Right. Last time I did C25K I enjoyed running. I was given shed loads of good advice and then... I started to use another running app in conjunction. Then, I soon became determined to up my pace and analyse my pace and go to 5k before I was ready. Outcome: guess what? A swollen, painful knee. I’m nearly at W5 and 6. I’m very tempted to activate it again.
I need a firm talking to...
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Comfortnotspeed
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I totally get where you’re coming from, I’m impatient and don’t like thinking about the time left to go but... Don’t do it! Persevere and the reward will be better - you’ll be stronger and in a better position to progress beyond C25k. For now I’d say enjoy where you are and focus on the training and enjoying the running now
Seriously though, you can read inspirational stories, see people succeeding with a proven programme, and get all the support in the world right here, so why look elsewhere?
Be faithful to C25K and he/she (depending on your view) will be faithful back. At least I hope so for my own sake lol
Noooooooooooo! I did the same, hit 5k and then kept running that distance which was bonkers as an old big bird who had never run in her life. Injured my ankle and was off my pins for weeks. Just build up slow and steady. It will pay dividends I promise. Move away from the app!! 🤣
Just for now, these apps have their place but if you’re anything like me it’s about getting your head in the right place. And having a good support system who keep you cwtched xx
The human body adapts and develops as a consequence of a process known as progressive overload...........stretching ourselves just beyond our previous limits in a controlled manner.
Couch to 5k is a perfect example of a gently progressive training plan designed to do just that.
Of course you can push beyond the plan, if you wish to but that would be foolish considering your history.
We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.
This plan has you running for just over 8 hours in total, if you stick to it. Eight hours is not enough time to develop the body into a speed machine. We recommend that C25k is carried out at an easy conversational pace.
The discussion made me laugh...I think you got the advice you needed. There are some very strong opinions out there. But what is great is that you voiced your temptation and got told...👍🏃♀️ Take care of the body. 👍😎
I also ran/walked a 10K in 1 hour and 28 minutes before I should have and ended up on the IC for the only time since I started running in April 2018.
It was a test run before I ran a full 5K, that test run caused me a slight injury on my hip which delayed my proper full 5K for about 3 weeks, I eventually got my first 5K and the following year graduated to 10K when I ran that in 1 hour 13 minutes.
Lesson learnt, don't jump the gun, keep ridgidly to the program. 😊 🏃🏾
I started using mapmyrun to record the longer runs because I like looking at the stats afterwards. Not that they are always reliable! But it's interesting. But I never used it to up the ante and go faster, just to record what I was doing anyway. If you think the other app will just encourage you to go too fast / too far, then it'd be daft to risk injury again. But you know that already! 😂
Isn't that the difference between the two apps, Strava and Mapmyrun, with Strava it pushes you to go fast, but Mapmyrun just just records what you have ran with no comments like, "you were too slow today" or "you can go faster than that", or is it another app that talks back to you.? ¶
Yes, mapmyrun just tells you the stats whereas strava makes comments apparently about whether your run was "productive" or not. I think that would do my head in!
Keeping the pace down at least 80% of the time is the best way to be running. For most of us, having not entered this with anything we could describe as a level of fitness (is there such a thing as an unfitness level?) then I’d recommend that raises to 100% until that comfortable pace starts to rise with no extra effort.
There are some apps out there that are compatible with the final weeks of C25K, and so long as they don’t push you then they’re OK. Personally, I used the guided runs of the correct length in Nike Run Club... the ones with coach Bennett actually remind you to keep it nice and easy.
I didn’t use anything that offered any coaching. And it’s not the fault of the app (Strava) it’s just that as soon as I saw my distance and speed I wanted to up them. That should be motivational But, I ran 5k way before I was ready. And that was me being stupid-but fuelled by analysing the runs on the app.
Many a runner has fallen foul of a Strava injury. They really shouldn’t have so many medals and segments really suck. Tracking is ok... I did it, but what I didn’t do was to actually look at the stats... I used to stop the app and close it real quick. I’m glad I did this as over the year post graduation I could see how far I’d come, as my comfortable (4/10 effort) pace had risen nicely.
Consider yourself firmly talked to Comfort! You know the rules - C25K is the one true way, you don’t need anything else! Now, delete any other apps getting in the way and remind yourself that all that analysis malarkey can wait until you’re ready! Happy running!
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