A Month of Week 1: Some encouragement for new strugglers

[Nilzed]

TODAY i ran all the runs! I have been at it a month, and have repeated week1Run1 10 times. Not including my warm up and cool down, i went 1.30 miles

On the first run, when Laura said stop, i actually wondered if i had somehow hit the skip forward button when sorting out the podcast and my tracking app! Really! Done already? Easy peasy! But i felt much the same on the second so think i didnt. Each run got harder until the last one when i was thinking 'please Laura, tell me to slow down, before i pass this muddy puddle, ok, the park bench, ok, the change from gravel to pavement, ok, the bridge then, oh thank you! finally! '

I bravely include hills (little ones) and will admit to pausing Laura during walk 4 so that the next run began at the top of a hill. I have no shame. Also, there were 2 runners, 2 sets of dog walkers and a cyclist heading down toward me on a trail just wide enough to pass, so, trail manners demanded it. The downhill side was as high traffic and the coming uppers stepped aside for me.

I switched to the app a few runs ago as i was beginning to recognize the changes in the music and to slow down in anticipation of Laura's instruction. I prefer the quiet anyway.

I am traveling this week, so hope to complete week 1 two or three more times (once at 3000 ft up a mountain! ) and begin Week 2 when i get home.

(The bridge over the Kelvin River in the picture is the one i hoped to stop running at. From there, i cool down on a long trail up to the bridge i am standing on.)

[aliboo70]

What a great post and a beautiful picture, very calming! Congratulations on your resilience in completing week 1, shows what some determination can do

[RubySlippers Graduate]

I loved your post Nilzed. The view looks fantastic. I recognise that feeling of begging Laura to talk and thinking it will happen before the fence post or before the hedge because you might pass out if you have to go any further. You've done really well to stick in there. I hope your travels and any running will be enjoyable. Good luck.

[Nilzed in reply to RubySlippers]

Happily, the hoped for end points are further up the path than i used to pick, because i can already run a little faster and farther in 60 seconds!

[Hidden]

It's a great inspiration to see this post - someone who had the guts to take their time over it instead of forging ahead when they knew their own body better. Gives me encouragement to stick to my very drawn out programme which works for me. Good luck in progressing now to W2. Best wishes.

[Nilzed in reply to Hidden]

No part charging head on to a brick wall! I have learned that in 49 years, if nothing else!

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Well done, Nilzed, and keep at it. It took me 50 runs to graduate rather than the 27 in the programme because I repeated runs and weeks as I needed to. You will get there - happy running

[Nilzed in reply to Anniemurph]

I am sure i wont have to repeat future walks so much! Hope so anyway!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

I recognised early on that I would struggle with the C25K programme - so I did this 7 week programme as a lead up to it mayoclinic.org/DOC-20086108 It starts out with only 15 second running intervals followed by 45 secs , but does it for 30 minutes from the start.

[Nilzed in reply to Bazza1234]

Thanks, i will read it over.

[Hidden in reply to Bazza1234]

Thank you for this. I have just looked it up and bookmarked it. Best wishes.

[pot58 Graduate]

There are many ways to the top of the mountain but the view is always the same! Does n't matter how long it takes...it's better than sitting on the couch!