C25K encouragement continued

[Jibberoo]

Hi everyone

I've started this thread as I couldn't add any more posts to the other one. Hopefully you all find this thread!!

Hope everyone had enjoyed their day - so bored at home right now I'm glad I have the run to look forward to. Waited till it got dark and I headed out with my new running buddy - my 11yo ds. Yes he ran ahead of me and stopped a few times so I could catch up, but we ran 4.46km in 33mins and I'm so proud of both of us! (And little dog of course who's my faithful running buddy). It was a bit drizzly tonight which was actually quite nice as it wasn't that cold so the rain cooled me off a bit.

I've been thinking of how I can improve my stride length and I wonder if I can use my rest days to do W1r1 and try to do it with much longer strides? Seeing my son running I realise how inefficient my stride is. If I can only learn to open my stride I could run much further in the same time. If I can walk tomorrow I might try that to see if I can.

Hope everyone is enjoying their runs today!

I did it! It was a bit of a struggle and I was a bit naughty timing it so the end of my run was my front door and I skipped the cool down walk... feels like Sarah Millican would gently tell me off for that!

It really is just about getting out and keeping going, isn't it? I promised myself early on I could do a shorter run if I was struggling, but when I got to 20 minutes I knew I could keep going for the last 5. Not thrilled about W8 and the prospect of 28 minutes next week, though.

Thanks for the encouragement - part of my motivation was thinking I wouldn't want to admit I wimped out of going today! And well done @DobbyTheHouseElk - I've found week 7 so hard, I hope the next couple of weeks running are a bit easier, otherwise I'm worried I'll lose all enthusiasm.

Congrats on starting, @Onedropbeat - totally with you in looking forward to brighter mornings and lighter evenings, I absolutely can't face running in the dark!

Well done farmer, glad you made it out. Whoop!

It’s interesting that you are finding w7 tough. I thought it was me being a bit pathetic.

I think once I can do 25 mins..2 more isn’t going to be an issue. It’s the other 25 mins that’s the problem. In fact the first 15 mins are the worst.

Hoping it’s part lockdown, part January, part low temps. Once spring is here I will be leaping about like a spring lamb and looking like a proper runner.

I found the stepup from 20 to 25 min running really hard as well (didn't help that we had a heat wave at the time)
step ups after that were fine.

I’m wondering if I need more than a days rest. Maybe that’s why I’m struggling. Today the first 10 mins were hard. It actually got easier as I went along.

I can’t run now til weds, so I’ll see what’s happens then. I’m going to walk on the other days to maintain strength.

Hi
I've just found this thread and desperately need some encouragement.
I did C25K about 3 years ago, completed the 9 weeks and kept it up for a while but then stopped due to joint pain.
I then convinced myself I have dodgy joints and shouldn't run (conveniently giving me an excuse to sit on the sofa and do no exercise).
Anyway, I decided to give it another go this year. I made it through the first 3 weeks with no problems but just got to w4 and have really sore knees (while running and after).
What do I do? Give up? Stick with it but try to change my technique (I've read landing on mid or front foot is better for knees)? Try to see a physio to work out what's wrong?

@WhereAreWeNow
see a physio if you can. to find out if your joints have an issue or if it's due to shoes or posture.

Dobby I've been finding W7 tough too. I am thinking of redoing it as the idea of moving on to 28 minutes after just one more run when I find 25 pretty tough is demotivating, I don't think I'll enjoy it at all. Having said that if I'd taken that approach through the whole programme I'd still be on W1! So, not sure really. One thing I've noticed is that I think I've been getting away with being lazy around strength training in between runs and stretching, and I think W7 is shining a light in that dark corner now! I may still redo it, I'll see how R3 goes.

Welcome @WhereAreWeNow ! I have no knee advice I'm afraid but DP really suffers with his knees so I totally sympathise! Based on his experience I'd suggest icing after runs and get yourself looked at, if you've not had them done before. But I'm sure the wise heads on this thread will be along soon too with better advice.

Cava I was walking more and working outside but that’s all stopped with lockdown.

I’m going to do some strength work on rest days and walk more on rest days.

I’m sure I can run for 28 mins now, but in a miserable way! I’ve lost my bounce with running, it’s really hard work.

This will sound silly, but as I started my run I passed some “proper” runners, who gave me a withering look. I was struggling along and they were fast, bouncing and in all the gear in neon. I felt very dispirited and it took a while to shake off.

Thanks @Cavagirl and @redcandlelight. I might try again tomorrow but only on soft ground (I've been running half on pavements and half on grass) and see how I go. Then I'll try to find out if any physios are doing in person consultations in lockdown.

@WhereAreWeNow do you have a foam roller? I found rolling the back of my legs after a run made a huge difference when I was starting out.

@DobbyTheHouseElk please push through that feeling.

I felt exactly like you at that stage but I continued (I run in the dark to avoid people seeing me even now) , but this weekend I did a 10K in 1 hour 6 minutes.

I'm fully aware that's not lightning speed but for me it was an absolute impossibility at the stage you're at.

The only thing I have done is not quit

You've got this. Just maybe take a leaf out of my book and don't look at Instagram where they all seem to run a hundred miles without breaking a sweat or ruining their swishy ponytails

@Inniu I haven't heard of a foam roller. I'll look into that, thanks.

@DobbyTheHouseElk I know that feeling. Sometimes I feel like I'm just dragging my body along and it's really dispiriting when better runners bounce past effortlessly. Don't let them put you off though. It's not a competition.

just back from a relaxed run with the teens.
5k and quite hilly. uff.

it's lively to run with them as they get chatty and actually tell me the stuff that's worrying them.
but it's hard to keep up with them, youth and long legs, eh.

it's lovely (and lively) to run with the teens that should say.

@schoolcook I’m not giving up don’t worry. I’ve put too much in to this to quit. I don’t have Instagram so I can’t see swishing ponytails, although I do have a fairly swishy one myself.

No neon running gear though!

@WhereAreWeNow it’s the first time I’ve seen any other runners. Normally I see dog walkers and no one around here dresses up for anything other than the weather so neon running gear was odd. I gave myself a stiff talking to and felt better on the second half of the run.

I want to carry on. I think it’s the running conditions making me sluggish. It’s the first part that’s the hardest. Once I’m warmed up and I’ve been running for 15 mins I’m ok. Quite an achievement in itself really.

Maybe I need to walk faster on the warm up. I’m sort of “travelling” to my run location then, so it’s not always easy to power along. I do try.

Weds will be the next run so I’m hoping the weather is warmer- snowing here at the moment.

Dobby good to read your post I’m the same! I have been trying to replicated my w9 runs but failing every time, finding it very hard work and getting quite dispirited. Also getting lower back pain and stiffness which I never get and think it’s the running.

I am giving myself a few days off and then am going to go back and restart at w5 or w6. I’d rather aim less high but complete it than try to do 30 min and not manage it.

dobbie
how you feel on your run doesn't necessarily mirror your achievement.
sometimes I have hate-every-moment runs that feel awful and like hard work just keeping going. others just flow.
strava often tells me that my hard runs were a lot of fasted than my flowy ones.

our bodies do strange things.

minie do you get too cold after a run? that's when I tense up and get stiff & achey in my back.

Thank you red it’s only the last two runs this has happened. Prior to that I was happy and enjoying (ish) the run.

I want to run, so I don’t think it’s mental. Although it could be.

It’s like dragging my body along til it warms up. I’m sure it’s due to the running conditions. Trying to run on flooded and icy paths is not fun in anyway.

I will take on board everything you’ve all said. I’m not going to quit. I want to achieve this. I’m so close. Only one more run and I’ll be on week 8!!

Can I join in? I've just started week 2

I started once before about 5 years ago but gave up at the long run at the end of week 5.. couldn't get my head around it.

So far I'm finding it an effort to make myself go out but really enjoying the energy boost and the glow when I have done it.

on running gear - I have a salmon pink fleece that my dc call 'skin coloured' as I get very red faced when running :o

@redcandlelight

dobbie how you feel on your run doesn't necessarily mirror your achievement. sometimes I have hate-every-moment runs that feel awful and like hard work just keeping going. others just flow. strava often tells me that my hard runs were a lot of fasted than my flowy ones.

our bodies do strange things.

minie do you get too cold after a run? that's when I tense up and get stiff & achey in my back.

Yes I do! I get very shivery and have to spend ages in the shower to warm up properly. Partly my fault as I ought to get in the shower immediately but there’s always something needs doing!

Good tip red thanks - I will make sure I don’t let myself get to the shivery stage and hopefully that will help the back.

W7R3 done! Very icy out there which kept me nicely distracted trying not to slide over! Despite what felt like a herculean effort to get myself out there I kind of enjoyed it and feeling like I might move to W8 now instead of redoing W7...I still feel very slow though. As always, once I'm home I'm really glad I did it. This thread is great for accountability!!

Well done @Cavagirl! Impressive - I've decided not to go out today and risk breaking myself on all the ice! W8 will have to wait another day.

I find it really reassuring that it's not just me that struggled with W7 (@Cavagirl and @DobbyTheHouseElk). "Lost my bounce" is exactly how I've felt lately - hoping it'll come back after W8.

I think I need to get over the idea that every run has to be better or faster or longer than the last one - some days will feel better than others, it'll be slow progress, and that's ok.

Yes 100% DairyFarmer (I love your name BTW!)
I almost posted yesterday to ask if anyone had any tips on how to get faster before having a word with myself that I hadn't actually run 5k yet!
I think the progress feels quite slow from the ramping up through the early weeks where it felt like you were really achieving something new every run to now - run 25 minutes, and then do it again. Now run 28 minutes. Etc. That's completely understandable but it's obviously a subtle mindset shift for the later weeks which I haven't entirely adjusted to let. I'm getting there though!!

I haven’t been out since Saturday due to DH work patterns. Hoping to go out soon and smash w7r3 or potter about like a t-Rex!

I think it’s about building stamina at the moment, maybe the speed will come later. I don’t think that’s an issue at the moment.

I’m hoping once running for 25 mins is more comfortable then the speed will naturally come next.