After being super proud competing the c25k app a month ago I’m trying to run x3 times a week but am not finding it any easier. For every great run i have an awful 2-3. Determined not to give up but think the dark and wet mornings not helping. Have just booked a session at the gym to see if a treadmill run may help get my mojo back as torrential rain this morning and I have no waterproof running gear. Love the cold not the wet!
Any advice on how to keep going at this time of year is greatly appreciated xxx
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Hanfel
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You’re doing really well. I found it really hard to consolidate after completing C25K. But if you are getting out there 3x a week that’s brilliant. I started JuJusMagic Plan and did the time one where you Run for set times 3 x a week each run is slightly longer duration not necessarily distance. It builds stamina and encourages length of time running slowly and steadily. It’s definitely worth doing. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️Happy running
No its just a plan but its fab! I also did the version that gradually increases running time to 60 minutes then i slid over to the distance version to get to 10k. It depends how fast you are - if you were at or close to 5k in 30 mins then go straight for the distance version. You'll find JuJu's Magic Plan in the pinned posts. Good luck!
Let’s see what the more experienced people on here have to say ! I’ve also not run before this summer and the past few days have kept postponing my next run because of rain...... I didn’t mind running in summer rain, but winter..... I need to get some better clothing. Fortunately my job is flexible to enable me to run when I can - the other week I was able to go on a weekday about 1000 am because I’d got up for a ‘before work’ run but the rain was too heavy so I just sat down (at 0800) to work in my running clothes until the rain stopped. Not always possible of course....
I actually did exactly that on Friday! I find the hunger creeps in then and can’t run if I’ve eaten as feel sick! Off for a treadmill run now so wish me luck!!
Good luck !! The only time I’ve used a treadmill was in the shoe shop trying out running shoes - it felt really weird and unstable !! 🤪 I’m sure it wouldn’t take too long to get used to it, though !
I only just ordered it online BUT have just come back from a run in the rain (admittedly not too heavy right now) wearing my other half’s (ie extra large !) cycling jacket which is bright yellow and has ventilation in the back and under arms but no hood, so I wore a hat - one of those warm ones but synthetic, the type that you get in specialist hiking shops (come to think of it the hat cost more than the coat !! 😂). With a long sleeve top underneath I was lovely and warm, though many runners were out in shorts and T-shirts I felt a bit over dressed, but honestly I wasn’t too hot and prefer not to get a chill. I think they were mainly hard core runners because their gear looked very expensive - ie clearly purpose bought and not something they dug out of the back of the wardrobe !
I found post C25K consolidation quite difficult because it felt too much like "same old same old" and, unsurprisingly, I wasn't getting a PB every time I ran. Swapping to the Magic Plan gave me variety and a sense of achievement.
Hi. You are not alone. I am running over 3 years now. Last year I was super motivated and even earlier this year I was working hard at 5K, 7K and 10K distances. I was looking forward to parkrun milestones, PB attempts and road races. Since COVID-19 all of parkrun has stopped, and road races have been cancelled. I have absolutely zero interest in virtual races as I'm just running on my own. I was comfortably running 5K in 27 minutes at the beginning of the year and even into the first couple of months of lockdown. However without anything to train for I have lost motivation. I have slowed down. I'm still running. But just not as frequently.
I am going to work to get my mojo back. Every Saturday morning a group of us here post our little run reports. Look out for a post called (not)parkrun /Virtual 5K. Over the next few months I am going to get back up to 10K, Run more and work at shaving time off my (not)parkrun record. Your welcome to join in. You can run 5K any day of the week and then log your time on the parkrun website as a (not)parkrun.
Thanks for the tip will have a look. Sadly I’m Running 30mins but managing only 4K at the minute. Really need to get faster to reach the 5k mark or just increase my stamina so run longer to reach the 5k
There are so many different things you can try. Juju’s Magic Plan is one of them. I prefer to do my own thing.
After graduating, I was going out 3 times a week and trying to achieve 4km in 30 minutes, but not getting there. I realised that to increase my stamina, I needed to mix up the runs. So I started doing one long, slow run (increasing the time every week) one 30 minute faster run (around 4K) and one run specifically to work on pace, like a shorter 2-3K run, or intervals. After a few weeks I got to 10K on my long run (very slowly!) and tried again with the 4K in 30 minutes and did it.
I’m continuing with this plan and seeing the benefits, both with the time spent on the long runs and my pace and stamina in the shorter ones. It’s a plan not set in stone, because it’s mine 😀 and I change it when I feel like it!
I think it's pretty common to be a bit lost after cto5k. Changing routes is always helpful, or try music/podcasts if you don't already. Alternatively, run without either - that can help too. There are lots of plans out there and it's maybe a case of discovering if you want a plan, or can maintain your running better without one. As for the weather, the dark mornings are a problem, but running on a nice cold bright day can be fantastic. But rain, yes, not a fan of the rain generally, but I actually loved my run on the rain this morning. You might be surprised! Keep at it, it's not at all unusual to have a mixed experience of runs at this stage.
Thanks for the reassurance! I love the cold crisp weather just dangerous where I live as no footpaths or any street lights. Have never tried podcasts yet so maybe will give that a go!!
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Seriously struggling ☹️
This morning was a struggle :(
Struggling with breathing 
Struggling getting back to running
Big struggle this morning
