Week 1 - Escape to Exercise Quest. Feel free to join.

[Realfoodieclub]

Hi.

Welcome to the Quest, I know we have had a bit of sunshine to deal with. Let’s make sure all keep hydrating in the heat.

The C25K Quest which has been up and running, ( pardon the pun) for a couple of months now, is proving to be very useful...but it would be great to see a few more new C25K Graduates joining in.

This is a great place to think about where you want to move forward to...

It is apparent from many of the posts which we reply to, that folk may feel a little lost after Graduation. It is tempting to move on too quickly after Graduation and quite a few folk feel that they take backward steps or are doing something wrong when things don't progress as they think they should.

This is a terrific place to find the advice you need, read other folks' goals, and to encourage each other as you move on to the next running adventure. Listen to some of the seasoned Graduate too, they are a bit further on in their adventures and may be able to give you more in-depth information

So please feel free to join in if you have graduated. We will be running these Quests every month, updating weekly, so don’t worry you can join in any time after Graduation, it doesn’t matter when it is even if it is just for the last week.

Also please join if you have graduated and are on the IC, We have found reading and supporting other runners when we are on the IC helps to keep motivation up and helps to still feel part of this community so if you are on the IC put your name down, we will support you all the way back to your first recovery run.

Here is the explanation of what the Quest is.

WHAT THE QUEST IS:

The Quest lasts for a calendar month

You can join any time within that time.

The main aim of the Quest is to help you find a focus or goal that you would like to achieve by the end of the Quest period.

We ask that you are a GRADUATE.

The main reason we ask this is that while you are doing the programme your plan is very structured, so we wouldn't want the Quest to interfere with that.

Most popular goals are:-

To run three times a week

To slowly increase distance

To train, ultimately, for a specific race

To add In Stretch and strength exercises

As you can see they are personal to yourself and it's totally your own choice.

Every week I will pin a new post where all the members of the Quest can talk about how things are going.

Our advice to you, is to make your goals achievable, as it is very easy to get discouraged if you aim too high. It is better to aim a little lower and feel great at the end of the Quest and add some more in for the next Quest. Motivation is at its best when you feel a sense of achievement through something you are trying to do.

OUR OTHER FORUMS

Please don’t forget that all the forums are here for your benefit. They are set up to help with questions and queries as your progress on your running journey. Feel free to join any or all. You will find different levels of help on each forum, so well worth a look around.

We have the Bridge to 10K - this forum is for runners who need a little bit more technical advice than that, offered on the C25K.

healthunlocked.com/bridgeto10k

We have the Marathon Running and Race support.

Again this is another step up in the type of advice that is offered and it is there if you should ever need it.

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

We have the Strength and Flex forum, which is set up to help you with the NHS stretches and strength workouts. Squats, lunges and the like are all in these programs.

healthunlocked.com/strength...

We also have the Active 10 which used to be called Walking for Health. It is a great forum for sharing your walks on your days off or if you are on the Injury Couch.

healthunlocked.com/active10

Please feel free to have a look round all the forums but also keep in mind we need YOUR help for new runners, so you can support and encourage them on the C25K forum as they learn to run, so they can come and join us on these Quests once they have graduated.

So, please do come and join the Quest...Your Forum Needs You!

Happy running to you all... stay safe and stay running

Oldfloss, Realfoodieclub, & Roseabi. X.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

My quest is to do a few gym sessions this week alongside my running. I am trying to make my legs a bit stronger to get a little more pace to my runs 😀.

[2718281 Graduate]

My quest this month will be to complete my 3 weeks of consolidation runs and then decide what to do next

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to 2718281]

That sounds like a great Quest, consolidation runs are so good for you. Good luck. Rfc x

[2718281 Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Thanks!

[Sp81 Graduate]

My quest this month is to complete 3 runs a week. As a new graduate it would be great to hit that 5k benchmark too!!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to Sp81]

Good luck on that 5km, small increases help to protect your joints. Good luck. Rfc x

[Sp81 Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Thank you x

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

I’ve struggled quite a bit since graduation, so last month I set myself a really easy Quest: to get a bit of exercise at least one day in three. I actually managed one in two, so I feel a bit better and more motivated ! My son’s school has started a Daily Mile. It’s residential so they really mean daily, and I’m so impressed by their commitment to fitness that I’m going to join in. This month my Quest is to cover at least a mile every day. I might even get brave and run some of them 😂

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to ButtercupKid]

That sounds like a great challenge. I started Mind’s move everyday in January and I’m still going six months later. It has helped me in so many ways, not just on the exercise front. Good luck.

[ButtercupKid Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Brilliant ! Well done you ! ⭐️

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to ButtercupKid]

Thank you 😀. Rfc x

[Debston Graduate]

MuddledGardener This is the thread I was on about!

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Debston]

I thought I had joined it, as I replied to the July quest! Are they the same thing?

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

Hiya, they are the same thing we run one on the C25k forum and one on the bridge forum. You have joined the bridge one. You are more than welcome to join both, we do it on both forums because it was brought to our attention that not everyone went onto the bridge forum and needed a little quest to keep them going on the couch so we obliged 😀. Rfc x

[Debston Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

Aha! Hadn't realised that there are two of them! I'm the muddled one! 😂

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Debston]

No, I’m the Muddled One! 🤣🤣🤣

[Debston Graduate]

My quest is to keep running three times a week and keep going on with Ju-ju's 10k Magic Plan. I'd also like to fit in at least two Parkruns in July.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to Debston]

Sounds like a plan to me. Two Parkruns seems fun as well, good luck. Rfc x

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

In my case, I think the first week is going to be more of an "Escape from Exercise" as I'm giving my legs a few days well earned R&R. Apart from that I guess it's just really continuing to run 2-3 times a week (depending on commitments) and maybe begin slowly building on either the pace or distance of my long runs.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

I am a firm believer rest should be added into all training plans it is one of the most important session you can do. Enjoy your R&R. Rfc x

[alisonr54 Graduate]

My quest for this month will be to keep increasing my distances a little at a time and get to 5k 😀

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to alisonr54]

Sounds like a plan, little increases are the best way. Good luck Rfc x

[GoogleMe Graduate]

1) Lose the holiday weight, specifically 1.4kgs

2) 150 minutes a week of exercise to include one swim, one run and one decent-ish walk

3) 17+ days of yoga practice (one more than I've set in preceding months)

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

I hope you had a nice holiday, I like aiming for the 150 mins as well, I like seeing all the exercises adding up together. Good luck. Rfc x

[Hidden]

My Quest is decided! I graduated a week ago and wanted to do 3 consolidation runs this week before committing. I’m going to run 3x a week - 2x 30 mins (currently 4K) and 1x 5K. My first 5K this week was 37.5 minutes. July is the month of consolidation!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Great plan, consolidation runs are so good for you. Good luck. Rfc x

[jmd104 Graduate]

Just graduated so my quest will be to complete my consolidation runs three times per week including the Parkrun each week.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate in reply to jmd104]

Great Quest, take it nice and steady as you build up to the 5km, especially when doing Parkrun. If you find it hard after 3.3km take the pace right down to get to the end and walk if you have to 😀. Happy running. Rfc x