I am new to the forum but almost (!) a 'graduate' of C25K ... bit of a minor crisis and I would really appreciate any available advice.
I completed my W9 R1 the night before going away on holiday 3 weeks ago - a real stretch but really exhilarating! However the holiday disrupted things a bit ... I managed one 30 min run that week (... I think about 5km) but practicalities prevented any more. On returning, I experienced a huge energy drop and was only able to complete one run that week. The week after (this week) I've managed to drag myself through 2 x 5km runs but it was quite an ordeal and not the the 'exhilarating stretch' I've been experiencing from the program up until then.
Finally, today, I had to give up 20 mins in (I guess 3km-ish) into the run ... this would have completed my first 3 x 5km week - it is the first run in the program I have had to bail out of. Obviously I am hugely disappointed and frustrated - it feels as if I've started to go backwards ...
Has anybody experienced anything similar or can anyone offer any possible explanations or advice?
Cheers in advance
Written by
WeeGee
Graduate
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Ok... you won’t have lost much, if any fitness, from what you’ve described. Are you hydrating fully? If so maybe a banana or similar fuel an hour before your next run will help. Otherwise, you did 2 runs with grit, so you are capable. Relax, tell yourself out loud that you got this. Clear your mind and just go. You can close this out.
Cool... it’s almost there... and tonight made you stronger... next time out I think you’ll be there.
Comeback runs are difficult in the head before you start, and sometimes the legs listen to that, and then it doesn’t quite work. It’s frustrating, and that can compound it next time out... relaxation or pure grit will get you there.
I think this is vacation brain.
Physically you're still at the capacity of week 9, but mentally you're kind of back at the start where it feels impossible.
I hesitate generally to tell people to push themselves past where they feel comfortable, but in this case I think it might be appropriate.
The next time you go out, just refuse to stop. The option is off the table. Your body can do this, you know you can do this, just don't stop. I know it sounds stupid, but you might have to have a conversation with your brain when it starts fighting you. Around minute 17 it's going to try quitting, it's going to try to convince you to stop and walk. Just don't indulge it and keep going. I really feel this is a mental issue at this stage.
Another little trick is to be accountable to something or someone external from yourself. Tell a trusted person when you are going to do the full run. If you don't have someone like that, make a specific post here either on the day or the just the day before. While you are running, and your traitorous brain tells you to quit, picture yourself telling that someone or writing the post here. Hold that in your head. It can be inspiring.
DON'T fall into a ball of shame if you do quit the run! it's supposed to be fun and inspiring, not a blood contract.
Huge disclaimer: never ever push past pain or true exhaustion or heat exhaustion. You know what to do!
Thanks so much UNM for taking the time to post such thorough reply ... this is so helpful and supportive. I had another run tonight and seem to be closer to being back on track.
There some 'tricks' here that I had been trying, but it is really reassuring and fascinating to have them confirmed.
You did W9 R1 before you went away. Then you did a 30 minute run on holiday so that’s R2 when you got home which is R3 plus an extra so you’ve graduated, haven’t you? Before your 20 minute run happened you had already graduated C25k.
I realise that doesn’t help with the loss of energy now but don’t take away from what you’ve achieved! Also if you’ve graduated you can approach the energy/motivation issues with the greater flexibility that comes with not being tied to a programme.
So don’t worry about week 9: you’ve already done it. Just focus on enjoying your running again in the context of your post-graduation consolidation period.
Thanks so much Arthur for such a full reply ... as 'GoogleMe' below picked up on, I WAS under the misapprehension that the 3 x 5Ks had to be in a single week to 'count'.
This is so supportive, I am very grateful (closer to being on track this week! )
You seem to be trying to go very fast - forget 5km! All you have to do to graduate is 3 x 30 minute runs - it doesn’t matter how far you go. Hardly anyone gets to 5k in 30 minutes, and no-one cares. Slow down a bit and relax 👍👏😀
Thanks so much Mike - I hadn't realised that it was the duration that was paramount as opposed to the distance ... this forum is so helpful for providing perspective on this sort of issue.
I'm really grateful (closer to being on track this week! )
Holiday lethargy Wonderful whilst you are on holiday but when we get back home..uh oh!
It will pass.. get some extra strength and stamina exercise in on rest days... any non impact exercise too.. and then get some short runs in there.. little Irishprincess jogettes...forget distance... forget speed... just run and get it all going again...then.... head out on the Week 9 run...but slow... and steady... just run the 30 minutes
It's such a menace when people doing the programme know how far they are going (just to check, we're usually talking here about the 'NHS' version of Couch to 5k and there are others, all similar but some have different aims) but it does make it easier for us all to yell "Go slower!" ArthurJG 's suggestion that actually you may have graduated already seems sound to me... I think I counted 3 sessions in which you ran 30 minutes without stopping, and you'd done all the preceding weeks before 9. It sounds as though you think that it only counts if you do it 3 times in one week.
I think Hidden has a good point there about this being a mental rather than a physical fitness block. Have some strategies for easing off so that you 'give yourself a break' without actually stopping: smaller steps, longer breaths out, wave your arms about for a stretch, imagine you are doing a slow motion film, look for markers on your route and decided you won't stop until that tree, and then pick another marker.
Watch out for your soundtrack too if you are using the app... I really recommend BBC Radio 4's Gardener's Question Time podcast if you want to run a bit slower. Save the gungho music for a celebratory run when you've cracked this.
Thank you SO much for such a generous and thorough reply. I don't know if you noticed some of my responses above:
- I WAS under the misapprehension that the 3 x 5Kms had to be in a single week to 'count'
- Also I hadn't realised that duration (30 mins) was the 'yardstick' .. I thought the real goal was the 5Km IN the 30 mins. I am very grateful for the clarification, it is a huge help as are your strategies. I seem to be getting back on track this week but I will certainly be using your tips to stay on track.
Once again thank you so much for such generous support.
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Sore quadriceps #Couchto5k Graduate Wk10R1 
Week 4, Run 2
Cracked it!
Finally done it!!! 🏃✔🎉 
I ran for 25 minutes!!! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
