How do you feel after a run?

[whoami123]

This is going to sound odd, but I keep thinking I should be 'suffering' after a run and I never am. Does this mean I'm not pushing myself hard enough? At the most I have a slightly sore abdomen, nothing serious at all, just letting me know I've worked my core, and I may feel more tired than usual. But I never have sore legs, even after the 25 min week 7 runs. Is this a good sign or not?

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Sounds great to me, and long may it last!

[RainbowC Graduate]

Suffering - BAD; recovery - GOOD! As long as you're tired at the end of your run, but recovering quickly, that's all good. Pushing yourself so hard that you hurt risks taking all the enjoyment out, and - more than that - increases the risk of injury dramatically! Run at a steady pace as you are doing, increase the time gradually as you are doing with the programme, and enjoy running!

[Rignold]

Why do imagine you should feel uncomfortable after a run? Are you thinking No Pain, No Gain? The purpose of the exercise is to increase your cardiovascular stamina and strengthen your legs and so on. Some people experience a bit of aches and pains in the first couple of weeks if they are unused to regular exercise but beyond that there is no obligation for discomfort.

If it is really troubling you, you could try running into some immovable object along the way, walls for example, or overhanging branches. That should induce some suffering.

[siobhp Graduate in reply to Rignold]

I noticed a nice view I hadn't spotted before on my run yesterday and almost ran into a lamp post. Otherwise I also feel ok after runs and was also wondering if it was normal! Often I even feel better than before I went out....we must be doing something good for ourselves!

[Whatsapp Graduate]

There is no requirement to suffer. In fact the ideal is to not.

If you go out for a run you shouldn't necessarily have to 'pay for it' for the rest of the day.

[Irish-John Graduate]

Main feeling I have now is - I want to run further!

And that is how I ended up on the IC in November.

I will always be slow, panting, lead footed and ungazelle-like....but "hurts so good" if you know what I mean

[Hidden]

That's one of the reasons that the programme works. You do what you can do, getting stronger and fitter with each run. It's suffering too much too soon that turns people off exercise. Steady progression is much better. May be push yourself on the final minute of your run to give you that feeling of achieving.

[MickGJ Graduate]

Soreness is not in itself a good sign...the only good sign to worry about is that you are ticking off run after run on the programme. As long as that is happening then everything is going just fine.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If you are running at a sensible pace, there is no reason why C25K should not be painless, as well empowering, exhilarating and life changing.

Once you have built a base, you can push yourself harder with far less risk of injury.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[whoami123 Graduate]

Thanks, everyone! I know it was a strange thing to ask, but it came on the back of a friend of mine who always complains everything hurts after going for a run himself, keeps asking me if I'm sore, and bought me a massage thing to use when I come back from a run. I've never felt the need to use it and wondered if I was wrong.

Am heartily pleased to find I'm not!

[mrrun Graduate]

I certainly don't do this to suffer, l had that in the past and it wasn't really my thing. I did my 10k today in around an hour and feel as good as l did before the run. I leave suffering to whoever teaches my kid at school.

[Beany123 Graduate]

I think it just means you are building up at the right pace! I went from running for 30 mins to running 5k too quickly and paid for it with knee pain, shin pain and calf pain. I am better now and am taking it as gradually as possible. You are doing great, just don’t decide to overdo things. Only increase slightly each week (basically by sticking to the programme!). When you finish, there’s a recommendation that you only increase fractionally each week (can’t remember the exact amount?)