I’ve just completed Week 3, and am feeling good with it.
Once finished each of my 3 runs, I’ve pretty much ran the same again (or slightly more!) Is this overdoing it?
I’m hitting the 3 minute runs, and not too much out of breath, but get my breath back no problem before it’s time to go again.
So on finishing, have did another few runs on the back of it!
Should I be sticking to what the Podcast says, or push myself?
Written by
GazzaT1978
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20 Replies
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I hear your enthusiasm but you are breaking a cardinal rule!
If you are an experienced runner just ignore this but given that you are on week 3, I will assume that you are not.....
Obviously young people or people who are really fit can do more, but general advice would be:
Yes you are overdoing it. You are putting yourself at risk of injury. Have you read the guide to the programme? It is all explained there.
C25K is carefully designed to take you from little running to more running, it takes time to become a runner and you should follow the tried and tested method. Just be patient
I am generally fit..... I’ve been a member of a gym for years.
I was 40 just past January, and have had loads on which has resulted in missing the gym, getting lazy, and putting on a few pounds! I’ve never been a “runner”, except for playing 5 a sides etc.... which is why I thought to try C25K.
I’ve only pushed myself as I’m trying to shed a few pounds (10+ in 2.5 weeks so far) and get myself fit again.
I don’t feel like i am struggling or that, and hoped that as the weeks progress, by doing a little more, I’ll be better equipped to tackle the harder weeks.
The best investment is to do the programme as set. That said, what you can do if you fancy it if the runs are flowing as nicely as this (and are invited to do in some of the later weeks) is to push the pace a little harder near the end of the session.
Gym or not, pushing yourself harder at your stage can almost inevitably lead to injuries and then you’ll have to stop altogether for a while. I can write a novel about how my exceptional stupidity led me to ignore the rules, push it hard and then harder only to spend over half a year on IC financing my physio’s high life, as idiots do. The best way to find out how it works is to try yourself or, more sensibly, read what happened to me and similar runners some of whom quit altogether. Oh how we all laughed....
Unfortunately you have hit on the one topic everyone on the forum is passionate about and they will reiterate why slow and steady is the answer. They will have your own well being in mind as they post. We have some members that will be talking from experience and have ended up injured but ultimately it is up to you, but we do urge caution.
Last run of the day, last 30 seconds even, give it some beans if you got them in the tank... but avoid an actual sprint. Rest days are important for your running fitness and the steps up have been devised for that... if you do double you could find that you need more rest and it comes to bite you on the backside later in the programme. Running fitness and gym fitness are related but not the same... be careful.
I used to be a pretty competitive 3k runner... couched my ass for too long, week one still to finish on my way back due to dumb knee injury... now have a walking plan for this week as I’m pain free for the first time today.
Part of this fabulous programme is definately doing as you're told and most of us are used to doing what we want 😉
However it doesn't mean you can't do other things. I usually finish a run with some cardio/aerobics in my garden as part of my warm down and burn off extra energy that way. Squats, stretches, anything that feels good and incorporates full body movement, bearing in mind that running only uses certain parts of your body, arms, hips etc. A normal run I'd only add on 10 mins or so but I've been known to do a good 20 mins and way too many squats at times 🤣
I used to do the last session of each week in the ParkRun. I’d do the warm up walk and everything in the ParkRun. I’d maybe do a bit extra at the end if I could but apart from that, stuck to the plan.
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