Runniversary today! Twelve years and still loving it! 🥳🤩🎈🤸‍♂️

[Irishprincess]

What can I say that I haven’t said before in my previous runniversary posts? I’ll try to keep it short 😂

I crept out of the house twelve years ago and, very apprehensively, started week 1 of C25K, and that was it. It was hard, far harder than I imagined, but somehow also exhilarating and I couldn’t wait to go again. Apart from time out with various injuries and a few sickness spells, I’ve run three times every week since.

I have a yearning to enter races and am a bling collector (just in case you didn’t know that about me 😂) Every medal tells a story and I remember each one with fondness and joy (mostly 😕).

I give my shoes names and feel sad when they can no longer come running with me ☹️ but they get a second life in the garden so I don’t say a final goodbye for some time.

I love taking photos on my runs and must have hundreds of them, but have chosen just a few of my favourite routes for my celebration day 🥰

I’ve chosen this race photo because I remember exactly what I was thinking at the time and it sums up how I feel about my running. It was taken at last year’s Antrim Coast HM and I’m sodden. We were kept waiting at the start line for over an hour in the rain and wind and I never warmed up during the whole run. I still had a way to go and it was pretty miserable and I just wanted it to be over. But then I remembered back to that very first run and why I still run and why I was there and those thoughts made me feel happy. I was doing it! I was still doing it! Despite the conditions on the day, despite all the injuries over the years, the setbacks, the cancelled races, the ice packs, the physio visits… I was still doing it and still loving it 🥰 And isn’t that what it’s all about?

To you, my amazing VRBs (and a few real life buddies too 🥰) I thank you for keeping me here all this time. This community has been the lynchpin of my running life and your support and encouragement have done wonders when things have gone awry. I wouldn’t be without you 😍 You are there for the good stuff, the bad stuff and everything in between.

Today is good stuff. It’s cold here but the sky is blue and sun is shining and I’m going to celebrate my runniversary by heading out for a long run 🤗 and I know I’ll take you all with me xxx

[LottieMW]

Happy runniversary! May you have many more! 🏃🏻‍♀️🌟🏅💕

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to LottieMW]

Thanks Lottie. Hopefully 13 is a lucky year 🍀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Oh yay IP, happy 12th runniversary to you (love how my phone auto predicts that word!) 😅

What an adventure you’ve had, and continue to have. You’ve been epic through thick and thin, you’re an awesome admin (amongst other epic souls of course) on HU, and you give back generously. Here’s to the next 12 years - and beyond! 🌺

I’ll think of you when I’m in Bath on Sunday, and look forward to “that adventure” maybe next year!

Hope your run today is worthy of all your achievements. 🥰

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Aw, thanks Munks. The years do go pretty quickly these days 😂

I thought of you yesterday because I had a sports massage and my therapist told me that his wife is running Bath on Sunday, so we had a chat about that! How handy would that be? Being married to a massage therapist!!!

You’ll be your usual determined, chipmunk self on Sunday Munks. Just think of the shiny stuff 🤩 🥰

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Have the happiest of runniversaries Your Highness. Gosh that is a lot of bling!

After nearly 7 years I still feel like a newbie sometimes! It is good to have your experience available to help others; something you do every week. 🥂🍾

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thanks BC. I will have a glass tonight as I’ve been off it for three nights so I reckon I’ve earned it today 🥂

You’re definitely not a newbie after seven years! Between all of us admins we have a lot of experience not just in running miles but also dealing with various injuries 🙄

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Certainly the latter in my case; just been talking to the guy in the running shop about his quadratus lumborum muscles; needs some steely fingers in there!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Now there’s a fun conversation 🤣🤣

Yesterday I had a chat about my TFL with my sports massage chap. That was fun too 🤣

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Happy, happy runniversary IP! Doing what you do best ... running, enjoying and thinking of your running buddies. What an amazing achievement all that bling represents. Go get some more... 🥇👟🥂

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thanks Linda 🥰 I haven't anything on the horizon anytime soon so I need to get on that!

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Happy runiversary Irishprincess, you and Oldfloss are the longest contributators on this forum, congratulations for your 12 years since starting C25K, Oldfloss Irishprincess

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al. It’s been a blast that’s for sure.

misswobble started roughly the same time as me and I think aliboo70 wasn’t far behind.

GoogleMe might even be earlier! I think Oldfloss was a bit later but we’re all still here which is wonderful and amazing 🤗

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

It was about 7 years ago in March 2018 I ran a 5K "test run", if I remember correctly I ran fast for one minute and walked fast for two minutes on a measured 5K course, my time was about 42 minutes, so the next month on April 18th I started C25K with run 1 of week 1, I managed all the runs without needing to repeat any.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

You’re a legend in these parts Al 🥰

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Irishprincess]

10 years for me this year.. and you have been such a part of my running x

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

And you mine 🥰xxx

[Week7 Half Marathon]

Happy runniversary to you

Happy runniversary to you

Happy runniversary Irishprincess

Happy runniversary to you

🎶 🎵

🏅 🎖 🥇 🏅 🎖 🥇 🏅 🏅 🏅 🏅

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Week7]

Cheers 👍🥳

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

12 years wow! Happy Runniversary to you and yes, definitely, that's what it's all about xxx

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks Sue. Sometimes I feel myself getting a bit “serious” over my running and then catch myself on 🤣🤗 xxx

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

🤣don't get too serious, just run and enjoy xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Oh Maj!!!

The warmest and happiest of congratulations on your runniversary! Just part of the forums, part of the runners and such an important part of many, many of us and our running too.

Always there, despite many ups and downs. Always supportive and always , always, an inspiration.

Thank you for being there, and thank you for being a friend x

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Floss 🥰 we have travelled some miles together.

It’ll soon be time for our annual spring jaunt to the arboretum. Some blossoms are out already 🌺 You will be by my side as always xxx