Week 6 run 3 - feeling it in the legs

Hi all, first time posting today but I’ve been finding a lot of the advice on other threads here super helpful and wanted to mark this milestone with a post! I expected to find this one rough as I slept horribly last night and also felt dehydrated, and the first ten minutes were pretty grim but I got through it and I’m starting to really look forward to my run days. I love that burst after the first ten minutes when you really wake up and hit your stride. I never ever thought I’d be a runner so to actually feel good about it is just beyond belief!

Up until now my big barrier has been breathlessness but my heart and lungs have caught up to me, and now the suffocating feeling is gone it’s my legs that are really struggling. They felt really fatigued right from the start today and I’m worried I’m feeling more energetic than my body is actually ready for. I’m detecting warning signs of a bursitis flare up so will need to start building in more running rest days and more Pilates sessions through the week. Not at all a fan of core/glute etc exercises but I can’t imagine anything worse than getting an injury now just as I’m starting to really enjoy myself!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

This post about hydration may get the crucial nature of hydration across healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Enjoy your journey.

[LouK5 Graduate]

I've found exactly the same thing! On the earlier weeks I found the main battle was breathlessness. Now I'm getting to grips with that my legs are aching more! 😆 My runs are quite hilly on and off so I don't think that helps (I didn't realise how many hills there were around my house until I started C25K). WK6 run 2 for me tomorrow....

[Hidden in reply to LouK5]

Hah glad I’m not the only one! Yes it’s also very hilly around where I live and trying to make sure I’m not doing too much uphill/downhill is quite challenging in the route planning. Good luck with run 2!

[RunningRosh]

Hello!

I'm one run behind you and also so amazed that I've come this far - I could barely run 60 seconds before.

I really find that yoga on my rest days, as well as some glute & hamstring stretches post run make a big difference.

The first couple of weeks I felt knee/hip issues but not at all anymore.

[Hidden in reply to RunningRosh]

Hey! Good to meet someone at the same point - I’ve found the Pilates sessions have been making a really noticeable difference to my core strength and breathing, which I’m hoping will also help me correct the unsightly duck-like posture I’m currently running with. Bursitis is a longtime annoyance for me and usually happens when I go from zero exercise to lots and lots too quickly without pacing myself so looks like I still have to be disciplined about continuing to build up slowly!

[RunningRosh]

Make sure you don't wear out!