Back to the Beginning

[Anniemurph]

Over on the Beyonders FB page, someone is returning to running after a longish break. There are a couple of others restarting, so a Back to the Beginning event was suggested. C25K, Week 1, Run 1. Brilliant idea, I thought, I can get behind that

I went back to where I started C25K. It's not far from me at all, and as I walked there I remembered how embarrassed I was in my huge t-shirt and flappy tracky bottoms, trying to work out where to put my MP3 player (down my bra, with my house key) and not get tangled up in the cable.

There was more tangling in cables this morning because my wireless headphones are no longer speaking to my phone, but I got myself sorted out finally and the dulcet tones of Laura floated into my ears. How lovely to hear her again - and then the music started: It's a Perfect Day. It was!

Except... except... oh hubris, oh pride, oh vanity!

I didn't need to walk the intervals, did I? The running bits were only a minute, after all. I could run the walk sections slowly, and run the running bits faster. Intervals. I can do intervals!

Well, I can, except quite obviously I normally do intervals of 0.01 nanoseconds. A minute? Was there something wrong with my phone? Had it stopped? Were we on a loop? And suddenly I was back six years, waiting desperately for Laura to tell me that my minute was nearly over and that I could walk again. Not only that, but somehow every running interval coincided with a hill. I'll swear that when I did this the first time I found the flat bits. Well where were they today, then?

I did it. I managed. I was as sweaty and as beetroot-coloured today as I was after that first run - and a hell of a lot more indignant. But you learn something with every run, and on this run I learned not to make assumptions. I have been running for a while, but I'm not as fit as I thought I was. But I also learned that I can grit my teeth and stick at it - because I can

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10]

You ran the walks, so you went farther and that is why you kept getting hills??

This is basically what I felt like on (I think) W2:R2 of the C25K plan I am currently doing after a short break of my own. It was run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes! I had my phone out (of my bra) checking that it hadn’t paused! I have run a HM - I was slow as a snail, but I did it - how could I not run for 2 minutes???

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Maddee_6333]

Yes! That's it exactly! I have run a HM (v-e-r-y- s-l-o-w-l-y ) so what was all this feeling like The End after not quite a minute?

It's not fair!!!

Very glad to see you back again

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

I am glad to be back 😀

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Maddee_6333]

It's a great feeling

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

I’m sure you’ll progress very quickly though. Well done and welcome back 👍🏽

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

Thank you, although I'm sorry I wasn't clear: I have kept on running so I only did the first run to keep our returners company. I just did it the hard way!

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

I’m confused. It doesn’t take much. I won’t do the plan again though anyway 😂

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

No, I'm sorry, it's me! I graduated some time ago and have been running regularly since.

Someone else is re-starting C25K after a break so to show solidarity it was suggested that several of us might also do the first run again. It was also suggested that we could mix it up a bit, so we might consider intervals, cycling it, swimming it - whatever we wanted.

I thought I was fit enough to do Week 1 Run 1 by running the walk bits and running a bit faster for the run bits. How wrong I was! I'm not planning to do the rest of it... although JaySeeSkinny tried the same thing with Week 2, brave soul!

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

Someone suggested I do that. I think not 😂

[mrrun Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

Hey, l did that when practicing intervals and it was fun! Ran the walks, sprinter the runs, fainting afterwards! What's not to like? I also repeated the whole program after an injury and that's when l discovered that repetition is everything! Plus, nobody can accuse you of being a slacker!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to mrrun]

Yes, but you are mr Iron run man For me, it's more like potter the walks, wheeze the runs - but I didn't faint afterwards! My 'sprints' are... um, let's just say that you can tell there's a difference when you look on Garmin, but I'm not going to set any land speed records

However, doing the programme again with run-run a bit faster is a very good idea. My HM plan doesn't kick in until 11th June, and it starts with short runs, so I could actually do this. Hmmm...

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

I still use that first week for interval runs. And it is completely exhausting! On a number of occasions I only managed to get to run 6 - and the red face was not just from overheating. Reminds me - I need to do it again (but not tomorrow!). Now if you really want some fun try week 2 - I tried once and decided I'd stick with week 1😩

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Noooo! Although my upcoming HM plan suggests intervals, the rotter. So it's good to know that you've used week 2 as well. Oh, go on then - but I might use one of my flat routes

[Razouski]

I understand Maddee’s post now. Maybe I should have a go at rerunning C25K week 1 like this although it sounds tough.

Welcome back to Maddee.😀

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Razouski]

C25K+ has Speed, which is hard enough but nice and short. I found this one harder!

[Millsie-J]

I havent used week 1 for intervals for ages! Last time i did it i walked the last section, i was pooped!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Millsie-J]

It was grim! I was too cocky

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

Lovely post, and it was such a good idea of Matthew to do that to get people running again who haven’t for a while...

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

It was a great idea! I love the inclusivity of this forum and the associated groups and meet ups. It was not such a great implementation However, I will try again - and the more I think about it, the more I like mrrun 's idea of doing it again but 'running'.