Finally felt like a real runner

[Colin-H]

last few weeks since graduating have been hard. I don't think I completed 3 runs per week without abandoning or walking. The only time I seemed to manage a full 5k was on the weekly Parkrun's. Tuesday night I set out again a bit late in the dark & rain using a new route along local roads. For the first time in weeks I actually enjoyed the run and felt good at the end of it. It took about 35 min. I thought I was slow until I checked the distance 3.6 miles ! At last I feel like a proper runner onward to 10K

[Deryn61 Graduate]

That is wonderful, well done! I think the first few weeks after graduating can be hard because we are no longer following "orders" and/or being encouraged to do something for a specific time. It is a real voyage of self discovery after graduating, you start to push yourself a bit more and get a lot of pride and satisfaction out of the runs (not that that means all our runs go like clockwork, of course!)

[daystogo Graduate]

Great time – 3.6 in 35 minutes! One of the things I've done to keep myself motivated was to sign-up for a 5K race and tell all my friends I'm doing it – the fact that they all want to know how it goes keeps me out there running, training, trying to beat my personal best. Setting goals helps, at least for me it does.

[Soozz Graduate]

That's brilliant, what a great distance / time! I agree with the others about feeling a bit directionless after graduation. There seems so much to work on that it's hard to know where to start. But you are definitely going places with your running, well done!

[Soozz Graduate in reply to Soozz]

Btw, I am speaking for myself saying "where to start?". You sound very focused.

[notbad Graduate]

Lovely to read about someone getting their mojo back.