W7R3 in the bag and a query!

[Bigfatsal]

Unbelievably I have now completed week 7. I can't quite believe it. Even more amazingly, I am loving running now even though I am still pretty slow and 5k is a long way off. I went away for a few days last week to my childhood home and had an idea in my head of where I would run and how far, I ran almost double what I thought I would do, quite a shock!

My query is, I sometimes feel like a little run in between the programmed runs, maybe just five or ten mins. Up until now I have always stuck to the days rest in between runs but wondered if there comes a time when it would be ok to run a little in between? I find I am doing each 'week' in six days now because I really want to run! I can't even believe this is me typing this but there we are! Any advice/thoughts would be fab! Thank you all and have a fab day xx

[AJ46 Graduate]

As the runs get longer, you need more rest. I use to do that in early days. Nowadays l stick to my rest days. Due to work commitment l have run 2 days on a row and l have felt the impact. All said, l am slightly quick in my runs as l have already achieved 5k at 28mins. That's could be the cause of my pain. Listen to your body. There are people who runs everyday. You might become one of them👍

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to AJ46]

Thank you! I really, really don't want to injure myself, I've already had to start over once after breaking some ribs! Wow, you are very fast, I think it will be ages before I can do 5k in 30 minutes! I only managing about 3k in 25 min I will stick to my rest days for now!

[AJ46 Graduate in reply to Bigfatsal]

How can you break ribs while running 😃Don't think of distance. I inspired my husband to start running too. We start together, then l pick up the paces, we catch each other for the warm down brisk walk and he is happy with that. He is a lot slower but we both are content that we are runners now. Something l would have never imagined before. Enjoy your runs

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to AJ46]

Haha even I couldn't manage that! I had just completed Week 5 and I fell off my pony :/ Thank you for your words of wisdom! I have a super country park very near me which is perfect for running (I think) a few months ago a walk round a big loop of it felt like a workout and when I started to run I thought how amazing it would be to be able to run that loop (It's just shy of 2 miles) - and now I can!!! There are loads of options for extending the run but for now I am just thrilled I can run that far, albeit slowly!

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to AJ46]

5k in 28 minutes is a incredibly fast time , particularly as you are a new runner. I dont think you have yet completed the programme.

Well done, but please do take care, you are still in the very early stages of building your running legs .

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Thanks Millsie-J ... I have just said the same thing... x

[AJ46 Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

I started week 9 yesterday. I definitely don't want to hurt myself. And l always feel l am slow. Am not racing, just enjoying the runs. Thank you. Despite not writing regularly, l read the posts and l have gathered slow is the mantra.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to AJ46]

There are...but they are a lot further on on their running journey, and maybe a tad more experienced ?

Rest days, as you found out are essential Our running legs take time to build up... as does our core strength and stamina.

The cause of your pain, is, almost certainly your speed.. so, slow down, however quick you are, you can always slow down...the time for speed and distance comes after Graduation.

This is of course, your journey, and we are all different , but the C25K is intended as a slow steady progression... avoiding the IC... ( I am on the IC at the moment, not a good place to be at all )

[AJ46 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Whats IC? Am not in pain. But l know l need my rest days now.

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to AJ46]

Injury couch! I have learned that rest days are vital too! Happy running!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

If you check past posts, the simple answer is no

The rest days from runs are essential and there is so much more exercise you can do on those days. Core strength, resistance, stamina exercise. all very, very necessary, as part of C25K. Our muscles need time to build up, a lot of time..this is just the beginning of that process

You can walk, cycle, swim, climb, do yoga or Pilates... just no running I, as many of us have set exercise to choose from for rest days. ( often my rest days seem more active than my run day.

The whole idea is to progress through this, to 30 minute runs, having had great fun...

Take it slow and steady, as you are doing and get to that Graduation Podium injury free, then you can decide where the path will take you next!

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you Oldfloss, as always you are my guru! I think I have become greedy for the high running gives me lol. I will definitely stick to the rest days (from running) and concentrate on other things then. I walk lots every day with the dogs and ride most days too so am fairly busy. Thank you again xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Bigfatsal]

You are welcome. Many , many of us do feel like you.

Glorious, wonderful sunny or fresh days when it is just perfect for a run, but is a rest day... you just do something else.. and you have got plenty to keep you going

[Millsie-J Graduate]

If you keep running three times a week, in a couple of years time you can run daily should you feel the urge to do so.

[Rignold in reply to Millsie-J]

Couple of years might be erring rather a lot on the side of caution. 6 months maybe.

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Rignold]

I have been running 12 months now, no where near attempting to run daily. To be able to keep running then erring on the side of caution is not a bad thing. All depends on your starting point no doubt.

[Rignold in reply to Millsie-J]

Well, one should not try to do more than one feels comfortable with, certainly. From a strictly biomechanical point of view however, the joints and bones and soft tissues will (barring specific medical condition) have toughened up and adapted to the rigours of regular running (say that times fast) enough within six months to cope with a daily run.

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Really? A daily run? Im a little surprised at that. I would have thought better build slowly, say try four runs a week, then moving up to five. Once injured through over use it can be very difficult to get back to regular running.

However i confess I am not an orthopaedic or osteo expert so I would defer to those who are.

[Rignold in reply to Millsie-J]

I wasn't suggesting months from graduation one leaps suddenly from 3 runs a week to 7. The 10 per cent rule applies regardless of whether you are increasing one long run or adding additional runs. But plenty of people are running HM distances by the six month mark, doing regular 10milers as their long run. Building up to running 30 minutes a day over the same period is going to pose no great risk. If you observed the 10 per cent rule to the absolute letter, you would reach that goal in 9 weeks.

[IgaT Graduate]

Wow! I'm impressed! Congratulations on your week 7! I'm "just" behind you in the beginning of week 5. Sometimes, I also have days that I want to run and I need to stop myself as it is my rest day

Keep up the great work and most importantly: ENJOY!

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Thank you!

[DawnRun]

I think that if you are in week 7/8 you are probably just at the point where you really, really don't want to run on consecutive days. The fact there are 7 days in the week and 1 day running 1 day off though does leave a spare day. Some of my running 'weeks' on this couch plan probably go over 7 days (due to weather and the odd practise run trying new course which I have done on 2 days) but I stick pretty religiously to the never running on consecutive days rule. Your run times could improve a lot from week 7 to week 9 without even pushing too much so don't worry having a slow time at this stage and 3k in 25minutes is not that slow anyway. The main point of this plan seems to be to get people interested in running so I think if you are itching to get out an run there is no harm in doing that running your 3 runs as per the plan and then after a day off do another run. And then have a day off. Your week then is 8 days but who cares? You will still be doing the 3 consecutive runs of the plan each week.

[Bigfatsal Graduate in reply to DawnRun]

Thank you, you and everyone else, have made me see sense, I really don't want to stop running now due to injury so I will continue to honour my rest days. I am so determined to get to that Graduation! I am heartened that you think I am not THAT slow, I have gotten quicker, just a little bit!