I have read some reports from people who started running six months or a year ago and very inspiring they are too! I am the original snail myself and can't offer any great achievements or great runs but I thought it might be interesting to have a view from the older, less fit end of the spectrum! It's quite a long post if you want to give up now!
I am sixty four, have never been sporty and didn't know quite what to expect when I started C25K. I was about a stone and a half overweight, carrying most of that weight around my middle and I knew that was not healthy. My mother and both my maternal grandparents died of heart attacks and my brother had a stroke at 54 so I thought it was time to try to do something about the excess weight around the tummy. I did yoga and a bit of walking so I wasn't a real couch potato but running seemed like something which other people did. I probably wouldn't have started if my husband hadn't started too. I said I would join him when I was a couple of glasses of wine down and then didn't want to back out.
In the first few weeks I found it very hard. I was always delighted that I had done my runs afterwards but doing them was a struggle. Sometimes I thought I was running so slowly that I was barely moving forward! I did manage to graduate after nine weeks but I was nowhere near running 5k in 30 minutes, in fact on my graduation run I made 3.5 km in 30 minutes.
I had intended to try park run but I decided I was so far off being able to run 5k that I would just keep running by myself for a few weeks, consolidating as someone suggested on the forum. So it was another six weeks before I dared to have a go at park run. I was astonished to run it all although it took me 46 minutes. It was really hard but it felt really wonderful. I was on such a high! Anyone wondering about parkrun, I would say just go for it. It is a lovely experience.
I have had various blips since then: a week off for food poisoning, a few days off here and then for a sore knee. But I have carried on, running roughly three times a week, running in rain and sun, running in Florence (that was brilliant!) and running in Spain. I really missed the structure and support of the C25k app in first few weeks after I graduated and in the middle of April I decided to have a go at the Magic running plan on Bridge to 10k. I thought there was no way I could manage the distance plan because I could barely run 5k even by then so I have been working on the time plan, following the plan to slowly increase the time I can run but following it very slowly. Quite often I have taken two weeks to do one week's runs, i.e. I have repeated a week. So I have got as far as running for around 45 minutes. When I get to the end I am going to do it again, trying to run the distance plan this time.
I have done a couple more park runs and knocked a couple of minutes off my time and it would please me no end if I could get down to 40 minutes for 5k but really my aim is just to carry on running and to enjoy it. I have lost half a stone and an inch from my waist and hips and that is a real bonus. But mostly I just like it. I start to feel itchy if I haven't run for a couple of days. I have moved from finding running really hard while I am doing it but feeling great afterwards to mostly enjoying it while I am running as well as feeling great afterwards. Every now and then I have for a few minutes that feeling that I am flying (clearly I'm not but it still feels great). And I feel better and sharper and lighter and younger and happier. I was pretty happy before. I am a cheerful sort. But life with running in it is infinitely better than life without, even for the old and slow!
Written by
Gwenllian1
Graduate
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I love your story... better running doesn’t have to be faster or longer... better running is just “better”. I much prefer a easy paced run to chasing a bit of pace or an extra km. Just getting out there, finding our headspace and enjoy ourselves is what running is really about. Your story epitomises this too me... you’d like to go a little faster, but your so happy doing what you’re doing and it if comes it comes right? I have to go bag a marathon, but after that I’m going to be running just like you... just because I love it.
Thank you UFN! I am in awe of you running a marathon but it is quite reassuring to think that you can do that but still love the idea of running for its own sake. That's great!
A marathon is both huge and also nothing in itself... I believe anyone who wants to run one can if they prepare well and have the time... but will it make me a better happier person? Doubt it. If anything, I’m gonna hate some of the training to get there when I could be having a wonderful half hour run instead. My coach tells me that somewhere after 20 miles the question “why am I doing this” will come to me very loudly... and there needs to be a better answer than “to run a marathon” or I won’t finish. I have several reasons that I need to do it... but some people don’t. I’m in awe of you running for fun and health at least as much as you are of me heading for 26.2... maybe more. Right now, because of choices I made so long ago, I don’t have the choice... it has to be done. I’ll leave all my demons on that run and then I can be a happy healthy just because I choose to runner... and that for me is my long term goal now... I always have three... mine are now HM, marathon, and the ultimate is happy running forever. I will only hang one marathon medal up... and it will be in my study so only I ever see it.
It's great that you have found the love of running. I haven't quite found it yet but it's getting better.
I am currently following the magic 10k plan too, doing it for distance, but I am slow so it takes forever. I found out my treadmill timer does go over an hour and I'm only on week 3 : )
You say you can't offer any great achievement , but after reading your post I think you're amazing with everything you've done. Keep going keep smiling and most of all keep running 😊😊👏👏
Thank you for sharing your story. You are very inspiring. I am one run off of graduating and like you thought that running was something that other people did, not something that I could do.
I’m not aiming for a marathon or anything fancy just want to get fitter and healthier for mine and my kids sake. Looking forward to my graduation run tomorrow and then aim to do some consolidation runs before working up to finally getting to 5k
What a lovely post. 👏🏼💕 I hope it gets read by lots of folks on about W3 or 4, which seems to be when many people get a dip in their confidence. Great achievements are fine for some, but your kind of love of running is a real prize in itself, and beautifully expressed. 🎉👍
What’s great and inspirational story!! I love how your main aim is to continue to enjoy running simply for running. I totally get that itchy feeling when you can’t run as normal, I think that’s clear evidence of how good exercise is for mental as well as physical health! Happy running! 🏃🏼♀️
I think that is exactly right. There is a joy in not being too structured, as well as a focus from following a programme and the thing to do is to find that balance!
Beautiful. If you're enjoying running you've cracked it. I don't know what to say to people on here sometimes when they say "when do I start enjoying it?" I was enjoying it even when I couldn't run a minute. I came home in agony but I had a massive smile on my face. I absolutely love running, 'bad' and 'good' runs.
I'm so glad your enjoying running Gwen! So happy you found it... Happy running.
Oh thank you! I know just what you mean. Even when I found it hard and felt I couldn't do it I still loved it.
...life with running in it is infinitely better than life without, even for the old and slow!
What a fantastic quote!
I too am old and slow and have done 18 parkruns, I still remember the first one, I walked most of the way and had sore legs the next day but I was hooked.
Parkrun is an excellent supplement to c25k or just do what I did and forget c25k and do what walk/run practice you can and measure your progress on parkrun times.
18 Park runs! Our nearest one has sadly just stopped because the place where it is held is being sold so I must decide where to go instead. I won't go every week but it does give me such a boost!
Thank you. I wanted a post for people like me who found it hard work but who kept plugging away! This morning I ran for 50 minutes and I'm still amazed this afternoon. C25k really does work! Sounds like you are doing really well. Best of luck with it all
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Consolidation runs to get to 5k
And Couch to 5k is DONE!
I ran 5k!
couch to 5k
Couch to 5K completed!
