A MASSIVE thankyou to each and every one of you for playing your part in helping me to complete the programme. Without you sharing your experiences, giving me both support and praise, I know that I would not have done it.
January 11th this year I made some big changes to my life. At that time I was clinically obese, totally unfit, and had very low self esteem.
I took two big 'strides' forward at once, joining both my local gym and Weight Watchers!
I was doing pretty well with both but by July my enthusiasm was flagging and I needed a new challenge to help motivate me and help with my continued weight loss. That's when I found the C25K programme.
It was just what I needed.
From being unable to run for 30 seconds without being out of breathe, I have just run 30 minutes 3 times this week, managing to run 5.2K on my final run. This programme really is quite unbelievable!
Since starting theC2 5K I have lost 1 1/2 stone.
Since January I have lost a total of 4 and a half stone, have now got a healthy BMI, consider myself to be reasonably fit, and most importantly I have regained my confidence and can now hold my head up high again.
Your posts have been truely invaluable. Thank you all once again and good luck to each and everyone of you with your adventure.
Take care,
from a very tearful, but happy Stridingedge.
Written by
stridingedge
Graduate
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Well done Stridingedge, I too started the programme overweight and unfit and am finding the improvements in my fitness and stamina are amazing :o)
To date I have lost 3 quarters of a stone although frustratingly the needle on the scales haven't moved for over a week lol but I can see my body changing and that is such a huge motivation.
What an amazing blog and well done you on achieving so much. I'm really pleased for you. I have to agree this community is wonderful and so helpful and friendly, everyone encouraging each other.
Your next challenge, should you wish to accept it, is to attend a Parkrun. Do you have one near you? A number of people on here go to their local Parkrun and I haven't heard anyone say anything negative about it yet!
Whooooooop! Congratulations ong graduating and 5,2k!! Park runs are such fun and very friendly! That's not just your local one but all of them! Let us know which one you will be heading off to
Congratulations, stridingedge!! Your blog today shares a wonderful story of commitment and success!! You should be so very proud of yourself...we certainly are!!
This program is indeed amazing, but YOU are the one that did the running. You are the one that was committed and dedicated to finishing each run!! The program is a tool, much like running shoes or a water bottle...but, YOU ARE A RUNNER!!
Congratulations on the lifestyle change, the weight-loss, the newfound confidence and completing the program...now, get yourself on over to the graduation party!!! Many of us finished this week and there is great reason to celebrate!! Let the good times roll this weekend and then on Monday...Keep Running!!
Oh heck, you've got me welling up again! Thankyou so much and a BIG congatulations to you. I do mean to celebrate in a number of ways this weekend. I've already been to the chippy - first time in 8 months. I thought they were being rather rude as they didn't have a laugh and joke with me as they used to. Then I realized - they hadn't recognized me!
9 o'clock Monday will see me putting on my running shoes again.
Have a fabulous weekend. You thoroughly deserve it.
Please forgive my American ignorance, but what is a "chippy?" After a bit of discussion, Gayle and I are guessing that it is a bar or tavern...are we right???
Sorry, it's my local 'fish and chip take-away shop' where you can buy traditional English battered fish and greasy chips. Sadly they they no longer come wrapped in newspaper, but they still tasted just as good as I remembered them to.
I usually give a loud WOOT-WOOT on a Graduation blog...not sure if I can thru the tears... Woot-woot is not near enough of what you deserve. Stridingedge, we have the wine chilling and the party hats out! Run on over the the Grad party! I will even have some WW point friendly snacks here as I do WW's too! I hope you stay here and continue to post...your journey just started!
Ah - thank you so much. I hope the pair of you have a terrific evening. I'd forget the WW stuff this weekend and get back 'on track' on Monday like me.
Take care.
P.S. Have you discovered 'Slice of Slim' - a blog posted by a Gold WW member. It's really inspiring.
Way-hey! It's a brilliant feeling, isn't it! A real achievement because it isn't easy, this C25K. Hope you find a parkrun, and there's the 5K+ podcasts too. Lots to do!
Hi stridingedge, snap, I've just answered the padre's blog and talked about the 5K+ podcasts so this next para is a copy of what I said there, hope it helps you!
I started out with Stepping Stones, but the podcast began at a considerably slower speed than my comfort zone, I was falling over my feet all the time and while it might be just what I'd need to build up condition, I've ditched this one.
Stamina is a bit faster and quite tough, you really feel you're getting a workout. At 35 mins it's quite long but Laura's right there with you, 1-2-3-4-ing and making sure you're going all the way!
And Speed she's literally in your ears all the time, it's a five minute jog (after the warm-up) followed by 1 minute intervals, quite fast. Sixteen minutes in all and you're glad to stop.
I've decided to do one Stamina, one Speed, and one run of 5K to my own music, and just keep alternating them until Speed and Stamina become easy. That won't be for a while but what's the rush?
You're several minutes faster to 5K than I am, stridingedge - I can't measure exactly yet, I'm going to be half dead with curiosity about this before my (ordered) Garmin arrives - but I do think the 5K+ podcasts are a good place to start your running plans for the next few weeks - it's nice to be back with Laura again too. (The music's not any better though...)
What a fantastic and inspiring post! Well done stridingedge for graduating!
You story sounds similar to mine, overweight and unfit, I decided to give c25k a go. You are right, the support here is great, there's always someone who has been through what you are going through, and can offer advice and encouragement.
I'm did run 2 of week 7 today and my legs are still aching! I wanted to stop a couple of times, but would not allow myself. When the 25 minutes was finished I shouted "Yes!" out loud because I had kept going. lol.
Thanks for your post. Congratulations again on your graduation and thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you very much arablue. I always find the first 10 minutes very difficult as I try to get into a rythym. As for my legs they ALWAYS ache, and I often wake up in the night with 'restless' legs.
Good luck with your final 7 runs. Just think, you've already nailed 20!
You are amazing, you have accomplished so much in just a short space of time. I can understand your emotion, you have come so far on this journey and the great news is that it's not over, you now have the tools (fitness, confidence, BMI) to continue exploring the world to the beat of your mp3 player!
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