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!

Hi everyone, happy Christmas! Just found the new thread (bit late...!). Well done to everyone for keeping on going, especially those running in the mud!! I can’t do that at all, it’s such hard work on the legs.

I’ve surprised myself and kept up the running over Christmas, probably because there’s nothing else to do except separate squabbling children

Today I did w8r1- 28 minutes running and I think I did over 5k... I don’t use a proper app but my phone says I did 6.5k and that includes a 10 min walk at the start so hoping I got near to 5k running?

Stride length and speed is something I will worry about once I’ve completed the programme! Not sure what I’ll do then - maybe just keep repeating w9 for a while.

Today I really found my heart and lungs were protesting and even now a couple of hours post run I can feel them. Is that a) a good sign I am increasing fitness or b) a bad sign, see a doctor...?

Hi all, I'm on my I did my 5th week 4 run yesterday (they're all the same right?). So far I've completed it once (on my second attempt), but not managed it fully since. I have told myself that it's fine to repeat weeks if needed, but wondering what to do, as I found week 3 very manageable and enjoyed it, but I am really, really HATING week 4 and becoming a bit unmotivated and fed up that I'm unfitter than I originally thought . Thinking I may repeat week 3, but tweak it a little bit and change the 3 minute run to a 4 minute run, and eventually a 5 minute one? I have an interval timer app so could set it to this.

Did anyone else struggle with week 4?! I want to push myself, but I also want to not totally hate doing it .

...just to clarify, so far I've done five individual runs of week 4, not 5 weeks of it (yet!).

What part of the w4 is the problem AlrightTreacle? Can you slow right down and maybe start the 5 min run section a few seconds later? Are you going too fast?

@DobbyTheHouseElk

I think the 90 second walking section between the 3 and 5 minute run doesn't feel like enough time to get my breath, and the 5 minute run feels much harder than 3 minutes.

I am definitely not an expert @AlrightTreacle but, if 90 seconds for recovery is not enough to catch your breath, you really do need to slow down a bit more. Same with going to 5 min.

You have managed it once so you know you can do it! You could also see if there is an easier route you could take, e.g. flatter, not muddy, not into the wind etc. But mostly, just slow down. It is only temporary and it will definitely get easier.
Good luck.

I started yesterday after giving birth to my first in October. First run went well, looking forward to next (meant to be tomorrow but will have to be day after as OH is away for work)

AlrightTreacle are you jogging or running? I’ve been jogging, I’m not so out of breath so that the 90secs walk isn’t enough to give me a rest. I think try slowing the run right down and see if that helps.

I’ve completed w4 today, but I’m very slow running, but the same pace throughout. I’m going to try a faster pace at the end run if I have energy left.

AlrightTreacle absolutely not an expert here but I was so dreading W4 I did the 5 mins runs at a proper snails pace for R1. By that I mean, I could have walked faster but I was still "jogging". I must have looked like an idiot but I didn't care. It wasn't easy but meant I could do it which gave me a bit of confidence then to try a little bit faster. I'd suggest doing that, go super slow and focus on just finishing the 5 minutes. Also I've found it really helps thinking how far ish you'll likely need to run the interval. So if you can work that out eg I expect to start at the house on the corner and I'll have done the 5 minutes by that tree, then that might help. I'm useless at just hanging on without knowing how long/far I've got left.
Those at just a couple of things that helped me, I also think if you feel like you need to take a longer walking interval or do 4 mins run and build it up that's also totally fine.

how cold is it where you are?

I find that under 5 degrees I can really feel the run in my lungs.

I try to vary my runs, for mid week evening I have a well lit route, for weekend daytime I like to go out in the woods.

Hi all great running from everyone!
@AlrightTreacle I concur with the others - slow down on the runs of 90sec isn't giving you enough rest. To be fair when I started w4 I really felt the short walk too but I found a slower jogging pace sorted that out.

W9r2 done today and I ran for 36mins and was a whisker away from 5km! My app stopped working 3.5mins from the end of the walk and I was running waiting for jo to tell me to stop the walk but it never came so I kept running until I got to my run-no-more stop (point at which I have to walk if I want to cool down before getting home). When I looked at Strava it said I'd run 4.84km. So gutted as I felt really strong and could have easily run the extra 0.16km. Well at least now I have a mental note of where I need to run to hit 5km on the 1/1.

@redcandlelight it was probably around 3or 4 degrees running tonight. I love the cold and dark and find I run best at night. I'm hoping for cool evening on the 1st so I can run my 1st 5km.

Got to enjoy a soak with my Xmas pressie bath salts - all in all a great night.

It was 0 degrees with pavements like an ice rink at run time so I took a leaf out of serialrelocator's cross training book and went for a swim. 1st time I've been to my gym since we became Tier 3 and 1st swim for many months. I had the pool to myself and really enjoyed it. Hoping the snow and ice melts sufficiently to allow a NYE run to see the year out on Thursday

That was a cold run this morning !
I struggle to run any other time than straight out of bed - I've always just had a massive mug of tea the rest of the day and that doesn't lend well to a comfortable run.

W4R3 done! It's lovely out there today.
Sod's law as soon as I start actually enjoying it the dreaded shin splints have kicked in. At least - I'm calling it shin splints - it's one shin only, and it feels a bit like cramp in my shin when I'm running, with almost a sort of numbness at times. At the end of the run when I'm stretching I can't actually pull my front foot/toes up particularly high, it hurts a lot and also it just won't. Then 10 mins later and an easy walk back home it's absolutely fine. Does this sound like shin splints??
Trying to do lots of stretching now, hope that helps

doesn't sound like shin splints to me.
shin splints feel like bruising on the shins at first. they hurt when walking but it stops hurting during a run.

you need shoes that are big enough (usually at least one size bigger than your usual shoes) and don't tie them too tightly.

if you are prone to cramps, take a magnesium supplement after the run.

I take my hat off to all the early morning runners! Might have to plan a daylight jog for the last one of the year tomorrow before temperatures dip below zero

I can't run early mornings (at least Ithink so, haven't tried yet).

I'm an 'after sweater', it takes a while for me to start sweating but then sweat keeps coming for a while after I finished running. so running during lunch break is also out for me

New joiner here. W1R3 just completed. I'm a previous graduate (x2) but injury stopped me last time and it's taken me ages to get the motivation to restart.

All going well so far but I desperately need new running shoes (just about to glue a flappy bit of sole back on!). Tier 4 so will have to wait.

@redcandlelight thanks, that's interesting! Just tried a foam roller on the offending shin muscle which took my breath away... the other one is mostly fine. Very odd! I'll give the magnesium supplement a go too, thank you

Cavagirl that sounds like the calf cramps I was getting (i mentioned on previous thread). The muscle in my calf started feeling tight, then massively painful. I had some numbness too.

Mine was resolved when I got new trainers, it hasn't hurt since. I think I just needed more supportive ones. I also started taking a vit D, calcium, magnesium and zinc supplement so that might have helped too.

I ran my second 5k today, it started with hailstones about 5 mins in, then sleet

My nose seems really irritated by the combination of cold and exercise and hasn't stopped running since. This happened on my last run too, it gradually stopped after about 12 hours
Is it possible to be allergic to running?

Feeling very pleased with myself today - I finally cracked 5K [Grin] several weeks after finishing the programme. It took me 37:51 (just over 7min30s average per km) so I’m not going to break any records - but it’s a huge boost to me psychologically as I’ve never run at all before and can’t believe I can now run 5K. Now I’ve just got to work out what my next target is - getting faster over 5K or trying to go further (or both )...

@Talksunderwater

whoop whoop
that's excellent!

Fantastic @Talksunderwater I'm almost there with you. I decided to try running faster today and used w1r1 to help me. Dear god In Heaven that was hard!! Admittedly I was running much faster than normal - probably my running to catch the bus speed for 1st minute run then all I could muster was a running late for the bus speed on last minute. But my lungs were dying and I must say I did not enjoy it at all. Having said that I can see it will be great for fitness so will have to keep it up in between my longer jogs.

@Cavagirl I get something similar on the inside of my left shin - it's definitely muscular and it comes from the way I land on that foot. Only thing that helps apart from stretching is massage and that good old foam roller or pain.

Right time for a rest day and then it's 5km here I come on jan 1st! Good running all

Thanks both
Good luck for your 5K @Jibberoo. I was flagging at 4km (my more usual distance) and thought about slowing down to a walk. But in my internal mental battle I got annoyed with myself for being lazy - so forced myself to keep going. Just proves to me that it’s mostly a mental battle now that I don’t have Sarah in my ear encouraging me anymore!

Not quite up to date on all the posts but just wanted to 👏👏👏@Talksunderwater.

Also noticed some talk about running shoes. I absolutely LOVE my Hoka One Challenger ATR. Bought them after my DH switched to Hoka after persistent achilles problem in various other running shoes. I had asics before but also had problems (mainly knees)
The Hokas look odd and clunky, but they are actually very light and have felt amazing from the first run. Their odd shape basically propels your foot forward. The ATR is suitable for trail and road, which is a bonus for me. They do also do more hard core trail shoes or road specific. They are by some distance the best shoe either of us has experienced. Can you tell I love them? 😁
Unfortunately, they are a bit costly.