Sunday was a possible run day, but 17,000 steps the day before and 5 hours sleep meant it was a no. Monday was a work evening and my batteries can't take a run on those days. But last night I slept 7 hours for the first time in about 3 weeks, and woke up feeling positive.
I checked on the NRC app for a run and First 35 Minute Run caught my eye. A nice, take it easy one, with the coach whispering sweet nothings. So I wandered round and round the garden, literally smelling the roses for 12 minutes, did the school run, and set off ...
Easy pace for the first 1k. I did accidentally speed up a couple of times, but managed to keep it relatively steady. 25 minutes was an absolute doddle. The next five minutes a bit more of a push. Then I was virtually running staring at my wrist as the metres counted down. 33.01 = 5k.
I kept going to 35 minutes. My body feels as though I have run. But, if not quite WHOOP WHOOP, I do feel kind of (whoop 🤫).
Pictured is the bench not sat on as I passed the 2k mark ...
Is there a badge for 5k? Or a medal? Or a 7 series BMW? An all expenses paid holiday in the Maldives? After all, I got dancing girls for my graduation!
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Gthants
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Plus there’s loads of good stuff on the Bridge to encourage you on your onward running journey and give you inspiration! Then when you get to 10K you can post on the Marathon forum as well 😊
Many of us are members of several forums Gthants and you can post wherever you like. 😊
However, if you want to find out more about running as a C25K graduate, and continuing your running, the Bridge to 10K forum really is worth a look. You absolutely do not have to be aiming to run 10K in order to post there. For example, it's home to a weekly parkrun thread, and lots of runners over there enjoy NRC audio-guided runs.
I'm glad you slept a bit better, it really does help. That's a great run, so well done. It's a great feeling isn't it, reaching the 5k mark. That's a really good time too, I'm going to have to pull my socks up - I'm closer to 34 than 33 minutes at the mo.
That would be a good idea, a holiday in the Maldives or a BMW for graduating from C25K 🎓 I'm afraid not Gthants, but you do get the word GRADUATE next to your username once you have graduated which is very nice to see, well done on that 33,01 5K and those 17,000 steps on Saturday.
I was seriously impressed when you said you have no idea how far you are running - it's great to put that out of mind. But I've been so ill for so long and had grand, far-fetched plans in February to run 1k by the end of the summer, that I did measure the runs as every step seemed like a miracle!
Not sure that my ostrich approach is worthy of praise - it just works for me. And I know that if I'm massively off the 5 k it could act as a demotivator/deterrent which I'd rather avoid. I'm just putting in place everything that might help me in a positive way. I completely see why you'd benefit from the distance goals though - especially as you have smashed them! Congratulations!
One thing that I am sure you have read elsewhere but is worth mentioning: C25K is a lovely, trips-off-the-tongue name, but it is a misnomer. 90% of graduates do NOT "achieve" 5k when finishing the programme. The idea is to run for 30 minutes. That is massively beneficial for your body and your mind. If you want to go on to try to get to 5k, that's great. If you don't, but you continue to run for 2-3 times a week, that is even better. It's the consistency that matters. The consistency that builds your stamina. You are right to focus on the running. And the fact that you are running IS worthy of praise! 🙌
What an achievement! 🥳🥳 Well done you! The only way is up now surely, and you've done the sensible thing and recognise where you could make changes to your run. AND doing it within the 35 mins is awesome! 🙌🏾 Keep on going I say!
Thank you so much - and you too! Keep going! Seriously - just a very short time ago ONE minute was a big deal. Five minutes would have seemed like some sort of of a cruel joke. AA couple of months later ...
I'll be following your progress and cheering from the sides!
Congratulations on first 5k! I think my first was about the same time two years ago. I've done quite a few since then, but I stuck with the 5k for a few months to get used to running as a whole before moving on to longer distances. The most important thing is to enjoy your runs, never see them as a chore and keep them nice and steady (most of the time).
Th change to non-chore is going to be big! I have had two runs in a row now where I have enjoyed big chunks of them; that's the big progress at the moment!
Brilliant! Hopefully I'll be back ther with you soon. Before a litany of health problems, I ran 5k quite regularly - but not as fast as your mind, I never got below 38 minutes!
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