First blog - but final run!

[LuciRose]

I say final run. I mean final run of the programme...

Yesterday I completed the C25K (5.12 k in 30 mins for my last run) and I have to say I'm pretty damn proud of myself. It's taken far more than 9 weeks (I started on the 31st of January) but I rarely managed three runs a week, so it was more 9 "stages" than anything else!

When I started in January I was of the firm belief that women were not designed to run, and that it wasn't something I could do, let alone enjoy. And like so many other people on this board, now I love it!

It does feel a little silly to be blogging for the first time at the end of the challenge, but I want to make sure that I don't stop running, and so until the next set of podcasts comes out, I think this blog will help act as an incentive! I am also tempted by a half marathon in October (NEVER thought those words would come out of my mouth) but I'll see how easily I can get to 10K before signing up to anything as scary as that!

So I shall summarise my C25K experience here:

Best Run: Week 4 run 1, and feeling super proud of running for 5 minutes without stopping. That jump was definitely the most exciting!

Worst Run: Week 9 run 1, the only one I had to repeat. Running with an epic head cold did not suit me well.

Most ridiculous excuse: "I can't run tonight because I washed my hair this morning, and it's bad to wash your hair twice in one day"

Best "excuse beater": Running after a 9am-8pm day of meetings. Stress busting win!

Worst song: I would say the Julie one, but after reading the posts on hear it made me laugh when I heard it! So I reckon the one in week 3 that sounded like a folk band on drugs.

Best song: the one at the cool down in week 4, "don't be frightened..." that made me well happy.

Most embarrassing moment: tripping and falling flat on my face, during rush hour, in front of a queue of traffic. I kept going though!

Proudest moment: That would be finishing I reckon. It's a nice place to be!

Tomorrow sees my first run with my own music. I guess I should put a playlist together...

[honeybee Graduate]

Congratulations, I graduated yesterday too. It's a fabulous feeling to know what we have achieved. Happy future running.

[ribena-berry Graduate]

Well done you!

I'm def with you on the 'washing hair excuse' and now even plan my hair-washing around my runs.... can't run with lovely clean hair!!

Now go get your shiny graduate badge & make that playlist.... there's only so much of Julie et al you can take

[blueboots Graduate]

Congratulations and what a brilliant time. Great summary, like the hair excuse

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Congratulations on your graduation. Don't forget when you make your playlist to have at least 45 minutes of music (all your favourites too) to allow for your walks and a bit more jogging. I made mine for 1 hour 10 minutes but it will be a long time before I can run for that long!!

[Deryn61 Graduate]

Welcome and well done

[LuciRose Graduate]

Thanks guys! Bed won this morning so I'm going to go after work today. I'm not sure what I'll like running to so for the first one I'm going to put my ipod on shuffle as an experiment and see what works and what doesn't! Thanks for the 45 minutes tip too! Do you arrange your music so you get faster stuff in the middle?