After the mild euphoria of my C-5k graduation run last week, I thought I should dip my toe into the world to follow.
I tried the Stepping Stone podcast - and it was great to hear the familiar encouraging voice of Laura😊. Once I got used to the novel (to me) method of running to the beat, I was OK. But I confess the gradual increase of pace was rather different from anything I had attempted before. Harder-but not impossibly so. My feeling is that I will still need to use Week 9 30-minute runs on a regular basis for some while yet.
Written by
Notsoslothfulnow
Graduate10
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Hi. I tried the podcasts after graduation and I struggled. Couldn't get the hang of running to the beat.. and one I didn't know!! And the pace seemed a bit too fast for me. So welll done!!!. 😀. I think I'll try again.
Yep maybe just enjoy running for a while. I also repeated the week 9 runs for a while after graduation. I think it helped.
If you’ve only just graduated from C25k I try spending a few weeks consolidating those 30 minute runs. It’s worth spending time just finding your groove and enjoying running. You’ll also be building strength in those new running legs. Try different routes for variety or different times.
You can then slot in the C25K+ podcasts.
It is strange running to a beat, but you can get used to it.
This why we always advise a few weeks of consolidation after graduating...the podcasts are fun..but challenging. They teach us about the discipline in our running..and tried too soon can be tricky.
Try some new routes...short runs...30 minute runs and longer runs...the long slow runs continue the building up of the new running legs and your stamina too.
Thank you so much - really helpful of you! I think I wanted to try 'Stepping Stones' straightaway to keep hearing the encouraging voice of Laura ... after her farewell in the last run of Week 9 of C-5K😄.
Will keep on consolidating and plan to do a Parkrun in 10 days time as a change from marshalling!
I too tried both the stepping stones podcasts not long after graduating and found them too much of a struggle. I then did I the Stamina one a couple months later and enjoyed the different style of running so used it a lot. . Thought I’d try the Speed one again 6 months later, while I am trying to catch up again after various injuries and illness, and found I could do it. ( albeit a bit of a stretch but a good one) . The speed one definitely helped and I am getting faster again gradually
Stepping stones can put you off your rhythm. It took me a couple of go's to get comfortable with it. I'm not sure but I think there's an assumption in the program that novices are running at a slower cadence and need to increase it to go faster. Personally I think we all have a cadence we are comfortable with and it can vary a great deal from person to person, regardless of actual pace. What it did for me was teach me to slow down. Suddenly everything became so much easier.
That's very interesting - thank you very much for this insight. I think for me it was so novel too as until now I have got through my runs by counting down from a total number in seconds to complete 30 minutes - on the completely unscientific basis that each of my paces equalled one second. In fact, my paces are longer than a second, so when Laura says, say 5 minutes or 60 seconds to go it is always less than I had calculated and hence seems easier 😊.
Stepping stones removed this 'comfort blanket' that got me through C-5K!
I still use Week 9 now maybe once a week or so, and also on my rest days I use Week 1. I still find them incredibly useful. I graduated in November. They remind me of how hard I once found them and how easy they are now. A great boost mentally. Keep up the good work. X
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