Graduated? consolidated? Lost?

[UnfitNoMore]

You’re not the first and you won’t be the last.

We came here to run 5k, found out that the plan takes most of us to 30 minutes. Most of us have either consolidated on 30 minutes or gone on to compete the 5k and then consolidated on that... but what next?

The picture is a runners shrug... a lady I know swears by them, but many of us have a different runners shrug at this stage. We’re still new to this, we followed a great plan, and now... well, we are a little lost, there’s no schedule, and some of us want to achieve something else. That’s decision one right there... are we running for fun and fitness, happy to schedule our 30 minute runs and just enjoy them and the newfound energy to achieve more in life? That’s cool... for everyone else there’s more shrugging... and there would appear to be two routes... further and faster... but which to choose? 🤷‍♂️

Fortunately they’re pretty much the same thing... to go faster over 5k is easier to achieve if we have more endurance. The elite 5k runners go to 15/16 km on a long run once a week (or thereabouts) so for all you great new runners wanting to smash that parkrun PB, there is a plan!

Not bothered about pace, but like running and would want it to last a bit longer? Fancy entering a 10k event for a challenge or to raise money for a good cause? No problem, there’s a plan for you too.

The good news is you don’t have to choose which plan, as they’re the same one... and the really good news is we have a group of runners all ready to start working through this plan this weekend, supporting each other on the journey to 60 minutes of running, 10km, or indeed both. We even have a small group who started a couple of weeks ago to lead the way.

There’s no need to do that runner’s shrug again... come join us on the Bridge to 10k. The signup for the group is here healthunlocked.com/bridgeto....

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

I was staring at that pic for ages thinking why have you posted a pic of a bolero 🤣🤣🤣 that's a fancy shrug in the old days 👍🏻

Love it!

Just to add too... joining any other forum here within the Heath Unlocked forum does not mean that you "leave" C25K... all that happens when you "follow" another forum/community is that posts from all followed communities are shown in your feed so you don't lose touch with your original community.

I know I felt I didn't want to desert C25K after all the help and support received but it's not like that at all. You can post into any of your followed communities by just choosing which one as you compose your post.

It can also be useful to lurk in places like the scary Marathon forum for a while before joining in to see that actually it's pretty much the same people and they're not going all technical on pace or stats...it's just progression from one community to the next as goals change but still maintaining your link with where it all began...👍🏻😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

The only bolero I knew was when we were all transfixed by two people dancing on ice... that may be the older days though 🤣

I lurked on the marathon forum for a very long time... and still rarely speak there. That last bit may get the numbers up 🤣

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Not even The Bolero from Ten? 🤭😉🤣

You're not expected to be familiar with the bolero jacket being male, so you're OK there.

It was intimidating for me too... until I realised I knew most of the names there already!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I was too young to appreciate that scene fully at the time 😂

Somehow I’m now looking at ultras... I got this bad! My mate has been sending me links to them for years and I’ve always replied with “NO” but just recently I’m replying “36 miles? Yeah that’s doable and the scenery looks good”. It’s only a matter of time before he’s booking me on one of his crazy trips!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Hmmm... be careful 😉

I can tell you that 36 feels a long way even once you can do 26 🤣

Take your time, enjoy the journey 👍🏻

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Yeah... but I like the idea of a run with pastries! There was one he sent that was 43 miles a day for something like 2 weeks... and I was immediately working out how long that would take to walk, then putting dashes of running in. No support allowed though, so not sure that’s going on the list.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Support? Pfft! Who needs support? 👍🏻🤣🤣🤣🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Not sure if it included accommodation... couple of weeks camping is ok, but I’d need an electric hookup site for the watch at some point, and the phone would need to be charged to take the runs off the watch and into cyberspace or they didn’t happen!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Solar powered battery block, cable, wifi... sorted... yes... I've been tempted by all kinds of ridiculous ideas too 🤣🤣🤣 One round a bunch of volcanoes and a week long event in the Azores... maybe one day.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

One of the guys at parkrun went to one of the claimants of “toughest multi-day walk in Europe” routes last year and ran it... something like 800m of up and down mountain from the hotels to start and finish each day too... came back complaining of a little DOMS and then went round the park in about 21 minutes.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Oh dear... you've got mileage envy! 👍🏻🤣 been there!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I was watching his parkrun and wondering how that was possible, even without his week in the mountains... about 10 years older than me too!

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I suspect I'm in broadly the same age demographic as UnfitNoMore , so Bolero has the same connotations, although I maybe appreciated Carrie Fisher's "interpretation" more... 😉

I'm on the slow build from 10 miles to HM, but I know that's as far as I'm going. I am filled with admiration for those that run marathons and more, but I've never felt the appeal to emulate them. I think it's fair to say that, since starting running, my appreciation and respect has grown considerably, but the desire to join their ranks has diminished even further. In the unlikely event that I ever mention the idea, even in jest, my friends and family have already been given permission to shoot me...

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Unfortunately I'm more likely to be told "go on then, you can do it!" 🤣🤣🤣

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

At my current pace, a 2 hour 30 HM is probably doable. That would probably translate to about a 5 hour 30 + Marathon. The idea of me doing anything for that length of time without boredom and monotony getting the better of me just doesn't compute. I could train and be physically capable of marathon distance but I think the mental barriers that need to come down before I even begin training for that distance are far to firmly entrenched.

That said, I'm fine with that. A HM is still a huge achievement and if that's as far as I ever manage to run, I'll be delighted with that achievement. We're all runners irrespective of our particular distances.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Yup... we are. I was always planning to go up to 26 and back down to 5k as soon as possible... now I’m not so sure. My current plan is to train year round with a 10 mile long run, so I can book and do a HM with a couple of weeks notice if I want to.

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That's kind of where I'm aiming to be too if I'm honest, with the possiblity of doing The odd monthly HM challenge on Strava to go with the 5k and 10k ones.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Good base to go for the big one from too for me... not sure when that’s gonna happen yet.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Absolutely! Knowing what we really want is key above all else. Putting the brakes on that competitive drive can be the best decision for some.

I couldn't think of anything worse than a road marathon, even a few miles on a flat, straight bit sends me into boredom overdrive!

It's all a great achievement, 5k/10k and all the rest 👍🏻😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I’m with you there... and this means I’ll never be waiting for the ballot results in October.

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Especially the really big one, which was just actually giving it a go in the first place...

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

100%! That first, getting over that threshold, out the door, feeling like a complete fish out of water... oh yes! An achievement in itself! 👍🏻😁

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

And now look at us, three lost causes having our very own online runner's anonymous meeting...

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Yup. My name is Jo and I am addicted, to running, running shoes, lycra and all things related!

[Buddy34 Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

😂😂😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

My name is Neil, I’m a runner, and I’ve not laced my shoes in 12 hours 🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

If you run fast enough they’ll never get you in their sights 🤣

[Buddy34 Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

When I seen the picture before reading the post I wondered who would want to wear that when running 😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Buddy34]

I was a bit confused when I saw one in the running store, they don’t cover anything... but when I saw this lady wearing one it made much more sense 🤣🤣

[Buddy34 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Ladies would wear one to hide their bingo wings 😊

[Scarletsunrise in reply to Buddy34]

I saw this and thought I'd love it! I always get too hot in a full jacket but on those windy and wet days man fo I want something to cover my arms! I also need to join the runners anonymous group because I signed up to a relay with 2 others but now cos of injury it's going to be over a marathon each! Thought I would do a relay as it's a 12 hr start ilon the hour thing and I KNOW I can't manage that but wanted to experience the feeling of it so the relay was perfect split into 3!

I must say though I'm super excited for it! And an accidental boon has been as someone who has remained at a 36min+ 5k runner I somehow this weekend manage to run the park run a whole 5mins quicker! I think it came from doing the speed training, which i normally skip as a 1 pace runner! Turns out I have kore than 1 speed and I can recover by running slower!

Those ultras do look tempting though! I don't know how either though but I'm so drawn to the crazy ones. Loved dot watching the spine race this year! Which was what I found when looking into fell running because there is a sail/fell running race in Scotland I would love to be able to do ! (These are both far beyond my reach)

Having walked 2 walking marathons I really very strongly feel like a marathon is too far....so why can't I get these multiday ultras out of my head! 😅😅😅

I might need locked up!

[Grannyhugs Graduate]

Happy running all those starting 10k on Saturday, it’s a great plan

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

LOVE this.. and I love that shrug too!!! Fantastic post and one to get the folk moving in the direction that they choose...

PS

Where do I get the shrug from

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

It was a team estrogen one from here, primalwear.com but I don’t think they still do it

Which means I lied, it’s a cycling shrug, but that wouldn’t have worked 🤣

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

And I thought I was sneaky! 😉🤣

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

He's a kit tease! They do a lovely skort though! 🤣

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I have two..but can always be tempted 🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I’d have to shave my legs 🤣