Just kept running

[tobyr]

Ok, here is a thing.

I have been moving through weeks 1 - 4, no problems, but not finding it ridiculously easy when yesterday on week 4 day 3 I just had an urge not to walk when told to and kept running for 30 mins. Did 2.9 miles in those 30 mins. I was astonished at myself as I did no exercise at all before this and got puffed out after 60 seconds in week 1.

I tried the programme a few years ago and really struggled through the full 9 weeks; stopping all together shortly afterwards. I don't know why it so much easier this time.

But anyway my question is this. Am I putting myself at risk by stopping the walking early and just running? I don't feel any ill-effects today but don't want to put myself at risk. On the other hand it seems daft to going back to running 5 minute intervals (45 year old man, probably 10kg overweight but falling!).

[pinkaardvark Graduate]

The programme is to get you to the point of being able to run comfortably and safely for 30 mins. If you can already do that, that's great. But as you have not been running very long you are at higher risk of injury. No-one can really say whether you will get an injury or not as no-one is mystic meg, and even if you followed the programme fully there are no guarantees.

Learn to listen to your body, do the dynamic warmup stretches and static cooldown stretches together with walking either end and other than that listen to your body and be kind to it.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

I am, I'm Mystic Meg

He's right though. Better to build slowly. even if your stamina is sufficient, your legs may not be up to it yet and you may strain things - which could keep you away from running while you recover. But what do i know? i only graduated at the beginning of the month. Hopefully you will get some more responses.

[Millsie-J Graduate]

The programme is a safe transition from non runner to CONSISTENTLY running for 30 mins. To do that you need to build running legs.

Even after nine weeks of undergrad running you would be (we all are), still a very novice runner, so even more so at this point. As pinkaardvark points out above, there is potential greater risk of injury by doing your own thing. Therefore this forum advocates sticking with the programme for that very reason.

Ultimately the decision is yours.

But please be aware we have had many join the forum, do a simialar thing to yourself, and within a very short while they come back with tails of woe from an anticipated lengthy stint on the injury couch or worse still, no further running at all.

[pinkaardvark Graduate]

Or in other words. When you come back with your ass in a basket, remember it was you that sat in the basket

Happy runnings and may all your baskets be lacking ass.

[DawnRun]

My view will be a minority but I think it depends on your past fitness levels and if you were very active or not. Ultimately you will increase risk. So you are increasing chance of injury. I did something similar and did not get injured however but I wouldn't recommend it to new runners.

[Rignold]

C25k is a brilliant programme for introducng non runners to doing their first 30 minutes, and is a good way of building stamina if you lack it. I f you have been a runner previously, however, you will have already built your cardio engine and be used to running. Yes, if you haven't done it for a while you will be rsty and will have lost conditioning but if after a month of easing back in you find you are able to run 30 minutes then there probably isn't any need to keep going on as if you were a complete beginner. You will know whether your legs are sore afterwards and be the best judge of that. It might be an idea to do one 5k and a couple of shorter runs for a couple of weeks just to make sure you're okay with it.

I took a full year off any running due to health after a year of very little running and just doing HIIT, and can still do 30 minutes without issue. I have a friend who does Cardiff HM every year and does not run once inbetween. he is usually stiff for a few days afterwards but otherwise does not suffer ill effects.

The forum is, obviously, geared towards the first time runners and total newbies, and consequently the advice tends to the very conservative end of risk averse, which is sensible for the vast majority of the people on the programme. This can occasionally result in a somewhat cottonwool approach to risk management of anyone outside of the box though.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You have the advice... your choice... I would obviously advocate.. be safe.. stick with it... you joined the C25K programme, see the plan out

Just take the journey and enjoy it...

[tobyr]

Thanks all for the advice, I think I will only do a 30 min run once a week and the rest of the time run shorter distances - will also rethink if I feel any sign of strain.