Back to running...

[portugirl]

Bit of advice needed here, if anyone can help...

I started the C25K in January and completed it in March with a final 5K of 36.37. Yay! So proud! I kept the regime going religiously with the 5+ program until May when I ran the Colour Run. All good, all great, all happy. But then summer arrived in Portugal and I found it too hard run in 35 degrees, nor could I keep up with extra work load of May & June and I got VERY good at making excuses. So... I stopped running for 9 weeks. Until today when I woke up this morning to a cloudy day (therefore cooler) and thought "right: time to start again".

So, the choices were:

1) Start from Week1 Day 1, if I could run it OK on the next run do Week 2 Day 1 and so on

2) Just put on some music and run

3) Start somewhere in the middle

I opted for 3 (Week 5 Day 1). Done, dusted, pretty sweaty and huffin' and puffin' but still managed it.

I'd really appreciate the way to go on now. Should I keep it slow and repeat the program from now on, or just go with option 2? How long does it take to get out of shape after doing the C25K, or is that too arbitrary ?

I'd rather avoid injury which is why I'm being cautious, but any advice much appreciated. It was, however, a JOY to have Laura back in my life. Gosh, she's good!

[misswobble Graduate]

I started back to running from injury a few days ago. I did a five minute brisk warm up walk but I had already warmed up in the house as well cos I was working out to a DVD. I ran for 5 minutes and then did a five minute cool down walk. I just went round the block.

You could do something like that and just see how it feels. If you feel ok you can run a bit further or just leave it at that, have a rest day and then go out again. Play it by ear and see how it goes. You don't have to have a set plan at all if yo don't want to.

Let us know how you get on

[AdamB Graduate]

If you finished week 5 run 1 ok (which you appear to have done), I'd be tempted to continue with the plan for weeks 5 and 6. However, when you get to week 7 you might find it all rather easy. If that's the case you might skip runs 2 and 3 and move straight onto week 8 (and after one run at that level possibly straight onto week 9). My guess is that it will take you a couple of weeks before you are back in the groove, but once there, you'll move back up pretty quickly to your old level of fitness. After 9 weeks you will have lost some fitness, but you certainly are not back at the beginning again. I think you'll soon pick up on the fitness you've lost.

Good luck!

[portugirl Graduate in reply to AdamB]

Oh excellent! Thank you both for your positive replies. I thought I'd have to go back to square one, and it's a great feeling to think that may not be the case! I'll do what you've suggested, Adam, and hope that week 7 is 'rather easy'. Now, that WOULD be a bonus! I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks.