W3 run1

[TobyH]

I attempted week 3 run 1 on Friday but only managed 2 mins out of the 2 3 minute runs. At 53 I didn't consider myself that unfit until I started c25k then realised I was wrong. So I decided to redo that run this morning and not only managed all the runs but ran for at least another 30 seconds on the last one so am really pleased after not looking forward to today's run. Roll on w3r2.

[Big_maz]

Well done it doesn’t matter how many times you you do runs as long as we get to the end 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Well done, we have all struggled at times and repeated runs it all makes us stronger

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Some runs do feel tougher than others but you tried again and did it. Well done you 😊

[Alast]

That's the spirit, well done to you! I finished week 3 yesterday, and feel chuffed to bits about it. I've never been a runner and have started this later in life than you, but I'm loving it. When I first started C25K I blindly thought that in 9 weeks I'd be running 5Km, then I tried R1 W1! Luckily, not long afterwards I found this great community and received loads of useful advice & great encouragement. I have readjusted my aims and now know that I will complete this course, but it may well take me longer, and I know that the end result will be that I will run for 30 seconds, but the distance I cover in that time is immaterial. I had a couple of false starts with Week 1, but now I'm going. I will not move on a week until I've completed 3 consecutive runs of the previous one (with the necessary rest days. If I don't complete a run, it's a practice, and if I find one consistently difficult, I'll drop back a week to further build my stamina and re-build my self confidence. As far as I am concerned, that would be nothing to be ashamed of. At the moment I'm thinking "Oh my, in my next run I've got to go for 5 whole minutes!" but then I did push myself up to about 4½ in my final run yesterday. I'm aiming to slow my pace down a little (I'm downloading some slower 'distraction music' to my 'phone to try and help that) and on Tuesday morning I will hopefully find out if that works! Keep on keeping on, and please let us know how you're doing.

[TobyH Graduate in reply to Alast]

Thanks for the encouragement, it all helps. I realised by reading one of the posts that I was starting my first runs too fast and therefore losing my stamina before the final run. So I slowed it down today and that definitely helped. Think I started this the wrong time of year though as the 9th week will be the middle of December! Might have to get a head torch as I live in a village so running on country lanes. Good luck with your 5 minute run.

[Alast in reply to TobyH]

Thanks TobyH. I'm an early morning runner too, both for reasons of anonymity but also practicality. By getting up an hour early, I can do my runs without it getting in the way of work & life in general. Not only that but I'm sure that if I ran later in the day I'd have a bundle of excuses why I should do it tomorrow. Now I just get out of bed, clean my teeth, put on my running clobber and go out and do it! At the moment I run through and just out of my village, it's all good flat pavements and mostly under street lights (although they're no all on when I set out, but are on the way back). I've already looked at extending my route for if or when I'm able to go further that will keep me under illumination. I too thought it was a bad idea to have started when I did because of the weather, but then that just sounded too much like delaying tactics to me! Good luck with the rest of your runs, it sounds like you need Hi-Viz clothing and some sort of light for your own safety.

[TobyH Graduate in reply to Alast]

Yeah I was going early for anonymity but soon found out the neighbours get up early as well. Plus I was told you should always eat an hour before a run so that makes it more difficult to factor that in.

[Alast in reply to TobyH]

I'd not heard about eating an hour before you run (apart from NOT running for a certain amount of time after you'd eaten). Unfortunately for all of the reasons I've mentioned, running at any other time of day just wouldn't suit me, but everyone of us is different, what's good for me may not be good for you...

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Well done!

[RunningMigster Graduate]

Well done!

I was really shocked at how incredibly unfit I an.

I really struggled with wk1 r1.

But I have to be honest, that first week really was the worst.

I did wk2 r2 yesterday and it felt so much better than any of the first week runs.

But, as everyone here says, I had to go slower.

I was setting off at a pace that I thought I should be able to go at.

It really wasn't easy to do, but I had to slow down. It really is the best single piece of advice that you'll read on here

[TobyH Graduate]

After my first run I had pain in the front of my shins. A friend at work said it was probably my trainers so I invested in a decent pair and haven't had pain since. It's also good to eat an hour before you run but that makes it more difficult running first thing in the morning. I definitely feel better and fitter already though so have no intention of giving up. Best of luck.