Let me begin by apologizing. In the last 24 hours I haven't been able to answer as many of your blogs as I would have liked to. I hope that your runs have been going very well!! I haven't been able to post much since Gayle and I have been a bit busy. Busy doing what you may ask. What could be more important that posting on this marvelous site, you may ask. Well, to that my answer is...GRADUATING!!!!!!
We did it!!!! Tonight, Gayle and I completed what was easily the toughest physical endeavor which either of us has ever attempted. After 30 minutes, I did end up .3 miles short of 5K, but there was no way that I was going to continue on and not celebrate our graduation with my lovely wife!! My next run will be a full 5K...the longest distance that I have ever ran.
I want to thank every person that commented on our posts over the last 9 weeks. You may not have realized it when you did it, but every single comment was an inspiration to us and a reason for us to complete the program. Thank you!
Most of all, I want to say Thank You to Gayle!! I wouldn't have attempted this without you and I certainly wouldn't have finished it!! I can't even begin to say how incredibly proud I am of you!! You have run farther and faster than you ever have in your life!! You continued when it hurt and wasn't fun!! You were far more of an inspiration to me, than I was to you. Thank You...even more so, I LOVE YOU!!
Now, I am going to go ice some things...
Written by
smhall
Graduate
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FANTASTIC!!! Well done to both of you - once you've finished with the ice & the muscle rub don't forget to message John (JR21) for your lovely green badges
Thank you, doggymum!! My lovely wife has already requested our shiny green badges!! There did happen to be a bit of ice missing from my ice pack...Gayle must have used it to chill the bubbly!!
Thank you, Clare!! We would have thought that we could actually finish this program in 9 weeks?? I know that there were times when we both had our doubts!
A double whammy! Well done to you both. 5k and beyond - I've got such a lovely picture of youboth running, hand-in-hand into the sunset with your faces beaming with proud smiles.
Thank you very much, Vivwestie!! I hate to do this to you, but I must adjust your picture a bit...it was much more of a cold, wind-blown night, our faces were purple and the smiles had been replaced with hanging mouths gasping for a bit of oxygen!! We are hand-in-hand and beaming with proud smiles now though, as we hobble to the freezer for another fresh ice pack!!!
Thank you very much for you kind words, Pat!! Thank you also for the encouragement that you have given us. We have watched your posts and you have been a constant motivation for us!!
Congratulations to you both How lovely to be able to run together and have the support of each other while you're doing it. Things can only get better from hereon in. Looking forward to seeing both of your Graduation badges soon
Thank you very much, eshaz14!! It was, indeed lovely to be able to do this with Gayle!! The program has meant so much more to me knowing that we spent every single minute of it together!!
Thank you so very much, Fraz!! I am so very happy that Gayle was able to find this site and the amazing support that it has given us. You have certainly been with us every step of the way and we have enjoyed following your journey through your runs and your dance classes!! I am so sorry to hear about your recent setback, but know that we are keeping a badge warm for you.
There is one more little thing though. As Gayle and I have gotten to know so many of you we have come to think of you not only as our support and motivation, but also as our friends. Many of you are referred to in our home often. "Well, Fraz said this" or Well, "Chewy had a great post" or "Canuck is having a birthday." With that being said, we have one little nagging question...ARE YOU A MAN OR A LADY?????
Congratulations to both of you, enjoy your next run.
Thank you very much, Rollertoaster!! We couldn't have done it without the wonderful support and motivation that all of you have given us!! I also have to say that I walk around the house just saying, "Rollertoaster!!" That has got to be one of the coolest screen names that I have ever seen!!! I love it!!!
Thank you, Sue!!! Your name will be an easy one for me to remember, I have a sister named Sue, also!! It appears that Sue's are incredibly wonderful and supportive ladies!! It has been a great achievement indeed, but an even more wonderful journey!! This is an amazing program and I will gladly announce to everyone I see..."Keep Running!!"
Thanks, daystogo!!! I love advice to go and celebrate all weekend. There is only one little problem...Gayle and I have both already found that weekend celebrations tend to lead to terribly rough runs on Monday. Hmmmmm, Ok, we are choosing for the celebrating and hoping for the best!!!!
Thank you so very much, vixiej!! I have to be honest, I also welled up while I was typing it. Although, I believe that I welled up because of the pain in my calves and the shortness of breath after just finishing!!
Actually, I well up because I typed and reread my post, I realize that the blessings of the friends and support that Gayle and I have found on this site are only surpassed by how blessed I am to have Gayle as my wife!!
Thank you for your posts and your support!! Now...Keep Running!!
Thank you so very much, runningwild!! MMmmmmmmmmmmmm, cake!!! I love cake!!! The badges have been requested and we have our polishing rags our to keep them shined up!! Thank you very much for all of your posts and inspiration along our journey!! I don't think people often realize that just a few quick words on here, can mean so very much as we replay them in our heads on a difficult run!!
I also have to say that I love your photo. So simple...a pair of shoes, but a constant reminder of why we are here and a reminder to go get the shoes, put them on and Keep Running!!
Ha, ha! 'cake' You sound like Homer in the 'Simpsons!!' Yes those badges are so well deserved. My photo, they're my shoes and I will treat myself to new ones I think when I decide I really am a runner and am going to keep at it. Hope you're both having a great weekend and still on a high.
Oh what a lovely blog - I'm so happy for you both! What a wonderful thing to complete C25K with your beloved, fabulous, I wish you much more happy running!
Thank you very much, Suki!! You are so very correct, what has been even better than graduating is graduating with Gayle and knowing that we did it TOGETHER!! Thank you for the wonderful running wish!! Keep Running!!
Thank you, notbad!! I am so very glad that you have enjoyed our blogs and our journey! It has been challenging, but worth every bit of energy and heart that it took!! We will indeed be sticking around!! If we can pass on even one little bit of what was helpful for us, to another that may find themselves struggling, then we want to help!!
Brilliant, smhall! Delighted for both of you! It must hold so much extra meaning for you that you did it together and graduated on the same day I'm itching to get going again (STILL have this head cold but I think I'm going to try W9R2 tomorrow or I will go stir crazy!) so it is really inspiring to read other graduation posts. Well done and congratulations!
Thank you so very much, Newbie!!! It was indeed that much more meaningful to know that we took every step, every minute and well, every gasping, aching, burning, clinging to life breath!! She is an incredible blessing to me!!
It is time for that head cold to go!!!! There is a graduation badge in your future and there is a glass of bubbly waiting for you at our graduation party!!! Keep Running!!
Thank you, gramma!!! It has been an incredible journey for both of us and we look forward to having one more way to share our time and our lives together!!
Thank you so much, rolphie!! I am glad that our blogs have some smiles in them for you!! If Gayle and I can accomplish this, you can too!! Keep Running...there is a graduation badge out there for you!!!
Oh sweetie! I love you dearly and I am so happy we shared this experience as a couple and team! You have been my husband, best friend,coach and amazing support over the past 9 weeks. This group of wonderfuls here, have been amazing support, but honestly I'm not sure if I would of continued without you always being there and coaching me on. Now off to post my blog and waiting for you to come home so I can give you a big ol' smooch! CONGRATULATIONS! JOB WELL DONE! GO STEVE GO!!!!
Thank you so very much, Sweetheart!! This program has done so much more than just get us off of the couch!! It has introduced us to so many wonderful people here on this site and more importantly is has been yet one more way for me to realize just how blessed I am to share my life with you!!
WE DID IT...TOGETHER!!
If you will share your ointment, I will hobble to the freezer and refresh your ice pack!!
Very well done both of you! I'm so happy for you both. I don't think there's a dry eye in the house right now! You are both wonderful and you've both been so inspiring and encouraging. Please keep on with the running. Oh and did I say ... well done?!!!
Thank you so very much, Pelephant!! Our eyes weren't dry either as I typed this. It may have been the heaving chests, shortness of breath and burning pain in our legs!!
Thank you also for all of your posts over the last several weeks. As I have posted in some of my prior replies on this blog, Gayle and I have found many people who are not only co-runners, but who we now consider friends, also. You are indeed among that group! We enjoy each of your posts we find our encouragement and inspiration in them!!
We can't wait for you to finish up!! We are keeping the door open!! It sounds like you will be right here with Canuck, Beads, and so many others for our graduation party!!
Thank you so much, Soozz!!! We did enjoy a bottle of something together...ointment!!!! Thank you for all of the posts that you have shared with us along our journey!! It has been amazing and there is no way that it would have been as meaningful without so many of you here to share it with!!
What a lovely journey you both have had together congratulations. May you continue to run with as much zest and enjoyment for many many years. What a smashing team and all your blogs have been followed by so many of us. I really hope the ice was for a celebration drink Steve and not for pain relief.
Thank you so very much, Oldgirl!! It has been a lovely journey indeed...and only just the beginning!! I have to admit that the ice was used for both pain relief and drinks!! We were a terrible sight after our last run!!
Thank you so much for the kind words about us and our blogs. Please know that your blogs and your advice have meant so very much to us along the way!! We have been truly blessed not only by this program, but especially by meeting so many wonderful people along the way!!
Huge congratulations to you both - that is quite an achievement :o)
Your lovely comments about all the posts you have received work both ways, you and Gayle have posted some lovely comments on my blogs and they have really helped so as well as congrats I would really love to say a big thank you.
Hope you both continue to enjoy your running for many years to come :o)
A heart-felt thank you to you, mcc!! We are glad that you have been able to find some help among the gasping and wheezing in our posts!! This is an amazing program, but the support that so many offer on this site has often been the motivation and encouragement needed to Keep Running!!
Keep Running...there is a badge out there with your name on it!!
Great post smhall! Congratulations to you both. How lovely that you did it together too Although my husband and I don't run together (he'd started and completed the C25K before I'd even thought about doing it) we are getting fit and eating healthily together and it is so great to be able to support and encourage each other as we shed the pounds. The couple that get fit together, stay together (or something like that!!) You must now bask in your joint glory
Thank you so much, tweekala!! Gayle and I completely understand what you mean by getting fit and eating healthily together!! This whole journey started about 1 1/2 years ago with simply eating better!! That led to walking together and now onto running together!! Wow, that was many pounds and many inches ago!! It has made an incredible difference in our being able to enjoy like so much more!! Good luck to you and your husband for continued success in your lifestyle change and...Keep Running!!
Wow! Sounds like you've really had a total lifestyle change. It's daft that it's taken me so long to really get the correlation between 'energy in' (food) and 'energy used' (moving about!) Keeping a food and exercise diary has really helped me see exactly how to balance the two. The C25K provides a great structure for the novice mover-abouterer and just reading all the posts on here makes it clear that anyone can do it. One of my friends has already started the programme as a result of my shameless bragging about graduation on facebook!! Happy running you two
Congratulations Smhall to both you and Gayle. It's been really fun watching your progress over these past few weeks and you're both such solid contributors to the community spirit, It's exemplifies what makes this course work, well done.
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