Restarting C25K after break from running

[thefutureliz]

Hey all! I graduated from C25K early in August 2018. However, I had a break from running from mid-September to mid-December (~3 months off) for no particular reason. Oh, life. ANYWAY, last week (sometime after Christmas) I went for a run and was slightly surprised to find that I only managed 6 mins of consecutive running! So, now I'm "restarting" at Week 4 (3-5 min running intervals). I did W4R1 today and it was pushing me a bit. It's quite funny to go from 30+ minutes to W4 again, but I understand why/how this has happened.

Has anyone else experienced having to "relearn" running and using C25K to do? How did you find it?

I don't feel too gutted because it has taught me the importance of consistency in sport/fitness!

Hope everyone is having a great start to 2019 and you achieve your running (+other life) goals!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done you.. many of have started again.. or used bits of the plan.. especially after injury...It is so useful, as we know what is coming....

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Sadly our running legs and fitness are very much use it or lose it. You know how to run, so you’re not relearning, just upping the duration gradually as you did the first time around... you’ll soon be back.

[Bettyb719 Graduate]

Hi there! I’m in almost the same position. Graduated in August, and was consolidating until October, when I had a fall (not while running) which put me on the couch for a good while. Then I had a horrible cold. Then Christmas happened...So, I am going to start again at week 3 today, and see if I can be a little faster this time round. I’m committed to running a 5K at the Edinburgh marathon festival in May, so Here’s hoping by then I’ll be well fit! Good luck with your journey!

[thefutureliz Graduate in reply to Bettyb719]

Here's to us getting back at it Best of luck with your 5K and your health! I would like to accomplish a 5K run (either at an event or just by myself) sometime this year too.

[LexusC Graduate in reply to thefutureliz]

Parkrun is the best for when you're ready to do a 5k run it's free and you can take your time and there's probably one near you.

[thefutureliz Graduate in reply to LexusC]

Yeah, I've heard a lot about park runs! Thanks for the suggestion. I need to get to 5K first though, before my break the longest distance I had run was 3.5K.

[keeponrunnin]

6 minutes is petty good. I haven't run since early Nov and l'm all the easy back to week 3!! Just sick with it, it will probably come quicker than before.

[LexusC Graduate]

This is the 4th time I've done C25K in 2 years. Everytime I stopped for months and always had to go back to week 2 to start again. It's normal plus it's nice to take your time to get back into it. Good luck

[Abby2 Graduate]

I completed C25K in March last year. I had a fall shortly after in my consolidation runs, apart from a nice scar on my knee I didn’t cause to much damage. However it really knocked my confidence and I couldn’t complete a full run. In the end I gave up. I started again last week, from week 3 and have been moving up the runs quickly as I’ve felt comfortable. I completed week 5run 2 today and it didn’t feel to bad! My aim is to complete a park run mid feb so fingers crossed! Good luck with your journey!! We’ve done it before we can do it again! X

[thefutureliz Graduate in reply to Abby2]

Glad to hear C25K is working for your re-introduction to running! Hope you make the park run in Feb, or at least get back to the point you were at before And that your knee stays healthy!

[jessieb887 Graduate]

Snap I'm the same very here I kind of kept dipping my finger in every now and again but then Christmas came and I stopped. Went back out on Tuesday with a friend and she absolutely left me for dust I didn't realise it would be so bad. But so glad I went with her she gave me the kick up the rear that I needed to get going again. Due to go later on today once the husband is home from work 🤞