C25K .... Overture and beginners please!

[BerryBerry]

Well done Blue Cow!! I definitely agree having someone with you helps to keep you going on the tough bits

I did the 28min run last night. Weather wasn't great but it could have been worse and I felt warm after the first 5mins so the temperature must have picked up as my hands and ears have been remained freezing on all my others recently.

 

[Maria2206]

I've had about a month or so out with my sore hip (don't push yourself more than you need to peeps - it's how I did myself an injury) and this has set me back a good few weeks. Having originally graduated the C25K before Christmas, I restarted on Sunday on Wk6 Run 1 and it was very hard work. I repeated this run on Tuesday (felt much easier than Sunday) and will do it again tomorrow. Problem is, I can feel my hip starting to hurt again.....

Anyway, I will persevere and hope that the build up work will get me back to the 40 mins I was achieving before.

Hope everyone is getting on ok.

 

[Jeniferous]

Not so bad today - painful but liveable! Anti inflammatory and a foam roller.

 

[BlueCow]

I did W3D2 today. I was wondering what speed other people run? I usually do ~8.5km/hour, slowed down to 8 for the last 3 minute run though as I was feeling worn out lol.

My friend runs at just over 7 but when I try and run at that speed I find it too slow, which is really odd as she is taller than me and has longer legs lol.

Dreading moving on to week 4 and having to run for 5 minutes straight! I felt the same about running for 3 minutes though and I managed that.

 

[mrsmca2b]

I vary depending on length of run etc! I managed w6r2 today! Delighted x

 

[Maria2206]

Not so bad today - painful but liveable! Anti inflammatory and a foam roller.

I must invest in one of those foam rollers. It's been lovely this morning - have you been out for a run?

 

[Maria2206]

I did W3D2 today. I was wondering what speed other people run? I usually do ~8.5km/hour, slowed down to 8 for the last 3 minute run though as I was feeling worn out lol.

My friend runs at just over 7 but when I try and run at that speed I find it too slow, which is really odd as she is taller than me and has longer legs lol.

Dreading moving on to week 4 and having to run for 5 minutes straight! I felt the same about running for 3 minutes though and I managed that.

You certainly run quicker than I do. I probably do about 7.5km now and I used to be slower. Don't look too far ahead at the program details and just listen to your own body. If you are comfortable at 8km+ then keep at it but if you struggle when you come to do your 5 minute run, just slow it right down and you will get through it.

 

[Maria2206]

I vary depending on length of run etc! I managed w6r2 today! Delighted x

Well done! You've already got through the hardest run of all (in my opinion it's the last run of week 5) and everything thereafter builds on that. Keep it up!

 

[Maria2206]

So I ran my 3rd run back after my hip injury. I started with Wk6 Run1 last Sunday then did a run/walk combination on Tuesday morning of W5min-R6min-W5-R12-W3-R7. Today I did a 5 min warm up and then 19mins run, 5 min walk, 7 mins run, 4 mins walk and so far I have no hip pain and I can see I am improving. I am so relieved, having graduated the C25K and then having to go back a few weeks, to see that I am able to build it up again.

Happy running everyone!

 

[BlueCow]

You certainly run quicker than I do. I probably do about 7.5km now and I used to be slower. Don't look too far ahead at the program details and just listen to your own body. If you are comfortable at 8km+ then keep at it but if you struggle when you come to do your 5 minute run, just slow it right down and you will get through it.

Thanks for the advice. I just find that when I go under 8 I don't really feel like I'm running.

May well have to slow down a bit when I try a 5 minute run, will see how it goes...

 

[MaccaMarsh]

I did W3D2 today. I was wondering what speed other people run? I usually do ~8.5km/hour, slowed down to 8 for the last 3 minute run though as I was feeling worn out lol.

My friend runs at just over 7 but when I try and run at that speed I find it too slow, which is really odd as she is taller than me and has longer legs lol.

Dreading moving on to week 4 and having to run for 5 minutes straight! I felt the same about running for 3 minutes though and I managed that.

Hi BlueCow, congratulations on your excellent progress so far! I did most of C25K on the dreadmill in the gym and pitched it around 8kph for the "runs" and 6 - 6.5 for the walks. I did find that as the distances got longer I had to slow it down a little temporarily, and then gradually increase it again by the time I graduated. The best lesson I learned was to do it at my pace and not worry about what others are doing. Your body will tell you what is right for you. If you've still got a bit left in the tank at the end of a session then maybe push it a shade harder next time. If you feel like your number is up when you get to the end then you've probably got it about right! And also there will be good days and less-good days when something that felt easy a couple of days ago seems impossible. Just keep going, build your stamina and create the habit of getting out and doing it!

The other thing that I found a real help was to add a gradient of maybe 1 or 1.5 to make the transition to outdoors a little easier. I'm really glad I did that now, I love running outdoors now that I am more confident in my own ability and the preparation with the gradient really helped. I'm still quite slow I think, I did a smidge over 5 miles on Sunday which took me an hour, but it's 5 miles I wouldn't even have contemplated a year ago (and 5 stones heavier). Keep up the good work!

 

[MaccaMarsh]

So I ran my 3rd run back after my hip injury. I started with Wk6 Run1 last Sunday then did a run/walk combination on Tuesday morning of W5min-R6min-W5-R12-W3-R7. Today I did a 5 min warm up and then 19mins run, 5 min walk, 7 mins run, 4 mins walk and so far I have no hip pain and I can see I am improving. I am so relieved, having graduated the C25K and then having to go back a few weeks, to see that I am able to build it up again.

Happy running everyone!

Maria, great to hear that the hip is giving you less trouble! I also ran myself into problems last year with a stress fracture in my foot and then achilles tendinopathy. Patience is the key, as I found out the hard way. Hope you continue to make progress and those pesky joints behave themselves!

 

[MaccaMarsh]

I vary depending on length of run etc! I managed w6r2 today! Delighted x

Wow, way to go! I feel very nostalgic seeing people post the runs they have completed, I LOVED C25K, what a sense of achievement! Keep up the good work hun!

 

[MaccaMarsh]

After weeks of my other half thinking I'm daft for complaining that the cold air was ruining my running and beginning to wonder whether I did get that unfit after rest at Christmas I proved it! 10 degrees rather than 3 and back to my pre clock change times! Just hope it doesn't get too cold again!

Jen, I'm with you, I can't run outside in the cold, my chest can't cope. I'm not asthmatic, but I've always needed an inhaler in cold weather. So pleased the temperature is picking up again, but I am still doing mid-week runs on the dreadmill and saving longer ones for the weekend when I can go out later in the day. I found five miles in my legs on Sunday, but they're letting me know about it today! Well done for sticking with it and getting back to your best times. What do other halves know anyway?

 

[Maria2206]

Maria, great to hear that the hip is giving you less trouble! I also ran myself into problems last year with a stress fracture in my foot and then achilles tendinopathy. Patience is the key, as I found out the hard way. Hope you continue to make progress and those pesky joints behave themselves!

I totally agree Macca. I pushed it on one of my runs and went backwards because of the hip pain until I just had to stop. I am being much more sensible over the next couple of weeks by doing run/walk combo's.

Well done of the 5 mile run. I had built up to just shy of 4 miles when my hip went. I never thought I would see the day when I could run 1 mile, never mind 4. A 5 mile run is still a thing of my future.

Are you going to enter for any events?

 

[MaccaMarsh]

I agree Maria, who'd have thought even a year ago that I would run five miles? And by choice! I did a couple of parkruns last year, the first was my C25K "graduation" run and then another about a month later. Then I had to stop because of the injuries and I've only really got back running again since the new year. I get very caught up in the excitement of things like the Great North Run, London Marathon and all that good stuff. I sit there and think, what fantastic events to be a part of! But I think they're a little way off for me yet. I only really started running to get some stamina in my legs so I could go back and play hockey again - I never intended to enjoy it, but somehow it got under my skin! Unfortunately the injuries put paid to the hockey for this season as well but there's always next season. For now, I think I'll get back to parkrun on a Saturday and try to work on my PB.

How about you hun, what's the big plan once your hip is fixed?

 

[BlueCow]

FINALLY finished week 3! So nervous to start week 4 - was already worried about running 5 minutes straight and also just realised you run for 7 more minutes than week 3! Seems a big jump.

 

[MaccaMarsh]

Wow, well done! Just trust the plan hun, I promise you will surprise yourself!

 

[SkinniMinnie]

Bah, I'm currently doing an 8 minute run, 5 min walk and another 8min run. That's grand. But tomorrow I'm supposed to do a 20 min run! I honestly don't think I'm able for it just yet. The app even says to "not worry, you've been building up to this". Eh,no. I'm struggling with the 8 min runs still. I can do them but it's hard. I can't imagine trying to more than double it!

 

[MaccaMarsh]

Same advice SkinniMinnie, trust the plan, trust Laura. That is the infamous week 5 run 3 which it is entirely possible to completely psych yourself out of and fail before you've even started. I know, because I did it. It was the first (and last) one that beat me.

When you started the plan did you ever think you'd be running for sixteen minutes? I'm guessing the answer is "hell no!". But that's what you're doing... This is just four minutes more and actually taking out the walk in the middle can help more than you think because your rhythm isn't interrupted. It's hard at the moment because it's SUPPOSED to be hard. You're challenging your mind and your body more than you are used to, and making both do things that neither thought were possible. Your body can do it, you've put in the training and it is entirely capable. But it doesn't need your mind telling it that it can't, so you need to go at it with the same spunk and enthusiasm that you had for week 1 run 1.

Just go and do your thing, start very steady and slow down from your normal pace if you need to.

But. Don't. Give. Up.

I can't wait to hear how well you did and how brilliant you feel afterwards!