Thanks to all your gems of inspirational advice I am sitting crying in the car in the rain and... I DID IT... W8R1...THANK YOU :-)

[psarapsych]

YOU ALL CAME TO THE RESCUE LAST NIGHT :-). Then i wake to torrential rain and at 14.30, facing grey/black skies and still some rain i went for it...tummy bug and all. YES I AM ADDICTED!

It was a wonderful run and i started without timing the warm up walk so was fumbling with phone and earphones etc until Laura said to start. Then i turned on Robo-sport and put him away and just toddled off and kept toddling until eventually L said I'd done 10 mins. I just couldn't believe it.

The wind was fresh, it stopped raining and i carried on without overdoing the pace. I left Robo-sport doing his thing for the cool down and as i got to the car he said "5kms in 34 mins"and THAT WAS WITHOUT THE FIRST 5 MINUTES TO ADD TO THE DISTANCE! So now I'm dribbling a bit and as i was doing my cool down i was shouting above the wind and the music; "I can do this, i can really do this and i can sort out my pains and i can do this". God, i felt like Murray when he won his gold medal :-)!

Thank you for your Support, we can all do this!

Sara xox

[fatmumslim Graduate]

Well done Sara - I've just done my run too. I must admit I found it hard today - not sure why but hey ho never mind - we will make it to the end. Keep going

Susan XX

[psarapsych Graduate]

Yaay Susan... congrats... yes... a few people have said they found the weeks 6-8 a bit chewy - perhaps we'll shoot out the other end :-)!!!

We're getting there aren't we - really can't believe it.

Cheers Susan and well done

Sara xox

[gdeann Graduate]

See, I told you, just an easy peasy few minutes more!!! So happy for you! Doing a happy dance today in your honor!!!! Gayle

[psarapsych Graduate]

WOW! Can you video it please so i can join in with you LOL! Thanks Gayle, i did think of you when I'd done 25 and said to myself "now for the easy peasy 3 mins"! The Support, as ever, is wonderful, Sara xox

[oona Graduate]

Fantastic, psarapsych! What a great time too! I've just managed to get down to 5k in 34 mins so you must be running a good bit faster than me! I'm going to use you to pace myself against so keep posting!

[psarapsych Graduate in reply to oona]

Hey Oona, thanks... We..eell, you surprise me because I've just never ever run before and to have you saying I'm running fast makes me feel amazed and also a bit sort of... well like "where has this Sara been hiding all these years" - all very odd. BUT... for now I'm just enjoying the feeling of running and taking it day by day and it would be wonderful to have a pace partner - we can share stats and get really boring together LOL. This really is fun (in a masochistic sort of way) isn't it!!! Cheers and see you soon, Sara

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Great work Sara, I'm really pleased for you, you must be so proud! Brilliant timing too, wayhay

[psarapsych Graduate in reply to DeliaItaly]

God Delia, I am. Honestly, it sounds so soupy BUT really it does work having everyone's support. It's as if the words of positivity and encouragement are being soaked up. Actually, that's got me thinking...(oh dear!!!) it's not often that you find such positivity in one community with people willing to help others up the ladder. It's being an interesting experience and I'm learning lots about myself too - always good to keep on learning.

Gosh I am being gushy... you just wait until you've got this one in the bag tomorrow D, it just feels different.

Also, thanks re the timing... as I said above to Oona, that's just got me a bit befuzzled and amazed - in a good way - WOW!!

Anyway, good luck and have a great run

Sara xox

[pinkus Graduate]

Sara Sara Sara.....WELL DONE YOU DID IT !!! I am just so HAPPY for you. How about your timing too thats BRILLIANT....did you hear me BRILLIANT I said !!! Well Done Sara Excellent Work.... Just one question....what is Robo Sport is that on the sports tracker thingy...or something different....(have sent you an email) You will be on Cloud 9 for the rest of the day....Week.....xxxxxx

[chusan51 Graduate]

Well done and as others say brilliant time. I too have gotten into the habit of shouting at myself when I am struggling. One day when I shouted "keep going, keep going" at myself the people walking in front of me instantly upped thier pace; maybe my shouting is helping the fitness of others too. I'm off to do Wk9 R3 today - I've had two tough weeks of a bad cold that won't shift combined with jet lag and over indulgence but I am putting those behind me today and going for it. You'll be at Wk9 r3 in no time - I changed my route for the last week to a route I know well from walking but I plotted it out on a mapping software so know its 5k and am trying to do that full 5k within my 30m last run. It seems to help having a new route for a new run.

[psarapsych Graduate]

Hi Chusan, thank you and what a lovely post :-). You made me giggle out loud with your "keep going"... a voice out of the blue like that would certainly have me running faster!!!

Poor you with that cold - the indulgence sounds fun. Do you ever take Anas Barb. First sign of a cold guzzle 4 AB's every half hour for 2-3 hours and then every 4 hours. In combination with some Echinacea and Garlic +VitC and Zinc - all taken at the first signs it never fails for me. Also some spirulina and zinc is great for the immune system. Sorry... health lecture over :-)!!!!

Where've you been indulging yourself then??? Somewhere exotic judging by the jet lag :-).

WELL in spite of all that you are graduating. By now, you've probably already finished - hope it went really well for your graduation run - did you take Laura with you? Oh, and if you did what's the music like in W9? Not minding W8's music really - got my own running play list ready but I feel a bit sad about losing Laura so don't want to let go until I have to but if the music is dire then..... :-(!!!

Sooooooo GOOD LUCK, BRILLIANT AND WELL DONE Sara xx

[Goldstar Graduate]

Well done and thank you for sharing such an important experience - I get the impression of lots of anticipation, the frustration of waiting and a massive surge towards the finish line - followed by the most amazing feeling of success

For me, after a good run, this feeling is a mixture of disbelief that I actually did it, combined with feeling 6ft tall and ready to do it all again (fortunately I haven't actually tried to run it again as I think that would probably end badly!)

Good luck with your next run