A Proper Job

[Lunebucket]

Well after graduating last week I was feeling confident. Laura had told me in Week 6(?) that I was now a 'proper runner' so it must be true. So I've only gone and joined a 'proper' running club, women only, but a proper one nonetheless. I'm hoping that by joining a club my motivation and enthusiasm for running will continue in these bereft, post-Laura days.

I had managed 5km in 33 minutes on the treadmill on Friday so I chose tonight to go out with the ladies beating the pavements for the first time. There was the option of two runs - a 3.1 mile and a 4.2 mile - I, of course, chose the shorter option. The route was mainly on pavements with a middle portion cutting through a park and over a river. Oh yes, it was midges for tea. Not a route for the vegetarian!

And how did I fare in the world of proper running I hear you ask. (Note to self - must seek professional help about voices in head, including the one that keeps going on about Julie.) Well the good thing was I was relieved to see that I wasn't going to be running with a load of Paula Radcliffes. The other women were just like me, people who had discovered a late love for running and enjoyed the sense of achievement that each completed run brings. I ran at my own pace, listening to my running tracklist, not very sociable I know but I'd already explained to the others that I hadn't reached the stage of running and talking at the same time (how do people do that?). Running and breathing is just about my limit at the moment.

And the end result was 5 km completed in 35 minutes. I wasn't first to finish but I wasn't last either and, although it was tough-going in places, I did manage to get round without stopping or slowing. I had dared to visualise this moment after week 2 of C25K, only half believing that it would ever come true. Just goes to show that we should all have faith in our dreams and our ability to achieve our goals.

[Alaiyo Graduate]

That is fantastic for you! Congrats on finding your new pace and bravely going out in a club. I am really glad that it was a positive experience, and hope you make lots of good friends among your new running mates.

[Minuette Graduate]

Wow joining a club, that's serious running, fantastic!

[TJFlute]

You joined a club??? How brilliant! How brave!! Please don't leave us though.....not that we're nosey or anything but those clubs always sound so scarey so it would be great to get a true picture!

[BTX4 Graduate]

Well done - that is fantastic and you should feel very proud of your achievement.

Running clubs seem to vary. I had a look online and there are two near me, one that looks incredibly serious and the other that seems a lot more relaxed and ran their first beginners programme recently which is a lot like C25K but over 10 weeks I think.

[jenniej Graduate]

well done! That is so impressive - and so inspiring to those of us working our way thru' the programme.

[Lunebucket Graduate]

Thanks everyone. There's no way I'll be leaving this forum: it makes me laugh, it sometimes makes me cry, but it always keeps me going.

I think it's a good thing that the club I've joined doesn't take itself too seriously. Their philosophy is to run for fun and fitness. There's no way I'd join one of those athletic clubs where most of the members seem to have been born in lycra and ran out of the womb. You know the sort - where everyone seems to have been brilliant at school sports and carried it through to adult life. I'm not saying they don't have their good points. They're just not right for me.

Well anyway I'll let you know how I get on with both the running and the socialising. It seems in addition to the 3 times a week running sessions one of the next events is an evening in the pub to celebrate one of the members running the London marathon. She started off this time last year as a non-runner so how cool is that?!!

[didntrunthat Graduate]

Very cool!

I like the idea of an all womens running club, I wonder if there is one near me! I only know of mixed ones and they do seem scary hahaha