Treadmill graduate to road runner? I’d love to.

[Megayossarian]

Hi all. I’m new here. At the age of 71 I started the couch to 5K and stuck with it for the whole course, sometimes running farther than required on the program. All the course was done on my treadmill. Problem now is, after a couple of weeks not running, I feel I will have lost the fitness I gained when doing the course. I want to run on the road now as the weather has improved but worry that I will find it much harder. Have others found this to be the case? I live in a very rural spot in South Holland Lincolnshire, so I think I should get out there and enjoy the scenery as treadmill running can be quite boring. Anyway, I thought I would share my my thoughts. I think the c to 5K is a great motivator.

[Hidden]

Last year, when I completed the C25K program for the first time, I had done it all on the treadmill and then when Spring arrived, like you, wanted to hit the roads. Which is exactly what I did. The breathing side of things was tougher but overall, I was quicker and enjoyed it much more. I never went back to the treadmill after that which was the wrong thing to do. For me, anyway.

The pavement was a lot tougher on my ankles than the treadmill and after only a week of running outside, I suffered with posterior tibial tendonitis. It was awful. I couldn't walk for 2 days, had physiotherapy and stopped running for the rest of the year. Fast forward a year with lessons learned, I'm running at least 5km 3x a week all outdoors.

If I can give you any advice, it would be to make sure you have the appropriate running shoes and gradually swap your treadmill runs to the outdoors. If you're not already doing it, look into post run stretches. I coped fine on the treadmill with neutral running trainers and no stretching afterwards but running outside was a different ball game.

[Beccym Graduate]

Slow your road runs enjoy the scenary. See if you can find someone run with, you could join a running club don't worry about your age we have runners in their 60s and 70s in mine.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your graduation.

I would never recommend that anyone runs beyond the duration of the programme. You fortunately did not get injured.

You will not have lost any discernible condition in a two week break from running......... you may well benefit from the break.

Running outdoors is different and it may take a few runs to get used to it, as you have to control pace and cope with uneven surfaces, gradients, weather and extreme sensory overload compared to treadmill running.

You might find some of the information in this guide to C25K useful as you are new to outdoor running healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

At the same time, you are a graduate, so this guide to post C25K running may also be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Megayossarian in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you for all your positive comments. All taken on board. About to restart my regime but outdoors. One of the advantages or disadvantages, of living where I do in Lincolnshire, is the almost totally flat terrain. Thanks again.

[Yellowbelly15]

I’m in Lincolnshire just outside Spalding and I’m finding the same I’m on Wk 7 so haven’t completed yet struggled abit today but was after a pt training legs so hoping that’s why Goodluck with your running x