Hi all. Can’t believe I’ve just run for 20 mins! I’m almost 53 and was always last in school races and NEVER picked for the team. I’m absolutely thrilled with C25k!
Can you help me with 2 questions? I sometimes leave a few days between each run. Is that ok? Also. What do you do in the Winter re dark nights? Obviously you can run in daytime on weekends but that’s only 2 days?
That is awesome! I’m the same , never picked for sport and I am a run behind you. Doing the 20 on Sunday, on a girls boozy weekend so better not overdo it 🤣.
According to posts I have read before on here, it’s ok to have few days between runs as long as you have at least one days rest between them.
In winter I may try and get out in lunch break or get up early and use headtorch which would look really odd !
Headtorch running is what we do here. Not odd at all 👍
We run at any time and almost any weather. For now just keep doing the sessions slowly and carefully, and take two clear days between runs as that’s fine. The rest day is sacrosanct 😃. It gives your body time to,recover and repair and its the day when running legs get built
Please read the programme notes which are pinned to the right of your screen as this gives the nItty gritty details
53 is young! You’ll be fine. Most of us are firmly off-the-couch types so you’re in good company
She who dares wins 😃💪👍🏃♀️
So glad you’re enjoying it!! I think it’s absolutely fine leaving a couple of days in between! Helps your body to recover!
I ran throughout the winter and on dark nights I wore a hi vis running gilet and ran along pavements with street lighting. I also carried a wee torch. I always just have one earphone in so I can hear traffic or anything! Just make sure you’re easily seen and keep to routes you’re quite familiar with! 😀
if You need extra days take them. The best thing you can learn going through the program is how much rest you need after each run. As you progress you will learn to judge if you are rested enough for your next run or if you need another day, this knowledge will keep you injury free. Most people continue to run through the winter. Some invest in a head torch, some join a gym and use the treadmill some just run when they can. I am lucky most of my working hours are flexible so I can run during the day. I am sure someone will come along with some better advice than me on running in the Winter darkness.
Welcome and congratulations on your accomplishments.
The C25k recommendation is that you run three times per week, contributing to the minimum of 150 minutes of heart rate raising exercise that we should all do each week.
As far as progressing through the programme is concerned, it takes about 2 weeks before you start to lose condition, so a few days between runs is not going to be a problem. C25K weeks do not have to coincide with calendar weeks.
Running in the dark is the normal pastime for many runners in the winter months. There is a section in the guide to the plan which covers safety and visibility healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
The determined runner always finds a way.
Well done! Yes you can leave a few days in between. I don't run at night, but a lot do and wear hiviz and a head or body torch to see and be seen and show up imperfections of the ground surface..
There's a lot of great accurate info here to read through..
well done on your run its an amazing feeling when you run that far. I do my runs on a monday, wednesday and Friday morning before work with an occasional run in between. I am currently doing my runs on the running machine but when i do road runs and its dark i wear running jackets with reflectors on and stick to main roads where it is lighter
Great that you are doing so well and good that you are already thinking about these things. If you need to take extra rest days, that is absolutely fine - it's really good to listen to your body. As misswobble says, head torches or chest lights for the darker winter nights - I love my chest light! I tend to run after work on a normal weekday so due to limited time, I will run whatever the light and whatever the weather (almost!😮). You soon collect the gear to make this work for you. Good luck!🙂
Amazing! Are you running where there is street light? If so, just make sure you have some bright/light coloured clothing on so motorists can see you, and/or some reflective bits. If you're in a dark area you might need the head torch suggested above - how interesting I'd never thought of wearing one of those for running!
I took extra rest days when I was having some joint pain. Now that my knees are stronger and I'm continuing to strengthen them on rest days, I'm not having that issue.
Hi & very well done!😄
Extra rest days are fine if you need them.
Last winter I just ran in the dark on quiet residential streets - there were plenty of other runners out there doing the same. 😃
Well done you....You run when you can and to suit you... dark early morning runs or evening runs... a head torch 
Rest days/how many runs
2 rest days in between 
Exercise between running days
How many rest days are too many rest days?
How important are the rest days?
