The never-give-up strategy

[ejvcruns]

I do find running fun now but there was a definite period where I just thought, what’s the point, I can’t do it, I’ve never been able to do it and I’ll never be able to do it. About week 4, and again about week 7.

If that’s you, this is what got me through, in hopes that it may help. It’s the same thing that eventually got me through my 8 year slog on a PhD. 1) I really really thought about quitting, and in doing that I realized how important this programme was to me. How I wanted, really deeply, to live well in the second half of my life, to not get dementia, and diabetes, and heart attacks, as well as eventually to look nice and enjoy looking at myself in the mirror (half deep, half shallow?). So, think about quitting. Think about what you are giving up. 2) if you really decide that you really want to do it, then the answer is just — not to quit. You really can’t fail this programme, since it really works and it doesn’t matter if it takes you longer. You can of course fail a PhD, but there I decided that they would actually have to kick me out before I would stop... (they never did, and I got it, so there!)

The bad parts of this programme aren’t that bad — they are temporary and you can just drop to a walk if it all becomes too much and then try again, and magically the next time you try you will be better. The good parts are really very good — improved mental and physical health, sense of achievement, better fitting jeans, renewed fortitude against life’s troubles. Just grind out the difficult bits and don’t give up. You don’t need to give up! You can’t fail! You can do it! And you deserve all those good things.

[Polly2810 Graduate]

Well said....so very true!!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Great words ejvcruns ....are you listening everybody?! 😉

[Pc59 Graduate]

Wow!!! Great post to keep us motivated & so true!!😊

[Cornet-Carolyn Graduate]

Such a motivating post, thank you 😊

[Gaspode1 Graduate]

Great advice. I’ll be thinking of this tomorrow morning when I hit the treadmill for Wk8R2.

Thank you

[IgaT Graduate]

Very motivational!

I failed my PhD, but for exactly the same reasons I won't fail in running

[Kerrisue Graduate]

Brillant post!

[Sandyscroll]

Very well said!

[Saratamsin Graduate]

Great advice - thankyou.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Great post... Newbies and not so newbies.... this is for all of us !

[Ificandoit Graduate]

I’m listening! Keep telling me though because it’s sometimes hard to see the point. The long term health benefits even if we never get any faster are definitely worth remembering. I want to be as fit and healthy and inspirational for myself and my children as I get older. Great post - thank you.

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Ificandoit]

I was just wondering where you were! Getting faster is pleasant but unnecessary. If you want to try, though, I recommend intervals and longer runs -- I'm doing a programme of 1. short interval; 2. 5k run; 3. longer run (this week 6k eek). I also did a few weeks of 10 minute runs interspersed with exercises, stretches, skipping, etc. like warm up 5 mins, (jog 10 mins, do something 3 mins)repeat twice, finish with a 10 min run with a sprint at the end.

[Ificandoit Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

I’m still here! Still running but really missing the structure of the c25k programme. My brother has invited (challenged?) me to his local parkrun in a couple of weeks so that’s my target at the moment - consolidating and reaching 5k relatively easily. Are your interval programmes part of the zombie run thing?

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Ificandoit]

Yes, they are a bit of zombie stuff but tbh I think you might be able to program them in to apps like strava or run keeper.

[Martin_Rose Graduate]

Great post for everyone.

[angemum Graduate]

Sometimes I think it's like childbirth - you say 'never again' when you're in the throes of it, then afterwards you feel so thrilled, you end up trying again (ps - I ended up with four kids!)

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to angemum]

Nope, never again. Two was plenty for me LOL.

[icklegui Graduate]

I absolutely concur. This post has come at the right time for me - thank you, from a fellow never-give-up 8 year PhD-er. Really need some of that fortitude and if running could help - and it certainly doesn't harm - then I could really just bear that in mind more often.

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

One must develop one's capacity for sheer bloody-mindedness...

Have you got a viva date or anything? I'm wishing you the best of everything.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

My supervisor alternately calls me bloody-minded, tenacious or just plain stubborn viva has been and gone, as have major corrections (and they were so major...) now just limping on with minor corrections... while trying to work full time... can't give up now...!

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

OMG horrible. I also had major corrections (had to remove a chapter!) but I hustled them out and didn't have any to follow. You definitely are not allowed to give up now.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to ejvcruns]

remove a chapter .... blimey ... I had to practically add a whole chapter, as well as large tracts of other chapters ... nearly there now though!

[Kimterry Graduate]

Wonderful, wonderful post! Are you a motivational speaker by any chance?! If not, you should be! Everyone - keep on running; it really is the best medicine 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏃👍👍👍

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Kimterry]

No, I’m an inveterate slacker mostly, so I’m constantly trying to motivate myself thank you!

[Fishypieface Graduate]

Love it - as always!

[ruralfrance Graduate]

I love this post! It's inspiring. I've had a number of difficult times after reaching week 6 and have also thought about giving up. But then, a bit later, it all comes right again. Amazing. Thank you for all this wise advice, ejvcruns. And well done for the phd, and the running, of course!

[kbed]

This has to be the best post I have seen what good encouragement & outlook.

[Fairydust777 Graduate]

What an inspirational post. I passed my PhD a few years ago now and that was difficult. Your post has put this C25K in perspective for me. I’ll use the mantra “if I can achieve a PhD, I can run” for my next instalment this evening (the dreaded W5R3).