I am in my C25k Consolidation Phase and am working my way through the NHS 12-week fitness Programme. 🏃🏿♀️🌲🏃🏼♀️💪🌾🏃🏽♀️🌾🏃🏿♀️🌳
I graduated recently (24/06/2020) 🎓 and I was also one of those runners panicking about the lack of structure. So when looking into this back in my Week 6 - 8 days, I came across various avenues,- all of which I seriously considered.
Some where too aspirational for me (Consolidation and then 5k to 10k), and some had not enough structure (just running with the Nike running app). Some felt like too much fun (zombie run app).
So the following is my chosen way forward in my consolidation phase : (update: new working link) healthunlocked.com/strength... (replacing C25k runs with consolidation runs)
During C25k, I only did the normal stretches, so doing this NHS 12-week fitness plan will probably give me a good overall workout during my consolidation phase, whilst doing this gently (due to age, unfitness, health conditions, etc)
It should also give me the structure I desire. So not quite running without my aids yet, but wow, is the journey great!
I will keep my own progress here in replies to this post, and looking forward to what other runners are doing in their consolidation.
Keep on keeping on! 🏃🏾☔️🏃🏿♀️🎧😷👣🏃🏽♀️
Written by
CBDB
Graduate
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No, I just replace the C25k runs with normal 30 min runs. I’ll see if my running improves and by the end of this programme I am hoping that I will have seen real benefits of being a regular runner. ( for instance I haven’t lost weight yet, but as a hypo/hashi that’s not unusual)
Ahh ok makes sense. Think it’s sounding like a good plan. I prob will take two days of a week but like the idea of the exercises as well as running. Thank you for the research. I’ll join you after I complete. Hopefully Saturday when it’s cooler 👍🏻🐌
I like your plan. I'm in my third week of Consolidation and am also a hypo girl. Took me 2 months to lose 4lbs. But, it's the little things. I added some weights and stretching on my off days. I think we are on the right track.
We certainly are. And I still continue to feel really upbeat and more fit, ever since starting, even though my runs are super slow. 🐌 🐌🐌 But Speed will come. Weightloss hopefully as well.
At the moment I think speed isn’t improving because I am doing some new routes with styles, fields and streams to navigate, so have not settled on a nice core route, as my original C25k route is now too short.
Sounds like a great plan! I've only recently discovered that 12 week fitness plan. I started the strength &flex around week 5 of C25K and now I just repeat S&F workout 5 on non-run days. I will also start introducing some of the core and body toning exercises. Yesterday was way too hot and my hayfever was through the roof so instead of consolidation run2 I did some of the body toning and then 30 minutes on the stationary bike. We'll find a way forward, the main thing is to keep active and to keep supporting each other 👍😃
W1 D3 ✔️ 30 min run. New route which was nice. Also cooler weather.
First part of the route was same as my old route but starting from the end. Strange how you can see so many new things just by changing direction. 🌲 🕸🐛🌳🌿🍃🌾🥀🐇
And I discovered a new route with slightly more paved roads, which will set me up for the winter as my old route had muddy field tracks. 🚜 🌾 But i did notice my joints more. 🦵🦶😅
Next time: perfecting the distance of my route so I end up at my house after the 5 min cool-down walk. 😎
Try footpath app to plan your route if you know roughly how far you run km/distance, the app helps you work it out by letting you draw routes and telling you how far it is.
I’m just about to start week 9 and research what to do after as I need to have structure or I may return to laziness!!
Did you use the 5+ podcasts or the 12 week plan?
I’ve been using the Peloton app for stretching, yoga, boot camp - anything to keep my interest for 6/8 weeks too but I am still no where near the 5k on my runs?
Yes, I use the 12 week fitness programme and the 5+ are part of this, coming in at their week 10. I know what you mean with structure. I feel I have to learn now to run without the training wheels! 😅
W2 D2 ✔️ - 37min Str & Fl with Laura. And no need to do stretches after that! 👍🏽 And nice to do this in a garden, discovering the feel of bark during standing push-ups, or the feel of grass when warm-up-walking, or seeing the roses scrambling up a tree when having to hold a position for 5 breaths. Nice! 🥀 🌾🌿🌳
W2 D3 ✔️ Consolidation Run. My old haunt of a hill from the C25k era 😂 felt very comfy, which allowed me to speed up a bit. Ended up having to do my cool down walk in the garden, as the 30 min did not give me enough distance. Simply too fast a snail 🐌 now! 😅
Absolute! Details of the whole program nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1... and I know there is a Str & Fl group, but it seems not quite as active in supporting specifically this 12 week program, so I am still hanging around here in this nice crowd of runners! 😉👍🏽🏃🏿♀️😅🦵
W2 D6 ✔️ - Strength and Flex Day 💪 and this is last one for this week. Our last chicken 🐓 (we had a fox 🦊 raid a few months ago) exercised with us on the lawn! Next week, on to week 3. So far, so easy! Nice 👍🏽!
and a very long run at that. Ran for an hour and not quite yet hitting the 5k mark yet. But getting there.
I used to joke that my husband can walk backward faster than I run, but I realised that I can walk faster than I run! Nevertheless I run and it feels good.
To all the slow-runners our there: we run. And it’s all good! 🐌 🐢 🦌 🐆 🏃🏿♀️
W3 D2 ✔️ Str & Fl in the drizzly rain! Yup, went out in the garden and got totally wet working out 💪! 🌧🏋️♂️ 🥳 Just couldn’t break the routine because of a little rain! ☔️
I did have to take a 3 day break after my last 60min run. Nothing exciting, just super slow, super (for me) long run. So this morning I wondered if I should run or do Str & Fl, but decided I could not break the order of the program. So Str and Flex week 3.
I actually can tell that my knees are getting stronger. In Str and Fl, they are definitely my weak spot. And my balance is somehow also improving. But I still need support going down into wide-squats in order to avoid knee pain and then can come up slowly without support. (I am overweight, though, and Hashimoto-challenged)
This was the same for normal squats which are now possible without support.
It is good to follow a program which goes in baby steps, as I am really motivated by these continual small successes.
Hope others find the 12 week programme as useful as I do! Upwards and onwards.
W3 D4 ✔️ Str & Fl ... this time in the afternoon before an early dinner/lunch. Wet everywhere but no rain, and chicken joined me in doing her preening exercises. 🐓 🏃🏿♀️ Nice!
Congrats!!! Well done! Yes, I think I need to change my post as I graduated 3 weeks ago and still running 🏃🏿♀️! Look at us go! We just got to keep on running! And running on we will do!
😁 ... but it is so nice to still get the thumbs up 👍🏽 even after 3 weeks! So thank you 😊!!! I changed the text to make it clearer, as I started on a the 12 week fitness programme to keep me going during my consolidation phase. And it helps me keep being motivated, specifically thanks to lovely 💕 people like you in this community! So big thanks and HUUGE congrats 🥳!
Whereas I cannot think of a better time to run 🏃🏿♀️than in the morning, for Str and Fl I do prefer the sunny afternoon where I can. Benefits: dry feet, sunny ☀️ spells. Almost like a vacation!
W4 D2✔️ Str and Fl exercises getting a bit harder. Knees slightly tweaking and feeling wobbly... so am watching that. But overall my knees feel better since a long time!
W4 D5✔️ consolidation run. New route that avoids muddy fields 😟 and includes running on pavement and encountering real people 😳😷😂 They have seen me running now! 😳
That looks really interesting! I’ve massively upped my yoga since graduating, trying to get stronger and to help my asthma. I like the sound of this though. Thanks for the inspo!
Yoga, nice. 👍🏽 Yes, there will be similar exercises / positions but this program takes it very slow, small incremental steps so is perfect for me! It keeps me also in my consolidation phase for longer - so all good.
I used to have asthma but also have Hashimotos, so improving fitness in a very slow manner is important to me. (My asthma improved significantly after a yoga retreat focussing on lungs!)
I have dabbled with yoga but I love these as I can do them in the garden and have consequently discovered a whole new perspective on our trees, chairs, rocks and lawn in my garden. 🌿🌳😅
Well done for getting well into that consolidation phase! Here’s to us runners 🏃🏽♀️!
W5 D6 ✔️ Last of the Str & Fl podcasts until week 12! Good bye 👋🏽 to Laura, for now, hello Mr Anonymous of week 6 (part of my 12 week workout nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1....
W6 D2 ✔️ Ufff! New Cardio Workout!!! 🥵Running my 30 min is easier than this! But found a new intervall app which is a lot of fun, as it allows me to do the whole routine with only iPhone coaching me through it and I can thus do it in the garden 🌳, horizontal stretches on a picnic 🧺 blanket..... sans picnic 😕
I feel fabulous. I am probably the slowest on this forum and I am not losing any weight (I have a thyroid condition). So I am still hoping at some point my weight will follow.
But yeah, other than that, I just feel the best I have for a long time! How about you?
That’s good to hear 😊 yeah I’m fitter than I’ve ever been since my teens, now in my 50s. I’ve added strength training between runs and do one Pilates class a week which I love. I’ve only lost the 3lbs I put on at the beginning of lockdown😂 but am definitely starting to look more toned. Off for a run now 🏃♀️. Keep up the great work!
Interesting. I appear to be on a very slight downward trend weight-wise. I'd peaked about 82kg (the morning after a big dinner) at one point this spring. Now I'm hovering around 79kg. Some of that is running. A lot of that is cutting out my biscuit snacking habit. More importantly, the spare tyre is deflating.
W7 D3✔️ Consolidation Run No 19! And .... 🎉 start to the RunLeJog4! AND OFF WE GO! Am also upping my duration, today 35 min run plus 5min warm-up and 5min cool-down.
W7 D5✔️ Consolidation Run No 20! 40 min run! Not counting 5 min warmup and 5 min cool down. Glorious weather, it could be Cornwall! I’ll have my fish and chips (or any) breakfast now, please! 🐟🍟 🍳 🥞
W8 D2✔️ 10 min cardio workout 👍🏽 and the stretches will be good prep for tomorrow’s run! Also foam roller work earlier today, as I could feel a calf knot and when doing the calf stretches just now, I really had to step further to get any stretch! Foam rollers work! 👍🏽
Thanks CBDB, no idea the 12 week plan existed before this post! I'm almost at the end of C25K and found it quite tricky on my own to plan strength exercise into it, looking forward to trying this out!
Yes, I found it gives me a solid number of weeks for consolidation while learning different strengths workout routines. And I needed something structured after the brilliant C25k app experience. Let me know how you get on! (They are quite gentle routines and for fit runners, they might just not be enough)
W8 D4 ✔️ Upper Arm Workout! This was really good timing as my legs are still recuperating from my 60min run yesterday. So working out my arms was great!
W8 D7? Or W9 D1? Anyway✔️. Consolidation run No 23!
I set runkeeper to 30 min, as I needed a shorter run. This was my first 30min run since about 3 weeks, as I have consistently run 40min upwards. So it felt good.
My speed hasn’t improved but hey... I’ll take the feel good factor!
And I did it inside, and am starting to like it as well. Inside provides so many things around you (chairs, sofas, benches, tables, children’s billiard table...) that you can rope into your exercises! 🪑 🛋 🎱 💪
And now I have a whole re-arrangement of our living room planned 😁 and have managed to get hubby on board! ✔️✔️✔️
W9 D4 ✔️ 🤦🏽♀️Did the wrong exercises today! Should have attended to my butt, but focussed on my bum, my legs and tums! Doh 😖! nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1...
I know it should not matter but it really annoys me! I might just have to do another workout today to ‘correct’ that! 😉
I need some sort of plan! Since completing the C25K I’ve just run 5k every other day! I rest in between although I do some dance classes on certain days. I do need to tone up I feel 💪🏼
Yes, I was the same (without even the dance classes!) so the NHS 12-week plan was a great find. I can only recommend it. nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/1...
W11 D1✔️ 5k+ Stamina Podcast . Yeah, description in one word: ‘almost’. But getting there, and there are moments when everything clicks into place.
I also bumped into 2 dogs, or rather they bumped into me. And in the last 10 seconds of the running part! My calf muscles tightened so much that it suddenly hurt to run, so had to walk last seconds.🙁
Imagery: light footed fairy 🧚♂️ pulling, mr locomotive 🚂 pushing. The former is the path to 165 bpm enlightenment.
Did it but feeling really under the weather with headache and exhaustion. Coming down with something, so was very proud to have ticked this one off! Now back to nursing my migraine, and once I’m up and for again, it’s on to the last week of this 12-week program, with C5k+ Speed podcast. 😳
W12 D1✔️ LAST WEEK!!!!!!! 😳😊😀 Did the 5k+ Speed podcast with 6 165BPM Intervalls in a short 26min 155bpm session. 165 here is doable as they are only 1 min intervals. Fun.
W12 D2 ✔️ Str & Flex podcast with Laura. I’m not feeling that well, struggling through work being headachy and nauseous the whole afternoon but rather than taking an aspirin, I thought I’ll try doing this workout.
Afterwards I felt a bit better, still weakly, but feel proud of having pushed through. But now back to lying horizontal. Not sure what I’m coming down with (lungs are ok, though) 👌 💪🏋🏽♂️🧘🏽♂️
W12 D4 ✔️ Str & Flex with Laura (podcast) on a warm Indian summer evening. Nice! (Although I’m conscious of eyes of neighbours, although I wish I wasn’t... I know it’s silly, but hey ... I’m still doing these even though I retreated to the most hidden parts of the garden 🥴. But workout is workout!
Penultimate workout on this 12-week programme! End is in sight! 💪🦵🕺🏼🏃🏻♀️🧘🏽♂️
W12 D5✔️ last of the C5k+ podcasts with Laura (for now). Also Apple Podcast only played str&fl and I had to switch to overcast, my other podcast player to get the Speed podcast episode. Strange. I know others have experienced similar issues.
I can’t believe this was already 3 years ago! Great memories from this plan. Reading through this, I can say that the new me that emerged from this plan:
- runs still regularly 2-4 times per week,
- does strength and flexibility workouts 5-7 times a week, in fact, is one of the admins now over there! 😀
- rows regularly 3-5 times a week,
- has no knee niggles anymore
(But still has lost no weight 🤣🤣, but that’s Hashimotos for you 😞)
This 12 week plan is another idea for the consolidation club, me thinks!
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