Week 3 - Run 4!!! - long post warning!

[Soosysoo]

So ... I've been reading your posts for a week or so now and thought I'd check in and say hello.

Having not really done anything remotely sporty since leaving school almost 30 years ago - back in April I decided I needed to lose weight and get fit. Thanks to 3 minute belly blitz and healthier eating I lost one stone and felt wee bit fitter. So - then I found C25K and decided to give it a go. Week 1 was ok, week 2 was bearable - but week 3? It's been difficult to say the least. From the title you will see I've done an extra run this week - just because I don't think I'll be ready for next week without it. I'm using Nike Running alongside it to track my distance and am mostly running between 2 and 2.4 miles most sessions - is that about average for first few weeks? I've no-one to pace against and I am really competitive with myself - this morning Nike told me that it was my fastest km ever - 7min 1 sec. I get upset when I don't beat either a distance, mile or km record on a day lol - hubby thinks I'm too hard on myself.

Anyway - just wanted to say hi and thank you for all the inspirational posts and comments. Keep up the good work x

[Nik0lai]

Long reply - get ready...

I week behind. No idea of distance. I'm looking at heart rate as an indicator of fitness. Although that does require good pacing which isn't my forte.

I can see if I'm pushing myself or not. My last session felt awful but according to suunto I was taking it a lot easier than w2r1. Stupid machine.

I think we are all so different sizes age previous experience etc that distance covered realy is no indicator, except as a personal guide.

If it helps to keep you motivated then all is well . But it's like bathroom scales - (they lie!) - it's best to measure weekly at most, otherwise you may get put off with normal fluctuations. I expect that goes for best km times too.

But without the guilt 🍔. Nyom

Nik

[Soosysoo Graduate in reply to Nik0lai]

Thanks Nik. I agree - scales and other gadgets definitely lie!!

Good luck with your next run x

[ndgould Graduate]

Hi. I'm doing week 3 as well and should have done run 3 last night but had a niggling knee pain since run 2 so decided to take an extra rest day. I'm only doing 2 miles at most but not letting distance be my aim. At the moment I'm just trying to make sure I don't stop on the run sections no matter how much I want to. I figured that fitness will come from the action of running and I can work on speed/distance once I can actually maintain a decent amount of time running! I am struggling with breathing at times so I am definitely a bit of a plodder. I think it is good to set yourself little challenges but every day will be different and you won't always be able to run faster or further. Just remember that whatever you do you are always lapping the person on the couch!

[Soosysoo Graduate in reply to ndgould]

Aww that's good advice - thanks for that. I struggle with breathing too and in the gap between tracks on my playlist I actually looked behind me to see who was panting loudly behind me - oh yes - it was me!!

I'm now having two days rest as it's our gala weekend and we have visitors and a lot of prosecco to drink lol.

Dreading week 4 but I will be up and out of bed and out the front door by 5.45am in Monday morning!!

Good luck with your niggly knee x

[Purple_faced_woman Graduate in reply to Soosysoo]

I was doing W6 R2 the other day and wondering what that harumphing noise was behind me - it was a woman walking briskly who overtook me the moment my run finished and dropped down to a walk!

My speed is slow, but I have noticed the distance I have covered increasing gradually, so it is improving. I just ran for 25 minutes for the first time (W6 R3), the longest I have ever run. Keep going - I found Week 4 hard, and repeated it, but it is amazing how fast your body improves. You are doing brilliantly.

[Soosysoo Graduate in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

Thanks for your reassurance. I can't imagine running 25 minutes!! A well done

[Hungryhorse63]

Hi

I have COPD 50% lung capacity and 63. I started the C25K during my Pulmonary Rehab. I have been running g now for 8 weeks but 10 days off due to lung infection but back running g this week. It is very addictive and you do find you are competing against yourself. With my lungs I can't always move onto the next phase so I repeat that week again until I'm ready. Don't put in extra run days as you won't achieve anything. Your rest days are important for the muscle tissue to repair and build. You may find you need to do cross training cardiovascular fitness as running is not just the legs and lungs it is upper body strength too. I run at 12 min mile now and do 2 1/2 miles each run. It's not the distance in the beginning training. I bought the Paula Radcliffe book it's brilliant and explains everything thus avoiding injury. Go for it. Well done you and keep going at your pace 😊😊

[Soosysoo Graduate in reply to Hungryhorse63]

Wow how inspiring!! You are amazing! Thanks for your advice - someone else mentioned the Paula Radcliffe book - maybe I will go investigate.

Best wishes and take care x

[Hungryhorse63 in reply to Soosysoo]

The Running Bug is another useful site full of information too!

This running malarkey is soooo addictive lol xx

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to Hungryhorse63]

Well done Hungryhorse. Inspiration indeed.

[gary_bart]

Well I did the 25 minute run that ends Week 6 this morning, and I estimate my distance covered to be about 3.4 km, which is just over 2 miles, so by the measure of speed, you're ahead of me, already. I did hold back, just to make sure of chalking up the goal, but even so, you look to me like you're doing fine.

BTW, I totally agree with your approach of repeating runs when you don't feel ready to proceed. I've done a lot of that, and it's worked for me.

[Hungryhorse63]

Just keep going but don't do too much distance. That comes later it's fitness first or you will end up with an injury. Give your body time to readjust first build your muscles then you can increase the distance. GoGirl Xx HH