to try different routes and maybe different times of day too. After reading about consolidation and thinking about what you wrote, I'm beginning to feel excited all over again about this new addiction.
Wow.. Well done! I think the peacock was there to cheer you on to the end. It may not have been an easy run but it should certainly be memorable. Hope you will continue to run regularly now and do a park run soon 😊
Thank you! Yes, it was memorable for my last run - I felt that it might have been ominous, but all good in the end I have registered for parkrun - I now need to convince my brain that I have the courage to go for it. I hope I'll still be running and still be posting on here in a years time, and hopefully with a few 10k runs under my belt too
Well done you!! Yay! I definitely think there was a psychological barrier about this run; I know we're capable of it, but there was a degree of mind over matter about it being the "last" run - or at least the last of the programme. It's an achievement in itself to conquer the gremlins whispering in your ear. Even the peacock was on your side though!
Well done on graduating and for not giving in to that nasty voice in your head, I know that isn't easy. Unfortunately there will be good runs and not so good but they are all runs at the end of the day. I used to stress about the not so good times but now I just run for me, mostly just 20 - 30 minutes and they always make me feel good. My goal is to run a full 5k but I'm not sweating it, it will happen one day 😄 happy running x
Thank you. That is something I need to remember, that I'm doing it for me and I need to make sure I enjoy it rather than getting tied up in the stats. I'm sure you'll get to 5k when you feel ready. I'm about half a k short after completing the program so that will be my first goal after consolidating the 30 minute runs.
I think I'm quite addicted to this running as I hate non-run days now!
It's been really tough running in the heat, hasn't it! I need to become a morning bird instead of running before tea but I don't know what's hardest - running in heat or crawling out of bed early
I must admit with week 9 run 3, I did feel nervous and was very slow but glad I stuck with it, it wasn't all easy and wondering what next.Sounds like you have worked very hard, so well done 👏 and I hope you are very proud of yourself.
This sounds very familiar I did feel a bit deflated after the run, but we are all doing so well just getting out of the door and giving it a real go. The what's next bothers me a little as I do like a concrete plan. What do you do now you have graduated? I'm thinking of 3 consolidation runs a week for a month and then maybe an 8 week plan to reach the occasional 10k. And a few parkruns maybe if I can find the confidence
I graduated last week, I am going to repeat week 9 runs and want to get to 5k and be confident and comfortable with that and look at doing some park runs, hopefully onto 10KYou have done so well 🏆🎖
Well done.... It did sound like a real test to your staying power so it's even more impressive that you have achieved this... Just fantastic... I am so pleased for you 😊🥳🥳🥳🥳
Thanks so much for the kind words. It's been tough, it is for all of us. I need to find ways to keep going now. I never want to give this up, I love it
#1 Keeping a closer eye on the weather # 2 Making sure I go to the loo before setting off for a run and #3 Watching out for peacocks But I plan to try consolidate for a month and do 3 x 30 minute runs a week using either Nike Run Club, Zombies Run (A bit of fun maybe) or a few C25k repeats. After that I might try ju ju's magic plan here: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
It's quite exciting and I hope I can really keep this up now
Congratulations Frankenfoot23. 🥳 You did it! Now for the all important consolidation, when you work out how to maintain, and build on, your new level of fitness. It's really amazing how you will notice that sometimes 30 minutes doesn't feel hard anymore. Not always....there are the occasional bad uns, for all sorts of reasons. There is so much to learn as the seasons go by!
I found Parkruns kept me motivated, especially through those dark, cold winter months. Don't forget to warm up (a year after starting the c25k program I still follow the NHS warm up before excercising- the one with the heel digs - even in summer) and stretch warm down. I notice almost nobody does this after Parkruns. I wonder why not? If I don't do the NHS post excercise stretches I tend to become very stiff.
Make sure you arrive early the first time you do a Parkrun because there is an explanation of the route and the rules for new participants. And you can ask for advice - eg. start near the back of the pack where the pace is more likely to suit a beginner.
Parkrun sends you an email after the run, to let you know your time and how you compare with other runners of your age and sex. In this summer heat, everyone needs to be very careful not to overdo it, so the times are a lot slower than in spring, autumn and winter. It's also totally OK to walk part or all of the way. Parkwalking is a thing too. Loads of people do that. And volunteering to help out at Parkrun from time to time is a great way to pay back.
Just by continuing to run regularly, I have seen my best Parkrun time reduce by 4 minutes 30 sec - I am well below 30 minutes for 5K now (wow!) and my age-grading has improved by more than 10%. I have registered for my first 10K in a few months from now, when it becomes cooler.
So I would encourage you to make your next goal a 5K Parkrun. Enjoy.
Ah thanks very much, the congrats are much appreciated. It feels a strange time now that I'm sitting between completing C25k and trying out new approaches. Thanks so much for the feedback info, that is a big help. I'm hoping I feel confident enough to try one soon. I wonder if people are a bit self conscious of doing the stretches after the run and do them when they get home? I think I would do my warm up stretches in the house and then a warm up walk on the way to the start. After that, I would probably drive home and then do my warm down stretches, though usually, this isn't much as I want to drink plenty of fluids quickly and then get in the shower
That's a great reduction in your time, what a difference. It would be great to get my time down below the 30 minute mark, and running against the clock with others will be a good motivator.
If I do a parkrun I'll post on here about it But it might be a while!
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Week 9 run 3 done! 🎉🥳🌄
Week 9 Run 3 Done 😃🎉🥳
Week 9 run 3 - DONE!
Week 9 run 3 done it! 
week 9 run 3 done :-)
