I was feeling so optimistic and positive about this run. I could tell my asthma wasn’t too problematic this morning, and I’m away in Cornwall for a few days so the run was back and forth along a flat stretch of coastal road with no cars on it as it is a dead end. Sun was shining, everything was perfect. Felt good at the 5 minute mark and thought to myself - I’m going to do this and was imagining how memorable it would be to do my first long run (20 minute) in such beautiful surroundings and a view of the sea.
Then bang, with 8 minutes 13 seconds still to go, I felt a painful tear/ strain in my left calf and had to stop as it was too painful to continue. And now I’ll have to rest until it’s properly healed.
It’s so frustrating. I’ve been at this C25k since lockdown and I’m still only on week 5! This has happened to me before (except it was my right calf before) and my physio says it’s due to lack of running muscles (I’ve never run in my life before) and that I need to build up gradually and properly consolidate each week before moving on to next week. My age (52) meaning my recovery times need to be longer as well, she said. But I had had 5 rest days before this morning’s run!
Just feeling so disheartened at how difficult my legs are finding this programme. 😢 I honestly feel like crying. I’ve worked so hard at this but make such slow progress. It feels ridiculous! Especially when I read about people in their eighties doing it in 9 weeks. CV fitness wise I’m fine, hardly out of breath and not even sweating because I’m running so slowly. Feel like I’m going to have the booby prize for breaking the record for having taken the longest time to graduate. Graduation seems such a long way off, and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever get to that point and whether running just isn’t something I am capable of doing 😟
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TopCat22
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It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there as long as we don’t give up. I’m younger than you and have been on week 4 for three weeks can’t get that last 5 min run!!!! Don’t beat yourself up about it taking a long time we are all different. Rest up and then start slow and build up you will get there. Look how far you have come already after never running before and having asthma. I bet I beat you to that booby prize xx
That’s a good point, and yes she did as I’m also weak in other areas like glutes and abs which I think help take some of the workload when running. And I was doing them religiously at the start, but have been neglecting them of late. Guess I can be working harder at those exercises while I’m resting my strained calf. At least I’ll feel I’m doing something that’s going to help my running. Thanks for the reminder about that
That’s good advice, John, but I know I wasn’t doing long strides as I was more concerned about not having to stop because of my asthma so I was going very slowly, like little old lady running! Ha ha!
I think I need to work on my glutes. A running friend of mine said that if my glutes aren’t engaging when I’m running then my calves will be doing most of the work. So I’m going to try working hard on some glutes strengthening exercises. I do find that hard as I find it so boring! I’m not very self-disciplined when it comes to exercises like that. But I have a motivation now because I really want to be able to run for 20 minutes! No excuses now!
Did your physio mention eccentric calf raises and heel drops? He/she should have done. Look them up on YouTube - very easy to do and worth their weight in gold.
Yes, she did get me doing those. But I stopped doing them, because I thought to myself the running itself will surely be building my calf muscles up so why do I need to do more exercise on top of the running. Maybe that was a mistake!
You’re out there trying! .. and you have asthma - I found C25k a challenge and I don’t have that so massive credit to you.. 👏👏 seriously!
You will get there! You will you say only on week 5.... that’s over half way!! I don’t think you realise exactly what you’ve done! It doesn’t matter how long it’s taken you to get there! It’s your individual journey.. wayyyy too hard on yourself!
But you need to rest up after this - I’m no expert on injury but you will need a period of rest.
Please try not get disheartened (I get why as you felt ready and had mentally prepared for this).
There is some good advice on here and in you tube (running world channel) about exercises that may help ...
You will get back out there and you will do it...
the support from people on here will help - I know it helped me...
Rest up, take some advice on calf, but most of all borrow my scissors ✂️. To cut yourself some slack! 😀👍
Week 5.... you have completed week 1 ✅, week 2 ✅, week 3 ✅ and week 4 ✅ and but for an injury I am sure completion of week 5 would have been yours too 👍
Thank you so much. You’re right, I should not think of it as a fail. Thanks for reminding me not to view it in a negative way. I guess I did do 11 minutes running and that is better than no running at all. And I’ve managed to get half way through the programme. I feel a bit better about it now
Nurture yourself, don’t worry about it. Seek help from your physio or doctor, take it easy and do what you can. As long as you get some fresh air and even if it’s walking rather than running or repeating some runs, it will feel good. Best wishes
🙀oh no! I understand your frustration completely. I too started in lock down and still haven’t completed the programme either. W6 I had a ankle injury that put me on the injury couch for 5 weeks. So started back on W3 to build fitness back up. Did really well and completed W9R2 with a struggle with a thigh muscle tear. Been back on the injury couch for nearly a month.
I did cry because like you I was so frustrated at it taking so long to complete the programme.
Today you feel frustrated and disappointed but be patient , nurse the injury and get back out there! You are capable of doing this! You can do it💪
Thank you so much. It’s so good to hear it’s not just me finding it hard. I will keep at it, despite it being so frustrating when I get these setbacks. It’s encouraging to know you’re now on week 9! Wow! Guess that will be me at some point. Just got to be patient and persevere. Thanks for your reply. It’s nice to know others have been through a challenging time with this programme
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Week 5 run 3 fail 
Week 3 Run 1 Failed ‼️
Week 8 Run 3 - failed. 
Week 6, run 3 - failed :(
