If you've lost your exercise/running mojo, come on in for a Christmas countdown .....

[lechatnoir]

I've not done any significant exercise for the past 9 months, have put on 1.5 stone, taken up smoking again after years away and feel like shit as a result plus add peri-menopausal symptoms Working from home , lack of money and general feeling of negativity everywhere hasn't helped and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In a fit of madness I signed up for a HM for next March but need a kick up the arse and a serious overhaul before I can even start to think about following a running plan. Ive got 7 weeks before I start training but think 8 weeks is more realistic and will also tie in nicely with the festive season (right now I just want to hibernate not party).

So aims are:
Get basic fitness levels up and gently resume running
Build some strength and flexibility
Stop smoking (day 3 and counting)
Include some proper self-care - early nights, hair colouring more regularly, just a bit of pampering occasionally.

Get back in the habit of regular exercise with some sort of weekly timetable.

Anyone want to join me and post for support, encouragement, ideas and give each other a proverbial kick up the arse along way?

Good luck @londonmummy1966!! You’ll smash it.

For my part, I went on a run for the first time today!! Woo!!! Was cleared by the physio this week to give it a try. First one since early January 2022 and the fracture.

@illiterato and @FlySwimmer thank you - I did my little loosen up run in Green Park and saw the grandstands etc all in place.😮

Flyswimmer well done on the run - I hope it went well and felt good!!

Have a great time @londonmummy1966 !

10k this morning. I am getting faster but it's taking so long to get there compared with 10 years ago!

THank you @SydneyCarton - I did! The crowds were amazing - literally hundreds of people calling your name along the route. In some places the support was almost overwhelming. There were a few bits in the loop east of Tower Hill that were really hard going but once I got back to the Tower and knew its only a parkrun to go (and anyone can do a parkrun right?) it all come together. I actually managed a 4 minute half marathon PB in the second half which was brilliant. I can say however that the bucket list is well and truly ticked and it will be a once in a lifetime experience.

I managed a conditioning and stretch session and a short swim this morning which made a huge difference to my achy legs. Now I'm going to follow a 4 week post marathon recovery plan and then boosted by the second half I'll be looking to train to beat that half marathon PB!

Very well done @londonmummy1966!!! 🏆I was thinking of you yesterday.

@FlySwimmer - thank you

Oh well done @londonmummy1966 ! It looked like good running weather as well, or was it a bit too much rain?

Got out for a 5K this morning and tried one of the week 4 couch to 5K runs, as I was worried that too much Jeffing was affecting my stamina. Came in with a slower overall average pace, middling effort rating on Strava and no increase in fitness (according to Strava) so looks like Jeffing has its benefits. Too much walking on the C25K runs I think.

@SydneyCarton - thank you. There's some sort of magic about Jeffing that means I'm always faster when I take walk breaks. I still find it hard to get my head around. I do sometimes skip every other walk break or aim to run a mile non stop in shorter runs but it has realtively little impact on speed unless its right at then end and I'm pushing all out which wouldn't be sustainable anyway.

Whoop!! Reverse split in the London Marathon is pretty awesome- well done!! Agree Isle of Dogs is the hardest bit.

@londonmummy1966 You're right about the magic of Jeffing (did you Jeff in the marathon or run straight through?). I've just done 3.5 miles at my usual 2 mins run 30 secs walk and have an average pace 30 secs/mile faster than the C25K run I did on Monday which had longer running sections 🤔. Also better relative effort and improved fitness score on Strava, which is all I'm here for 😂

@SydneyCarton I Jeffed the whole thing 60:30 until the 385 yards to go sign. No way could I run 26 miles straight - 385 was more than enough..... I've been training with that ratio for the long runs and 75:25 on the shorter ones although with some stretches of those I'll skip every other walk - that does make me faster as I'll have established my running pace by then so I stick to it despite the run being longer. However the time I really noticed an increase in speed was a few years ago when I switched from 3min:1min to 90:30 as the much shorter interval meant I ran a lot faster. (How to get a 10k PB in one easy step....)

I haven't done a 10K for ages but I must try it Jeffing - I think it would definitely be a PB! I skipped a couple of walking breaks today on the downhill stretch of my run which is just under a mile with no impact on speed - was glad of them when tanking up the next hill though 😓

I jeffed my marathon. Not only did I feel the benefits on the day, particularly miles 20-25, but my recovery has been similar to running hard on a HM which isn't bad and could have been much worse especially with a fairly recent history of injury.

On that note, I've signed up to a summer HM for some fresh motivation on familiar ground.

I must be feeling more recovered now because I'm beginning to get twitchy! I ached and took it easy for the first few days then felt superficially fine and picked up gentle, low impact cross training, but my legs still felt dead and heavy. I've still gone easy this week and can feel that spring coming back.

3 gym sessions this week I’ve switched up my routine with weights/bodyweight stuff a bit so that’s been fun refreshing.

Hoping to get the 3rd C25K run in over the weekend. My husband has joined me, which is nice, but also means I have to run slower than I might otherwise, which is probably a good thing as I transition back into it (I realise this sounds mean about my poor DH But he’s definitely not a runner so I’m grateful to him!)

Parkrun…… 24:16!!! Broke 25 mins for first time in about 5 years. V v happy!!

Smashed it 😁

I've had a good parkrun too. First sub-30 since 2019 and by a good margin too.

@illiterato that is amazing well done. @BogRollBOGOF well done - I was pleased with 29:31 yesterday being my first sub 30 for quite a while.

A fairly relaxing week after last SUnday... I did a conditioning session and a swim on Monday to stretch and loosen the legs so I didn't have to walk downstairs backwards. A 2 mile jog on Thursday followed by a session of exercises from my physio, S&C and a swim on Friday and an hours run today.

@illiterato @BogRollBOGOF well done both!

I managed some gym & C25K over the last week. This week I’m hoping to get some swims in.

How’s everyone doing? I was at the gym yesterday. I’m contemplating going for a C25K session later this afternoon but need a kick up the backside some motivation.

I’m away for a night with work later this week and discovered the hotel has a pool! Though it looks titchy. I’m contemplating whether to just enjoy it, versus booking a session at the proper 25m pool which is close by the hotel…

Two runs in two days for me, which is unusual - 5K yesterday and 3K today. Rest day tomorrow with a bit of walking to and from the station and work. Jealous of the hotel pool @FlySwimmer! Actually, tbh, jealous of the whole night away

@FlySwimmer why not just enjoy for a change? I booked a night away after the marathon with a pool so I could enjoy just floating about.... I think we often don't indulge ouselves with doing nothing very often.

I managed 3 runs an elliptical session and two swims last week but I'm a bit behind so far this week as I should have run on Sunday but managed to start glugging champagne at lunchtime which rather wiped out the rest of the day exercise wise.... 8 miles yesterday but it seemed rather a long way which wasn't what I'd expected.

Sorry guys- totally dropped off this thread. Am still plodding along. I did my relay race. It was a bit of a shock to the system as I was not well trained for the terrain but we actually did much better than expected and had a fun weekend away. Just getting back into it now and looking ahead to my Swiss race in September and a half marathon in October.

@illiterato me too - life gets in the way sometimes. I've just had a week in Athens - too hot to run and no elliptical in the hotel gym so its had to be sessions in the rooftop pool - accompanied by rose... Life is hard sometimes. Plan on hitting the gym today as the coollest place in London.

I had a week off at half term as we went away with my parents and siblings all together in a lovely holiday house. I did actually bring my running kit but never actually made it out of the door 😬. Back on it with a couple of 5Ks this week (trying out my birthday Shokz which I am loving!).

Not looking forward to the increase in heat though, I’m not a fan of it generally but even less so for running. My Strava activity takes a real dip from July to September 🤣