Hi all,
I've done week 8 with relative ease, and am mentally ready to finish week 9 in the next week. But physically I'm not; I seem to have gone down with some kind of virus.
What would you lovely people usually do if you've had a bit of a gap with running? Would you suggest doing a week 8 run again when I'm ready? Or just see how far I can comfortably go?
Cheers me dears!
Don't leave it too long as you soon lose fitness. Get back out there to test how you feel asap. You don't need to run far to see how you feel. If you feel terrible pack in, but you might feel happy to run on. I'd try and run Week 9, Run 1
Good luck
Thanks miss w, that's what I was worried about, losing fitness. I think I'll see how I feel tomorrow and test the water. Maybe even later today... I should've done my run yesterday so I'm one day over so far.
I try and get back out there asap as I know how quick fitness disappears. Mind you I look a lot older than you! LOL
Hi hun
I had the same quandry Monday, I'd finished week 7 the week before and had a virus for a few days so couldn't start week 8 until the following Monday, even then I wasn't 100% but pushed myself. Anyway I wasn't sure whether to repeat one week seven run or go for week 8, so in the end loaded up week 8 telling myself I'd run as far as I could manage at least 20 mins if possible. I found putting no stress on myself helped and I did manage the full 28 minute run, infact the run was harder today lol. also I felt better after the run physically, I guess it mst have blown the cobwebs away
Just take the stress of yourself, run what you can and most importantly enjoy
I had a couple of gaps during the programme. Once when I had a cold - and I can say that going out too early isn't great. I felt fine to go but running revealed that I really wasn't. Saying that, I did the run but it wasn't enjoyable... I also took a 5 day break as I had a shoulder sprain and wanted to see if running was aggravating it - it wasn't - but when I went back to running, I just carried on where I left off and while it was harder than the run immediately before, it hadn't set me back greatly.
Depends on what kind of virus but I feel you should feel well before you run and if it means a longer gap and going back a run, so be it. You could always go a walk/jog and see how it goes. Life can get in the way!
Leave too long and you lose fitness, come back too soon and you regress, you can't win, so don't stress 
When you get back out there, don't fret, try where you left off, and if you can't do it, go slower.
I missed a week due to a nasty bug around the same time as you (Week 8-ish) and I just picked up where I left off but ran really slowly the first time out. It was actually an enjoyable run!
Thanks guys. I actually went out in the end and just about managed my first 30 min run!
Can't say I enjoyed it though, so I think I'll leave the next one til I'm feeling better.
At least I know I can do it, and like you've said, I'll just take it slow when I do go back.
I had to complete in fits and starts because of long term illness. I found that generally going back a run for the first time I was back running was the best way to do it, and I also told myself that I'd only go as far as I could, if I couldn't manage it it didn't matter, and generally I did make it to the end.
Restarting running post-injury
Chronic Illness and Running 
Back to running after illness 
Running after illness
Week 7 - not as bad as my head kept telling me!
