Post-Graduation Drop

[Hattie27]

So... I completed 4 consolidation runs and then I stopped. The last one was 11 days ago and I was making all kinds of excuses. Yesterday I logged on here and I saw somebody had posted (should have noted it down - sooo sorry) describing the exact way I was feeling.

I think it was because I had lost the structure and felt a bit overwhelmed by what I was doing. It also hadn't occurred to me that I could a)warm up at home and b)didn't have to run for 30 minutes (because the thought of being outside in the cold for 40 minutes filled me with dread). This post and the advice was all I needed so this morning I donned the gear, completed a warm up at home (which absolutely warmed me up), ran for 10 minutes in one direction, turned around and came back and then cooled down at home.

I completed this run without tracking my distance. I listened to C25K week one and tried to speed up for the 60 second runs in week 1 which had the desired effect and really tested me.

This forum is really powerful and if I hadn't of read that post I wouldn't have got my mojo back and feeling as great as I do right now!

[damienair Graduate]

Well done. I totally agree with you. I too find the Forum very powerful for kick starting bouts of running rather than couch syndrome.

Try Parkrun, it gives you a reason to keep running. You can walk it all, run/walk it and each week you will get a new time. It is also a nice way to meet new people and feel part of a community.

Keep running.

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to damienair]

I think I will! Thank you - great idea xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Great stuff... well done you!

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you 😊

[Hidden]

Totally agree 😉 even though we’ve graduated we have to keep reading the posts for encouragement and to remind us how far we’ve come 🏃‍♀️ x

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Definitely!! 😊 x

[Louwill Graduate]

Hi I having been feeling the same. Tried the 5k + podcast which helped.

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to Louwill]

I think I might give that a go!

[jessieb887 Graduate]

This is bizarre that I would read this today. I felt exactly the same as you yesterday. I completed the program a couple of months back and then downloaded Strava recommended by a lot of people. But for me it just made me feel like I was rubbish in comparison to all the other people on it. My pace was much slower than theirs and my distance was much less than theirs too. I did complete 5k but then darks nights came! I found every excuse under the sun to not go so I stopped!! 5 weeks has gone by and yesterday morning I decided to get back out, I did week 7 and bloody loved being back out with no pressure to run 5k which I had stupidily out on myself. I do think I should of done week 6 though the old legs and hips are jelly today 😂. But I'm back and doing it for me and no one else.

I don't need Strava to prove I can do 5k, like you I'm juts going to enjoy being out for 25/30mins and bloody enjoy every second of freedom.

[SOULY47 Graduate in reply to jessieb887]

Omg. This is me too. Its my run. Whether its fast, slow, long or short. I fell out with running a few years ago due to pressure from friends and myself. Running should be a good feeling abd enjoyable not a chore. Good luck

[Hattie27 Graduate]

I completely agree! I didn’t feel like I was getting past 4K and I was ending up frustrated rather than feeling good! I’m going to warm up/cool down at home for a bit and then head out for 10/25/30 minutes and just play around a little bit! We can do this!!

[jessieb887 Graduate in reply to Hattie27]

It's exactly that. I actually posted about it a while back on here, and I was encouraged to get back out but I just didn't do it. I'm so glad I went out yesterday and in a way I'm glad to know I'm not the only one getting their mojo back.

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to jessieb887]

Definitely and yes it’s frustrating but I think we have gotta let that go and as long as we are running 3 times a week that’s what is important!

[jessieb887 Graduate in reply to Hattie27]

Yep I'm going to use the app again but to try and increase pace without recording it though. I don't need to prove to anyone how fast I am. I'm thinking of speeding up in the earlier weeks run the full time but when it says to run try to speed up a bit 😊

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to jessieb887]

That’s what I did yesterday. So week 1 is 60 second run 90 second walk so I did 90 seconds normal 60 seconds quicker which made things a bit interesting! Then very occasionally I will track my distance by maybe doing a park run once a month and then I can see if that’s working!! Sounds like we both have a plan!!

[Mercmancouchto5k Graduate]

Well done Hattie. I have thought of repeating weeks 1 thru 9 after graduation, but I am only in week 4. Baby steps!

[Hattie27 Graduate in reply to Mercmancouchto5k]

That’s a good idea but adding your own spin on them! Keep going!!

[SOULY47 Graduate]

Kinda in a similar way to you. Ive graduated, done a few runs but without the structure of the programme gave found it hard to motivate myself. Ive had a cough/cold for 2 weeks so that hasn't helped either. Started reading posts and finally got myself out. Just did 2 miles but I enjoyed it. I think for me a 30 min run is enough. Im not fussed about always doing 5k and definitely no further, I've been there and done that and it made me hate running. Keep at it and keep running for your pleasure.