An easier C25K programme

Hi Bazza1234

wow you are doing so well. I started running at 54 and struggled with it at the start but I was put onto a few tips which really helped me with both cardio and leg strength to do the 5k

1 did a mixture of cardio leg strengthening exercises on alternative days

2 went to hot yoga for a 12 week stint

3 went to a sports physio who gave me some hip loosening stretches to do (this helped the most)

I downloaded free exercises from ptprograms.com.au to do at home but there are plenty more websites to go to

keep it up

Hi Paul

Thanks for the encouragement. I did a Parkrun yesterday and struggled with it a bit - have been thinking it through since and firstly it was quite hot and humid( 25C at 80%) - and I also have come to the conclusion that I have been getting a bit too confident /enthusiastic and running too fast, thus getting my heartrate up into the anaerobic zone when I have not yet developed enough cardio fitness. I am going to get my Heart rate Monitor out and get my rate down to training about no more than 114 BPM ( for my age) -- I am not interested in speed over the 5K's - just to be able to do it in a manner such that at the end of it, I can feel like I could do it all again. My ultimate interest is to enter into the 14 Klm Sydney City to Surf race this August

I know that Galloway advocates alternation of very short running and walking phases right up to marathon level for most people. I've read reports of people doing 60-second alternations, who finish up overtaking loads of people in the last few miles of a marathon, because they are still reasonably fresh while the others are exhausted.

Bazza1234 you are an inspiration! I am going to think of you whenever I am struggling or feeling my age (I am 54). Also I am sure there are people here who started running this Winter and long for the nice weather but I know from my previous running days that running in the heat is hard, much harder than running in cold weather. I am guessing you might live in Sydney? Lucky you, it's just about my favourite place in the world. Good luck from (not so sunny) England!

Well, I guess the NHS version C25K is (unsurprisingly) designed for a British climate...

I don't feel that even shorter intervals necessarily help beginners. I found NHS week 1 really difficult because it was so hard to pace myself. I still find Week 1 difficult but I can run 7k (which takes me an hour and 20 minutes) I do also do intervals but what you're trying to do with those is rather different than just learning how to sustain running for 30 minutes and more.

I would say, and I don't know what I'm talking about, if you know what I mean, that if you're managing a 5k in 38 minutes, you're doing pretty well - there are lots of us on here that are completing it in that time and running all the way. Why change what you're doing, if it works for you (and it sounds as though it is) just so that you can say that you are running all the way rather than intervals of running/walking? You are out there exercising your body - hats off to you!