So maybe week 8 is not the best time to take it off the treadmill and start running outside for the first time (in about 30 years - no exaggeration). I didn't get anywhere near completing the 28 minutes - I got defeated by a little hill (I live in Norfolk so a very little hill) about half way round. But I looked back at the wish list I made about 9 weeks ago and can tick off "get into size 14 clothes" and "run all the way round the village once without stopping" (the dreaded hill was OK first time round but overwhelming when I tried to run round the village a second time). So I think this is the real test - get back on the treadmill on Monday morning and tackle W8 R1. I think my plan now having decided to try and run outside at the weekends is to just do the whole C25K on the treadmill and then go back to week 5 or 6 5k but doing everything outdoors. Any advice - is that a good plan or a bit daft? Frankly I think the most important tip I have picked up so far has been to do whatever feels right and will eventually get you to graduation even if it takes a bit longer.
Anyway feeling a bit ambivalent about today - great to be able to run round my village once without stopping (about 1.5 miles) but a bit fed up that for the first time I haven't completed a run as per Laura's instructions.
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AmandaCaroline
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Running outside, even on the flat, is a little bit harder than on the treadmill.
For one thing it it difficult to judge your pace and the treadmill saves you a little bit of energy due to the assistance the moving band gives you. Many treadmill runners use an incline of one degree to more accurately simulate outdoor conditions. Might be an idea for you to consider that too.
I'm just about to tackle W8R1 on Monday so I'm no expert but I'm at the same point as you and I've been running outdoors throughout. I think the hill, however small, would have really taken it out of you, so to tackle it twice you might have been expecting too much of yourself. We've a smallish hill here and I avoided it for the first few weeks by running up and down the same (longish) road, with slight incline, until I felt I could tackle the hill. When I did, I did it after the official run time, so if it beat me it didn't mean I hadn't completed the run, so I felt less pressure! I do it now as part of my run (and another one as well), and it's really not as big a challenge as I'd thought... So, although I'm sure the treadmill is perfectly fine and if you enjoy that you could stick with it.... if you decide you do want to run around your village, could you run a flatter route? Not do the hill but turn back on yourself so it's all flat? Then tackle the hill just once and right near the end of your run, but only if you feel you can...turn round if it means not quite reaching the end of your run...and tackle it so slowly that you're barely going forwards... Then, after a couple of times of doing this, it might not seem so hard! Like I said, only my thoughts...I'm still struggling with these runs..still getting there but not easily!
I completed the programme on the treadmill, no incline. Once I'd done that, I started mixing it up a bit, using the incline, until I could run 5k, before I started running outdoors. I started the outdoor runs at week 6 then built up to 5k. I find running outside more arduous (end up looking like a beetroot) but strangely it's easier to keep going, and I tend to run faster overall...it's more interesting maybe. I've been back on the treadmill the last couple of months because its been so dark and miserable outside, but I'm planning on getting back out there this week. So, yes, what you're planning worked for me and gave me something to aim at post graduation.
I live in Norwich, never underestimate the hills in Norfolk. There's not as many of them but they bite back! I run round Mousehold and some of the hills there are evil!!!
Don't worry! That transition from treadmill to outdoors is hard for a lot of people. Hills really are hard too. You're still out there running, that's what matters. Stick with the programme however you think best and then you can have another goal to aim for on graduation.
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