Advice on schedule

[Joolez]

I have just started C25k and have just done my W2R1... each week I see a personal trainer on Thursdays and my session usually involves power walking and some running, these sessions are hard core so I don't want to run the day before or day after. Last week I ran M, T , PT season on T and ran on S. but as the runs get longer, I'm worried that this schedule will be too tough. Should I do my 3 runs over an 8 day period instead of a week? Or continue with doing all 3 in one week with the PT session ?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

You can leave as long as you need between runs and you would be wise to do as you suggest, to have more time to recover from hard sessions. Rest days should not include any impact exercise, such as running, although other forms of exercise will be beneficial.

[Joolez Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks - that's a good idea - how low impact do they have to be footy think? Are exercise DVD's ok?

[Razouski]

I do PT sessions on my rest days, but I don't do any running. I do do cross trainer or ski machine though as they are not high impact.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

The key thing is not running on consecutive days (are you doing the NHS presentation of C25K which emphasises this?) and, regardless of the personal trainer session, if I've understood your post correctly, you've been running on Mondays and Tuesdays. It would be safer not to do that.

It does sound as though if your personal training session is going to continue to include a high impact element ie running, that you'll need to have two runs a week in addition to your session, say Tuesday and Saturday (or at any rate one of the weekend days). If it is a *personal* session with a trainer though, perhaps that could be more tailored to your overall fitness goals and programme?

[Joolez Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Thanks for your advice ... yes it is a personal session but I share it with someone else. They are hugely improving my fitness and I wouldn't even have considered doing the C25k without them. Weirdly when I run with her (on a treadmill) I'm able to go much longer than I do when running outside plus she pushes me on speed and inclines so I don't really want to mess with the PT sessions . I think I may have to settle with running on Monday and Saturday or Sunday and Tuesday as you say

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Joolez]

It's not really 'settling' for less - yes, it will take you longer to graduate from the programme than some but in pursuit of an overall goal of being fitter, healthier and happier and acquiring the habit and skill of running continuously for 30 minutes on a regular basis... it all contributes to that.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

It depends if this is a big jump from your usual activity? If the session leaves you shattered just make sure you have a rest day after and you can always do swimming or a different exercise.