So disappointed!!

[Dbbd]

Hi guys , need some advice - completed my first wk 9 30 min run this Morning, really enjoyed it however I got a garmin running watch for birthday yesterday & when I chkd it realised I’d only run 3.5k & itcsaid my fitness was very poor- it really took the wind out of my sails & actually made me feel upset.... I thought I was doin good but obviously had long long way to go.

[Hidden]

You are doing fabulously. Ignore the tech and focus on moving forward (slowly)

You are taking positive steps to improve your health and speed can come later.

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you xx

[Hidden]

You're now running approx 30 mins 3 times a week, now, if that's disappointing something is far wrong. Another thing, these devices aren't always accurate, but even if it is there is absolutely no shame in your distance. It will improve with time anyway and from reading the forum that is a very common distance for this stage in your running career.

Tracking can be good for watching progress, but you can only do that by sticking to one device/app and creating a log, because they're all different.

You are amazing! You're out there, week after week, doing it!

I do know how you feel in that my resting heart rate had not decreased and a thing called VO2 max (that fitbit engages) has not shifted since I started. These improved substantially when I was going to the gym regularly which was a while before C25K but they'd slipped again. So, I thought it'd be the same for me when I begun running. It wasn't.

I was a bit intrigued as to why, but I'm definitely not taking it on board. I have come so far and although I didn't do measurements, I can see body changes. That'll do me!!!

Chin up - don't let it get you down 🙂

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much Sutsha , appreciate ur advice xx

[Nicola4038]

Same as helenwheels said ignore the watch and just enjoy being outside and running. I try not to compare myself as it knocks your confidence and takes the enjoyment out of your run. 🙂

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Nicola4038]

Yeah def knocked my confidence, was feeling sooo good as well. Gon put it behind me .cx

[Thecko Graduate]

I'm using garmin devices as well, they're really good but it's easy to focus too much on what they're telling you.

Give it a few months and then go and look at the reports, and see what it says. It's just information rather than a judgement, for me the data is irrelevant if you're happy with what you're doing and if you're achieving what you want which could be anything from weight loss, help with mental wellbeing, ability to walk up a few flights of stairs without thinking (or saying!) rude words at the top, or just straight up "I want to be able to run 5k/10k regularly".

[Myrar Graduate]

Your doing fantastic ..You don't need a gadget to reassure or in this case not ...Keep doing what your doing ..Techie isn't always a good thing 😊😊

[davelinks Graduate]

That distance sounds near normal to me, many don't reach 5k by the end of c25k, so don't be disappointed, think of what you could do when you first started! You've come a long way in one respect! So just let the watch record the runs of 30 mins and consolidate those, you will improve but it won't be overnight...

[amanda2463]

Your fitness is not poor you ran for 30 mins which is brilliant xx

[DeeRunning Graduate]

What does a silly watch know? 🙂 You're enjoying your runs and think you're doing pretty good. Hold onto those thoughts and feelings, they're the ones that truly matter. You've made it to week and now running for 30 minutes... that's pretty amazing. If it helps, I ran 3.3km in my last 30 min run so you're faster than me. I was chuffed. And puffed! You're doing great 😀👍

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to DeeRunning]

Thanks Dee , gon follow u- xxx

[Oldmo Graduate]

Running for 30 minutes is a fantastic achievement, the distance isn’t important, just be proud of what you have done 🏃‍♀️

[Anggrrr Graduate]

My Fitbit tells me I’m nowhere near 5k in 30 mins (more like 3) but my resting heart rate average has dropped by 4-5 and that is just dandy.

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Anggrrr]

That is good! My heart rate went up to 160 & I didn’t even feel that tired just shows u it’s working. Xx

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Omg that’s so bad of garmin! I’d have had a breakdown! You’re doing fab!

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Ha ha ha - thanks xx

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Ha ha ha

[Rignold]

What watch do you have? I have never seen a sports watch pass any kind of coment at all. I cant quite figure how it would judge your fitness level.

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Rignold]

It’s a garmin running watch, will check the make for u, it just came up at bottom of run - ‘fitness poor’ it made me feel so depressed!! I’m ok now - got it all in perspective - was actually ready for quitting.

[mrrun Graduate in reply to Dbbd]

Ready for quitting?! Because a machine ‘told’ you something?! You are not in any competition, none of us is or will be. You can’t run like me, l can’t run like you or the next guy. Leave the ‘machine’ pep talk to pros and enjoy yourself.

[Debsy2008 Graduate]

90% of graduates don’t hit the 5K distance in the 30 mins run, don’t worry it’s normal and distance will come in time, just keep going 😉

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Debsy2008]

Thanks xx

[Tkaye Graduate]

Listen to the folk here, they say your amazing, I say your fabulous, keep going and don’t let the watch tell you any different!

[Dbbd Graduate in reply to Tkaye]

Cheers!!!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

A watch, however expensive and techy, cannot judge your fitness.

[Jay66UK Graduate]

I still only manage 3.4k in 30 minutes. Don’t let it worry you.

After graduating work out what you want to do. Getting to 5k non-stop is an early goal for me. But at the moment it remains just that, a goal.

[Sssara Graduate]

Focus on how much you’ve improved since you started, I couldn’t have dreamed of running 28 minutes (i’m Week 8) at the start even at my current snails pace

So where will you be in 9 more weeks!

[ChettyAl Graduate]

If you were still on the couch it would be a different story.. take the Garmin back and tell the shop that it’s broken! You’re doing great!

[Ang33333 Graduate]

Don't listen to the silly watch! You can run for 30 mins! You are fitter than you were 9 weeks ago!!

[Gran4z Graduate]

Ignore it! You are doing amazing, you've got to Wk9 and ran for 30minutes...it's not the distance it's the stamina to run for that amount of time - you couldn't do that 9 weeks ago!

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Don't worry about it. I finished my first half marathon a couple weeks ago after years of running and mine has generously given me a 'fair' assessment. I fully ignore that stat, it's not reliable, it can't measure the conditions of your run. If you wanted a real assessment you'd need to book a test with a lab under controlled conditions.

You're doing super. Happy running

[MrsT0707 Graduate]

Oh no ☹️ please don’t feel disappointed. You’re doing amazing! You have come so far and stuck it out through good & bad. Just think about how far you’ve come and the incredible progress you’ve made. Never let anyone or anything (even a watch)make you feel like you’re not good enough or knock your confidence! You’re a runner, be proud of that. Numbers don’t really matter, what matters is that you feel good and enjoy what you’re doing