Hello 😊

*tiptoes in*

Hi there...i have been encouraged to come & say hello to the big kids over here 😁

I seem to be struggling a bit having finished the programme so any tips will be gratefully recieved 😊

*tiptoes out again*

[Elfe5 60minGraduate]

I have seen posts saying that quite a few people struggle at this stage. I made a new playlist of favourite music and kept to 3 times a week ( until interrupted by injury then illness 😡) I also found varying routes helpful & slightly slowed (my already slow) pace & found that I enjoyed all of the run more. Aiming for a Parkrun and then when ready ju-ju's bridge to 10k we're also targets which kept me focused. Hope something there helps!😃

[Hidden in reply to Elfe5]

Thankyou for that 😊

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

Brilliant, you are so welcome here.... what do you want to achieve now from your running? Speed, distance, consolidation?

[Hidden in reply to ju-ju-]

Thats half the problem i think...i dont really know?😁

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Helllo Claire, 😊

you have Graduated at just the right time. In a couple of weeks the clocks will go forward and we will have lovely light evenings. Spring is almost upon us, and going out for a run will feel more inviting with spring flowers and trees in blossom.

You can run for 30 minutes😊.....enjoy doing that. New playlist, new routes. There are the c25k + podcasts which you can do.

I had seen people talk about the zombie run app, and I fancied a change ...its actually quite fun and the one I'm doing is a 30 minute run. Quite exciting and satisying...do your warm up walk first, and you can play your own music with it..

You may want to start thinking about running for longer distances, and once you can manage 5k fairly comfortably, could think about Ju ju's 10k is the Magic number plan...

Have you thought about recording your runs on Strava or similar, you can look back over your runs and see how you are doing.

Most importantly, run for fun, for you and keep posting if it helps to motivate you.

Happy running 😊x

(Jan-now-runs)

[Hidden in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thankyou 😊 i have runkeeper at the moment which is fairly good...i think half the problem at the moment is that i am run down & still go out there expecting to run as if i am fighting fit but take it as a knock back when i dont!!!pesky lurgies need to disappear & let me get in with it 😁 x

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

You have taken some knocks Claire, and maybe running has become another thing you feel you must do..

Maybe, pressure off just go out for little joggettes as and when you feel like it, for the fresh airand headspace.

Things will improve for you, you will pick yourself up and you will be feeling better, soon hopefully.xx

[Hidden]

Great to see you here Claire! I did 30 minute runs for a little while, then began pushing the distance and am now doing ju-ju- 's 8 week 10k plan. xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I think i will stick to.that for now & see what happens...hows the 10k plan going?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Well, I had already run 6k a couple of times before I started it. Im on week 3 which has a 3.5k run, a 5k run and a 7k run. It’s a really good programme and is helping my pace etc. So Im enjoying it a lot.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thats really good 😊 maybe i am lacking structure & need it 😁

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I think the consolidating runs are quite important. They helped me build on what c25k gave me, and when my body was ready it had me running further. One evening I felt really energised and just kept going, and found I had done 6.1k. It took me about 50 minutes, but I felt brilliant. I could have kept going but decided to be sensible and not push too far. I had been gone so long that Mic phoned me to see if I was still alive!

To give you an idea, I graduated on 12th January, and here are my runs since, up to and including the 10k plan. Runs in kilometres: 2.30-3.39-4.33-4.21-2.83-2.42-2.73-4.36-4.12-6.07-2.36-3.23-5.64-2.64-2.60-5.51-3.36-6.00-5.01-4.15

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thats really good 😊 i think i just need to stop stressing haha 😂🤣 everybody i know is way ahead of me which doesnt help...so i end up with a very unhealthy comparison!!!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

No point comparing, since you missed so much with illness and stress. I remember how well you were doing before all the rubbish hit you: fast pace etc. You would be well ahead if you hadn't been through so much. Life crisis can be incredibly depleting so cut yourself some slack. You will soon pick up again. Be kind to yourself. Massive hug xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I reckon alot of it is because running is pretty much the only thing in my life that i have a choice in so even though i shouldnt run when i am poorly i guess i still do it because i can!!!

Thankyou very much xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I know what you mean. Just run for the joy of it - that's what started me running again and what keeps me running. You will catch up and probably overtake and leave behind the rest of us xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Haha...i highly doubt it 😂🤣 thats definately what i need to do 😊

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Hi Claire... sorry I am so late... in trouble again!'

Great to see you here, Just relax and get to know everyone

Just try some consolidating runs,,, whatever distance you feel like.. some shorter some a bit longer...just run... when ans where you feel like it

You need to be kind to yourself and build your strength up again...keep posting as and when and you will find yourself getting drawn back onto your running path

Relax... you are amongst friends

[Hidden in reply to Oldfloss]

Thankyou lovely...thats really nice to know 😊 x

[DebJogsOn]

Hi Claire - your post made me laugh - I felt a bit of a fraud when I started posting on here as though I can do 5k I'm kind of pottering around now rather than purposefully working towards 10k. Part of that has been because of a tricky knee but I'm actually quite enjoying just running for the joy of it at the moment too.

C25K+ Podcasts mentioned above add a bit of focus to consolidation runs but my advice would be to take a bit of time to see how being a runner fits into your life - what you get out of it and then all the rest will follow.

Will look forward to hearing about it.

[Hidden]

Hehe...glad i am not the only one 😁 thanks for that...i am my own worst enemy at all times & spend far too much time comparing myself to others even when its entirely unhelpful & not remotely relevant!!!must stop doing that!!!

Thats good advice & once i have kicked this lurgy into touch that is exactly what i will try & do 😊

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10]

Hi Claire! I pestered you to join and haven't yet welcomed you - sorry.

My two-penneth would be - go easy on yourself until you're better. You've had a rough time of it lately so try to be kind to yourself, eat well, sleep as much as you can. Maybe a vitamin supplement for a little boost - if you are feeling a bit run down and have been through the mill, plus we are the end of the winter months.

Run when you feel like it but perhaps stop when you still have something left in the tank, and perhaps build up and increase distances or time or whatever when it feels right. Do it primarily for that feeling of being free and of having taken the time specifically for yourself.

DebJogsOn 's comment about seeing "how being a runner fits into your life" really resonated with me. My major difficulty with finishing the programme and figuring out how to take it further was precisely that. It didn't seem to be compatible in a practical sense with my other commitments (the ones I can't really get out of) and I had to do some pretty radical organizational reshuffling, with a certain amount of trial and error. Fitting it all in comes at a price, at times quite heavy. But it is worth it and I am so glad that I made the changes and found the time to make it work. It feels like the first thing I've truly done for myself in goodness knows how long.

Good luck! xx

[Hidden in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Ah bless you!!!fitting it in at the moment isnt too much of an issue...i think with everything thats going on its the only thing i feel that i have any control over...as in...i can do it if i want to...& its the only thing i can do better myself & my wellbeing which is why i guess i push myself to do it 😊

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

It also gives you a good excuse to wear funky leggings

[Hidden in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Absolutely 😁...i honestly wouldnt be seen dead in them otherwise haha 😂🤣