It is nearly two years now since I completed C25K and until October last year I kept determinedly chugging on. I was slow but I was steady and in March last year I even did the Chester 10k which was beyond my wildest dreams, superslowly, but I did it! I promised myself I would never stop running because I knew it had been so hard to get myself through C25K that I thought if I lost it I would never have the willpower to go through it all again. So I kept going, even in lockdown, even when we were not allowed to drive for exercise leaving me running on a steep steep hill, I kept running.
Then in October last year life threw a spanner in the works. I had a possible mini stroke and was told to stop running for a few weeks. Then just as I was getting started again we hit both a seriously cold and snowy winter and the weeks running up to moving house. I was just derailed. When I looked at my Strava this week my last run was on December 17th. I felt exhausted, fat, old and past it.
But one of my promises to myself when we moved (into a rental house while we have a house built) was that, when the dust had settled, I would run again. Yesterday we had been in a week and while there are still boxes all over the place there is something of a sense of order emerging. The forecast was for a mild day. The night before I said to Ian that I would run again. "I'll come with you" he said.
I wondered if I should start somewhere in the middle of C25K. I really wasn't sure that I could run very far without stopping. In the end I decided I would run, slowly and gently, away from the house for fifteen minutes and then I would turn round and come back. I gave myself full permission to walk or stop if I needed to. I just wanted to get going again. I got up and put my running gear on and tried to recapture the state of mind that got me into running in the first place: a running day is a running day. Just go. Don't ask yourself if you feel like it. Just go.
The first five minutes were hard and I was reminded of the breathlessness that used to plague me when I started but after ten minutes or so it settled down and weirdly it was fine. It was slow. It was not easy in the way that running has become easier as I got more experienced, but I ran for half an hour, just short of 4k and I realised that I had not lost all my fitness after all. Amazingly I can still run! I will take it slowly but I will go back to my three times a week and see where it takes me.
I can't tell you how relieved I am! Somehow nearly two years of running regularly has embedded running far more firmly into my body than I imagined possible.
Back to it!!
Written by
Gwenllian1
Graduate10
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Fantastic news, so good that you got out for that run today to restore your faith in yourself. You are a runner and you can still run. Keep going, keep posting. Happy running 🤗
Oh thank you Grannyhugs! I have still been reading here but haven't posted for ages and have definitely been feeling like an imposter but as you say, it seems as if I might have deserted running for a little while but running hasn't deserted me!!
Brilliant! So glad to hear this - it gives me hope that one day I will be able to get back out there. And congrats on your successful move. Having a house built is a hugely exciting prospect! All good in your life for this spring. 👏🏼🌱🌿🪴🌞🏃🏼♀️
Thank you! I don’t know how long a break you will have needed when you are able to get back to it? I think perhaps the thing I hadn’t realised was that nearly two years is a long time to have been running three times a week so there was more residual fitness there than I’d thought! I’m sure you will be able to get back to running, even if we both have to ease into it! Thanks so much for your good wishes. It is exciting. Almost justifies all the box packing!🙂
Have to admit that I quite enjoy running in the rain once I get out in it so long as it isn't too cold or torrential- I can't resist splashing through puddles once I reach the " can't get any wetter " stage. Actually getting out of the door when it is raining is the hard bit.
What an inspiring post Gwenllian. I’m so happy you’re back running, and I bet you can’t wait to go out again. 😀 Clearly it’s like riding a bike; the break did you no harm at all!
It maybe is a bit like riding a bike cc! Certainly it felt as if my body did know what I was asking it to do. I remember when I started c25k my body had no idea!
I love the idea of a short hibernation. I also can’t tell you how ready for spring I am! I’m always a spring person but this year it just seems that warmer weather and new growth are exactly what I need to bring this COVID winter to an end!
We're ALL with you on that score!- the sight of the Spring flowers popping up through the soil is totally joyful in itself when I'm out running- we're on the right side of the winter now, even if it gets cold again. Onward to lighter, brighter days 💐🌹
Well I’m almost identical. Last run December 15th but no real reason not to run 🤷♀️ just hung my kit up! Still here (reading) in the expectation that will change 🤞🏻 You’re an inspiration that I could do it. Well done
Well I don't know about an inspiration but I was genuinely thinking that I would have to start somewhere on the c25k journey and that was not so! Just been out again this morning, slow but ok!! Go for it!
Thanks Buddy! I never stopped reading, feeling that I was sort of hanging on in there. So glad I have got out again though. I was beginning to feel like an imposter!!
Yes me too. I'm afraid I've been a bit lazy over the last couple of months - no excuse like you - just fed up with shielding and rubbish weather but a bit of warmth and sunshine will help us all won't it.
Welcome back and hooray for another member of the comeback club! You did brilliantly to go straight for the 30 mins run. I had a 7 week break for various reasons and started back on week 5 of c25k but like you quickly realised that I hadn't lost as much as I thought. The weather has got in the way though, for sure. Glad that you are back and ready to recapture the magic!
I really was surprised Fiona! I have been doing some walking and lots of packing boxes and cleaning the house so maybe that was some sort of fitness programme! I hope I can get back to the state where there is such a thing as an "easy" five K. I had got there but it had taken my a very long time and not there now. I know too that I have run 8, 9 and 10k in the past but that is a bit of a dream right now! But I will get back there. I am pretty sure of that now!!
We're in the same boat - I am looking forwards to getting back to those long runs. I even had a spreadsheet made up plotting out my target dates and runs but that had to be shelved as there was so much snow and ice it wasn't sensible to try and run in it. Actually, at one point I could barely walk on the pavements. But the warmer weather is coming so we'll do our gazelle impersonations again soon! (When I say gazelles...... they are a bit fat and grey so.....) 😆
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Right back where I started.
Back to the Beginning
I'm back and Daisy Fresh🌼...
Back from a break and looking for advice 
Back from the IC and back on the Magic Plan
