GRADUATE!!!!!

[lucylou77]

Well, I can not believe that 9 weeks ago I couldn't even run for 1 minute, never mind run 5K!!!! I still haven't got it down to 30 mins but I can now run a straight 5K in 36 mins at the mo. This plan was so easy to follow and Laura has been my friend through it all.... There were times when I thought "what the hell am I putting myself through this for!!", but each and every run has left me invigorated and energised!! I'm looking forward to cutting my time down so that I can do the race for life 5K in 30 mins but my race isn't until 10th June so with a little perseverance I should be able to get to that level. And depending on how I do with that, depends on whether I pluck up the courage and do the duathlon that I want to do in October. Thanks to this programme I have also lost 3 stone in total and I'm hopeing the weight loss continues. This all started thanks to my amazingly inspiring partner, a triathlete, who I met in Nov. Without his encouragement and support I would have given up ages ago. He is so special to me and I absolutely love him to bits!!!

I hope that those who read this, especially the peeps just starting out, can believe in themselves enough to keep going, even when your legs hurt afterwards, even when the weather is crappy outside, even when you look in the mirror, look at your red sweaty face saying "why".... It's definitely worth sticking with!!

Couch to 5K has changed my life, it it will change yours too......

Lots of love n luck in your quest to be a true athlete!!!

[TJFlute]

Thank you for sharing this with us and congratulations!!

You have done amazingly well to lose 3 stone in total. I know that there will be others who are doing this plan who would like to know how you achieved that, i.e. was it just the running or did you change other things in your life?

Well done

[shelleymcb Graduate]

3 stone loss & now a graduate well done such fantastic achievements.

good luck with your race for life.

& what else do you do on a duathlon??

[Minuette Graduate]

Amazing achievements, well done, good luck with the race for life, mine's in July.

This is a brilliant programme and worth the pain for the gain!!!

[BTX4 Graduate]

Well done lucylou - an amazing story and you have done so well. Sounds as though you have a pretty amazing partner too

Good luck with the races - keep us posted!

[lucylou77 Graduate]

Thanks everyone..........

@ shelleymcb - the duathlon that I want to complete is a 4k run, 14k bike ride then 2k run, one after another without any breaks...... This is a mini one compared to most tbh but think it's enough to challenge me.... My partner wants me to go for a triathlon (swim, bike, run) but not too happy with swimming then riding a bike when still wet - I'm too much of a girl!!! Lol

@TJFlute - thanks for the congrats! My weight loss has been mainly due to the running. I also did some extra stuff on the cross trainer and although I'm not strictly on a diet, the more the weight came off the more conscious I became of my eating habits and began eating better. I'm a chocoholic so still have a bit everyday but compensate with not eating anything else too bad. I know this is a little vague but I truly believe that going from no exercise to running 3-4 times a week as well as doing other stuff has been the main impact of my weight loss. I still need to lose another 2.5 stone (yes, I was a big girl!) but I'm sure with all the training I'm doing it'll come off pretty easily. Thanks for your message!!

[lucylou77 Graduate]

@ BTX4 - I have found myself the most amazing guy anyone could ever meet and although he's what I would call a proper athlete he has stuck by me since the beginning with this and encourages me every single step of the way. He even wanted to run the race for life with me to help me but cos its just for women he can't. Thanks for your congrats message!!!

[Tapira Graduate]

Brilliant - you have done amazingly well - fitness, weight loss and a gorgeous guy, so it sounds like this has been an amazing 6 months for you! Congratulations!

[maddykins Graduate]

congratulations on your graduation and weight loss. enjoy many more running experiences

[blueboots Graduate]

congratulations on graduating and losing so much weight. You sound so happy, it makes me smile reading your blog.

[Trixitrin Graduate]

Congratulations on your achievements. Thanks for the post. I have just come back fro week 6 run 3 and was just thinking ' why am I putting myself through this' so your comments came just at the right time. Good luck with the race for life in May. I run the race for life on 13th May and still have 9 runs to go before graduating.

[sfb350 Graduate]

Brilliant, well done !

[AliB1 Graduate]

wow well done you congratulations on both graduating and your weight loss what an inspiration!

[PatButcher Graduate]

Great stuff! Well done for graduating and your times are fab, you are way better than me, Keep going, It's amazing what love can do for you

[Shazzapat Graduate]

fantastic, well done you. I got as far as week 7 and had to stop on orders of physio. She has told me to aim for getting there by end of year once they sort out my knee problem. Great to hear from someone who has completed it!!

[OldNed Graduate]

Attagirl! Well done and congratulations.

[lucylou77 Graduate]

Thanks everyone for all your really kind messages...... This programme has been awesome and so has the support from this community..... Thank you soooo much!!