First run of week 7

[Miss_T_Ide]

This morning it was back to running round the local rec. There was another lady running round the rec but in the opposite direction. I'm pretty sure that she was faster than me, but I wasn't worried about that. My aim was to keep going for 25 minutes. Having done it on Saturday (at 1000m I might add), I thought it might seem a bit easier today. The jury's still out on that one. I did feel that I got into a rhythm and I did let my mind wander away from how long I had been running/had left to run for a while. I was trying to count how many times I went round (the path is marked in 50m intervals and is 450m round) but I lost count so I still don't know how far I went. And I'm not actually that bothered (which is probably why I lost count!). I'm just pretty chuffed that I can keep running for 25 minutes without stopping. I may have a look at a different route but the beauty of going round in circles is that

a) I don't have to know how far I'm running in order to plan a route that gets me home again

b) I'm not going to find myself having to break my rhythm to wait to cross a road, and

c) I can't get lost! (I have a pretty terrible sense of direction.)

So I just have 8 more runs to go until I graduate. It doesn't seem that many. And when I think that in the first week I found some of the 60s runs quite long it's incredible how far I've come on. I'm almost a week ahead as I run every other day so my weeks are only 6 days long instead of 7. The last minute of today's run seemed to be over really quickly, and I'd picked up the pace. I guess Laura was right when she told me on Saturday that I was officially a runner now!

And, in other news, I was on the 'phone to a friend in Rochdale last night. I was telling her about my running and she downloaded the podcast for week 1 while I was talking to her. She's doing her first run this morning. I've told her to get on here to read some of the inspirational stories you guys have posted and to blog about her own running journey.

[glendam52 Graduate]

Its a great feeling getting through these longer runs when as you say a minute had me gasping. Well done on spreading the word too I think this is a fabulous programme and tell everyone who is interested in my running to give it a go. OH now on week 2 daughter on week 3.

[Miss_T_Ide Graduate]

My friend, MadamSing, has posted about doing her first run! I knew she could do it!

[MadamSing]

You are doing really well and I hope you are proud of yourself now that you have reached "runner" status. I will keep posting as I think it will help me. I was surprised that total strangers have left me encouraging messages on my blog. Im going to keep this up as I feel great!!

[Miss_T_Ide Graduate in reply to MadamSing]

That is the great thing about this community!