REALLY had to force myself out this morning to do my second 'post-grad' run (my first was Tuesday on the treadmill). I think I failed before I even went out to be honest. Had my own playlist and a different route which was 5k according to an online mapping thing. I really, really struggled. I was running along thinking "why am I doing this exactly? I hate it!" and "what's the point of this then?". Not terribly motivational. I had to stop three times. Probably for no longer than 30 seconds each time but nevertheless...
I had no rhythm this time, couldn't get my speed right or my running technique. My right knee which has been playing up since Week 1 was killing me and to top it all I've now developed a really horrible painful right hip too. I feel like every fibre of my being is resisting the urge to run! When I did get home I'd done 4.78km in 32 minutes which annoyed me as it didn't match what the map thing said. There was one point today where I just though "that's it - I'm giving this up and going home". And I meant it. Oh dear...
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Jenwrenarm
Graduate
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Oh Jen ,I understand exactly how you feel , I've just come back , was just about to post & saw yours . I didn't enjoy my run today either it took every fibre of my being to keep going ! I took a different route as well , & I too had the gremlins on my shoulder . Do you think you should take extra rest days , hold back a bit ? Are you pushing yourself a bit too much ? Don't be hard on your self it was a bad run ,the good ones will make up for it & that will be history . You'd laugh at end of run , I had to pass a work colleague , I didn't stop , I thought no chance , I couldn't even speak lol, I just run by her & saluted , ha ha god knows what she thought , she shouted something . The route I took today had a couple of steep inclines they wore me out , anyway I covered 5k in 34.49 , so not as bad as I thought it would be . Take care & rest up a bit extra
Sorry to hear you both didn't enjoy you running today, I guess we all get times like that, but also you have come so far don't give up........you don't have to run 5K everytime you go out why not go for a short but faster run or maybe go out to do longer but do a run/walk/run of say 3 mins run 1 mins walk and see how far you can go ( I did 10k doing that really shocked myself)
10K?! Good grief woman! That's amazing! Didn't feel like I could get 10 meters today! Sounds like you're enjoying it - which I wish I could. I really want to do it, I just don't like it! I think there's so much pressure on the programme to ditch those walks that if you put them back in it feels like a failure somehow. That's also how I feel about running less than 5k. Where I live it's actually quite hard to find a 5k route. I run out of road if I want to loop!
As recent graduate it hasn't crossed my mind to do 5k each time Was more thinking 2x 5k+ podcasts or something similar to wk 9 And then maybe parkrun or 5k sh at weekend I think at moment am looking for something I can maintain long term Poss after Christmas look to stretch myself again I think sometimes we put too much pressure on ourself Good luck with your next run You can do it
Mummysarus , I was looking at bridge210k last night , & that has you doing walk run to train to get to 10k . But do you think I should carry on doing the odd 5ks now & again till I'm more comfortable with them before I start that ? I'm doing the 5k+ podcasts on other run days .
Like you I am still trying to get my head around all this, I guess it depends on what your longer term goal is........is it get faster at 5k or do a 10k? Or ultimate goal Half or full Marathon? For me I know I want to be able to do 10k events I don't think I will ever be fast enough for half or full marathon so I would say if you can run say three times a week then maybe do one 5k parkrun or on your own, follow one of the C25k+ podcasts for one session and bridge to 10k for 1 run, my son always says that it's your long slow runs that build up the stamina which will make you faster over the 5k. I did find a training plan the other day which is called Become a one hour runner, that's based on three runs a week but instead of using run/walk it just starts with 30 min runs x 3 one week then next week you would do maybe 30 mins x 1 28 mins x 1 then 40 mins x 1 run and it increases each week till you get to running for one hour, for me that would still be short of 10k but would be a start.........sorry waffled on a bit but hope some of it helps
It's not easy getting out in the cold and dark. Remember you are amazing!
Would you really forgive yourself if you gave up?
We're all still on a learning curve, it is tricky to find a focus after graduating, without having Laura tell you the way. I definitely struggled, stick at it, maybe rather than sticking to 5k do a shorter run say of 30 mins once a week on a route you know well and are comfortable with, but bargain with yourself to beat your previous distance, that way you should hopefully see your progress since Laura over time?
I'd also include an easy run once per week, so no focus on speed, just a jog, say 40 mins, the focus being to keep at a steady pace, but slowly, so you're not exerting yourself too hard...
It depends on how you're focused, what you find motivates you, it is hard but you'll find something that drives you post Laura with luck
Maybe you are pushing yourself despite your plans to do that later? You already have a comfort zone but you're not happy with that pace? Believe me, there will come a time when you find an easy pace which is enjoyable, but you do have to look for it..
Jenwrenarm - you are so not alone with this - I say it is my devil monkey sitting on my shoulder and he really annoys me but every time I get in from a run then I know it is C4ts 1 Monkey 0 and therefore you have beaten him whatever he might have said to you along the way.
I have concluded doing 30 mins running is what is important so don't beat yourself up over distance
Hi I understand what you mean 30 minutes isn't easy but then I keep reminding myself I am still new to this and it's a tall order to have to progress with every run. Maybe ease off a little, go for a few runs and don't look at the time. You can always step things up again when you are ready too. We've come too far to give up, all the best!
I think post-grad slump is quite usual, certainly was for me. Remember you're still very much building your fitness at this stage, so go easy on yourself, especially as you have a few niggles - listen to your body.
All of the above advice is right. Mix it up a bit, but have a focus for each run. Next time you run that route, that was so hard today, you will have a time to compare to. Whether you try to beat that time, or do some of it at a higher pace, or fit in some sprint intervals is up to you, but I think it is good to decide what you are doing before you set out. I do one 5k with sprint intervals, one 5k without and then a longer run at the weekend and slowly my overall fitness is improving.
I think it is very easy to believe that you are a seasoned runner as soon as you graduate, I know I did, but it is just the start of a journey which goes wherever you want it to. I also have to say that I admire all of you guys who have just graduated, since you have had to run through increasing cold and decreasing light to reach your goal. I started in June and running at 5.30 am in a balmy dawn is a delight that you must experience, so you'll just have to keep running until next summer at least, won't you?
I constantly compare my ability now, to my state six months ago, while I am running. That always makes me smile, even when it is tough going.
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That's amazing! Didn't feel like I could get 10 meters today! Sounds like you're enjoying it - which I wish I could. I really want to do it, I just don't like it! I think there's so much pressure on the programme to ditch those walks that if you put them back in it feels like a failure somehow. That's also how I feel about running less than 5k. Where I live it's actually quite hard to find a 5k route. I run out of road if I want to loop! 
1st post graduate run
First graduate run - LOL!
First Parkrun, first post-graduate run, first 5k. Triple whammy!
First consolidation run - didn't exactly go to plan
First post C25K run
