Brave new week...

[CarolineLou71]

Completed Couch to 5k at the start of this week and have kept going through the week quite well! Putting it into words again on here for some form of accountability and also to attempt to commit to the Bridge to 10k which I hope to start next week.

I ran another week 9 run, just to be sure I'd done it (!) and then today braved a new challenge by attending a running drill session at the local woods. Having moved a few hours up-country last year, I don't really know anyone to run with, so joined a Facebook page for local runners and this training was advertised on there.

I made every effort to talk myself out of going, in spite of really wanting to progress with my running. Thankfully, my dear younger son, who is learning to drive, suggested taking me to the woods for a spot of driving training and then he walked the dogs while I joined the group. Great little motivator

Interesting to see how the journey progresses now. Certainly feels more difficult than when I did Couch to 5k five years ago, but perhaps that's partly down to me feeling less focussed, being in a completely new area and all the upheaval of the move. I also didn't do Bridge to 10k last time, so cautiously excited for this! Hopefully my running 'career' will be more permanently established this time and last a good long time.

This morning's group also meet at a park once a week for a bootcamp type session, so I might try that too, as a way of getting to know some other folk around here (now that the family is all settled it'll be nice to get myself going too). Hopefully that'll support the Bridge to 10k runs nicely - any thoughts, contrary or otherwise?!

[Hidden]

Hi CarolineLou, welcome to the big girls place.... (I still feel a fraud here btw)

Did you read Bluebirdrunner excellent post on consolidation post graduation. I found it invaluable as there are so many choices to make - speed, interval training, distance 10k, hal marathons etc etc etc. It was just too confusing for me, so I focussed on keeping the running legs I have by doing the 5k and 30 minutes runs regularly still 3 x a week.

Then I started upping my distance by 0.5km a week and now am up to 7km, still cant do 5k in 30 minutes mind you, but think I may aim for speed, after I've reached 10k distance.

The group idea sounds a fab new way of keeping running and the bootcamp sounds a great addition too. I'm no expert as you know,so maybe other more experienced folk can chip in with thoughts. But well done on keeping it going.

[CarolineLou71 in reply to Hidden]

That sounds great, thank you - I think your plan sounds perfect to me. I’m only branching out a bit for the social side, being such a newbie around here.

I’ll take a peek at Jan’s post too but often find my brain struggles to remember to put one foot in front of the other still, so daren’t try to get too complicated 😂

Exciting times - and well done for pressing on so well yourself ☺️

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Hi CarolineLou,

Good luck with your training to get to 10k.

ju-ju- created a 6 week plan a while ago which has three different length runs a week that builds up to 10k. You can find it in the pinned posts on this site. I know quite a few people were successful with it.

I tried the Sammi Murphy B210k and got as far as 3 x 17 mins with 2 one minute walk breaks, but this was too much to do more than once a week and I've now gone back to running without walk breaks again. I'm building slowly and every now and then do a short recovery run, and even take a week off.

There will be good advice from 10k graduates, but I have learned that not every run needs to be 'pushing on'..

Hope your new running group activities are enjoyable and that you meet new friends.😊x

[CarolineLou71 in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks, Jan, I’ll look into that post too. I appreciate hearing your experience because running progress is coming that bit harder for me than when I was younger, so your words sound very wise.

It’s nice to know there’s the other alternative and ‘pushing on’ is certainly not high on my agenda the majority of days! I want to extend myself but in the best and safest way.

It seems a friendly world, this running ‘family’ we find ourselves in, both online and in the flesh, so yes, let’s hope there’s lots of fun ahead and plenty of it x

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

It all sounds great Caroline as there's lots of variety. You have the right attitude in wanting to try different things and the two sessions are great to complement your running. Just remember to include the drill session in your weekly total 10% increase as you build up to 10K. But it all sounds a lot of fun! Keep us posted.

[CarolineLou71 in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks for the encouragement and that very good point! There’s so much to learn and I’m so thankful to have the combined brains of you all to help along the way 😊