Hello hello hello.

[AnneDroid]

Hi everyone. Just checking in as I haven't been around much for a while.

Congratulations to everyone who has completed C25k recently and "Go for it!" (*waves enthusiastically*) to everyone who's currently going through the program.

I'm still running - slowly. Needing to go back to the doctor to get to the bottom of quite WHY I'm so slow. Thyroid problems and anaemia have been ruled out but there are other things that can be tested for. It's been annoying to miss out on all the events I had originally hoped to run in over the summer, and not to be able to go to my running club as their distances are too far for me. But on the other hand, I'm still doing parkrun and have started taking my dog along which has been great. And, do you know, when I started out on my C25k journey my original aim was to be able to run for half an hour three times a week and actually if that's all I end up doing I refuse to see that as a failure...

[RunForestR Graduate]

No failure in using your common sense to make sure your healthy and fit and have no underlying issues. and certainly no failure in keeping on going.

[Hidden]

It's easy to shift the goals as time goes on. Really important to remind yourself of what you hoped for in the beginning- You have done brilliantly and you are an inspiration

I hope that they get to the bottom of your lack of energy (although a lot of people would think that running 30 mins 3 times a week is VERY energetic!)

[LeeU Graduate]

If you want to speed up start adding 10% distance to ONE run per week, the other 2 runs, why don't you try redoing C25K, jog the walking parts and increase your speed on the run parts. Or do some interval training?

From what I understand, increasing your stamina will help you increase your speed in the long run (no pun intended there).

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

Hi, I missed this as I'm mostly over on the Bridge to 10k at the moment. Welcome back, good to hear from you!

I too am slow, in fact I'm getting slower, but that may be due to using a heart rate monitor which told me I was heading for a rapid death if I carried on running like that (slight exaggeration!). On the other hand I can go longish distances and a 5k is just a standard run now. I don't think there's anything wrong with me - apart from old age - and as long as I can do my runs every week and reap all the benefits I'm not going to beat myself up!