Zero to Hero, again! Feb 2024

[CBDB]

I will be trying another one of the 0 to (hero) 5k (or 30 min) plans again, as I’m coming back from a break.

A minor injury stint after finally starting a 10k plan turned into a longer work-workload enforced break, and add to that some lighter sniffles, some changes to my medication and all of this left me feeling quite at a lower fitness level than usual after 4 weeks of not running.

I initially saw the day, the one marking the 2-week running break, looming nearer and nearer, and then it passed as I tried to cope with work, health issues and subsequent frequent morning tiredness, the times I normally used to run. And now it has been almost 4 weeks since my last real run!

And after 4 years of running, I also realise there is a rhythm to my ups and downs in the frequency of my runs. In the winter, my indoor rowing often increases, often daily, as it is so much easier to hop onto the rower after work when it’s dark and rainy. And in the summer, my rowing takes less precedence, and my running increases, as it’s so much easier to get up early when it’s light.

I’m just not an evening runner, so rowing and yoga now take their comfy position in the evening hours.

And this rhythm looks ok. It’s all exercise, so it’s all good. So I’m happy leaning into it. I’m keeping on moving, after all. But I’m committed to getting back to my 5k runs! The 10k plan afterwards was always just optional.

I’ve been here before.

I’ve even posted about my research into all sorts of ★ Couch to 5k plans★, all listed here: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

The plans I have already experienced, all with their own little personalities, are:

★ Twice, the classic NHS C25k app with Jo Whiley and Sarah Millican, but I still want to experience Denise Lewis at some point. I’m tempted to do this one again, as the app has seen many updates since I did it more than 4 years ago. nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/r...

★ Zombies, Run 5k: I loved that one. I did this plan after spending a whole year in the audio-guided Zombies, Run Universe (now renamed ZRX). What started as a recommendation to support my son’s running became a treat for my own running. I still occasionally run with zombies. They recently had a larger update, with added Marvel Universe runs, and that just sounds so so good! But they have not yet added a Guardian’s 0 to Hero. So it will have to wait until I get to marvel(ous) distances! support.sixtostart.com/hc/e...

★ CBDB’s amended James Dunne Return from Injury Jeffing Plan. This was the last time I needed to train up to 5k again after an injury stint on the couch. And it was a fabulous introduction to jeffing. Loved it. It added jeffing to my arsenal of running techniques. But the more I got into jeffing, the less I got into those long and slow, continuous runs, and I missed those. Jeffing is so tempting, also because I can chat whilst recording during the walking sections. But the more I fell in love with jeffing, the less I ran continuously. But the Dunne plan does take care of that, as it increases the duration of individual running sections, up to a non-stop 35 min run. healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

★ Nike Running Club 5k Plan: I found this actually to be not a COUCH to 5k, but rather a plan for runners to train for running a 5k faster. So I had mixed feelings about that one. I’m just in love with the slow! nike.com/gb/running/5k-trai...

★ Podrunner - I dabbled with that one. I did not quite follow it week after week, but I did a handful of runs from that series. It’s good if you like that kind of electronic music. So it’s a great choice to have in your back pocket, but not one for now. podrunner.com/first-day-to-...

★So, this brings me to my chosen journey for the next few weeks. I was tempted to try the 8-week long Guardian Guide to Running podcasts. It’s quite dated, more than 10 years old. And I’ve listened in, and the music is not quite to my taste. But at some point, I want to have experienced this one.

So my final choice is

★★★ASICS Runkeeper 5k plan for beginners, named “My First 5k”. I know, it’s not my first 5k, far from it. But I’m not going to let the title stop me from trying out (again) this 6 week plan. The advantage of this plan is that it is, as mentioned, only six weeks. And to my knowledge, this is one of the shortest plans to reach 5K. Or, 32 minutes. The first three runs are free, the rest are behind a subscription payable. But I might just tie this, and if need be, pay for a couple of months to get to the end. I had tried out the first week ca 3 years ago, and there were some niggles, but we’ll see if the updates have made a difference. And just reading my review ( healthunlocked.com/bridgeto... ) I’m looking forward to hearing that gorgeous voice of Erin again.

So there we go. This is me committing, again.

I’ll try to report back how it goes. I’m knocking on wood and crossing all my fingers so that no illness or injury can interrupt my next 6 weeks’ attempt to make this plan happen!

Happy running, everyone!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Good luck! Getting that first run after a break ticked off will feel great. What does this plan involve?

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Fairly standard intervals. Possibly advancing these a bit quicker. Here is the 1st run: (3 min walk; 1 min run) x 6

See pic of first week. I’m just hoping the audio works as well as NRC, so I can use my own music.

Runkeeper 5k

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Interesting-sort of a week 3/4 ish couch to 5k equivalent. It’ll be fun to compare with the classic couch to 5k. You’ve been running for a long while and I can see why trying something new appeals. Hopefully it’ll be worth the money.

Women’s Running have an “Office Chair to 5k” plan running at the moment with a really nice accompanying podcast. It’s not plan with coaching in your ear but I’m enjoying listening to their friend’s journey.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

How interesting! I’ll take a look and might add it to my list of different C25k. I think it’s great that there are so many different experiences to get to those 30minutes.

It makes it actually quite exciting to re-do that journey, rather than left feeling that you are dropped all the way back to square 1. And it’s never actually square 1, is it.

Nice one. Will cue up that podcast!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks for the podcast pointer! I’m now listening to that podcast series and have caught up! Fortunately for me, the C25k straggler, Cara (the runner in training) also had to delay her start, so at the moment she is in the same week that I am. So it will be great following her journey!

(But it’s surprising that many of the things we regular talk about on here seemed to be new to the one or other person in the podcast … from jeffing apps, stretches, running clothes to yoga pose names…. but then we are thousands and they only three 🤣🤣🤣).

Thank you, a very enjoyable listen!

[Gthants 60minGraduate]

That's a fascinating look behind the scenes! The ASICS one is tantalising, isn't it? Giving you a tasty starter and then diving behind a paywall. Gah! Will be interesting to see if it is worth it.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Gthants]

Yeah, will report back.

We runners have been spoilt a bit, with having NRC and Coach Bennett at our fingertips and free. So it will be interesting to compare.

[Doris8 Graduate10]

Good luck.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Doris8]

Thank you!

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Good luck with the plan CBDB - and interesting to read about the different plans you’ve tried.

I agree with the comment above about the ASICS subscription though and why people would pay given there are so many free programs out there? Perhaps there is a magic formula in there to turn us in to the super speedy runners we always knew we could be..?🤣 Fab little reviews though!🙂

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

Yes, I guess the good thing is that there are sufficient free offers. But these companies do need to pay their coaches somehow, I guess.

I’ve paid subscriptions before for a couple of month, when I want to experience a different journey to the one various free offers provide.

But I am also immensely thankful that the NHS-associated C25k app is free and so good! It is still one of my favourites, but I do have an appetite to experience some others.

And I use ASICS Runkeeper for free for every single run, so giving a couple months subscriptions is probably fair, I think.

Thank you. Exciting runs ahead, and I’ll report back if I think it was worth it and how it compares to others.