LONG RUNS ARE GOOD FOR YOU…..AND……NOW WE ARE 7000.

[IannodaTruffe]

Today I completed my longest run to date, covering 14.47k in 1hr 32 mins, which incidentally is 8.99 miles,(Doh!! If only…..) While the time is nothing special, I am finding these longer runs really enjoyable and they are improving my 5k times, simply by getting my body used to working for longer sustained periods. This showed up in my Park Run time last week, when, having conquered Breakheart Hill on the Friday, I ran consecutive days for the first time ever.

My logic for the consecutive days running was, that if I hadn’t attended Park Run, then I would have run my 12k + run on the Saturday, and that surely doing two runs on following days, totalling less than 10k, would be less strain on my ancient body and would cause no problems. None were to be found, apart from slightly heavy legs at the start of the Park Run, but that was probably more to do with a truncated warmup, due to late arrival. However, I kept telling myself, you can’t run consecutive days and expect PBs, so forget about PBs and just run well within your capabilities, keeping breathing steady and at an easy pace. 30 mins would be a fine time, I accepted.

I stuck to the plan, allowed other runners to pull away from me, enjoyed the scenery and kept everything comfortable. My memories from my first Park Run were of a hard, panting slog, with a horrible steep climb up to the 4.5k mark. This time the hill’s gradient was miraculously reduced along with its length.( No sign of a JCB, though). I still didn’t have a lot in reserve, but plodded on, alongside the lad of about ten, who had kept stopping, all round the course, and then catching up again. Halfway up the hill, junior got bored with the adult pace and suddenly doubled his speed and disappeared through the gate, by which Madame Truffe (as she has decided to be known) was cheering us on. With the last 500m downhill to the finish I tried to find the stride used in my speed intervals, but there was not a lot of response from my tired legs.

The crux of all this is my time, which at 27.29 was only five seconds more than my very hard won, exhausting PB. So, speed intervals, hill training, longer runs and basically getting more miles on the clock, over the last five weeks, has paid off and next Park Run, with a rest day beforehand…….well…..watch this space. By the way, I do Park Runs without Gwendolen’s company, as the 10k run I am training for forbids anything to be put in ears and so this is my gentle introduction to “naked” running.

I posted a reply, just a couple of days ago, in which I said that I thought C25k should be better advertised, which brought a flood of responses, agreeing. So, as the number of registered members of this forum has topped 7000 in the last week, I wonder what we, as a community, can do to rectify this situation. We are all eagerly telling our glassy eyed friends, relatives and colleagues about this wonderful scheme and many of us have persuaded others to take up the challenge. But there is everyone else….how do we reach them. C25k tee shirts and Club registration at Park Run and other running events are all good and well, but we are preaching to the converted at these times. I have enquired previously with the HU Admin, about the possibility of them producing a poster, which could be put up by members in doctor’s surgeries, leisure centres, schools etc. but had no positive response.

This left me thinking……(I know it’s been dangerous in the past)…maybe we produce our own. How about a poster competition, (I am not a school teacher!) that we organise, judge, then print and distribute ourselves? If each of the 7000 registered members printed one poster, then put it up in an appropriate place, that would reach thousands of potential new runners.

Let me know what you think.

[Hidden]

Sounds like you're doing great too!! I can't wait to be able to run for longer and further

I am a member of my Gp's practice PPG (Patient Participation Group) and I'll be bringing this up at our next meeting, which isn't for a few weeks yet. Some posters would be great. I am disappointed to hear that there doesn't seem to be any posters available (as yet!). Our group are also part of a larger group which covers a huge area, so I could ask there as well, but we don't have another meeting till next year there now.

If you want to get involved via GP's it might be worth you contacting your practice and asking if they have a similar group set up. You wouldn't have to join (unless you wanted to of course) but most groups welcome ideas.

I personally believe the more we can spread the word of this plan the better. I have tried so many times to get back to running, only to injure myself and fail miserably, but this plan has been great, steady increase which has allowed me to keep going injury free!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this info, Nuttynat, I will contact my local surgery.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Hidden]

If I were to write to my local practices, who, in your opinion, should the letter be addressed to?

[notbad Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Pardon me for butting in but it would normally be to The Practice Manager (I often contact them as a volunteer informatio worker). As this is NHS based I think they should be open to helping.

[Hidden in reply to notbad]

Just spotted this as I hit the button. Yes you're right notbad, the Practice Manager's I know are all angels, they have a really tough job as do all the staff at GP practices and the more people do to support them the better

[Hidden in reply to IannodaTruffe]

The Practice Manager. I'm loving this pro-activeness

[Hidden in reply to IannodaTruffe]

And it might help if you have a local "Healthwatch" group operating in your area. We have a group in Lincolnshire and it involves all areas of people who work and volunteer in a caring/health profession way in your area. Lots of charities as well as GP's get involved in our area. Try googling for your area

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

Well done on your run. It sounds like you are coming along in leaps and bounds and obviously hills. Great time on your park run. Just as an idea I am going create a poster and post it on the forum as its the only place I can place jpeg. I have taken some of the graphics from the website and copy and pasted some of the words. Its a start. I am not sure on copy write issues but if I just post it on the forum then they can see and decide themselves. that way we have made a start. Great idea to spread the word.

[OldNed Graduate]

Great run & I completely agree about this needing to be better known. It's disappointing that HU admin don't seem to see this (or perhaps it's a resource issue). This is at least as important as revamping a site which didn't need revamping (!!) so perhaps they need a bit of a shove to refocus priorities on getting a poster designed.

[notbad Graduate]

Sounds like you're doing really well, I found that my 5k times got better when I was doing distances too, I'm not sure of the science but it works.

Great idea about poster, I can think of a few places I could put them - community centre, council gym, church hall. Get the word out there

[riotgoddess]

A poster is a good idea. But also think about 'C25K Ambassadors". For me the enthusiasm of people on the forum has been the greatest inspiration. Enthusiasm is very infectious.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to riotgoddess]

Yes, I agree, but how do we make that work without laying huge responsibility onto individuals, and who are they? I have wondered about local events, maybe based around Park Runs, where all the C25kers in a region get together, do a run and a conga and invite the press. With a colourful photo opportunity and a feel good story, local papers would go for this big time, I think. If we did it all over the country........

[riotgoddess in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Regional press groups are a fantastic idea and I agree that local press interest is likely to be high.

Ambassador roles don't have to be a huge responsibility. Ultimately its just speaking about your own expiriance. Ambassadors could be drawn from any regional groups formed/this forum and receive peer support from a forum simular to this.

Have a look at the Pink Sweat website and their model (Pink Sweat is a campaign in the USA to get more young women into exercise and combat negative body image by saying "concentrate on what your body can do, not on what it looks like". Amazingly successful strategy).

[alcopop Graduate]

Fantastic distance - and a good time too. I agree with the advertising idea but not sure how it can be done. Great idea for the doctors surgery.

Seems that you are becomming a seasoned runner. My seasoning consists of salt and pepper.

[Legion Graduate]

It's hard not to be enthusiastic about this program and to tell everyone you meet how great it is. The community here is a huge part of that. However, many of the people I've spoken to simply don't have an 'interest' in running. They think it's not for them, that they can't run or they simply aren't inspired by the idea. I agree with everything you've said and I'd like to see this promoted better (I think the link up with Change4Life should help) but what it really comes down to is individuals taking on the challenge. As an illustration of what I mean - there was a local council campaign this year to get people from couch to 5k, as part of a larger sustainable travel initiative which was very well received. I thought it was a great idea and I was really looking forward to meeting other newbie runners. There were two other ladies the first week I went (friends who had come together for mutual support) and then just me for every other week, desperately hoping that someone else would turn up next week so that I wasn't outnumbered by 'instructors' 3:1.

I hope I don't come across negatively as I'm completely on board with what you're saying. I just think that we need more than a poster campaign to engage people. Taking that first step is so very hard for most people. We all know, from experience, that once you get started you get hooked. But how do we get people to go beyond glancing at a poster and finding the necessary courage to try something that may be completely alien to their every previous train of thought?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Legion]

I understand what you are saying and agree that posters do not change attitudes, but they can convey information and for very little cost. I stumbled upon C25k after googling for info for beginning running. If there had been posters in GP and dentist's waiting rooms, leisure centres, schools and libraries etc then I might well have been aware of C25k and have known where to look for it.

As has been said in other posts, education is the real key to mass change. Many on this forum have influenced others to start running and this can continue if we all use all the means available. I have contacted my GP practice to find out if they are aware of C25k and whether they are publicising it in any way. No, we won't get everyone running, but it is our NHS and if we can save it some money and improve some people's health with a bit of effort, then I am willing to try.

[crox Graduate]

To be fair on the HU admin team, they probably aren't related to c25k other than they're contracted to develop and maintain a forum on behalf of the nhs for running, weight loss and maybe a few other conditions. The posters could increase, membership and the uptake of the c25k that's for sure, but is that HU's responsibility or the nhs choice's?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to crox]

Good point, crox, but a response to my queries might lead us to an answer to your final question.

[crox Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Have you tried LauraStQ, that's the account that wrote the post about the IPhone app, I'm sure there's another c25k admin user, but I can't find it right now.

You could also try NHS_Choices_fitness_editor