W7R3 done!

[LottiePops]

Hello This is my first post...I’ve been a bit of a lurker here reading posts for a few weeks and being thoroughly inspired by the kindness and positivity on this site 🙏🏻

So I’m a total running newbie and yesterday finished week 7. Up until about week 5 I was getting very tired and really hungry 😋 on run days but now I’m back to eating normally and feeling rather good energy-wise.

I have just started to get a niggly pain on the inside of my left knee...is this common? I have very flat feet and usually wear insoles perhaps it’s a referred pain?

Anyway just wanted to say hello and that I’m feeling rather excited / apprehensive about W8 & W9! I don’t think I’ll reach 5k within the program but I’m determined to run 5k before Christmas 🎄 How did others reach their 5k goal if they didn’t meet it within the program? Any tips much appreciated ☺️

Have a great day lovely runners 💛

[Jell6 Graduate]

Glad you stopped lurking 😊

I think for many the goal remains 30 minutes of running, rather than reaching the 5k.

I would get gait analysis to check that your trainers are correct, I completed the programme and then presented with an inner knee niggle, all due to my weird gait and wrong trainers. This kept me from running for several weeks, and I ended up re doing the entire programme .

Once you have completed the programme just consolidate. Keep doing the 30, x 3 per week for a few more weeks, you will get stronger, and will get faster and further in that time slot.

Good luck and keep enjoying it 🤩🤩

[LottiePops in reply to Jell6]

Hi there thank you for your reply and advice! I think I will try to go for gait analysis. I’ve been worried it’ll stop me from running and I really don’t want that as it’s so good for my mental wellbeing ☺️ I’ll also do those consolidation runs and just take it from there I think. So excited to nearly finish ☺️

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

Hi LP ! Welcome to the forum. It’s always lovely when a shy person feels safe enough to join in. I’m right at the beginning of this so can’t offer any advice on your specific issues, but there are loads of experts on here who will have useful things to say. I just wanted to thank you for being brave enough to contribute x

[LottiePops in reply to ButtercupKid]

Aw thank you! What a lovely reply ☺️ I am a bit shy so it can take me a while, but really this is such a positive and caring corner of the internet. Wishing you lots of luck with your journey ☺️x

[ButtercupKid Graduate in reply to LottiePops]

And you with yours x

[Bloodhound1]

Hi. Nice to hear from a lurker! I really hate social media but I am finding it very cathartic to put my thoughts / achievements down here. And everyone is just so supportive. Like you I have been doubtful if reaching the 5 k within a reasonable distance of 30minutes although all the feedback says the target is the 30 minutes. I pushed my W8R2 run today and hit the 30 minutes so intend to try and slightly speed up over my remaining runs. So keep going for it. If the programme had taught me anything its that we are all capable of far far more than any of believe ourself capable of. Good luck with the remaining programme although you really don’t need luck

[LottiePops in reply to Bloodhound1]

Hi there! Wow! That’s amazing to have achieved that in W8. I hope you reach your goal and super good luck with your pace setting ☺️ You’re right about the programme...I was so focused on the goal of 5k I never realised that it would also make a ‘runner’...and that’s just so cool! Thank you again for sharing your story ☺️

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to Bloodhound1]

Great that you are doing so well, probably best to stick to the planned runs, then you won't have to kick yourself if you pick up an injury.🙄

Have a look at the post by steviej99 today, it might give you pause for thought .

I don't want to be doom and gloom, but it is very easy to over do it, and the programme is set up in such a structured way to minimse the injury risk.

Keep enjoying it🤩

[LottiePops in reply to Jell6]

Oh I’ll definitely stick to the program until the end...I have total faith in it! Yes I saw Stevie’s post...so gutted. A salutary lesson. I’m going to give myself a couple of rest days and ring the sports shop in town today to book an appointment for an analysis ☺️ Thank you for all your help 💛

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to LottiePops]

Sorry Lottie, that reply was to Bloodhound1 🤗. I didn't think you were overdoing it 🤣🤣

[Bloodhound1 in reply to Jell6]

Thanks Jell6. I recognise the danger of over doing things and don’t intend to push that hard

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to Bloodhound1]

🤗🤗

[LottiePops in reply to Jell6]

Oops! Sorry! 🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Welcome in from the shadows.

You’ve done a great job so far, and you’ll love the last two weeks.

Shoes and insoles may be the answer to your pains, just go gently on them and keep an eye on it.

Graduate, consolidate until it’s easy and then extend a run by 5 minutes a week, keep the offer two normal, and you’ll have that 5k in no time.

[LottiePops in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks so much for your reply ☺️ That’s fabulous advice about going gently up to 5k. I’m determined to keep running and so don’t want to injure myself by chasing the 5k too soon or too fast. I’m off to a shop to get my running gait looked at tomorrow. Hopefully that’ll help with my knee. Then it’s Week 8 on Friday 💪🏻 thanks again so much 💛

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to LottiePops]

No worries... very sensible approach. We are new runners, extend safely to get the 5k and worry about bringing it down to 30 minutes later... if you want to.

[Chi_Chi Graduate]

Hi LottiePops

Great that you have started running, that really is the hardest hurdle conquered, so you are now well on your way .

I found that the early stage niggly aches and pains went away when I started to seriously do my Pre run warm ups, no skimping that part if you want to avoid injury. Every time I had an ache / pain from running, I would look up online to identify exactly which muscle or tendon was causing the problem, then google the name of that muscle to find the correct stretches etc, by week 6 I had pretty much got over the worst . Also, if you hurt, you are probably going too fast, slow it down a bit and concentrate on actually feeling relaxed rather than tense. We are here to have fun too !