Help/Advice anyone?

[letsjustsmile_x]

I graduated the couch to 5k back in September after finishing uni and whilst looking for a job. I got a job in September and it's severely impacted my running, by which I mean I didn't go for months!

Now I manage to go maybe once every 2 weeks because I've lost my fitness so much, it's embarrassing and leaves me feeling deflated so I don't want to go again; I can barely run 5 mins without stopping, let alone 30!

I do want to run more often and am thinking about starting the program again for motivation but don't want to go back all the way to week 1, where would you guys recommend I start?

Any advise is welcome!

[crox Graduate]

Try week 6 see how it goes

[LMS2110 Graduate]

I dropped out for only a little while as my life sort of took over for a while. Like you, I found that I reverted to an inability to run for very long at all

Why not check the actual time you feel capable of running and dive back into the week where runs of that duration occur? It's possible that you need to train through the intervals and breathing spaces to get yourself into tip-top fitness again. Keep the one day rests in between outings.

So, if you can only do 1 minute runs ... all the way back to W1! However, if you can actually manage 5 or more minutes you could go to whichever week seems most appropriate. You may well find that you can cope with only two rather than three repetitions too (your body will probably remember your previous form rather better than your mind can) so you'll soon whizz back up to the longer runs again. I am sure you'll be enjoying 30 minute outings again very soon. I did.

Cheers, Linda

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Good sound advice from Linda and a tactic I myself adopted after being laid up with injury over 3 months a couple of years ago. You will find that your fitness comes back if you manage to do 2-3 runs a week, you may well find you don't need to do 3 of the runs on the shorter times. Listen to your body and you will soon be back to doing 30 minutes and/or 5K. Wishing you luck, positive pants on, you can do it.

[letsjustsmile_x]

Thanks everyone! Looking at the plan I think I'm going to start again at week 4 and try to keep my positive pants on!