Cheating?

[fingerknitter]

So it's Week 4 Run 1, usually being coached along by Jo Whiley, and I have accidentally found that I can run through the whole podcast (except for the warm-ups/downs) by reducing my pace.

Now that feels like cheating! My question is, should I run faster and use the recovery time, or is it better to run more and let my pace improve over time?

(I'm pushing 50 and have some arthritis in one knee after an injury 10 years ago, if that helps! Not used to any exercise, but I commute by bike)

Thanks!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Keep to what your coach says, week 4 is quite a complex week with various times for different walks and runs, when your coach says walk and when she say run, do that, otherwise you could have a injury.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Walk when you are supposed to and run when you are supposed to... we need to get to Run 9 in Week 9 safely and injury free

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

We are all capable of doing more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without a raised risk of injury. That is the whole point of a carefully structured training plan, such as C25K, to progressively build your condition while simultaneously reducing your injury risk.

You might get away with doing more than the plan, but then again you might join the long list of runners who wanted to do it their own who had to stop running for days, weeks or even months by doing too much too soon.

C25K works and will have you running for thirty minutes in just a few weeks. If you want to make faster, but riskier progress, perhaps find another training plan.

Take care and enjoy your journey.

[fingerknitter]

Sound advice! If it ain't broke, don't fix it 😊