5k! I did 5k!

[Anniemurph]

For only the third time since graduating, I think. According to Mapometer, anyway. I had the resolution so high I could almost count the blades of grass so I think it should be fairly accurate. And my time? 36 minutes, which is a lot faster than I thought I was. I might have to do it again next week to see if that was right, because I thought it would be somewhere round the 40 - 42 minute mark.

I'm chuffed as a very chuffed thing indeed, even though I was almost crawling by the end. The music playing in my ears was Fighter though, which made me grin - and dig in and finish it instead of giving up, so that was great

Okay, my knees are a bit hot and achy, and I can hear a gin and tonic calling to me. I hope everyone is pleased with what they are achieving. We are runners

[WepreRunner Graduate]

Fantastic! It's nice to know that you can do it again (I'm convinced my one 5k was a fluke!)

[Anniemurph Graduate]

No, yours wasn't a fluke! If I can do it again, anyone can! It was a great feeling, though

[shelleymcb Graduate]

lovely blog. I can feel your smile from here

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

It felt really good! Well, knackering, but knackering in a good way

[bexyboo]

Yay - you are an inspiration. I am just about to start week 6 and my mapmyrun says I am covering 3.6k - cant imagine I would ever get to 5k. Well done you

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to bexyboo]

Oh, yes you will! After week 6 it gets easier, oddly enough - even though you are running for longer the plan builds you up and you get the hang of it - at least, this was what happened for me. It took me longer than the 9 weeks to graduate but I did it and you will get there too. Keep going, and let us all know how you get on! Everyone on here is so supportive, so tell us all about your successes and ask for help if it gets gough

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

or even tough

[kshammas Graduate]

great work! well done!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to kshammas]

Thank you - it feels great

[greenlegs Graduate]

I am sooo pleased for you, Annie, that's brilliant! 5k is a blooming long way!

Well done, chuffed thing!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Ooh, look at your shiny green badge! It really suits you

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Forgot to say thank you! Like I said to Sue, it means such a lot that there is all this support out there from people who know what you're going through

[gdeann Graduate]

Annie, I just want to sit here and cry tears of joy for you! I know how hard you have struggled every step of the way! CHEERS!!! Drink a gin and tonic for me and I will be holding a brew up in your honor tonight!!!!! Me thinks I see a possible 10K in the future???? Gayle

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to gdeann]

Yay, thanks, Gayle! It has been very hard work - and I'm sure it will continue to be in the future, but I was starting to wonder if I could do the longer distances. Ha, listen to me when you and Steve and many others are aiming for 10k and half-marathons! But never mind, I'm happy with my 5k - and no, I don't think there'll be 10 anywhere in my future, but that's okay! Have a great evening

Annie x

[SBG356 Graduate]

Annie that is sooo brilliant!! Here's to feeling like a chuffed thing with lots more chuffiness to come! Cheers to all us runners!!

Sue x

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to SBG356]

Here's to chuffiness for all of us! Thanks, Sue - all the support on here means such a lot

Annie x

[parkbirdy Graduate]

Result! really nice to read. I've promised to do a 5k in a few weeks and i've been nearly there on most of the 5k+ runs but somehow near seems just so far. So good to hear that sticking at it will mean i get there.

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to parkbirdy]

Thanks, Parkbirdy! I don't know how you've been doing your 5k+ runs, but I think what made the difference for me on this run was planning where 5k was, and knowing some of the landmarks. Previously I have gone for a run and looked up the distance afterwards, and doing it the other way round made it achievable - I guess because on other runs I have stopped when I needed to or had got to the end of the loop. This way I knew where I was aiming for, and that made the difference for me because believe me, I wanted to stop earlier

All the best with your 5k - let us know how it goes!

[thinnerandfitter Graduate]

Well done Annie! That's a great feeling isn't it? I've only ever done 5K once (back in December) - closest since was 4.9 (grrr). Now you know you can do it that's a real confidence booster.

I think you and I are at similar levels (or I will be when I get back to 100%) so I'm looking forward to seeing your progress in the next few weeks.

Ann x

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to thinnerandfitter]

Thanks, Ann! I think I've done slightly over 5k just after I graduated, but never since so yes, it was a great feeling to have achieved it

How are you doing? It's hard to have to claw it all back, isn't it? And hey, steady on - what's this about progress? Consolidation, that's what I'm after Only joking, of course I want to progress - my next goal is to be able to do the 5k 'comfortably', and the one after that to whittle my time down to the magical 30 minutes. Onwards and - hopefully - upwards!

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

I'm doing OK considering - I did a successful Stepping Stone yesterday (successful meaning that I kept going the whole way). However it was only 3.8km for 30 mins running.

My targets are quite similar to yours - I want to be able to run Stamina without stopping, and that is how I did 5k before. Then I'd like Stamina to be "comfortable" (ha ha). Then I'm planning to do my own playlists and try to get 5k down towards the magic 30 mins. For me that will be progress (OK for some fitties that would be consolidation).

Future thoughts are that if it gets drier underfoot AND I can drag myself out of bed early enough on a Saturday there's a park run I'd like to try. It looks small (only about 60 runners usually - some of those 400+ ones are a bit too scary) but it's about 20 mins drive and always hard to park there. I'd like to be much more comfortable with 5k before embarrassing myself there though!

Also thinking about the 5 x 50 challenge....... but still thinking not doing anything about it. Need a kick up the backside to fill the form in and press send!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to thinnerandfitter]

I'm glad the Stepping Stone went well - that must mean you're improving, in my book! I've never actually tried any of the c25k+ podcasts, mostly because my technology is ancient and I'm too mean to spend money on new stuff! My MP3 player is not on speaking terms with my laptop for some unknown reason, and I don't use apps on my mobile.

Regarding park runs, they sound quite scary, so like you I want to be more 'comfortable' with my 5k attempts and my nearest one is about 40 minutes away.

And ha ha regarding goals - my 5k in 30 minutes is a massive goal for me, and yet there are people who achieve this in weeks 7 or 8 And good for them, it's just that we are... different!

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

I'll raise a G&T to being different

[givman]

well done annie!!

Keep it up

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Thanks, givman - the initial elation has now faded and I'm wondering if I can do it again tomorrow Actually, having written that, I'm not even going to try - I shall try and do a fast(er) mile tomorrow!