So... I did it. I went back to the treadmill for my last two runs and i finally understand people who told me the treadmill was harder. I thought I'd have an easier time with my last c25k runs, because i ran for longer than 30 minutes and finished 5k on the first one, but i really had to push for these. they weren't as hard as my hardest ones but they were still challenging. I'm learning that it gets oddly easier near the end, which is nice to know, and somewhat encouraging.
It's getting warmer and i feel like I see runners everywhere when i'm out. I even found out a person in class with me likes to run 5ks and we may plan to run one soon. This is weird to write. I just know someone new is going to be reading this one day, and part of me wants to be full of epic 'this changed my life' fire, and it did change my life. I've now got the long-term goal of doing a marathon in the next year or two, and that's never something I'd have considered before. I don't feel stronger or lighter most days but i can run for half an hour when 2 or 3 minutes used to feel insane. I have a sport, one that i can do regardless of where I go. I feel kind of... optimistically meh now, but I was a champion this morning after i ran, and I don't get to be a champion with physical things ever, or i didn't before i started running.
In the short term, I've got my eye set on being able to run for an hour during long runs. I'm gonna try the speed podcast with laura at some point. I kinda want that half hour to be a little easier, so maybe another week of that first? and I may add some stretches and work with weights, time permitting. I've got some thinking and research to do (and a badge to get). Thanks for the support, blogging has been fun, and I'll be back and less wordy for my first post-grad run on Sunday. any tips on post grad life?