An ecstatic but very emotional Strdingedge gra... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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An ecstatic but very emotional Strdingedge graduated at 10.08 this morning, and is still having to hold back the tears!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate
48 Replies

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.

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stridingedge profile image
stridingedge
Graduate
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48 Replies
Deryn61 profile image
Deryn61Graduate

That is wonderful news, well done you on both the weight loss and the graduation. This community is wonderful but at the end of the day YOU did this! :-)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to Deryn61

Thank you so much.Yes I did do it - but not without a little help from my(new) friends.

mcc65 profile image
mcc65Graduate

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.

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to mcc65

Don't worry about that needle! It' s not really about the weight loss but being increasing pleased with your new look. Good luck.

Caz9 profile image
Caz9Graduate

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!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to Caz9

That's my next job, to find if there is a Parkrun nearby Thankyou

Caz9 profile image
Caz9Graduate in reply to stridingedge

Here's the link to Parkrun to find your local one parkrun.org.uk/events/events

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to Caz9

Thanks Caz9

runningwild profile image
runningwildGraduate

Well done, you've nearly got me in tears! What a brilliant achievement ;)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to runningwild

Thankyou. Kleenex are currently doing very well out of me!

eshaz14 profile image
eshaz14Graduate

Congratulations on your wonderful achievement :)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate

Thankyou. My next challenge is to maintain my weighrt loss and find a Parkrun.

AliB1 profile image
AliB1Graduate

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 :)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to AliB1

Will do. Thank you.

canuckgirl profile image
canuckgirlGraduate

Well done! and congratulations on your graduation Stridingedge. What a wonderful story and testament to this programme. Good for you!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to canuckgirl

Thank you. You're right, this programme is amazing.

GoogleMe profile image
GoogleMeGraduate

Well done twice over! I'm still dragging pretty much the same amount of lard as I was when I started.

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to GoogleMe

I had of lot of squidgy lard to shift - believe me!

smhall profile image
smhallGraduate

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!!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to smhall

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.

smhall profile image
smhallGraduate in reply to stridingedge

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???

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to smhall

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'll be having a drink later!

Bottoms up!!!!!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate

Thats brilliant stridingedge! Well done on all your achievements and enjoy celebrating your graduation!!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to SBG356

That reminds me, I need to sort out getting my graduation badge.

Thank you

gdeann profile image
gdeannGraduate

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! :-)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to gdeann

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.

Mitts profile image
MittsGraduate

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! :-)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate

You're right it is a brilliant feeling. Are you using the 5K+ podcasts and how do you find them?

Mitts profile image
MittsGraduate in reply to stridingedge

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...)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to Mitts

Mitts, thankyou very much for all that advice. I never thought I'd look forward to hearing Laura's voice again! Ta.

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate

Congratulations stridingedge, look forward to seeing your graduation badge soon!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate

Thank you DeliaItaly. Me too!

arablue profile image
arablue

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.

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to arablue

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!

arablue profile image
arablue in reply to stridingedge

Restless legs are really annoying. I usually get that when I'm just dozing off, or trying to! I usually feel better on the days when I run though. :-)

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate

Congratulations, Stridingedge on completing this running programme. Here's to future good running outing and continued health and fitness..

Have you noticed a difference in your fitness when out fellwalking since starting running?

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to swanscot

Funny you should say that. I'm off to Keswick for a weeks holiday fell walking next weekend, so I'm about to find out. I'll let you know how I get on.

caro8642 profile image
caro8642

Fantastic, well done, on so many fronts. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the feeling, great achievement.

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to caro8642

Thank you very much, I certainly will!

Beads profile image
BeadsGraduate

Well done! You and me both! And there's lots of others today...

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to Beads

Many congratulations to you and everyone else for whom 6th October 2012 is a very special day.

Pat184 profile image
Pat184Graduate

What a lovely blog, you really are a inspiration for all the people out there doing this great Couch 2 K5, from a very proud 73 year old :-) Pat

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate

Wow, a graduate at the age of 73! p184, it's you who is inspiration for everyone out there.

carolinew profile image
carolinewGraduate

Fantastic - really well done!! Our stories are very similar. Enjoy this day :-)

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate

Thankyou, and congratulations to you on graduating. Are you a 'Weight Watcher' by any chance?

suki_007 profile image
suki_007Graduate

Wow, such a wonderful blog, I'm adding my congratulations to the enormous crowd already! Brilliantly done!

stridingedge profile image
stridingedgeGraduate in reply to suki_007

Thank you so much. I'm still on a high!

vixiej profile image
vixiejGraduate

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!

Fish n chips, yum, I hope you enjoyed them :-)

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