When all of you were waking this morning, I happened to be awake in the middle of the night here in the U.S. I responded to a few blogs and Fraz posted a blog about the challenges of the last few weeks of C25K. Others responded posting the same feelings. I have struggled thinking I should be better at this point then what I am. Hubby (smhall) encourages me and tells me I'm doing great but I still have the negative self-talk. I FINALLY went back to bed and gave myself a mental swift kick in the patootie for allowing this week of all weeks to not be the most fantastic week ever regarding something I have taken on and did for myself, plus actually completed! Reality check for me: I am 49 years old, I can not and will not any longer compare myself to a 20 year old in ability or endurance. I keep a log and I notice my first run of the week is difficult but I believe most of it is apprehension of the unknown. R2 is usually my best run, probably because I have faced the number 1 run gremlins. R3 is usually my worse run, I'm thinking because I am not allowing my body enough recovery time. When I looked back at this past week 8, I was frustrated thinking I am not improving and knowing how each and every run is a major challenge for me...In 3 runs this week, my short little legs logged 1 hour 24 minutes run time and I ran 6.36 miles!! Good gravy!!! No wonder my dratted feet hurt!!! So week 9, you start on Sunday and I am going to soak in every single minute of coming from not being able to run a solid minute to running 30 solid minutes!!! Wishing all the other future grads much success as we run towards our goals!!! 
Gave myself a swift kick in the patootie and n... - Couch to 5K
Gave myself a swift kick in the patootie and now I'm ready to take on Grad week!!!!
Hey Gayle, I'm delighted to hear that you're feeling much better. Just out of curiosity, are you worrying about becoming 50 ? Perfectly understandable, I'd never worried about any of the 20,30 or 40 year milestones but 50 was different.
Hey, I'm no medic or psychologist so my question is purely unqualified speculation so don't worry. Enjoy your run on Sunday.
Chewy, 30 was a hard one for me! After 30 its just been downhill... I don't want to brag on myself, but I look younger then several of my classmates. I fully can not comprehend that the big 50 will be next May. I married a man younger by 7 years and I find it very difficult for this 49 year old body with aches and pains to accept the fact I'm not getting younger...my mind wants to but my body is rebelling! 
Don't worry about it, embrace it, enjoy it. I love being older, when I asked my eldest daughter (19) if she could operate my phone she said to me "Dad, I'm a child of the internet of course I can" to which I replied, "you're only a child of the internet because my generation invented it".
We are the best generation yet
This is exactly what I needed to hear Gayle! I'm going to re-read this Monday morning before my W7R3 to give myself a reality check that I'm not trying to run 5k in 21 minutes or something equally stupid but I'm just going for a 25 minute run and speed and distance don't matter a jot!
I wish you and smhall the very best of luck for Week 9. You both have worked so hard you deserve a lovely week of running to graduate!
Thank you so much! I replied individually to you. I need your support more then ever right now but also know I am supporting each of you each step of the way! We went from NON-RUNNERS to achieving so much in such a short time! I think we get caught up in the moment of comparing and never being good enough. Wishing both of you success the next run! WE CAN DO IT!!!!
Glad you're feeling better, Gayle. I had the worst time with week8 and got really despondent - it was only the community here that got me through. You got through the run even if it was tough, and the getting through is what counts in the end! Not every run will go well. As Laura says, the only bad run is no run!
Hopefully you are now over your self doubts and can enjoy the W9 runs, and you'll be a graduate before you know it!
I love reading your blogs Gayle they always read like you are actually speaking to us which makes them very special. I can understand your sleepless nights and sympathize I was very similar before the longer runs. I then found the night after I suffered from restless legs, think I was running it all over again in my sleep!! You'll be just fine doing your 30 minutes, take your time getting started, don't rush to get your speed up but do it gradually that way you'll be able to maintain your stride for the duration. I wish you all the best for your graduation week.
I hope to do my W9R3 in the morning and know only too well how to worry away the positivity gained from the program with too much self doubt. We can and will do it Gayle!!
Caroline x
Good luck tommorrow, just take your time, start slow and get yourself settled, you will be amazed with yourself, go for it and remember how far you have come, you are amazing and can do this
Good luck and let us know how you get on
James
Received much encouragement from your post. Just completed W9R1. I am training on the treadmill at the gym..when I began it was way too hot in Georgia to be running outside! I find that it is harder to run outside with inclines and a lot of wind resistance! I felt a ittle defeated last week when I did a 5 K and could not run the 28 minutes like I did in my training yet I still had a personal best of less thatn 40 minutes! I had a long talk with myself and reminded myself how far I had come. I am focusing more on endurance. My plan is to complete the 2 additional runs this week, then do remedial runs outside starting at week 6. The weather is cooler and hopefully I won't allow myself to feel defeated again. Like Laura reminds me " I AM a RUNNER"
Julie, keep on running! We can do this!!!! Georgia? In the U.S.? Wishing you much success with Grad week! Lets have a Grad party!!!
Yes, Georgia in the US! Middle Georgia to be exact! W9R2 down ( upped my speed, 2.9 miles) I ran at the gym on the treadmill and insist on "wootwooting it" on my victory lap. All the gym members laugh at me! A grad party sound wonderful ! I am a runner, I am a runner, I am a runner!!!!!
Woot-woot! Only 1 more run for you!!!!!
After all the encouragement you've given me,here's some back. Don't listen to the self doubt and gremlins, we can do this. I've just done w6r2 which was sooo much better than w6r1. I've listened to you all and given myself a good talking to and it worked. Good luck on all of your future runs, you're so nearly there. I'm only a year younger than you. my son of 17 completed a 10K extreme run last week, and his 5k time was 45 mins, so we can compete (and possibly beat) the youngsters.... (i'm not taking into account here the mud and rivers that he ran through!!!) 
I guess what I'm saying is that we all do things in our own time so lets not panic
Dear Gayle, thank you for your post... You can do it! We are almost there. Think of your W8R2.. Only two minutes more.
I am gearing up for W8R3 this morning, lying here in bed with a head cold, determined to finish on "schedule". My birthday is one week today and I will finish by then!
Will be thinking of you and smhall on my run. Go for it!
Anna
Anna, thank you for always offering encouragement and support! I hope you were feeling well enough to stay on schedule for your Birthday celebration!
Hi Gayle, So sorry I missed your post yesterday. I can only second what everyone else says. You are a star you are one week away from graduation. You are a runner. I think you should be very proud of yourself. Have you read 'The complete Book of Women's Running'? There's a very good chapter at the end about running past 50. It's really postive about all the health benefits you are allowing your body even if you've started later in life. Also there's a really inspiring story about a woman running in her 80s. It might help. Good luck with week 9!
pelephant, I actually checked that very same book out at the library a few weeks ago!!! I seriously questioned if I wanted to stray from this board and read different material. I was afraid the book would offer different advice or make me feel like I should be running several miles just starting out. I really liked it and she kept everything in perspective. I remember reading a section that she even said, no matter how physically fit, our body can not do as a younger body. Thank you pelephant for always encouraging me!
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