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!

Going sightly against the grain here @onedropbeat, but I'd highly recommend running anyway. Exercise can ease the pain (plus it's a massive distraction!)

The hardest bit is getting going, but once you're out there, you're likely to feel much better. And while some runners say it affects performance, others experience the opposite. Paula Radcliffe famously broke the marathon world record while suffering with heavy period cramps - which is pretty inspirational, I think!

www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a27478127/running-periods/

OneDrop take care of yourself. If you are in pain now, don’t make it worse by running. Listen to your body. You don’t need to compare yourself to Paula Radcliffe. Why not try a gentle walk, you will be out and exercising. Don’t push it.

I would also second just getting out there - I was always "taught" to crack on if you can as exercise would help and although it never feels like it will when you put your trainers on it really does.
Judge how bad it is for yourself obviously, if you're doubled up in agony then gentle stretching might be the way to go

Well I've been! Ran 10 minutes, walked for 3, ran for 10 minutes. Didn't feel too awful. Do many people out walking tho so did have to keep dodging people! Now just need to stick at it. Planning to do the same again on Friday. Well done to everyone else who got our there today 🏃‍♀️

The point is, @DobbyTheHouseElk , exercise has been proven to reduce period cramps, not make them worse.

Don't believe me though, believe a published academic study involving 14,000 participants:

www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a26867925/exercise-period-pain-study/

Massive well done @emilyjeff ! It wasn't easy out there today. Where I am, there's still thick slushy snow around, which makes for a more "immersive" experience

As I said before fellrunner. This is a really lovely thread for encouragement for C25K runners.

Well I had to bale out of my run today (week 2 run 2). I’ve got sciatica type pain right down my right hip/bum cheek and I’m so peed off about it 🙁 I was expecting issues with my knee but not this. I decided I shouldn’t just keep running and hope it goes away so I’m taking a break for a few days, going to do some stretches and Pilates and I’ve got a chiropractor booked for Monday.

I so want to start up again as even though I’d only just started, I could already feel the benefit on my mental health.

@inastatus, don't know if this is useful, but try googling illiotibial band (ITB) pain, and see if you think it could be that. It's very common, particularly in new runners.
If it is ITB, it's pretty easily fixed with foam rolling and stretching exercises, if you catch it soon enough.

My cramps subsided enough just in time for me to go. I didn’t put any pressure on and just said I would at least do 30mins whether that is walking or jogging.
It was hard going, more so than my previous runs but I’m glad I did.
My pad wasn’t up to it and I’m glad I was running in the dark in black leggings.
My big toe bled through to my sock too.
It wasn’t even in pain so no idea how that happened.
I’ve got new trainers coming tomorrow in a bigger size. I wished I could have held on until shops were open but I couldn’t.

I’m running in hiking socks (I thought that better than my thin office type socks) so possibly in need of socks too.

What socks is everyone using?

I try to run regardless of time of the month. Just don't worry about speed. I generally feel better for doing it, but tend to give it 5- 10 minutes before deciding. There's nothing wrong with deciding a run isn't working, much more productive than assuming. My run yesterday was so much more successful than I had thought while prevaricating about it for an entire hour!

I would say be careful about underwear/san pro choices - my usual go to big pants were a chafing nightmare - ideally I use a tampon/mooncup for running. Less of an issue than cycling obviously!

I haven’t used a tampon since before I was pregnant with #1 DC
No idea why I’m so wary of going in there

I’ve used pads every since . I’ve just moved over to washable ones and they seem more comfortable than plasticky ones at least

One day il give a moon cup a try but not ready yet

I use reusable pads mostly, just had a 'mare with my last run. Doesn't help that it was wet weather so absorbent cotton wasn't my friend!

That's brilliant @Onedropbeat. It's so hard to find the motivation when you're feeling rough; so massive kudos to you

If you're after socks, Decathlon's Kalenji running socks are as good as some of the more expensive brands. I'd avoid the very cheapest ones, but get the medium-range ones that are £3.99 for two pairs. Honestly, they're on a par with some Hilly ones I've had that are more than five times the price:

www.decathlon.co.uk/p/invisible-comfort-running-socks-2-pack//R-p-165395?mc=8488000&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Surfaces%20For%20Google&utm_content=8488000-2501226&iv=iv_p_1_g_106843029532_c_436894719282_w_pla-1156448543886_n_g_d_m_v__l__t__r_x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_8488000-2501226_z_GB_i_en_j_1156448543886_s__e__h_9046671_ii__vi&gclid=CjwKCAiAsOmABhAwEiwAEBR0ZjluD5bT9YErxkpI3hrkbEOzFkl7dWO-LctZyniY_N9LL3djbCrvBBoCWEAQAvD_BwE

I got some socks from More Miles along with my Running Tights and trail shoes I bought last week. They seem good. I ideally run in compression socks, most have been from Sports Direct (Karrimor) and Aldi. All have been fine, just starting to get holes at around 4 years of use (I used them for not running when pregnant). I'm also ok with thin cotton socks but can only get away with hiking socks in my biggest shoes.

@fellrunner85 - thank you. It certainly could be my IT band. I’ll order a foam roller and try that with some stretching.

I have the same socks as fellrunner
decathlon has decent stuff, worth a go if you live near one and it's allowed to open
what do you all do about smelly running kit (x5 here)? I'm fed up with it stinking up the bathroom, but also don't really want to wash stuff that could deal with another mudbath run.

Decathlon is fairly reasonable for delivery charges and for slightly less will click and collect to ASDA other than big stuff (sledge wouldn't). I'm trying to wait until we "need" more things and sneak some of the run warm tights in with stuff for the rest of the family... My 5yo has a pair and they look great! Regretting not picking up a pair for me with our last (mini sledges) order or when I bought hers before we got tied to our counties.

I just got back from a sleety run. Should have got out earlier when it was just raining but prevaricated! Watched the weather forecast and decided I'd better get out tonight rather than struggle with snow and especially ice!

@Therearenomore - I vividly remember this my first week or so - thump thump thump. I was wondering if my headphones were dodgy. I don't hear it anymore though - either my running has for smoother, or I just got used to the noise, it fixed itself without me having to consciously do anything about it!

@Blobby10 - I know it seems like madness that you can do the 20 minute run, but you CAN. The program is so well designed - if you've done all the other runs, your body can do it. You just need to believe it (and I didn't believe it until about half way through). And start slower than you think you need to go - you can speed up later if you want to.

@Cavagirl and @DobbyTheHouseElk - think we'll all be hopefully finishing about the same time! You both sound a bit faster than me, I'm finding 28 minutes hard going - but I'm also sure I can manage the extra 2 minutes next week. Which feels crazy, given where I started two months ago! My route is a smidgen over 5k but that takes me the 28 minutes running plus the 10 minutes walking - no garmin or strava though, I've measured the distance on Google Maps.

@YouFightLikeADairyFarmer well done. Nearly there. I’m amazed I can do this. I messed up my distance today which was annoying. I’ll try to plan better next time. I was so keen to get out I wasn’t really thinking where I was going. Plus next time I’ll remember my sports bra. Might have been faster if I wasn’t trying to hold everything in my bra!

W3r3 done. Feeling a bit daunted about the increase to week 4, but telling myself I felt the same way before I started week 3!

Hi all, hope you're having a good week! I just completed week 5, hooray! Running for 20 minutes wasn't as bad as I thought. My pace was pretty slow (7:50 per km) but I'm trying not to get to obsessed with that as my body is still adjusting!

Does anyone else get a stitch in their shoulder sometimes? Is that a thing, or is my body just freaky?! Haha.

Does anyone else get a stitch in their shoulder sometimes?

are you maybe clenching your hands? holding a phone?
or are you too cold?

those are the msin reasons for me tensing up in the back/shoulders.

@redcandlelight

None of the above, but maybe i don't swing my arms "loosely" enough? 🤔

@Trulyatraditionalman Well done!!!! 👏👏👏