8 weeks postgrad update

[Sofargoner]

Little update 8 weeks post graduation

Still not made a parkrun

Still not cracked 5km in 30 mins

However.....

I have run OUTSIDE 3x every week.

After my last post asking people for advice I have done two things:

1. Increased my distance so I am not far off 4km. I exclude the warm up walk and start my tracker once I begin to run but I do include a cool down walk as I reckon that ultimately I will run slightly more and more of the 4K. When I first graduated I was around 2.75-3K.

2. Coincidentally (or should that be 'consequently'?) my time taken to run 1km has reduced by 60-90seconds per km. I record the splits so I can see my progress. My first km is 2mins faster than it used to be.

If I don't get outside 3x I feel all antsy and disappointed, so weird!

I still find the first 10 mins so hard, the number of times I want to just give up and stop no matter what route or park I am in...I look far into the distance and fight to control the thoughts that it's so far, I can't possibly finish....then after 15 mins I definitely feel it easing a good bit then after 30 mins I'm shattered and have to try really hard to keep going! To run for 45 mins seems impossible but then I used to say that about 20mins.

Slow Joe am I but I'm six to seven months on and still doing this thing!

Wow.....

[AnneDroid Graduate]

Great to hear. I was wondering how you were getting on. Well done!

[McFitty Graduate]

That first ten minutes is a killer isn't it! You are doing absolutely brilliantly. I know my graduation run was so far short of 5k it was embarrassing but it didn't matter. Slowly slowly I reached 3k, then 4k and then 5k (always slowly) 😁Like you say, we thought we'd never make 20 minutes. Look at you now!

Keep up the good work SFG xxx

[Tractorman Graduate]

As someone who hopes to Graduate either this week or next, it's very reassuring to hear how you have developed post-Grad. I think I am going to mirror you as already my experiences seem to be exactly the same although I haven't had as much running behind me as you have.

I think it's more important just to get out there three times a week - even if it's just to walk! I don't have any ambitions yet other than to keep on doing my 30 x 3 each week and perhaps get to 5k in that time but that's a long way off and it'll take whatever it'll take, I'm not bothered any more.

I'll be following your posts and see if I can do as well as you.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

The toxic ten, is a well known phenomena and there are scientific reasons for it,,, ( my husband lectured me on them when I was on C25K.. :)) Quite a few posts on here about them..

You are doing brilliantly. Moving steadily forward and taking it at your own pace!

Slow is good.. it is the new fast you know

[ANewMe2022 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Just read a few Oldfloss and it all makes sense now! Now that we know everyone has the same problem, our minds might just think 'oh well this feeling will pass shortly' and enable us to get through it with more faith - hopefully...xx

[Irishprincess Graduate]

That's brilliant. Consistency is the key and you're well on track.