Week One ticked off! Proud as a very proud thing! So, that's proud, then.

[mmphc]

Today, I was five minutes late for work. Not for any good reason, but because instead of driving straight there, I took my car around the route that I ran and walked today as I was desperate to know how far I had gone. I was so encouraged by the kindness and support of the C25K community that I decided to bring my running lamp out from under my bashful bushel ( sounds rude but isn't meant to be!) and go through the village instead of backwards and forwards along my lane. And, no-one stared, or asked me if I'd lost my dog, or why hadn't I picked up my letters from church ( as happened on Wednesday - "not now!", I had gasped) and I just got on with it and when I checked the car odometer I had gone 2.2 MILES!!! I could scarcely believe it, and have spent the whole day secretly hugging to myself my delight in my achievement. And thank you, thank you, thank you, to all the kind people who have posted and said things like " If I can do it, anyone can" and "keep going and trust the programme". It has helped enormously.

[SBG356 Graduate]

You have every reason to feel proud! Well done you! Lots more hugging required! ((( )))

Sue

[mmphc Graduate in reply to SBG356]

Very many thanks, Sue. I am hugging myself so much I will have bruises tomorrow!

[greenlegs Graduate]

A few more hugs for you: (((((mmphc)))))

Brilliantly done! It is a wonderful feeling when you realise that you're doing this for yourself, and what anyone else thinks is their business, and you don't much care! Running past the high school children coming out of school in the snow, and deciding that, no, I wouldn't turn back to avoid them, was quite a marker for me, of how I'd changed in how I felt about myself.

[mmphc Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Thank you very much indeed, Greenlegs.I think that if you can run past teenagers, it demonstrates a real sense of self worth. Not sure I'm quite up to that yet, but I do certainly feel less self conscious than I did four days ago.

[Zeggy in reply to mmphc]

I even ran past a group of gardeners and held my head high, they were too engrossed in their plants! Week 1 run 2

[mrslazy Graduate]

Well done, that's brilliant. You have done so well x

[mmphc Graduate in reply to mrslazy]

Thank you Mrs Lazy. Incidentally, I love your name! Absolutely brilliant - and you a Graduate, too!

[amsjo Graduate]

You see you can and are doing it ... one step at a time away from the couch .. so big hugs and happy running

[mmphc Graduate in reply to amsjo]

Many thanks, Amsjo; as a fond denizen of the couch I feel as though I am exploring an exciting new world. And congratulations again on that 'Graduate' tag!

[k6daisy Graduate]

You clever thing! Week 1 is so hard and it's testimony to your determination that got you through it and doesnt it feel just fabulous now? You have done us proud too. Well done once again.

[mmphc Graduate in reply to k6daisy]

Thank you so much, k6daisy. Yes, it does feel great, and I really do mean it when I say that the encouragement of the forum has helped enormously - thinking about how everyone else must have gone through the same struggles spurs me on to continue. Although I am very glad that today is a day off as it has been snowing outside and the couch is particularly welcoming today!

[rockchick69 Graduate]

Well done mmphc ((())). I had to run past a local football ground my first week and it was awful, but now I really don't care and some of the kids even smile at me now Congratulations on finishing W1 and good luck with W2....

[mmphc Graduate in reply to rockchick69]

Many thanks, rockchick69. Running past a football ground sounds horrendous, so I take my hat off to you. I'll be starting W2 tomorrow, so am looking forward to it, although with some trepidation.

[caz1_ca Graduate]

Brilliant job, very well done. You will be so surprised at the progress you make each week.

Good luck with week2.

[mmphc Graduate in reply to caz1_ca]

Thank you caz1_ca - and your comment about progress is helpful as I can only just get to the end of the 60 seconds at present so cannot imagine how I could do more. Just have to see, I guess.

[caz1_ca Graduate in reply to mmphc]

Believe you can do it. I won't lie and say that each week gets easier but you build on each week. I'm still amazed how long I can run because like you and probably most others I struggled with the 1 minute run too, but now I;m on the last run of week 6.

[mmphc Graduate in reply to caz1_ca]

That's helpful - many thanks. I guess that the trick is just to keep at a pace you can cope with, and repeat a run if it's just too hard.

[caz1_ca Graduate in reply to mmphc]

Exactly, you go at a pace that is right for you. It's not a race so if you do need to repeat then do so.

[Maturelady Graduate]

Well done MMPHC! I remember doing this on wk2 as my curiosity got the better of me too as to how far I was going. I was really impressed with the distance too. One thing about this blog is that the GRADUATES do not have the "is that all you are doing" attitude. We all started at wk1 and so many people have managed to do it that the programme must work if you TRUST in Laura. I have started wk2 again as I had a lot of circumstances last week which prevented me a few nights. Good luck with wk2.

[mmphc Graduate in reply to Maturelady]

Thank you Maturelady - I'm glad I'm not the only one! I agree, the programme has got to work - so many people have said stuff like ' If I can do it, anyone can' that I am convinced that trust, and determination, are the key. Best of luck to you too for Wk2 - I hope that you have a more straightforward week.