Graduated by doing a 5k in Seville. :)

[jessa]

This blog is a bit late as I have been away for a week due to work; however...

I am proud to say that last Sunday I completed C25k by doing a 5k in Seville. My official time was 28 minutes and 37 seconds so I am delighted.

I had agreed to do the 5k, then realised that since I only viewed running as a means to catch a bus or get to the sweet shop before it closed, I had better do some training. A friend recommended C25k to me and I sat with the program and my calendar to see if I could fit it in before the 5k. In the end I had to do a session ever second day in order to complete it on time (with the final session coinciding with the 5k day). I was very strict with myself and didn't miss a single session.

Things started to click into place around week 4. Before that I had been trying to run far too quickly and, as a consequence, was tiring easily. For some reason I had a terrible week 8 and was feeling quite glum about the whole thing, but managed to pick myself up and keep going.

Towards the end I switched to treadmill running. I live in Gibraltar and there was a spell of terrible rain which meant that outdoors running was impossible. Lo and behold, it turns out that I'm not really built for outdoors running and am far more suited to treadmill running! I am able to focus more and can maintain a constant speed. Outdoors I lose my focus very quickly, tire very quickly, and don't feel like I have much (or any!) motivation. But, with a treadmill I can see the distance I have covered and it all makes more sense.

On race day my aim was to complete the 5k without stopping to walk at all. I hadn't achieved 5k in any of the training sessions, but I estimated that I could do it in about 32 minutes all going well. As it happens, I wasn't prepared fr the chaos of a 5k with 6,000 mostly Spanish women. As such, I wasn't actually able to achieve my goal (I had to walk for about 100 metres around the 4k mark due to the heat and due to the fact that my pace for the first km was far quicker than normal - I had to get away from the crowd as it was horrible running whilst surrounded by people) which was disappointing. But, I was able to complete the distance well within the time I had anticipated.

Like I say, I've been away for a week so ended up having to take a week off but I got back to the gym yesterday and did my first 5k+ podcast - no problems. I am looking forward to continuing with my running, in the hope that I am able to complete my next 5k without having to walk at all. Fingers crossed!

I have been raving about NHS C2k5 to anybody who will listen, and I will now be doing the same for 5k+!!

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Congratulations on your graduation!