Today I completed W9Run3 and one thing I have to say is that I hated every bit of it ! From about week 3 my calves have been killing me while running but from about week 7 or 8 the pain in my shins is not fun at all. Have only just managed to hobble the 5 min warm down ( although that has got a bit better during week 9). The next day I am in pain all down my shins and in fact for week 9 I had to take 2 days rest between each of the runs.
Running is clearly not for me.... or I am doing it all wrong. My girlfriend has recently graduated with no pain at all !! Lucky girl !
Need to see if there is a bike equivalent or at least go back to about week 5 and start again ( after my shins recover).
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Gazbee
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Everything I have read about shin splints (after my own little episode) leads me to think that it is a fixable issue for you but will probably require you to go to a running shop and have gait analysis done with a view to getting running shoes that offer support where it is needed for your style/gait.
What a shame! So, let me get this right. You've put yourself through all that hard work, determination, commitment, effort and sweat and you've graduated so now you can run at any pace and distance, just for fun, and you're not going to do it again?
Go on, get proper running shoes, run very very slowly, stretch, get a foam roller and post here often for encouragement. You know you want to.......
Congratulations on graduating. You've done all the hard work, so don't give up now!! Think of all those lovely runs you could do together with your girlfriend once your shin issues are sorted. Could be something as simple as better fitting shoes or better stretching. It would be a crying shame if you just give up now. Do a bit of research, get some advice, get new shoes. Do something, anything but don't just give up. Speaking as someone who had the most awful knee trouble whilst doing the programme, pain free running is wonderful and something as simple as learning the correct strengthening exercises and stretches can make all the difference.
Why on earth did you keep going then? Perhaps try a run with no target in mind, no set distance, no set speed, slow down if it hurts, walk when you want to, just enjoy being outside and actually able to run if you want to - that's quite special, and something some people can't do, so at least be grateful and proud of that.
By the way, I only run twice a week, I found I had to have at least 2 rest days, my legs cannot do high impact that often! But I'm happy with that, I have been increasing my distance on that basis, have got to 10k a couple of times, it's the overall wellbeing I enjoy, I'll never be a gazelle or run a marathon. I suppose it depends on what you want out of it and working that out, but don't forget you've graduated and that's a feat in itself.
Oh that seems such a pity. Is it your shoes? Do you need to stretch more before / after? Run less frequently? Please don't give up after coming this far!
After graduation it's is good to find what you want from running. Did you enjoy being outdoors, Inspite of the pain did you feel a little buzz the days you did your run. If the answer is yes to either I would find a way for it to work for you. I personally found running flat out was a bit of a pressure on my body. I perserved for a year trying to find my feet. I found it when I decicded to run/walk. I run for two mins then walk for one. We are all different after graduation I wanted to run distance so I needed to find a way my body was comfortable. Shins splints, stretching your calves is good for easing the, up a bit. Try and shake it up and see if anything suits.
I had lots of aches & niggles but suffered 2 weeks of awful ankle pain. I couldn't get rid of it until I implemented a stretching regime and invested in gait analysis / good shoes. Don't drop the habit - it is great when you are injury free!
Congratulations on your graduation especially since you seem to have had such a miserable experience! You must be a very determined person. I would suggest a good physiotherapist could help!
Gazbee, you have pushed yourself to get to week 9, now its time to run just for fun. Get some of your favourite music mixed up to listen to and just go out with no set plan. If your tired/or in discomfort then walk then when ready run again.
the pressure for you to run 30 mins is not what you want, just do 30 mins of walk and run till your ready to increase.
I wouldn't say I was truly fit after 9 weeks and it took several months to get there.
3 years down the line I can run for over an hour non stop but oh so slowly and everyone out jogging runs past me. Who cares I love just been out. I have had a lot of different injuries along the way. And one nast fall recently, but I took time off to recover and then start again. Please don't let how your feeling put you off, you have come a long way so far, be proud of yourself.
C25k was my way of trying to avoid the fate of so many of my friends, who, in their late fifties were having heart problems and also to try to prevent the inevitable age related decline in my stamina. As someone who was 57 when I started C25k, I can honestly say that I have never been as fit as I am now at 59 (well maybe last summer!!) Having regained that, at my age, there is no way I am going to throw it away, it is far too valuable and I wish I had discovered running when I was much younger. If running really doesn't suit you, then please make sure you get the exercise in some other way. You owe that to yourself.
If you're really giving up then I guess this won't interest you, but perhaps it will help others... The C25k approach is only one way of training to run. It's accessible and we all found it, but there are others. Do check out Jeff Galloway, who was an Olympic runner but has devoted the many years to helping ordinary folk like us to run - even up to marathon distance. He uses a method known as run/walk/run where you alternate a few minutes of running with a minute or so of recovery. This allows your legs to recover a lot during the run itself, enabling you to go further and ultimately faster than people who press on and just get more and more pain and tiredness. It can seem strange the idea of not running for more than a few minutes but it works.
If you experience pain, then this could be the answer.
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I'm now a graduate!!!!!! ME?!
Graduated. Now to run alone
Graduated - now what?
This Runner 5 has now graduated! 
Don’t think I’ve quite graduated yet?
