I'm struggling with my motivation at mid week 8 and I'm wondering how any of the graduates have done post graduation ?
My aim is to be able to do 3 x 30 min runs per week just to stay fit but I'm wondering how realistic that is when there's no programme and only the winter weather to keep me company ?
Hi Chewy!!! My motivation went south in the later weeks pre-graduation due to my mind thinking at the later stage of the program I should be doing better then I was. I then had a reality check and determined even though I'm slow, I am still running 30 continuous minutes, something I could not achieve before. Post graduation has a different set of motivation issues...time (we made it a priority before) weather and pain. 
Working on a knee/hip issue. I also feel that during the program I had something to work for...a goal...I feel almost like all the excitement is gone and I am getting stale...now I'm trying to come up with different goals etc. to keep the excitement and motivation going. I have been fighting almost a depression this week because I can see myself slipping into not running and making it a habit/priority. I have came this far, I really don't want to go back. Wishing you continued success Chewy!
I completed W9R1 yesterday and have begun to wonder the same thing. I downloaded the 5K + podcasts to see how I take to them, booked myself in for a 5K run at the beginning of Nov and am trying to find one for around the end of Jan beginning of Feb to give me some motivation.
I'm also debating whether to try and train for a 10K run. I have decided that in order to keep on running I will have to move some of my runs inside but have been told to set the treadmill on an incline to mimick running outside. I'd rather run inside than not at all and looking at the freezing rain outside at the moment, not go at all !!
Hi Chewy! I have to say it's not quite the same without the structure of the programme. I tried all the 5K+ podcasts and now I'm doing Stamina and Speed, plus one 30 minute run to my own music, plus a sort of longer and less intervally version of Speed I composed to my own music. If you haven't already got a device to track your runs now might be the time to invest, then you could challenge yourself to keep improving.
The nice thing about graduating is you are more free to do your own thing without the feeling that you're not doing the run 'properly'. You can build hills etc into your runs without being afraid they'll cause you to fail the run by forcing you to walk too soon.
It's not all gloom and doom!
And you get a nice green badge after your name - makes all the difference! 
I really struggled in the few weeks post graduation. I was using weeks 1-3 to do interval training until the c25k+ podcasts came out.
All my c25k runs were on the treadmill in my garage, but after graduation it was getting harder & harder to go and do a run. I took myself off to my 1st Parkrun in week 7 & really enjoyed it so have attended them from time to time but don't want to go every week at the minute as at the minute I want to see continued improvement (of the 6 I've done my last 4 have all been PB's)
To keep me motivated I signed up for a 5k fun run, I knew I would have to keep my running up this way. It is on 28th October but I already know that I need to sign up for something else to keep me focused. I have already started looking for a 10k to do in the Spring.
Maybe something like this would keep you motivated?
A few weeks ago I started going out in public for my runs, I love it & find I am ridiculously uncoordinated on the treadmill now and because I now 'go public' hubby bought me a Garmin Forerunner 10 for my birthday next month (he let me have it early!) and I love using it and looking at my maps & stats. I seem to be getting competitive with myself to beat times and distances!! After my fun run is out the way I am going to use the virtual pacer on it to try and improve my speed.
You will have lots of options, you just need to find what works for you
Good luck Chewy!
I too worried that I may not be motivated to get myself out running after graduation. I started doing Parkruns in week 8, and would like to do a couple every month. Unfortunately I've had knee trouble and haven't been able to get out there. Being NOT able to run has made me want to run. I didn't realise how much I enjoyed running until I had to take a week or two off.
So when I'm able to get running again (hopefully next week) I'm hoping to build back up to 30 mins 3 times a week. I'd like to do the parkruns when I can (not always able to get to them) and improve on my times. Who knows maybe even a 10k next year.
I always aim for 3 x 30 but recently because of weather and commitments it's been 2 x instead. I ran to my own music but soon felt bored, tried b210k but it was too much. Last few weeks have felt more focused with Stamina & Speed 5k+, I do best when I have a clear goal. Parkruns are great, I always run a bit faster with others. Have you a suitable running club locally? I'm trying to find one appropriate to my ability (many seem to be for the speedy only) because I think it helps to have others to run with.
Hi Chewy,
I graduated about 5 weeks ago and was finding it harder and harder to go out twice during the week in the mornings before work because I don't have the confidence to run round here in the dark and the bad weather on my own. So I joined a running club. I just looked up Jog Scotland on the net and found 3 fairly local clubs, and joined the one that seemed most suitable (all levels catered for) I now run with the club on Tues and Thurs evenings and on Sunday mornings. It's been quite difficult adjusting to running after work instead of before but I'm so glad I joined. It's brilliant having company to run with and I'm running 2 x 40 mins during the week and gradually building up the Sunday run to a 10k It's a great motivator
To do 30 minutes three times a week is great aim. The time spent will have so many benefits for your health...but you know that already!
But the motivation. Well, thats all in the mind. Firstly, the thirty minutes become easier (they do, honestly!) and so you may find that you look forward to the time spent on your own, away from it all....listening to the music you like, or listening to an audio book, or catching up with the Archers, or simply running listening to the sounds around you; whatever takes your fancy.
Time out. Not many people even give themselves this kind of priority to have their own space.
Thanks for asking this question Chewy; all the responses are so helpful. As someone who has really struggled through weeks 7 and 8 with injury and motivation but now seem to be back on track with week 9 (so far), I'm worried about my post graduation running. I'm looking forward to trying stepping stones and doing intervals again. Ironic since I was so glad to be shot of them after W6R2 but there we go. 
Originally I had aspirations of doing B210K and then onwards and upwards but the truth is that 30 minutes of running is just damn hard and I can't really see me running for hours on end without literally keeling over or just giving up out of boredom. So I need a plan and stepping stones with a 5k attempt ever week seems like a good way to go. I'll see how I do with that and re-adjust if necessary. I love what running has done for me and seriously, doing C25K is one of the best things I've ever decided to do, but I also know now how real life can interfere, how injuries can completely derail plans and that I thrive under structure and deadlines. When those are gone, I don't know how I'll cope but this site has been my best source of inspiration. I could not have envisaged getting this far in my running without all these wonderful people here offering words of encouragement and I hope we can continue to help each other through the good times and bad!!
These are just the opinions that I was looking for from what is undeniably a great community. Many words of wisdom here and I'm glad I'm not alone with my fear/trepidation of post grad running.
Many thanks and if others are still to contribute please, jump on in, I'm taking a lot from these thoughts and suggestions.
I'm wrestling with this a bit as I know I need the structure and discipline Laura gives to get through it! I've had two post grad runs so far, one to my own music and one with the stamina podcast.
Both have been a bit rubbish if I'm honest in different ways. I blogged about the lesson I learnt from using my own music. Basically I have learnt the importance of putting music in my playlist that I had a hope of keeping pace with! Secondly, which I guess is a related issue, was the stamina podcast. I found it really hard and was doing very unnatural steps to keep time with Laura (though it was nice to have her back).
Both runs I stopped for a few steps walking here and there which I never did during the programme and while my distances have been the same as w9r3 (so i guess I was going faster when I was running?) they felt so much harder. I think post graduation is another adjustment period, so it is important to have some goals, otherwise it is too tempting to be lazy! I am going to carry on with the 5k+ podcasts for a bit, interspersed with one 30 run per week with my own (better chosen) music and see where that gets me. I agree with Fraz that 10k can wait for now!
Hi Chewy,
Sorry to hear you're motivation is waning at the moment. It could be the delayed effects of your American trip where you worked so hard to fit your runs in. Whatever it is, I had it in week 6 and luckily had the structure of the programme and fab support from everyone here to keep me going.
I only graduated 10 days ago but am still doing 3 runs per week. At the moment, it's 1 run to my own music where I don't measure speed or time, 1 run which is turning into a "long run" on a Thursday night where I am up to about 6.7k, and then Park Run on a Saturday morning. I feel really motivated at the moment but there is nothing to say it won't dip again.
In work, we are always talking about SMART goals; that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. If you think about the C25K podcasts, they meet every one of these, which is why it is do-able. So now I am trying my own SMART goals, with the speed and stamina podcasts, a 5k event in November, and working on getting my 5k time down at the weekly park run. I have other goals which I'll define better nearer the time (10k, half-marathon) but I think it is important to build in structure, new routes, a running club...bascially anything which keeps you motivated.
You're doing great - maybe you just need something novel for your next few runs (e.g. audiobook instead of music, listening to a radio show podcast, music you haven't heard before, a new route - even if it involves driving to get there, or even running your current route back to front - it amazed me how different I felt when I tried this last suggestion last week!).
Good luck, and sorry for the ridiculously long reply!
Hi Newbie,
Doesn't matter how long the reply is it's the content that matters. I do like the idea of the SMART goals, I'm going to have a think about, more specifically, what I want to achieve after the graduation.
Thanks.
Hi Chewy - I totally get your nervousness having graduated a few weeks back. I have taken up orienteering and really like the fact that getting lost takes my mind off how much further I have to go! I also tried the 5K+ podcasts, I find them quite hard but will persevere.
I recently sprained my ankle in a non-running-related-drunk-in-Verona-falling-down-on-uneven-surface incident. This was so annoying as I have not been able to run for 3 weeks. I found NOT being able to run made me really want to run. I went out on Wednesday for a run and found it SO much easier to run 30 minutes than when I did week 9. And yet I hadn't run for 3 weeks. What's that all about! So went out today and actually really loved my running.
Bizarre but I'll take it! 'm going to try a park run in a few weeks time. Don't think I'll be v fast, but hope not to give up before the end. It'll be embarrassing to get lapped by by husband and son though
Good luck, don't know if my rambling helps, but I certainly feel encouraged that after 3 weeks I haven't lost the ability to run for 30 mins, and actually enjoyed it if anything more than before.
Cheers
Chocotwit
How was your running post graduation?
Graduation!
Motivation after graduation 
Graduation Post
Post graduation 
