Feeling lost

[Pancakes]

I am still running although less whilst its so hot but I have to admit to feeling a bit lost now I’ve finished the programme - I’m still using week 9 and just repeating I’m not ready for park run yet and I’m not keen on the programmes that look at increasing your speed or running 10k i just need a bit of something to boost my mojo and encourage me to get out there more regularly any ideas? 🙂

[Flyingred Graduate]

I'm a few weeks behind you but my plan is to keep running w9 to music using my watch to keep time. I've read other posts which say that it takes 12 weeks to build a habit so doing another 3 weeks of w9 is good consolidation anyway. From what I've read, by the time you graduate you're equipped to give parkrun a decent go.

[DLMZ Graduate]

I know how you feel. Competed at the weekend and I’m not entirely sure what to do next. I’ve no real interest in 10k or half / full marathons I just want to have exercise as part of my life. I haven’t achieved 5k running yet so I’m thinking that will be my first step by increasing my pace slightly. And then I was looking at the audio fuel podcasts via nhs choices (although not sure that many people are a fan on here). I’ve seen posts on here about varying distance eg 4K, 4K, 5k each week but I don’t feel clever enough to work out speed etc! Hopefully someone on here will have some better ideas. Thanks for posting what I’ve been thinking! Soz I’m little help to you!!

[Hidden in reply to DLMZ]

You sound exactly like me! That’s how I feel too. I’m just running for 30 mins & trying to build up to 5K. Good luck.

[Denovo]

I've read a lot of favourable things said about the Zombies, Run! app, which puts you inside various episodes of a story that makes you run to get away from zombies.

Or how about getting a really captivating audiobook and only letting yourself listen to it during a running session?

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Denovo]

I like those ideas! 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Maybe trying another app to vary the runs a little would help.

[Flaraflarkin Graduate]

Hi Pancakes Same as you I repeated W9 for quite a while after Grad then felt like I wasn't making any progress as I watched everyone else crack their 5ks etc. I realised the W9 was holding me back (psychologically I was set to stop at 30minutes regardless!) and not having any structured mini goals was leaving me feeling stagnant. I've made myself a little chart 😇🤓 and with advice from Jay66UK i'm increasing my 3rd run (so I HAVE to do 3 a week) by 2minutes (3mins is too much for me 🙄) ~ hopefully I'll see some progress this way and science says I should reach my 5k, but I've realised I definitely need the structure that we had in the programme 😬🙈

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Sorry to jump on this post, but by increasing your 3rd run by 2 (or 3) minutes, is that per week? So for example 2 x 30 minute runs and then 1 x32, then 2 x 30 minutes runs and 1 x 34? Is that what you mean? Sounds like a good plan - how is it working for you? I too am struggling to know where to go next... x

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Dizzysmum17]

Hi Dizzysmum17 yes that's per week ~ so just building up time gradually (not necessarily distance for me) Bit too early to say how it's going as I've only done one week but i DID do the extra 2mins! And I might even play around with it and do 2 x 32minute runs this week and 1 x 30mins-- I'm a right flitter, trying to find what's right for me and ending up getting nowhere! So I've just signed up to the Amazon free audio trial and have downloaded a book on Mindfulness which I will have to concentrate so much on (to get my head around it!) that my theory is I won't be thinking too much about how much my legs are hurting and how much I want to stop! I always listen to music but this way whatever I hear will be new to me so I'll need to focus on that 😳🤓 The book is 7.5hrs long!!

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Brilliant, thank you. Wow - 7.5 hours! Perhaps that is an idea too. I think I might try to increase my time, or maybe try to do 1 x 4k and 2 x 5k per week for a few weeks (I'm week 3 post grad) until September as I'm now on school holidays, so may try a park run, or mix up my days a bit. Also I'm on holiday for 2 weeks later in the summer so may not be able to stick to my routine strictly. I'm so confused with this post-grad feeling! I really need a proper goal! Thanks for your help though

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Dizzysmum17]

Yes I think it's about finding whatever works for you 😊 At the moment for me, if I think in terms of distance it's enough to set me up to fail - it feels like a looooong space between the km announcements on the apps - with the timer I can see the numbers going up! 🤣 I quite like Park Runs but it's just been so blooming hot by 9am 🌞🙈💦 Best of luck with your plan 😊

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Thank you 😊 you too. X

[Whatsapp Graduate]

When I graduated last year I was adamant theat I did not want to increase distance.

However, I did want to get better at running 5k. The first thing I did was to stop running to the clock. The C25k programme is great but do want to have to run for exactly 30mins every time you go out, regardless of the distance you run in that time?

I tried interval running, fartleks, hill running and for these I would run a shorter distance due to the extra effort levels and gradually build up to 5k. Sometimes just a leisurely 5k, no pressure for a PB.

I tried different routes and yes things like Zombie run, music, audiobooks.

Like you, put off the park runs for a while. I'm not sure why now, just fear really but they are just full of people who want to go for a run. Some will be fast and others will be slower. I found that doing these runs gave my midweek runs a bit of a boost so I could do a good run at park run. I don't go very often but I always enjoy it when I do.

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to Whatsapp]

ParkRuns are the best!

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Honestly, do the ParkRun. I did it from week 1 and walked the entire of the first one. It took me 48 minutes. I then did one session in the ParkRun each week and by week 7 could run the lot - slowly! No one judges you, it’s full of wonderful people, you make friends, and the official time is a great motivator. I do wish people wouldn’t panic about ParkRuns as they are AMAZING! Where are you located?

[MMlk Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

You sound awesome, doing parkrun from the start! definitely an outlier in the good sense. (:

I did my first park run the day after graduating and it was one the best experiences of my life. All this hard work paid off massively to be able to join the Parkrun movement!

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to MMlk]

I love them so much! I wish people weren’t so scared of them. I think, once people do one, they regret not doing them earlier 👌🏽

[Pancakes Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Hazel Grove Stockport 😃

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to Pancakes]

Definitely do one!

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Hi pancakes, this hot weather is not helping with the energy levels. For me, Parkrun was my incentive after graduating. I’d follow the w9 programme with a 5 min walk to start and then walk after 30 mins running. During the consolidation I’d then walk before it started then walk after running at least 30 mins. Gradually I was able to run all 5k. That’s what kept me going. The other 2 walks of the week I stick to 30 mins.

[Carolinemcd Graduate]

So interested to read these replies. I really battled to move on from graduation hence having to start again a year later. I run on a 5k foot path (there and back between kissing gates), although I’m following the program and until last night hadn’t seen the whole thing. I finished week 6 yesterday and decided to run to the end rather than turn around at the bell which meant I had a long cool down walk but in total I covered a distance of just over 5k.

So after graduation my plan is to start with the 5 min walk then slowly increasing the distance with each run until I’m ending my run where I start, leaving me a 5 minute cool down walk. That should take me to just over 4k running.

There is also a short walk from the car park to the foot path which will eventually be my warm up and cool down walk leaving me to run 5k.

I need a plan or it will all fail!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Have a look at your local area on a map. Try to pick out some new, interesting routes. It can get dull if you do the same thing all the time.

Don't feel pressured into anything, you need to find what's right for you. I can do 10k easily but Parkruns still don't appeal to me. I do like to explore though and I love the fitness aspect. 👍💪😁

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Hey Pancakes. My advice is contained in Flaraflarkin’s post. I hope you find something that works for you soon.

[Hidden]

I’m the same. Graduated a few weeks ago & I feel lost & have no motivation. The weather is not helping. You will get lots of advice on here. At the moment I’m just running for 30 mins & trying to build up to 5k. I’m off to France at the end of the week & I’m hoping I will get my motivation back when I get back. Good luck - keep on running & follow some of the advice that you will get from others.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate]

Hi - take a look at this - I hope it helps

nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/c...

[Pancakes Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Thank you but I’m really struggling to download it! Is it an app? Can it go on a Samsung? I can access it through your link but can’t get it to stay on my phone! I am a technophobe! 😆

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Pancakes]

Hi - these are podcasts, which will be played (like a song) on your phone.

Search for podcasts on your phone and use the link above or search for C25K+ or audiofuel.

I have an iPhone so can’t really advise which app to use to play the podcast..... sorry!

[DLMZ Graduate]

Hi Pancakes I’ve just done the stepping stone c25k podcast found on nhs and found it alright. It was familiar in terms of keeping you posted on your progress which is what I find helps me the most. The pace was pretty much in line with the pace I’d been running anyway so increasing the pace for 10 minutes and then 5 minutes at the end was just like the early runs in c25k with the run walks. If I’d been doing it on my own I would not have increased the pace at the end so it shows what I know about how to improve this running lark! Music was ok but I am partial to a bit of funk but I know it won’t be everyone’s taste. I missed the progress dial you get on the c25k app which I need as another reminder of progress. Total distance wasn’t any longer than week 9 which was disappointing but I take encouragement from the fact I’ve run for 30 minutes slightly faster! If you haven’t tried it why not give it a go even if it turns out you’re not keen at least you’ve tried. At least it will be different from w9 which might be motivation in itself. I’m going to keep on with it for a few weeks and then figure out the next step after that. Would be good to hear how you get on and learn what’s now working for you. 😎