Not loving it anymore 😞

[Amandalawrence74]

just finished week 8. I've done myself proud but I've totally lost the excitement of it all.

I only started this to see if I could do it and with that almost done I think I need a new goal.

what kinds of things keep you going?

[Miller2]

Your new goal is GRADUATION!!!! You can't get to week 8 and give up. My graduation run (a couple of weeks ago) was the best thing ever. I was smiling from ear to ear and cried at the end!!!! I started to feel a bit demotivated at around week 7 and week 8 but my motivation is back again now.

I was worried after graduation I may lose motivation since I would have finished the programme so I got myself a garmin gps watch. I now need to get my money's worth out of it but I genuinely love looking at all the statistics it gives me after each run. I'm adding a bit on each week to get to 5k (30 minutes didn't get me to 5k, but it doesn't with lots of members judging by various posts). Once I get to 5k I'm going for 10k and then I shall enter myself into a race (I say race, the only race I'll be having is with myself, I'd just want to get to the end in whatever time it takes). Look beyond graduation and think what you could achieve.

Keep going

[SillyLilly Graduate in reply to Miller2]

Great advise!

[Amandalawrence74 Graduate]

I don't want to give up I will graduate just feeling flat. It's a comfort to know you felt the same!

I was discussing with dh what to do next improve speed and therefore distance or go for 10k, it makes sense to improve on 30mins speed first doesn't it? Or I could end up spending hours just trying to get to 10k!

I think I'll look for an organised run that could help me to see if I can do the distance of 5k😊

[ench0 Graduate]

Don't you dare to give up (that's what my wife told me the other day). Never even intended though. 😆

[Millsie-J Graduate]

How about doing Parkrun once you graduate. You can try to quicken your time and socialise! You can run/ walk if you are not up to a full 5k (lots of us aren't at graduation). poppypug also sets Quests you can join in with.

Don't let those gremlins take over, you have done the hard work already and will probably now be feeling the health gains too😃

[McFitty Graduate]

No giving up! I graduated a little while ago and since then I've had a lot of what I call 'flat spots'. Not down or anything but just like you say a bit flat. I had the joy of running with the musketeers all the way to graduation and that really kept me buoyant but afterwards..well I have flat days and boingy days! Sometimes a whole flat week! The boing comes back on its own but it really helps to set yourself goals, even tiny ones, even silly ones. One of my silly ones was to do three consecutive runs before 5.30 in the morning, another to speed up and slow down as many times as I could in 10 minutes. Another to see if my dog really was faster than me (but that's another story). I think also that there is a genuine subconscious despondency that creeps in towards the end of the programme because we're internalising the feeling that this exciting journey is coming to an end. The fact is it's not. It's just the beginning. You're into the final week. Be proud and then look forward to all the amazing things you can do because your body is now able. Oh and the most amazing thing that keeps me going? This incredible forum!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Couldn't agree more

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to McFitty]

What a fabulous response McFitty. I think you are right - so many of us have wobbles somewhere in weeks 7-9, whether it's "I can't do this" or the much cleverer gremlin of "This is too boring for me to do this"

Anyway Amandalawrence74 that was Week 8 and you can't know that each of the next 3 runs is going to feel flat (unless you actually *want* to feel that way, which would be a bit weird)... especially as the first one will be the first time you crack 30 minutes and the 3rd will be the big one after which you can have your badge here and move onto whatever goal you want (5K, the Couch to 5K+ podcast suite, a speed, the regular Quests we have here... or indeed never run a step again). Seriously, the satisfaction will be there waiting for you, you just have to run for it.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Come on.. you have got this far...get to the Graduation podium... give a wistful smile and then leap in the air..!!!! Hooray, because you have done it!

There can be flat spots.. especially in such a structured programme..but after this, the journey goes on... Your way! Speed, distance , timing... Strides, intervals, Sprints. park Run and the joys, if you want them of Bridge 2 10K... what does it matter if you don't make 10 K. quickly or at all... the journey is so exciting...I have discovered backwards running, hurdling over obstacles on one run, mud crawling on winter days. sliding on ice patches, when I went out when I shouldn't...

I keep going for oodles of reasons.. I am about to become a Grammyfloss.. so want to be heart healthy and fit, for the new sproglet... I love getting out there in the wild wide, world and rambling about it, on here afterwards.. I love the friendship and support, the sadness and the humour of the fabulous forum...I love seeing folk overcome all manner of difficulties, and against all odds... I keep going, mostly because I can, and count that blessing every single time I run!

I am oh, so fond of quotations... so here goes... " The moment that you are ready to give up, is usually the moment before the miracle happens...do not give up". Please

[Irish-John Graduate]

Graduation in the short term, long term - I feel so much better mentally and physically.

I guess it's not for everyone though. I had a friend who everyone thought was a brilliant guitar player - and very shy about it, with a lot of coaxing he would play 'Stairway To Heaven' in a manner that would make the angels weep with joy.

Few knew that was the ONLY thing LITERALLY he could play. He just loved that tune so much he learned it by absolute rote and had zero interest in playing anything else

It's all about whatever keeps you happy in the end. I wish you well

[Hidden]

parkrun......it's what keeps me going from week to week....

[Indiscoot Graduate]

Graduated today - park run is my next motivation plus bridge to 10k. Keep it up.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Go for a 10k plan next, book up for a race for life, try running on a trail.... this is just the beginning, it gets better and better from here 😎

[Simmypie Graduate]

Before I graduated I read posts from people who found it hard to keep motivated after the structure of c25k, not having things to look forward to each week.

Since graduation I have felt a bit like that, but my motivation is thinking back to week 1 when a run of even half a mile was impossible to conceive.

I'm kind of aiming towards running 10k eventually, which might one day lead to a half marathon, that's four and a bit lots of 5k, still hard to imagine at the moment.

I don't want to stop running as:

a) I've always told myself that I hated running and wouldn't be able to do it, I have proved myself wrong and only wish I had done this years ago...

b) I enjoy either a run on my treadmill or going out early am with my music, (even though my knees ache a day or two afterwards, even having tried new shoes and stretches. It's a small price to pay...) and the sense of accomplishment I get from completing a run.

c) I don't want to lose my fitness. If I miss a few runs then I know I will lapse back to "the couch" (sorry for the terrible swear word! )

d) The community on here is so amazing and supportive, encouraging the new runners who voice the same fears I had at the start, (having graduated a whole week or so ago ) I like that I can say "don't worry, it gets easier, you can do it".

Once you have graduated there are loads of other choices, you can run whenever you want for fun, or sign up for charity events, enter a half marathon (eek! motivation enough!)

Good luck!

[Hidden]

Change your route that helps

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Planning! I always have some runs planned, a bit further than I've been before with something special to see along the way if possible.

[ladyharvills Graduate]

Parkrun is definitely a motivator. My goal is to achieve the 30 minute 5K. I'm at 31:05 so far. The good thing about Parkrun is that from time to time there are pacer runs, which help such alot!

[Amandalawrence74 Graduate]

Thanks everyone, week9 run1 was a good one and I felt really quite happy with my efforts. I set myself a task today to see how far around the village (circular route) I could get in the 30mins. And actually got all the way which was amazing! DH said on my return that that was really brave and I agree it was but I did it anyway yay me lol!

[Simmypie Graduate]

Yay! Glad that you are more positive about the running. Two more runs to go and you will be an "expert" just like me Onwards and upwards, perhaps run to raise money for charity in the future, that's a good motivator to continue.

[Josepha2263 Graduate]

Don't you dare give up as all the others are saying. Lol!

Great to see you've haven't given up and got back out straight away. Well done on completing W9R1 two more to go then graduation is at your grasp. There'll be lots of opportunities and choices to keep you motivated. You can also join a Park Run at your local.

I've not long graduated and wondered what I would do next, my main worry was to carry on with my running because I want to carry on running as long as I can. I'm running the c25k again this time for stamina and speed because I have no idea what speed I'm as I didn't bother when I started the podcast all I was worrying about is to actually be able to run.

When you've graduated that would be the start of your running journey.

Wising you all the very best.

[CarolineCats Graduate]

I am also easily bored and lose interest if I am not careful so I changed my music program when I started to get a little fed up and challenged my self towards the end of the run with a 'leg-it to the finish', I start to up the pace with a minute to go, then two minutes next time just for the satisfaction of going hell for leather over the 30 minute mark! Amuses me anyway! Once you have graduated you can alter your program - have you looked at Fartlek training?