So I graduated c25k in June and was comfortably running 5k 3 times per week, had even started looking for longer routes I could do. Then life got in the way and I didn't run for 12 days (I was still fairly active in that time with camping and busy with family) I tried to run last Saturday after those 12 days off and just couldn't do it... managed 2km them had to walk as was so out of breath and legs aching. Managed to run/walk to get to 4km then stopped. Monday was the same, pushed myself to 3km then walked/run a bit until I got up to 4km again. Just tried again today and HAD to walk at 1.5km as my legs felt so heavy and mouth so dry. Feeling sooo frustrated with it now that by having that time off ice ruined all my progress, can it really disappear that quickly? Should I just bin my trainers and give up, maybe I'm just not cut out for running!?
Feel like I need to go back to c25k week 4 or something but that seems crazy that I've 'lost' all that progress so quickly.
Sorry for ranting, just feel so annoyed!
Written by
llynnnn
Graduate
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I don’t think giving up is ever an option if,the reason for starting in the first place was health and fitness You can walk during a run! There’s no law against it! I do it all the time. stop for a breather, blow my nose,have a drink/ sweet blah blah and push on again A mini break can mean the difference between success and failure 😃👍💪
I've read several times, several places, from several people that many marathon runners swear by walk breaks. They say it helps with their speed.
I think many of us are still in the mentality of THIS program. So walking feels like a "failure" because it doesn't fit the parameters or rules of the day we're in. But if we were just a regular runner who's been running for eight years and who stopped to walk because they wanted to look in a shop window, or wanted to walk off a stitch in the side, or because they were crossing a busy street or whatever, we wouldn't blink an eye. We wouldn't loudly denounce, "FAILURE!" It's literally taking a little break in a thing we're doing. No big deal. (She says, hoping to internalize the message. Ha.)
Thanks for your reply, it does help to give myself 'permission' to walk and that's it's ok. frustrating that just a few weeks ago I didn't feel that need though!
Nooo! Don't give up...could be the heat/humidity, you may just be a bit run down? Sometimes we just have a few rubbish runs.😩 Try sticking at it and getting out there regularly again - and as misswobble says, it's ok to run/walk or drop your pace/ distance a little. The key for me is always 'routine'. If that slips then I start finding it tougher and my fitness levels slip. Trust in how far you have come...it will all come back. Good luck.🙂
I must have gradded around the same time. I've been laid up on the IC with the world's best supply of hip, knee and IT Band niggles.
But I'm physio'd up and over here again to do a quick tour of duty through the old programme; maybe one run from each week, see how it goes, get my cofidence back, all that.
Fancy joining me? It'd be good to have a chum alongside who knows the ropes?
Don't give up. Why don't we join up and show this thing who's boss together?
Sorry you've been suffering, that doesn't sound fun and can only imagine how frustrated you feel. I'm going to have a go at a week 5 run, with 3 lots of 5 minutes on Saturday and hope that goes well! How are you feeling about jumping back into it at that stage?
I'm under the beady watchful eye of my physio who says no more than about 2-3K and a cadence of 160+. I had a canter thru W1 yesterday and W2 planning for tomoz. Vague plan is to pick off a single run from the original plan on each of my running days and see how I get on. Won't be at W5 by the weekend, but you can lap me and come round for another go
Why not go back a bit (only you know to which week)? You can get a feeling of accomplishment and I think you'll gain your skills back quickly.
My first run today after about a month without running. Initially I thought I'll just get out and do something, nice and slow, maybe I'll just do 3k, or get to 30 mins, I did 4.2k running and another 2k walking, so, good for me getting back after a break, and there were a few pauses in the running to wait to cross roads.. I felt much better when I got home having achieved my excercise, I'm not in competition, so don't need to go like a bat out of hell! Just a nice jog!
That's great after a month off, I hoped I'd be able to do that still, but for whatever reason it wasn't meant to be this week! You are very right, its not a competition, I need to stop piling on the pressure!
If you've graduated then you can clearly run successfully. It's inevitable that your level will drop after a break (use it or lose it). Why not try going back to running really slow and steady, with the aim of running continuously for a time that you set yourself. After all the most satisfying runs in the programme were when we were challenged to run 20 minutes for the first time (w5r3). Then build up progressively from there.
I did my first post-graduation run this morning and set off way too fast (because I was feeling great) so I eased off to ensure I didn't burn out. I'd say don't be hung up on what you do – you're doing the best you can and being out there running will do you more good than staying on the couch! Good luck and stick at it.
Don’t give up! You may be just going through a bad spell. I’m sure every runner does it, just look at elite athletes. I’m sure you can turn it around. Put it behind you - try to find out what went wrong and change it. Why not try a fun run as there is no pressure? But don’t give up.
Thanks, that's interesting and good to hear that you can't 'lose it' that quickly. Wonder what is going on, I feel ok...maybe a couple of extra ice creams/pints have been consumed over the holidays, but I am feeling much more positive today and will get back on track!
Bless you. You must feel really frustrated. If it was me I think I would go back to week 4 and try to enjoy running again. I'm sure after a few weeks you will get back to where you were. Don't give up you have done it before you can do it again I have faith in you
I know how you feel. I graduated back in April and was up to running 7-8k regularly in May and June. I did a 10k race. And then summer hit, family illness, extra work hours, holidays, heat wave after heat wave... I tried to run a few times in there but just didn't do very well at all. Only a couple of kms here and there. I'd head out one morning and only manage 2k before my body gave out. It was really discouraging. It's been in the mid-30s here for temperature all summer. It's just too hot to run, plus for the last few weeks there have been hundreds of forest fires (I live in BC, Canada) and our air is very smokey right now. Now with the long break I have to work my way back up again. I had my first run back on a treadmill two days ago and rather than have a goal of my usual 5k run, I aimed for a very slow and steady 30 minutes. It was hard, but I did it. I'm taking it back to C25K week 9 after all this time, and will build up from there again. I'm pretty sure I only made it about 3km in 30 minutes, but it was enough to boost my confidence again. A 30 minute run is still a 30 minute run. Slow it down and don't be too hard on yourself. Take walking breaks if you need to. Just get out there and keep trying. Each attempt, even small, is improving your fitness. A 2km run is still better than no run at all. I do find that focusing on a length of time running rather than distance is much easier for me.
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Week 4 run 6, I will NOT give up!
shall I or not - run I mean
I think I'm going to have to give this up for a while and that feels rubbish.
Not giving up ! I love it ! 
