Week 6 to week 7 broke me

[Antstream]

Firstly, i want to say i love the c25k challenge. As someone who had always struggled with running more than 5 mins, this program helped me push through with relative ease..

However, the jump from week 6 to 7 broke me.. i completed the 1st run of week 7 easier than expected, in fact i ran an extra minute. However the next day i suffered the consequences with pain in my Achilles Heal. That was 8 weeks ago, and i havent been able to run since, even walking is painful.

I am no expert, but i do think for amateurs such as myself, the ramp up was too fast. If you feel pain in your achilles, stop. Or maybe i was just unlucky.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Sorry to read about this... and I hope that you have sought medical opinion as it’s been 8 weeks.

C25K is carefully constructed to minimise the injury risk, but in all sports it’s still there. Yes, you have been unlucky... but your advice is sound... any sharp or sudden pain means stop. Aches on the other hand are normal and should reduce as the increases in duration diminish.

Hope you’re back soon.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

No training plan can totally be a one size fits allcomers programme.

The age range ....from eight year olds to eighties (yes!!) and the fitness range ........from couch potatoes to returning runners of all shapes weights and sizes......means that some are going to find it easier than others.

Many people do have minor niggles, but, I believe, the majority, if they carefully follow the guidance on footwear, pace, rest days and hydration etc. seem to get through the plan, coming out stronger and fitter at the end.

I am sorry that you have got injured. You are quite correct to say that if you feel pain then you should stop......this is the advice that we give in the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... along with advice on dealing with injury, should it happen.

I hope you recover soon. I would recommend consulting your GP or a physio, since the condition has persisted.

Take care.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

But week 7 runs are exactly the same as the last run of week 6. Sorry about your injury but whatever caused it, it wasn't a big jump from week 6 to 7.

[GibsonBBKing Graduate]

Get well soon and good luck

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Sorry for your injury but it’s the first I e heard of like this. I don’t think it’s the jump. Maybe you need a sports physio? Hope you’re back to it soon 👌🏽

[Antstream]

Thank you all for the feedback.

Maybe i was following the wrong program. On mine, week 6 was run for 10, walk, then run for 10.. week 7 was run 25mins on one go.. it was the additional 15 mins that got me.... smaller bursts with walks between we no problem, i could do that with relative ease.

Tbh.. It did catch me by suprise as I am in otherwise good shape.. 47m athletic build and have been going to the gym 3 days a week for most of my life.. Cardio however was always limited to 5 mins as a warm up. In hindsight i should have had the sense to inject some 15 and 20 min routines before week 7, i knew i was pushing too hard and it would have allowed my to condition myself more gradually.

Perhaps over the years my body became conditioned to short bursts...🤔 Either way, i will get it fixed and get back on it.. It was good to prove I could push through my previous limitations.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Antstream]

Antstream sorry to hear of your Achilles tendon injury - I've had one myself and it sucks. (btw, an 'achilles heel' doesnt exist physically - it's an expression to describe a weakness. What you have is an Achilles *tendon*).

Just to be clear, you've been doing 3 runs a week as per the C25K program? And Week 6 Run 3 (W6R3) should be a continuous 25 minutes?

Generally, how have you felt after the runs? How was your breathing? Was it heavy? I'm guessing that as a regular gym-goer, and having seen plenty of runners on treadmills, you;ve possibly thought that 'running' meant either ending up out of breath or giving yourself a good cardio workout each time? Is that right or a bit wide of the mark?