Restarting c25k jogging/running

[Headspace1st]

Since completing the C25K programme at the end of November I have kept at my runs every other day but am finding that the actual 5K distance is more than enough for me, somewhere in the region of 34- 36 minutes, but I’m just about beat by then. I’ve been mulling over where to go from here and have decided that to keep running 30 mins every other day is a great achievement, i do other exercise every in-between day and walk every day at least once. I want to keep the fun in running but to be honest am struggling to avoid making it hard on myself. So yesterday I read of an idea to repeat the C25K programme but doing intervals of jogging and running instead of walking and jogging, so I gave it a go this morning and found it went quite well for me, i still am running full sessions but am learning to alternate between different speeds and pushing myself a bit harder in the runs and easing back on the slower jogging. I read that this develops endurance and builds up speed gradually, which given how the original C25k programme helped me run from nothing then I can see how this might work to develop myself as a better/faster runner over the next 9 weeks. Any one have any thoughts about it? I don’t envisage wanting to run long distances but do want to keep running, and feeling good running.

[Hidden]

That sounds just perfect.

If you enjoy it then even better. 👏

Great Post. It has given me some ideas. Thank you 😊

[Headspace1st in reply to Hidden]

Hope it works out for you 👍🏻

[Fionamags Graduate10]

I think this sounds like a great idea! Are you sure you don't want to try Juju's Magic Plan though - perhaps as well as this cunning plan of yours? That's what brings many of us onto the Bridge. It is a plan that gets you to running either 60 minutes or 10k. The thing is that if you want to improve your 5k time then building endurance by longer distances is the way to do it. Most of us do a mix of short/interval runs, a 5k and then a longer run each week. (Well in theory at any rate - I'm a bit of a slob at the moment...)Have a look (in the pinned posts) and see what you think.

[Headspace1st in reply to Fionamags]

Thanks Fiona 👍🏻 I’m not ruling out ever doing longer distances but maybe that will be for Spring or summer, i have read about the magic plan and it certainly sounds like a very good plan. I just have limited time in the mornings and I’m already getting up an hour earlier to run and stretch so that’s kind of why I want to stick to around 30 minutes, for now, anyway. Who knows how things will change in a few weeks or months, after all, this time last year I had no intentions of being where I’m at today, so as long as I keep running and keep enjoying it, that’s my priority 😊

[John_W Graduate10]

"am finding that the actual 5K distance is more than enough for me, somewhere in the region of 34- 36 minutes, but I’m just about beat by then."

FLASHING RED LIGHT!!!

You have identified your own problem with that statement.

You say you are 'beat' by the time you've run for 34-36 minutes.

Can you describe a bit more of what's going physically by the time you have to stop?

[Headspace1st in reply to John_W]

Hi John, I’m digging deep to do the last 5 minutes or so, just breathing heavily, not so much legs giving me bother, I presume that means I’m going too hard and need to reduce my pace. I tried a more gentle pace two days ago, for just the 30 minutes, ignoring the distance, with an average pace of 7’37/km, my usual 5K is anything from 6’40 to 7’19/km, upon reflection, it wasn’t just so difficult at the end. That’s why I think a shorter distance might suit me better while I build up my endurance more

[John_W Graduate10 in reply to Headspace1st]

Hi,

As you seem to have recognised and discovered for yourself, your pace/speed is critically important!

There's no rhyme or reason why you can't go longer than 30 minutes without the trouble you're experiencing. You just have to find a slow enough pace that feels COMFORTABLE so that your breathing is absolutely fine throughout. That probably means slowing down as your run progresses, all the time focusing on how your breathing rate is and how you're feeling.

In this way, you run by time (just like C25K), not distance, but crucially, you run according to how you feel, adjusting your pace so that your breathing stays the same from the 1st minute until the last. You're trying to find your 'conversational' or 'chatty' pace, i.e. one at where you comfortable chat at. if you can't do that (cos you're breathing too hard) then you're going too fast.

If you've done it properly, then you should finish your run feeling like you carry on if you had or wanted to. It should NOT feel like a struggle at any stage.

"That’s why I think a shorter distance might suit me better while I build up my endurance more"

You'll build up your endurance by starting to run for gradually LONGER periods of time, not by sticking to 30 minute each and every run.

Weeks 7, 8 and 9 of C25K show you how to do it. You add on a little bit of time every week, all the time making sure you keep the pace nice and easy.

Simple!

[Headspace1st in reply to John_W]

Hi John, thanks for your follow up replies, that feeling of having more left to give at the end of a run is what I’d love to achieve, I’m making a point of trying to find an easier pace in my current runs, not concerning myself with time at all, we’ll see how it goes… can’t expect miracles overnight but hopefully a few weeks will help me find the pace i’m after

[John_W Graduate10 in reply to Headspace1st]

I've just seen you reply to another post:

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

... which I think explains some of the problems you're having. If you were trying to run 400 metres at the same speed as you 100 metres, then no wonder you couldn't do it!

And maybe you've carried over that sprinter's mentality to C25K.

It's about learning that you're not sprinting but JOGGING and that you don't need or have to feel knackered at the end of a run, and that finishing, feeling like "that was easy!" is actually the perfect way to do it.

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to John_W]

Totally agreed.

My own "sprint speed" hasn't changed much in the last year, but the pace which I can sustain for a longer time has improved markedly the more long runs I've done.

[Yesletsgo Graduate10]

I graduated a couple of months before you and I'm working on how to progress too. Firstly, I have to say that you're a lot quicker than me (but I'm older than you so that's my excuse lol). Maybe you're pushing a bit too hard?In order to keep the running fun, one approach is to vary your runs so instead of giving in to the temptation always to run 5k you need to vary your routine. Try speed runs and intervals which build you in different ways.

Nike Run Club has loads of different guided runs which some of us really like, noticing your user name I'll point out that they work with the Headspace organisation and have lots of mindfulness runs which are terrific. While I was doing C25K it was all about just going for it but NRC gets you thinking about your running technique, what your body is doing, your surroundings, your motivation etc. The main thing I got from these is to just SLOW DOWN so that my breathing is under control, especially at the beginning of the run. It's so easy to set off like a bullet then get puffed out and be unable to go further. Starting slow and careful gives you the energy to carry on further. It seems that if you do this you speed up naturally as the run progresses and hopefully feel you still have a bit left at the end.

The other thing to do if you have a smart watch is to have a look at what your heart rate is doing during the run. If you're going flat out in zone 5 (guilty looks from me) you'll feel much more tired than if you keep it in zone 3/4 for most of the time. It makes a huge difference as long as you don't get too hung up on the numbers. It sounds like your new approach to C25K may be achieving this for you so good luck, hope you make the progress you are working towards.

[Headspace1st in reply to Yesletsgo]

Thank you for replying, my attempt at slowing down two days ago was using my first NRC podcast for a recovery run, I am finding it hard to notice if I’m going slower or not but I’m trying, I presume I’ll get better at it the more I tryYou mentioned speed runs and intervals, which is what I’m attempting with the amended version of repeating C25K, jogging/running, instead of walk/jogging, I’m hoping this mix up of speeds will help me notice a difference in pace. I do have a Fitbit but I try not to look at it during a run much, I look at the stats after I’ve finished. Given time I should be able to figure this out, my average heart rate is working out around 154 bpm whereas my attempt at going slower was 143bpm. I’ll keep monitoring my runs and see what works and what doesn’t

[Yesletsgo Graduate10]

I can't check my heart rate while I run, there's a glitch on my Garmin that tells me it's zero so I've learned to ignore that, I think it's wrong I check afterwards too, definitely feel the difference when it's lower. Like you I'm still learning.

[Hidden]

I'm not saying you have to follow me, but I discovered Jeffing during my consolidation period after C25K and it has opened up a whole new world for me. By doing 4min30 running + 0min30 walking I have reached 60 minutes, 10K and even 10 miles (1 single time). I'm not into speed, but I do like adding some distance. And if Jeffing allows me to do so, that's the way for me 😊

[Headspace1st in reply to Hidden]

Hi there, I’ve not heard of Jeffing. I’ll have a look and see if that would be suitable for me at some point, you don’t know until you give it a shot. Thanks for your suggestion 👍🏻

[PJRunner]

Hi there. I too like the 30 minute runs. I run at lunch time mostly so with a warm up and cool down I dont have much more time. It also breaks my day up as I'm still working from home. I'm now working on pace and time, just playing around with whats works for me, doing periods of faster running to see how it feels. Whilst I haven't followed the magic plan it did make me see that I can mix thing up more with some shorter runs, some faster etc to keep me motivated. More than anything else I'm loving the fitness I've gained and that's what keeps me running. Good luck with your reinvented c25k programme. Might give that a go.

[Headspace1st in reply to PJRunner]

Thanks pj, I think we need to find what’s right for us and we we may not know what that is until we try something and rule out others. For me I think I need to learn different paces, whether that’s mixing up walking and running or walking and jogging or running and jogging, whatever it takes to understand what the different speeds feel like and then that will help me know what’s next for me, if I can build up stamina and endurance then perhaps I can grow from there. I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved and build on it in the best way suitable for me, that might not be what is suitable for someone else, but my priority is my health and fitness. Best wishes for your Lunch time runs 👍🏻😊