I've just completed W6R1. Having run as a youth and experienced the ease and joy of running long distances, I was expecting that I might be feeling some of that by now. Sadly, it's still hard work. I'm managing to stick to the regime and only experience random pains in various joints, muscles and tendons - nothing that persists - so I guess I'm still on the up.
I'm interested in when it gets easy for C25K runners. What is your experience?
I don't think it is easy at all! But that does not stop the enjoyment of it! If you are struggling then slow down, make it easier on yourself and you might enjoy it more and not get so many niggles.
Week 6 was particularly hard for me too, and I did question why I was doing this at all! Several times! But once I got on to week 7 it started to feel a bit better, not easier, but just more official because there are no intervals, just solid running.
Keep going, you can do it and remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.
Not really a question of easy or hard...You get stronger, simple as that!
This programme is just the beginning of running. After nine weeks the legs are only just getting going.
Steady and slow is the way...landing gently ( I call it kissing the ground with your feet)...and making sure you put in non impact exercises on some of your rest days, especially as the runs lengthen.
Take a peek and join the Strength and Flex forum, there are so many pinned posts and posts about exercises of all kinds which are so, so useful s we move on through this plan. I have just finished posting a whole series of exercises to hopefully help with aches and pains, for the whole body!
Doing c25k I don't think it was ever easy but your body gets stronger and more adapted to running. For me if it felt easy I wouldn't have felt the great accomplishment on completing a run. My best week was wk9. 🤗🤗
I concur with the other responses.
I was never a runner, but I used to be fit and played badminton competitively. But after a couple of injuries (ankle and knee), I ended up spending time on the couch and didnt really get off it for around 10 years.
However when I started C25k, I was arrogant enough to contemplate skipping week one. That was until I did run 1. I realised I was struggling even to complete that.
For weeks I was still setting off at a pace that I thought I should be able to do. Even when I slowed a bit, I was still finding it hard. It took me 4 or 5 weeks to understand what 'slow' really meant.
So, after just completing week 6 (and to finally answer your question), I still find it hard and I suspect I always will. But I started to enjoy it after wk5 run 3 and I'm finding that it's the uninterrupted runs that are the most enjoyable
I started to enjoy it when I felt more confident about being able to complete the runs. By Week 7, I knew I could do 25 minutes non stop running and started to relax and enjoy it. Not the same as finding it easy but I knew that I could do it and didn't want to give up.
It's Here
It's just not happening😔
It's been a while...
Not on track yet!
Injured, but not couch-bound just yet
