That's it - I've gone and graduated!

[Secretrunner]

Despite the wind and rain and going out in a normal bra - not a sports one - I managed to complete the programme. Thanks to all of you who replied to my numerous posts, most of them sent in moments of despair, they kept me going and without them it would have been very easy to give up. I have repeated weeks until I felt my 46 year old body was ready for stepping up and this has worked for me.

I can't say I love running yet but I do love that smug feeling I get when I come in from a run and most of all that sense of achievement of doing something that I never thought I would be able to do.

My next target will be 5k I am quite a long way off with my pace of 8.45 per km. not sure what to do next though, repeat wk 9 until I get there or try the speed podcasts?

[SBG356 Graduate]

Absolutely brilliant! Congratulations and welcome to the grad club!! You have worked the programme well and look at the amazing result - running for 30 mins!!

Best of luck in whatever you choose to do now and enjoy this moment; go celebrate!!

Sue x

[BigEd]

Really well done on graduating! No sports bra? That must be uncomfortable i would

imagine. What you do next i guess would depend on if you want to concentrate

on distance or speed. I am only on W3 at present so its a long way off for me. Good

luck though Ed x

[Leyther1 Graduate]

Well done Secretrunner!! Congratulations and wear your hard earned and well deserved badge with pride

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Congratulations Secretrunner! Straight after my graduation I started by just running 30 minutes 3 times a week, then I moved on to the 5K+ podcasts -- so far I've done the stepping stone one about 6 times, alternating with 30 minutes of runnig to my playslist. Will do the Speed podcast next, and hopefully, when I'm through all the 5K+ pods I will have go to the magic 5K in 30 minutes. Savour the moment and happy running, delia x

[rolphie2 Graduate]

Well done , excellent enjoy your graduation and keep running

[Treborstone Graduate]

Well Done. Savour the moment. You have worked hard for it.

[Secretrunner Graduate]

Thanks to all of you for your lovely comments. Must find out how to get my green graduate badge now. Will check out laura's next podcasts.

Good luck to all my fellow runners this weekend it's really cold out there!!

[MotherGoose Graduate]

Well done! Lovely feeling isn't it?

[gdeann Graduate]

Congratulations!!! Such an achievement!!! Post Graduation, do whatever works for you, just keep running! Wishing you a wonderful running future! Gayle

[auranya Graduate]

Congratulations and keep running!

[smhall Graduate]

Congratulations, Secret!! Maybe it is time for a name change. I mean, now that you have graduated, I would have to guess that it isn't much of a secret anymore!! I know that upon my graduation I was announcing my success to everyone I knew...and a few people that I didn't even know!!

Don't worry about not loving running yet. I am the same way. I bask in the glory of the success that I have had with it. I love to challenge myself with the stats...more distance, more speed, etc. But I honestly can't say that I find it fun. Oddly, I do enjoy organized runs with a lot of people!! It makes me feel like I am part of something bigger and that I am not crazy for being out there gasping and wheezing!! Give a parkrun a try. You may be surprised at yourself...you will finish it!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!

Congratulations again and enjoy that wonderful "Graduate" badge. You have certainly earned it!!

Keep Running!!

Steve