Hello runners, you’re stuck with me this month, but let’s not have that hold you all back.
It’s time to set or reaffirm our goals for the next 31 days as we emerge from lockdown restrictions slowly. For some right now things are dramatically changing... and hopefully we won’t be going backwards from here.
It occurred to me that while we are going to have a mix of running and non running quests as usual, we may well have a group of runners re-emerging from shielding this during this month, or indeed working towards getting back to running in August... a big welcome back to you guys, let’s hope the rest of the population has done enough and don’t relax too soon.
Many of us are looking forwards to the autumn events with crossed fingers for them to go ahead. parkrun returns to New Zealand this weekend... have a wonderful time out there... I’m now up to 99% pleased for you guys as I’ve got the jealousy down to 1%!
So... onwards and upwards. What is your month going to look like? What goals are you setting? Are you on the comeback trail from injury or lockdown? Are you cranking up the running for an event? Are you working towards a new distance or weekly milage goal? Whatever your quest... have a wonderful month. Let’s do this.
My personal quest is to get used to the new data I’ll be getting on my shiny new forerunner 245 (UPS have it right now!) I’ve been taking some of my favourite runs and creating courses and pacepro runs for them. I’ll be starting with mid 30s times for the 5k ones, and plan to gradually make some of them faster.
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UnfitNoMore
Graduate10
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Good morning, happy July! (wish the weather felt more 'July'!)
For me, I'm just about to graduate from C25K (final run tomorrow ), so July is all about settling into my new, happy habit of running - at whatever pace, whatever distance - and enjoying it.
Have a wonderful graduation run... and that’s the best goal to have for this month for sure. That’s basically where I’ve been with my running for most of the lockdown period, having fun, running pretty easy, no worrying about pace or distance... and it’s made me feel so good! Enjoy every run.
That man (that’s all I’m going to call him today) on the virgin radio breakfast show this morning was saying that the forecast was cloud and it was glorious... and he kept on mentioning in as I drove through some pretty heavy rain with no hint of any blue in the sky. Maybe he can redeem himself tomorrow... had to turn the show off!!!
I've struggled a bit with my quest this month as my big event, a 10K, has now been cancelled for 2020.
I will continue running three times a week, interspersed with two Joe Wick's workouts and walking at the weekend. I'm going to try to improve my NotParkRun speed (easier said than done) and keep a long run on Fridays, which may be 10K but more likely to be 7/8K. I can run 10K but those last 2K are really hard!
Sorry to hear about your event... I’m optimistically thinking that some of the autumn season will survive... if not we will all be even better prepared for the spring ones.
Those last 2k may be tough... but for most of us it wasn’t that long ago that it was the first 2k that kicked our butts hard. Your plan looks very appropriate as consolidating a couple of k under that 10 will have you easily ready to go up again in a few weeks.
Some relaxed running with that weekly longer run should have you in good shape to attack that (not) parkrun time.
The 245 seems an ace watch from all the reviews I've seen. I hope you enjoy working it all out and planning ahead. It's always great to get these things and play around. I wish you well in your quest too. I will keep going out but also run HM distance this month. I've done it three times before (all on my own) so hoping that maybe I can get a slightly quicker time this time. That'd be brilliant.
Yeah... I was going to go for the Fenix... but then I didn’t want to fork out £840 for the solar one just yet... nor did I wish to pay £450 for the basic one only to need the solar one later. So I sat and looked at the features of all the range and realised that the 245 was amazing value for money and had all the features I’m gonna need for a long while. When I decide if I’m going to do some ultras then I’ll decide which Fenix I need!
Good luck on your quest for that HM PB... do you take an easy week before running the distance?
I'll do it one Sunday and the 2 runs before I'll probably go 5 miles each then the biggie. I know you can taper and all that but I just go when I feel I've got it in me. I never really plan and as I go if I feel strong I'll keep going.
Congratulations on that graduation. Running these 5k runs will make it an easier run for sure. How far off 35 are you? It’s not uncommon for new runners to knock quite significant time off in the first couple of months. Good luck with your quest.
Good morning, happy July... just contemplating whether I prefer drizzle (current weather) or the 30 degrees of a week ago... probably somewhere in the middle!!
Anyway, to the task in hand... my goals for July are to run 10k, ran 9k last weekend so nearly there. And once I've run one I'd like to run one more in July. On my midweek 5k runs my focus will be keeping heart rate down and then maybe the last 5k run of the month I might run an all out 5k..
And for my 3rd run of the week I'm going to continue with intervals.
Last month I had a target of running 60k over the month and I ran 66k so my goal for July is to run 70k.
I like cloudy, cool but dry. I’m taking today over last week though 🤣
Sounds like a good month there... a new graduation, and a possible 5k PB, and more running! Good luck!
UPS are being very unreasonable... tracking says it left the depot at 5am... they could have had it here by 6! Either they’re delivering lots of running gear, or they have their priorities all wrong 🤣
Good morning UnfitNoMore, my quest for July is to run just a little over 16K or 10 miles by the end of the month. I will do that by running 1K more a week during the 5 Wednesday's of July.
This morning I ran 11K, next week 12K, as this morning's run was the longest I have ever run I did find the last 1K quite hard, my average pace today was 7.28km compared to last weeks pace of 7.38 when I ran my 10th 10K and my 10K time this morning was actually a little quicker than last weeks at 73.32 (73.38), but from 10K to 11K my pace was 8.16km, perhaps I should have paused at 10K for say two minutes and ran the last 1K a little quicker.
Did you hear the news this morning that downloads of the C25K app during lockdown are up 92 % compared to last year.
Those last 90 metres are wonderful on a 10 miler!!! Good luck with your quest.
We’ve been aware that C25K has been a very popular thing in lockdown, so I wasn’t surprised by the news. I’m just grateful I’m here and not on C25K graduation badges... that’s gonna be busy 🤣
As you are aware, I congratulate runners when they complete run 3 of week 9 and graduate and tell them how to get their C25K badge and the word graduate next to their username, it's all done on my Smartphone not laptop as I am typing at the moment.
My Smartphone has an 'auto memory' on it so all I do is tap a button and the whole message is done in around 3 seconds so I don't have to type the whole thing out all the time as would have to on my laptop, sometimes I do add a little message like a name, I agree with you that it will be pretty busy for the administrators who are on the C25K graduation badges.
Yey July quest! Well I started the magic 10k plan this week so obviously I want to keep on track with that. In order to motivate me further I have decided to run a marathon in July. Not all in one go of course 😂 my aim is to accumulate the distance over the month. It's not a massive feat but it will help to keep me going when I feel like taking a break and get me out in the morning. Adding up my total week on week means that each run literally does build on the next. It's just how my brain works and I know it will help me loads 🤷♀️
Yeah... I’d leave the marathon in one go until August 🤣
Nice quest for the month. Good luck (not that you need it) on the magic plan, and I’m sure you’ll hit your milage goal. Everything is indeed cumulative, and those “not massive” feats soon add up to some actual massive feats. Happy running.
Hello UFNM , I’d like to join the quest this month. Lost my way a bit after getting to 12k just 2 days before lockdown and managed only short runs after that, but I started 30 days of yoga with Adriene (on my 4th month now) Now that we are in Alert Level 1 I need a challenge and am going to try for HM distance which I started training for this week.
I’m heading to parkrun this Saturday, first time for me since February where I got a PB, but expecting it will be a while before I achieve another, but am very excited regardless. Cold and wet conditions forecast.. 😎
I think many of us took our eye off the prize a little with lockdown... all that matters is we come back fit and well. I keep meaning to try the 30 day yoga thing, but never actually do it. Enjoy the journey back to that HM and have a wonderful quest.
Can’t wait to see some parkrun posts this weekend... while we are still a while off here in the U.K., it’s a beacon of hope! Have a great time.
Just looking at your post again and can’t find my reply to you but it went along the lines of Adriene’s runners yoga is lovely, (they all are though) and she seems to have a practice for anything else too, backs, hamstrings etc I think its helping my running, not speed, 😅 but definitely breathing and stamina.
Good morning and happy July. I'd like to take part this month please.
I upped my total KM's for June as I decided to try to raise some money for a little local charity that is close to my heart but I'm feeling it now so want to dial it back a little! I still want to run 3 times a week (at least) with a 10K each Saturday or Sunday morning but just stick to 5K's in my mid-week runs.
I would, however, like to work on one of my 5k's a week to try to get my time down. I had got it down to just over 35 minutes (it's very hilly where I live - that's my excuse anyway ) but since I started running 10K's I seem to have got slower! So, I want to try to get a sub 35 minute 5k - now I've written it down, I can't back out!!
Very well done raising money last month... that’s gotta be worth the feeling it. Love the combination of a cutback as well as 5k PB attempt, that’s a clever combination.
I managed to raise almost £200 thanks to some extremely generous family and friends and I know the charity will be very grateful for it, particularly at the moment, so it was definitely worth it.
And I thought if I reduce the number of KM's but try to increase speed on one run a week, I still feel like I'm pushing myself, but hopefully not pushing my luck from an injury point of view, fingers crossed
I am very hopeful to finish my C25K on Friday as had my W9R2 first thing today. Planning some new routes but certainly keeping to around 30 minutes although as I live in a hilly area may walk up some hills. Currently I plan a route without too many long uphills.
Have a wonderful graduation run on Friday. Good plan to consolidate a little and have a look at those hills. I’m also surrounded by hills, but can sometimes run a nice downhill 5k! Have a great month.
Hi ufnm I’m continuing my June challenge, long run and two short runs per week. I’m up to 12k long run and two 5k short runs. Trying to improve my 5k time to a sub 30mins. I sort of did it this morning, but it was moving time only, I had a couple of stops for roads and people but at least I know I have it in me. Will give it another go in a couple of weeks and try for a different route. Enjoy all your stats when you get your watch.
I have started a challenge to run for the next 100 days any distance as long as you run once a day and also to do some yoga a completely new exercise for me, should be fun.
I started running in January and I am completely hooked.
Now there’s a challenge! Quite a few nice short slow days in the mix methinks! It’s early in your running journey, so please take lots of care out there! Good luck with it.
This month's goal, according to my lovely running buddy, Sue (who isn't on here) is to up our mileage from our weekly Monday 10k, to running a circuit near us which is 14k. I think we'll aim to add on a kilometre a week so that by 27th July we do the full circuit! Fingers crossed!
Currently doing 3 runs a week: 10, 5 and 6 with our 5 having a bit of a climb! Then we have the weekend off and start again! She's faster than me though, so Aug is going to be all about breaking that 30 min barrier for the 5k! One thing at a time though.......
I got a Polar ignite a couple of weeks ago and I love it! Enjoy your new Garmin; it's so much fun playing around with all the stats!
Sounds like a good achievable challenge... 1k a week on should be more than comfortable with the milage you’re running. Enjoy the journey to the full loop!
Sensible with the one thing at a time... working on distance or speed is good, both can be very painful... your added endurance from this month is really going to help too!
Yeah... looking forward to a good play with the new stats... just hope it arrives soon, dogs driving me mad barking at cats and making me think it’s here! 🤣
Hooray hooray and thanks UnfitNoMore for starting us off with a very apt image.
This month I aim to:
Do yoga on more days than not (so for July that's 16+)
Keep exploring new local routes, making the most of the network of public footpaths, whether that's running or walking.
Generally increase my activity level over recent months. Still deliberating on the best way to do that - steps (raise my average?), get those five 'active' days in, perhaps both.
Do 2+ 5K+ runs over the month. That 30 minute baseline is great but between 5-10k is a real sweet spot in my opinion for single outing blessings against downsides.
Hi everyone! Completely new to this community and relatively new to running. Started during lockdown as a way to escape the fami...I mean, house even though I used to swear I would never run. Am now running 5k, three times a week and found that it's not getting faster or easier. So googled "what the heck do I do after I can run 5k" or something to that effect, and found you all! Started the Juju's Magic plan this morning with a 3.6k run following 30-20-10 which was really enjoyable!
So I guess my month's aim will be to increase my runs slowly but surely following the 10k plan. Eventually I want to be able to run 45 minutes so I can comfortably fit it into my week. I can't see myself ever wanting to stretch to a half marathon...but then 6 months ago I couldn't see myself ever wanting to run either so, never say never!
Welcome. You never know, you might need to escape the them, oops I mean it, for much longer some days 🤣
Great job on C25K... the 10k plan is, as you’ve seen, varying the runs up, so it’s not too bad to fit around a life. Also, one of the best ways to increase 5k speed is to become a 10k runner.
Have a wonderful month, and now you’ve found us, don’t be a stranger!
I am here, so count me in please... I am starting my HM training again, for my very own Monsal trail HM in the Autumn...with Mr OF, on his cycle, as back up... so the July Quest is a great place to start.
I completed C25K two weeks ago. My goals for July are:
To consolidate my runs with 30 minutes and a possible 5k at the weekend (I'm around 31-33 minutes for a 5K, hills depending). Due to work commitments I aim to run at least twice a week, more if I'm able to. I have a week off next week so am hoping to run on alternate days so long as my ankle holds out (I am going to alternate my shoes to see if it is my new shoes that are taking some getting used to. I'm also icing my ankle and doing strengthening exercises).
To continue my yoga classes at least twice a week ( I have been doing regular classes for 3 years which has now gone online with lockdown meaning I can access these more often)
To complete a not (Parkrun) once a week in preparation for when Parkrun's return (I'm looking forward to completing my first one).
1. Continue working on the 60 minute challenge at a leisurely (hilly) pace - hopefully up to 50 minutes by the end of the month.
2. Incorporate another 100m of the 1.5k, 1 in 4 gradient hill up to my house in to my regular runs without passing out 😉😅 (I'm running a little bit further down each week, then turning and slow running back up)
3. Keep encouraging reluctant teenage son to accompany me on at least 1 run a week - he completed C25K recently, but still confesses to only running to keep his mum happy 🙄😂
Love the goals... that’s some hill to be running up 😱 but well worth conquering in the long run. Hopefully you can keep the boy running until parkrun is back... he should like that!
I'm currently on week 7 run 2 of JuJu's Magic 10k plan. I'm aiming to get that completed and then mix it up afterwards.. I've joined a local run club too.. to be able to book onto there speed, technique and strength classes in groups of 5 for 40min one per week. I'm also floating in out of all things Audiofuel on spotify and whatever i can find on nike run club app! I'm also in search of a decent watch that supports strava and spotify too...
Its been tough through lockdown too but running has and is my only go to positive!
Great plans... and well done joining the running club, access to coaching is going to be a big help.
Just took delivery of a Forerunner 245 which does all that you mention there, and it’s pretty cool. I believe the 45 also does the things you need right now.
Enjoy closing that magic plan out and the rest of July.
Yea, thankful i found this group.. so all very helpful. Think it'll be at least August before i book into training sessions with club .I'm happy as way back in c25k January 2019 and my second c25k January 2020.. i was no way can i do 10k .. n here i am .. whoop whoop!
I’m currently on week 5 of Ju Ju’s magic 10k plan. Hope to run 10k on my birthday in July. I’ve been trying to run the 5k and longer run as easy runs and the shorter one at the end of the week as a tempo run or recovery depending on how I’m feeling. So far so good 🏃♀️
What a way to celebrate your birthday that will be! Sounds like you’re running the magic plan perfectly to me, speed sessions are good to get used to, but so is a short recovery run when that’s what the body needs.
I restarted C25k in June because lockdown messed with my head and I lost it with regards to running. I’m now on W4 and plan to keep going so I’m ready for W9 in early August. This time round I have a running buddy and I’m finding it much more motivating. Well done to everyone who’s kept going during lockdown and good luck to all the shielders who will be restarting. Take care & be safe all.
July already!!! Goal for this month is to follow the bridge to 10k programme but also run a 5k once a week on the various routes my partner has measured for me on his bike!!! He has given them all a name like the "duck your head tree route" or the "gas thingy by the bus stop route" which indicate the 2.5k point where i am supposed to turn round and come home!!!
🤣 those are some interesting names, especially the “duck your head” one... forewarned is good I think! Great to hear of such a supportive partner, he’s definitely gone above and beyond. Enjoy moving towards that 10k goal and have a wonderful July (yes, I know, soon be chris... no, not going there)
My July quest is to keep training for my first 10 k race in October. It should have happened in May but we all know why that didn’t happen. Yes I know I’ve been on this forum for a few years now but I’ve been so chicken and a bit of a scaredy cat!😳😱😯
So that’s my quest and of course to get fitter and maybe lose half stone 🤣🤣.
I haven’t run a 10k event yet either as it happens... I’m sure you’ll love it when you get moving. Have a wonderful month working towards you goals with a fab hairdo!!!
Thank you so much UNM. I’m hoping that the running festival day won’t be cancelled. However I suspect it will as it’s a marathon, half a marathon 10 k and a 5k so you are looking at numbers of people all over in Hereford and it’s not that big of a place. Still waiting to hear and in the meantime I shall carry on😀
My hope is to succeed with my running rehab this month after the setback and false start in June. Plyometrics are now being included again twice a week in my physio routines. Skipping, jumping, jogging on the spot, heel flicks, ladders which I must moniter and adjust.
Still turning up for daily yoga with Adriene on you tube. This month I'm doing 30 days Yoga Camp... 🧘♀️
I hope to be progressing with run/walk intervals on grass by the end of July!
Sounds promising if the plyometrics are back... here’s hoping there’s no setbacks. It would be great to see that you’ve got some running in this month. Well done on that yoga too. Have a wonderful month.
Happy July! Hoping it's a wonderful start to the second half of the year for everybody.
I'd like to (finally) finish off my two point six challenge but reaching a total cumulative distance of 26.2 miles which I started back in May but had to put off due to a few niggles. Only just over 3 miles away now so hopefully one or two more runs will do it depending on how the foot feels.
I'm going to start my goals small and would like to carry on running at least once or twice a week (three times if possible), gradually increasing my time and/or distance as I get back into regular running. I'd also like to continue my weight loss - 3kg lost so far in the last month and, although it's very possible that my October wedding won't be going ahead as planned, I need to stay on track just in case there's a miracle and things change for the better!
For me, I need to get back to running (carefully) after injury! Was running for up to an hour, now just slowly doing about 15 minutes! Maybe by the end of July I will manage 30 minute runs again. Will need to be very careful though!
The good thing is that you’re back... and from 15 minutes of running, you can 10% it up quite well, especially when running gently. Good luck getting back to 30, and have a great July.
I will continue to consolidate for another couple of weeks and then I am starting the magic plan! Going by minutes rather than miles. Just want to keep running three times a week and continue to build up on my strength and flexibility alongside it.
My July goal is to continue to consolidate my runnings with alternate days into the out minimum 30 minutes and to occasionally run further at the weekends or my day off. I am just going to enjoy myself 😁
That’s what it’s all about... enjoying ourselves... great plan... I should have put that in the original post really! Have a wonderful month and enjoy those long runs especially.
My June quest was to start the 10km plan and hopefully run a sub 30 min 5km along the way. I've started the plan, currently my longest run is 8km, and this morning I was just 3 seconds off the elusive sub 30 mins.
So my quest for July is to complete the 10k plan, and hopefully shave 4 seconds off my 5km PB 😀
3 seconds? Well, that tells me that it’ll happen soon, but I think in the moment of seeing that time I’d have had very mixed emotions. Great running there... and I’m sure it’ll fall this month. It sets up a very exciting quest though... 10k and sub 30 over 5 is an amazing quest... good luck and have lots of fun getting there.
Hi, having not run for nearly 7 years, I started again with C25k when we started lockdown in March. I completed that and I’m now half way through the 10k Magic Plan, so my goal for the month ahead is to complete the plan and run 10k 🙂
My short term goal for July is to graduate from C25K - I start week 9 tomorrow so am determined to finish run 3 on friday 10th, and to start the C210K programme on Monday 13th. My long term goal is to get back into strength staining.
The July quest for me is to educate myself about running, Until now it the running has been very specific (get to 5k, get to an hour, improve the 5k time, improve a bit more, get to 10k, get the 10k time better ...). The quest now is to a) think more about how I run and, b) get my head up to enjoy the scenery more. To do this I'm going to try a bit of fartlek and do some longer, slower runs. The headphones will be off and I'm going to try using mindfulness techniques.
Enjoy the F245! (I treated myself to one and it was a big improvement on the Android watch)
Loving the watch... especially when it gives my fitness age 11 below my actual one 🤣
Loving your quest... once your head is up and the headphones come off you’ll really appreciate running in your surroundings, especially when running with nature. Thinking and learning are, to my mind, training too... that’s what I tell the wife from behind a running magazine at least 🤣
Have a wonderful month with your new ways of running.
As highlighted by my dearly beloved Dexy5 in another thread, my get up and go has got up and gone , I'm generally pretty short of energy at the moment. So I'm giving the quest for continual improvement a rest for a bit, just looking to run a (not) parkrun once a week somewhere round my 25 minute bogey time (managed 24'46" this morning ), plus another 5k or more run with said Dexy, who I suspect will be embarking on a post-rehab journey across the Bridge pretty soon - and maybe something else mildly challenging, but only if it feels good at the time. I will report in regularly ......
If the New Forest Marathon does come off in September 🤞, that will provide a bit more focus for next month's efforts.
I reckon you deserve a more relaxed month every now and then! Of course your relaxed month includes 5k times that I can’t (yet) get to 🤣. Great to see that Dexy is nearing the bridge again too.
Have a wonderful July you guys... new post up later, gonna sneak it back to Mondays over a couple as it’s easier to remember for me.
Whoops , I didn’t see this last week UnfitNoMore. My follow you must have disappeared so I have reinstated you.
My rehabilitation programme worked well in June and I have now run 6 full 5ks. Not as speedy as pre injury but I’m happy with that, as I think getting the miles in is more important at this stage. I think I’ll do another week of 5ks and then step on to Ju-Ju’s magic plan again. It has got me to 10k twice so I have great faith in it. Now that less people are feeling the need to walk an hour a day, the running paths have got a bit quieter so I’d like to get back on the Hayling Island billy trail again.
And because we have been running (not) parkruns at least once a week, I am also confident that I can do this without UpTheStanley running beside me , but no doubt he will be there on occasions. He whizzed past me this morning like a flash of lightening.
I might even try a JogRunSprint session on the short run when I start the plan.
A real life physio appointment next week just to make sure there are no weak areas that need addressing.
Sounds like a good plan to me... speed will return with the strength. I think I could give UTS a good race... if he walked the first 5/6 minutes 🤣
Not been on Hayling Island since 1996 😟 would love to be running there this week as my long run starts to rise and I’m looking around at lots of hills!
Have a wonderful month and I’ll catch you on the next update to the quest this evening!
Happy July everyone! I’ve only just seen this post but thought I’d jump on and share my goal for the month.
I graduated from the C25K in June (last consolidation week last week) and have signed up to do 50 miles in July for the Children’s Society. I thought it might encourage me to continue regular running, but also try to increase distance/pace.
I’m planning to do 3-4 miles 3-4 times a week, always with a rest day between. I also ride (horse) twice a week so I don’t run on those days.
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), so July is all about settling into my new, happy habit of running - at whatever pace, whatever distance - and enjoying it. 
, I'm generally pretty short of energy at the moment. So I'm giving the quest for continual improvement a rest for a bit, just looking to run a (not) parkrun once a week somewhere round my 25 minute bogey time (managed 24'46" this morning 
End of the Relocation Quest. New quest starting on Wednesday. 
July Quest week 2: Sunny Delight? Chasing the shade… ☀️ 🏃♀️ ☀️ 🏃♀️ ☀️ 
