Graduation! Couch to 5k = done. Wow.

[Bilby]

Can I believe that I'm writing this? Not particularly, but there we go. And that's where this program really works. Just come in from the third and final run of week 9 - and 30 minutes done!

Woke up this morning early (with excitement, totally) and had the brief period of thinking 'I could skip today and go tomorrow...' before laughing at myself. This was my graduation morning! Plenty of time for putting off running in future, I hope Instead, I 'leapt' out of bed and headed outside.

And - newsflash - it might actually be Spring soon! Sun was shining, birds, rabbits etc etc etc. Great morning, and a marked contrast to the first week of Feb when I started.

I went slowly, didn't make 5k but didn't care, that can be something to work on! More importantly, I DID IT!

I actually did make 5k during week 1 this week, when my little ipod ran out of battery. So apparently I run faster without the music, but I did spend last night happily putting together a playlist of my very own for the future.

Anyway, a massive thank you to everyone who blogs and comments, without this community I would not have finished this. The hints and support have been invaluable, and I've picked up motivation from so many people over the weeks.

And, to anyone who happens to be reading this who hasn't started yet, a brief word of advice. I procrastinate like a professional, so saying 'I'll start once I've gone out and bought new running shoes/a new outfit/once I get good headphones/once I don't work on weekends...' put me off running for YEARS. If you're like me, and reading this, grab whatever you've got now and start w1r1. Once you've run, and blogged, you're caught, and can go and get all the proper stuff

If you're also like me in thinking '9 weeks is ages, I wish I'd just finished it last month and been fitter already, week 1 starts so slowly!' then the same applies. From week 1 you're outside almost 30 mins 3x a week, that's 90 mins of exercise you would otherwise not have had. Go and start. I'm so glad that I did.

Enjoy your runs, everyone!

[LMS2110 Graduate]

A squilllion congratulations to you, and high fives too! Well done, and so good that your achievement corresponds to an appearance by that long lost friend - the sun! Enjoy the glow of victory and get the badge by your name asap. You now have summer ahead of you to develop, style, speed, distance ... whatever you want knowing that you are fit and completely a 'runner' Linda x

[Bilby Graduate in reply to LMS2110]

Thanks Linda! I'd really like to work on everything (especially 'style', now that it's light when I run :P) now. It's so nice having months of sun (optimism is always fun) ahead to get better in.

[OlsBean]

Congratulations Bilby, way to go

[Bilby Graduate in reply to OlsBean]

Thank you!

[Nala020512]

Congratulations! An inspiration to me - I've only just started!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to Nala020512]

Thank you - and good luck with the program. You'll be at the end of the program before you know it, it goes so fast!

[SBG356 Graduate]

Big congratulations to you bilby!! How lovely to have the sun shining on you for your graduation run It's a great moment isn't it so you hold onto that and enjoy your celebrations!!

Welcome to the Grad Club!! Woo hoo!!

Sue

[Bilby Graduate in reply to SBG356]

Thank you! It was really fun, I like to think that the sun was timed especially

I'm always in awe of the people who started (and finished) in darkest winter, one of the things that kept me going was that Spring was coming.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

What a smashing blog Bilby and many congratulations. I agree this site is the best place to be when working through the programme so please keep on blogging and running. Don't forget to send Admin a message to get your lovely well earned GRADUATE badge, well done.

[Bilby Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Thank you! I've sent a message and am way too overexcited to get my badge sometime It's so shiny.

[helenf28]

Congratulations! I agree this site helps as much if not more than the programme itself

[Bilby Graduate in reply to helenf28]

Thanks - it really does! I used to try and run with friends, but it never worked as we'd talk each other out of runs at 7am (really easy to do...). This site worked for me as it made me rely on myself, but has a community of people who are ALWAYS encouraging everyone else to run. This is awesome.

[HappyRunningFi Graduate]

Well done and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Enjoy running in the SUMMER (soon to come sun!!)!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to HappyRunningFi]

Thanks - I hope it comes soonish, but I'll settle for a bit of warmth whenever I'm still running in my jumper at the moment, whenever I try to put it away for the spring the snow seems to start.

[caz1_ca Graduate]

Thats fabulous Bilby, well done on graduating. It's so exciting isn't it. I never thought in a million years I would be this excited about jogging, but I am.

So whats next for you then?

[Bilby Graduate in reply to caz1_ca]

Thanks Caz! It's really exciting - I was a bit worried that once I finished the program I'd just...drift without Laura's excellent guidance but instead I find myself making vague running plans and finding loads of options to try

Hm. I think I'd like to run 30 mins a few times more, I'll try out the three 5k+ podcasts and see if I like them. Then, I'd like to (very) slowly add a minute or so every few weeks and see if I can go for a longer run once a week alongside the 30 min ones.

One day, 10k would be nice, but I'm in no rush!

[caz1_ca Graduate in reply to Bilby]

Sounds like an excellent plan.

[Khrissy Graduate]

Congratulations

I totally agree about this community, I also don't think I would have graduated without the advice and encouragement on here. If I ever felt like skipping a run I just used to come on here and read and I'd be motivated and on my way!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to Khrissy]

I did that as well! Every time I was tempted to put it off a day I'd log on here and see who'd been running and what the new stories were. Knowing that dozens of people all over the country (and World!) were struggling/enjoying/running the same things as I was every other day really helped.

[roadrunner_86 Graduate]

Huge congratulations - looking forward to feeling that awesome myself in a couple of weeks!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to roadrunner_86]

Thank you! I look forward to reading your graduation blog in a couple of weeks The time does fly by a little.

[lycranotlikely Graduate]

Thanks Bilby that helps a lot as one who has just got through week 1 run 1.

[Bilby Graduate in reply to lycranotlikely]

Glad that it did I found reading blogs invaluable throughout the whole time, recognising people posting and seeing everyone progress! Week 1 run 1 was the hardest run for me, because getting out the door was -tricky-. After that, you're swept along by motivation and a ton of encouragement from everyone here!

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Congratulations on your graduation A great blog as well, it's lovely to hear about your encouragement to others. Happy running!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

Thank you! You as well!

[bullseye7]

Congratulations!!! Great story and advice to new joiners like me. Have fun running!

[Bilby Graduate in reply to bullseye7]

Thank you - and good luck! Enjoy the program

[piggyland1 Graduate]

Well done on your graduation! Your blog was really inspiring and motavational, too hopefully help me with my W6R3 tonight! Gotta remember what I'm doing this for and your blog helps me to do that. So thank you, and congratulations! Any idea what you are going to do next then?

~ Olivia

[Bilby Graduate in reply to piggyland1]

Thank you! I hope that W6R3 went well?! Good luck!

I think I'm going to try and work my way very slowly up to 10k, but if I can keep on running 5k a couple of times a week, I'll be happy

~Bilby

P.S. Just saw that I have a BADGE. Happy

[Barbyk Graduate]

Well done, what a feeling!!!!! I've just completed too and I have never felt such a sense of self satisfaction....and such a nice time of year to be able to run a bit of a distance and enjoy the springtime. Onwards and upwards!! xx