Consolidation run 1 after C25K

Shouldn't 🏃‍♀️ be getting easier? This time I did just differently, I just brought my garmin forerunner 45 and no music. I wanted to see if I could do without the help and prompts from Laura... Yes I can. However I found few things:

1) better bring music or podcasts or audiobooks, it makes the run easier in terms of not feeling alone.

2) you need to have an aim while running. Be doing intervals, running longer, running slower or faster. This run was aimless, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in my 30 minutes... First I wanted to do japanese jogging to cover more metres perhaps till 4.5 km but I ended up doing some intervals but not necessarily my best... Ok... But I did 30 minutes.

3) bring water for hydrating in very warm climates, even if I had a litre before the run. Somehow my mouth was dry.

4) don't leave too many rest days (3) otherwise even though you have the fitness up to 2 weeks, is still bloody hard.

5) I am not going to join just yet a running club or parkruns!

Thank you for reading this post and feel free to add any advice. ❤️

[Tasha99 Graduate]

I don’t think running gets easier really 🤣 Unless you drop your pace significantly. That’s because we’re always pushing to go further, faster etc. Your current distance and pace will get easier once you run further and faster if you know what I mean. I also dislike running without music unless I’m at club where headphones aren’t allowed - it’s all very social anyway. Make sure you hydrate well the day before - I can’t imagine drinking a litre before a run as I’d need the loo all the way around 🤣

[Hidden in reply to Tasha99]

Thank you for your advice. Well I am hydrated anyway, as I am in Madrid and it is quite hot so, that in itself I drink lots. However I find runners (crazy I might add) running at 2-3 pm with no water at all at nearly 40s degrees centigrades but they look ok... I cannot do that I struggle with running at 20 degrees centigrades!!!! 🥵🥵🥵🥵

[TinyClangR Graduate]

Ditto Pinkie. I did my first post C25K run yesterday and it was pretty much a carbon copy of W9R3. I honestly can’t say I enjoy the running bit at all but I’m pleased once I’ve done it and (at the moment...) always look towards the next run in the hope that I see continuous improvement. How I’ll cope if I stall for a few runs is anyone’s guess. For the time being I’m intending to keep up the 30 minute runs to see if I can build a bit of stamina & strength before increasing the length bit by bit. Good luck for ‘run 2’ ! 👍🏻

[Hidden in reply to TinyClangR]

Thank you for your honesty, if I am honest I can count on one hand the number of runs I truly enjoyed. Of those I wasn't a graduate and I did manage 5k once and longer runs at 47 minutes, but this is the thing I don't understand why I can't now? 🤔 Oh well, maybe it will coe more naturally later on, but the feeling of achievement at the end is awesome!

[Skeg Graduate]

Completed 3 runs since graduation. The first was a run of 40 mins. no idea on distance and no music, somewhat boring. So set myself a challenge of tackling some decent hills. In my head was the trainer urging me on. I took ipod but never used it. Pleasantly surprised how well it went but still room to improve. I'm not doing park run yet. Perhaps you need to find a challenge?

[Hidden in reply to Skeg]

Thank you so much for your input. I think you may be right, with the app was nice to follow steps and now I am slightly lost, so it could be that I need a challenge. But I think for my sake it is better to do more consolidation runs as I have a scar on my left calf, and just recently was hurting a bit since I have increased my pace. I think my calf needs to get used to running that pace. Once I do that I will do the 10k training. Well done on your hills. I need to do that at one point. Let me know when you do the parkrun... I will be interested to know your opinion! 😀

[Irish-John Graduate]

Not so much "easier" but for me "more adventurous"

Every time I go out the door I wonder how my run will go

Every time I hit an increase in distance, I thought 'Wow! - I've never done THAT before! :)" Every new race, route or meander reminds me that life can be stuck in front of the TV or living a lurching, gasping, staggering, lumbering slow paced ongoing event every second day or so

It isn't "easy" - but it's the most interesting game in "my town"

Wishing you many happy miles in your future