Post graduation- week 1

[Nhsmags]

So after the euphoria of finally graduating last week, this week has been a total nightmare.

I went along to my running club on Monday night desperate to do a 5k with the group. I just couldn’t get my breathing right and had to slow down to a walk on a few occasions, I was absolutely gutted. Back of the pack with the jog leader couldn’t even get me going.

So wrote it off to a bad run and tried not to let it bother me. Went out again last night on a completely new running route (although I do walk it often) and exactly the same again.

I’m a wee bit disheartened but I’ve signed up for a 10K in September so I need to keep going. I’ll give it another go tomorrow but any hints/tips gratefully received.

[Bluesky44 Graduate]

I’ve had a few issues post graduation, some niggling pains which I need to manage but I partly wonder if it’s the lack of having Jo in my ear just encouraging me along as well as the reminders to get out and run... I think it sounds like you’re doing fine, you’re still trying and you’ll get your stride back soon. Perhaps run your more usual route? I’ve even considered listening to W9 again just to get me going again. Keep going, after all you know you can do it. As people always say on here there will always be bad runs but it’s that you get back on it that matters!

[Lindsey-joy Graduate]

I've been feeling exactly the same. The only way i seem to be able to keep going is by repeating the w9r3 podcast as I can't cope without Jo.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Same advice as any other time , just slow down . You can do this you've put in all the hard work to get to where you are now . Good luck 😊

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

It might be that you just need a short break, a few days off might see you right and won’t do any harm.

[Oldlady57]

Seems your putting pressure on yourself mags? Weather has been a lot warmer of late... are you taking on enough fluids? Have you got a play list you enjoy? Try just going for a run & see how far you go without the pressure of 5k. Most of all, Enjoy your running 🏃‍♀️

[Tony1978 Graduate in reply to Oldlady57]

Totally agree, Oldlady61, is the pressure of 5k. I would take that off, by running alone 2-3k for a week or so. Just to get back to smiling.

[Bluepup1 Graduate]

I’ve also got a few niggles which I’m trying to sort - my heart is still in it, but not felt able to go out since Mon this week ☹️. The issues started around W8 but I carried on to graduation and managed 2 runs last wk (club n parkrun with some walking). I’m wondering if it’s ‘simply’ because we’re new runners? 🤗 x

[DiscoRunner Graduate]

I had to do the graduation run again and again - it took me about 6 odd weeks to feel comfortable running for 30 minutes. I run using the Japanese slow jogging technique so it takes me about 45 to 50 mins to run 5k. I think a key thing to realise when we’ve just graduated we’ve only run a bit over 8 hours, we’re still building muscle, strength & stamina. C25K is really about running for 30 minutes, and very few of us get to 5k in that time.

But! And it’s a good but! Here’s the film of the technique - I saw this in w6 and it changed everything for me.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2...(Not working as expected?)

It’s especially good for building stamina & you could do 2x30 mins like this & then start adding time to one run per week - 5 or 10 mins at this slow pace (this is what I did) and very soon I could run for 50 mins (5k yay!) and now I can go for over an hour. I was hoping to do a 10k this week but work & the heat interfered. But running this way, I don’t think I’m going to have a problem when the weather cools enough me to do it. In the meantime I’m doing regular 30 mins at this pace (because of the heat), give it a try and see if it works for you? But I think it’s key to accept we’re still novice runners at graduation - but slow and steady counts, is proper running & I get all the benefits and no pain! Hope it helps.

[Nhsmags Graduate]

Thanks folks. I think I’m just expecting too much too soon. I’m managing 5k with walking in what I think is a decent time, fastest 32:34 and always under 37. I do walk pretty fast and can walk 5k in under 50mins.

Monday with the group, I had no music as I thought it was a bit rude to be listening to music running with other people 😳. Yesterday was week 9 with the app and Sanjeev and my own playlist but I think I was stressing because I was so disappointed on Monday.

Thanks DiscoRunner, I’ll have a look when I get back home.

I’ll try and take the pressure off and start doing this for fun rather be than to hit a target. 😀

[Debston Graduate in reply to Nhsmags]

Absolutely! You have definitely earned the right to have a few runs with no pressure at all about time, speed, distance, etc. On a side note, I think sometimes having more than one rest day between runs really helps.