One more thing .......

[Cassandra61]

So I think, for me, the hardest thing doing C25K was being haunted by being the fat girl at school who was never in any teams. This translated into a fear of people looking at me as I ran. I had to wrestle with a voice in my head saying 'what is that fat, red faced old lady think she is doing ?' Some days it took a real effort of will to get out the door and I was always stressed when I had to run past other people. Having kit I felt comfortable in really helped and reminding myself that just trying is always good.

I wondered though if this might be something worth building into the coaches' script or having some support articles? There will be other people perhaps who feel self concious and I am sure it isn't just a thing women feel. C25K is a journey towards better health and as such there needs to be a leaving behind of poor self image or feeling crippled by poor body image. This is such a wondeful, supportive, inclusive site, I just thought I would mention it incase you could build in some support articles in future developments.

Either way, thank you for being there every step of the way.

Cassandra - Graduate.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

🍏 Thank you for sharing your very personal insights which are very helpful as we encourage one another here.

When one shares & makes oneself vulnerable in doing so, there are many “ out there” in the ether, reading our posts. They are the wannabe runners who for what ever reason are afraid to start. By sharing our different experiences, fears & problems we not only help ourselves but others who feel as we do, but can’t name it! So in fact your story will already be doing a lot more work behind the scenes than anything we can write in an article. However that too is an excellent idea & I am sure will be taken up and given thought by the teams. Well done you!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Those folk looking at you were thinking... WOW... look at her go... I wish I could do that!!!

There are hundreds of folk whohave appeared here who felt and feel exactly like you!!! Folk who run at night, folk who wear the least , stand out colours, so they can hide...

I was the original Grey Snail, but now... even at 73, I wear the brightest, sassiest, most wonderful colours you can think of... many of our runners have evolved into the most bold and brave runners that you may ever see.

YOU are out there, You are doing it! YOU are the one, THEY would like to be !

We have over the years had lots of posts about this, and encourage our runners in every way we can... but I will make a not for a special post on this, when I begin Catch-Up Corner again in September!! So thanks for the idea ....x

[Cmoi Graduate]

 Annieapple and  Oldfloss have already provided excellent replies  Cassandra61 .

I just wanted to clarify, however, that the C25K coach's scripts are not written by anyone on these forums. They're created by whoever the NHS employs to develop its apps.

The forum admins and ambassadors who reply to forum posts, write Catch-Up Corner and similar regular posts, and create FAQs etc are all unpaid volunteers. I'm sure the team will do their best to pick up on your idea though!

[Cassandra61 Graduate]

Fair enough, I didn't know this and the scripts are wonderful. I just thought I would mention my experience in case it might prove useful. The site is already wonderful though !!

[Marshwillow2]

Lovely to read your post!

I used to smile when I passed people red faced and sweating because they thought I'd just completed a10 mile run when really I'd just done 3 minutes and was finding it quite hard - but they didn't know that! In that way I could hold my head up high and keep going - so glad I did because like you, I found it have me so much joy!

Happy running!