Doing so well - got to wk7 run2 - but now I’m ill & not sure where to start back when I’m better

[Wowzers]

This is my first post. It has been a crazy journey for me. Not so many years ago I had asthma & chronic fatigue syndrome & this was just impossible. At one point I would pretty much be ill all winter with cold after flu after chest infection. I’ve never ran or thought I would be able to, but the time was right and this September I was a lot better and heard about couch to 5k and thought why not? So I began. At first even the one minute runs I struggled with - it’s not so much my legs that are the problem but more my lungs - I just couldn’t get enough air in me! I almost repeated week one as I couldn’t see how I would be able to run for longer, but after reading posts on here it encouraged me to trust the plan and go for it and guess what - I did it! So I kept persevering and got to week 5 run 2 then went on holiday for a week. As I was worried about the biggie week 5 run 3, when I got back I started at the start of week 5 again and although I found week 5 run 3 very hard, I did it! So I kept going & last Friday did week 7 run 2 - I could feel a cold coming on but thought I was ok. I’m amazed I can now run for 25 minutes - I get quite emotional when I think how far I’ve come. My lungs are now much better at getting air into me & im much better at pacing myself so I can keep going. Anyway at the weekend my cold got worse and I haven’t been able to run since - I currently have a high temperature and coughing up phlegm so not the best but I’m confident I can get over this now my lungs are so much better than they were. I’m not as bad as I used to get when I had chest infections so I’m taking that as a good sign. I’m just wondering where I should start back when I’m better? The problem is that I don’t know if I will be better next week or if it will take longer. I used to be ill with chest infections for at least 3 weeks but I’m hoping I won’t be that bad now. I figure I should be able to run for 25 mins still but do I re-do week 7 or just keep going & hope I can cope with it? I’m so frustrated I can’t run at the moment. Sorry for waffling on - not sure if this will make sense! Any advice gratefully received 😊.

[steviej99 Graduate]

Your doing brilliantly to have got so far. Sorry to hear your poorly. Main thing is to ensure your fully fit before you start back, don't rush it because that could give you a bigger set back. When I got over an injury recently I just did a couple of non plan easy runs. Try 15 minutes then a couple of days later 20 minutes. Don't push it, hopefully you will feel great then hey your back to restart W7 and off you go!

[Wowzers Graduate in reply to steviej99]

Thank you for the support and advice - yes easing back into it when I’m fully better sounds like a plan. It’s just so frustrating as I’m so near the finish line yet so far & im desperate to prove to myself that I can do it! 😊

[steviej99 Graduate in reply to Wowzers]

You will do it! My injury happened after w9r1! I had to take two weeks off

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

It is annoying and unpleasant when illness stops us running, but don't panic, you will lose next to no condition in the first two weeks and after that the loss is slow and marginal.

When you are fully better you can try a nice gentle run and see how you get on. You may as well try to pick up where you left off and if you don't manage it you will know why and be able to assess what level you are at, and adjust the next run accordingly.

This happens to all runners and is just part of life.

Get well soon.

[Wowzers Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

That’s reassuring thank you 😊

[ArthurJG Graduate]

The most important thing of all is to make sure you get well before you run again. If that’s two weeks or less you will probably be able to pick up where you left off - but listen to your body and don’t push too hard too soon. You’ll still get to the end of the programme, just on a different date.

[Wowzers Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Thank you 😊. I’m determined to do it & like to think I’m fairly sensible so I will wait until I’m fully better & get back to it even if I have to re-do some runs. I’m really not feeling well at all at the moment so it’s not looking like I will be back to running soon, but it’s good to know that even with a 2 week break I shouldn’t lose much fitness. I guess I just need to wait and see 😊