C25K Week 3 Run 2

[ScottJB]

Just completed run 2 of week 3 and I’m feeling a bit flat. Started C25K this month and other than the odd bit of shin pain (that hasn’t really hindered me) I’ve felt like I could have run for much longer. With every run so far I’ve shaved seconds off my min/km pace, so was thinking this 9 weeks will be a breeze, that was until tonight. About mid way through this run I was feeling really leggy, not out of breath at all just heavy legs. I didn’t stop but ended up with my slowest pace since week 1. Guess I was getting ahead of myself, lesson learnt :-). Day off tomorrow and hope for a better run Saturday morning.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Welcome.

Heavy legs can be down to hydration... how much water are you drinking daily... at least 2, preferably 3 litres now it’s warming up, are needed for good hydration... and what you drink the day before the run has a bigger impact than anything you drink on run day.

Another thing that can cause heavy legs is pushing pace too much... ideally you want to run 85% of runs below your best pace. When I moved up a week I held back on the pace in the first two runs, and legs felt better going into run 3. There’s an old saying in running, slow down to speed up, and it really does work.

Great job so far... enjoy the next run, it closes out the first third of this plan... it’s a good moment to look back and be proud of your effort and progress.

[ScottJB Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks for the encouragement. I do tend to drink 2-3 litres a day when I’m out at work, but worked from home today, much less water and more cups of tea, could well have been that.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to ScottJB]

Yeah... I work from home all the time and that kettle is there... I do love a cuppa. I sip water all day, never drinking it like a regular drink... and I also drink the tea... and later the wine if it’s not a run day tomorrow 😂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5... and explains the recommended easy conversational pace.......... you are a new runner, so just forget about pace for now and build stamina.

Enjoy your journey.

[notquiteretired Graduate]

I did wk3run 1 yesterday and like you suffered heavy legs - did finish but hard and didnt enjoy. I had tried to up my pace but reading other posts on here maybe should continue slowly slowly until stamina builds and body adjusts to running as for previous 58 years it hasnt done much above walking🤔

[ScottJB Graduate in reply to notquiteretired]

I wasn’t deliberately trying to get quicker, just seemed to happen, which made me think this challenge was going to be easier than I first thought. Ran again this morning and felt loads better, I definitely find a pre-breakfast run much easier.

[nona65 in reply to notquiteretired]

I felt like you when I finished my W3D1. Even rested for 2 days instead of only one. Today just ended my W3D2 and felt great. I learned that slow is the way to go. I was a runner 12 years ago. Now at age 64 I feel that I never ran before...

[nona65]

I just finished my W3D2 and felt much better today then my D1. That was dreadful! I always heard that all runners have good and bad days. Hope you will feel better next run