Has anyone ever needed to restart couch 2 5k?

[Marjolondon]

I started W7 R1 and felt so out of breath I had to stop. The next week I decided to go back one week and repeated W6. However that didn’t go well either, so now I reset the app back to w1 again. Has anyone ever needed to do this? Also why am I all of a sudden half dead after a run that seemed to go well first?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your decision.

Many people, myself included have had to redo C25k for various reasons. I will be restarting again in a few weeks time.

If you are out of breath you are running too fast. Say this sentence out loud to yourself "Am I going slow enough to enable me to speak this sentence in one out breath?" If you cannot, you are going too fast.

If you are exhausted after a run then I would check that you are eating a broad based healthy diet and hydrating adequately. If it persists consult your GP.

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.

Enjoy your journey.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

"felt so out of breath I had to stop"

You are going too fast - pure and simple. If you slow down and slow down a LOT, you'll find that W7R1 won't be a problem at all.

Unless you have an unknown or unstated medical condition*** then if you jog, not run, then no session in the program should be in any way physically difficult. Mentally , maybe, but physically, no.

This is a very simple issue to resolve and it's one that's shared by many many beginners who are out on their own... the difficulty in judging their pace.

That distinction between 'jogging' and 'running' is a very important one. As a beginner doing C25K, no runs should feel difficult - it's a matter of finding *that* pace - a pace at which breathing is easy and you feel like you could carry on for a lot longer if you had to. It's referred to as a 'conversational' or 'chatty' pace. You are NOT out for a 'work-out, finishing bent over double, gasping wheezing etc - no, no, no. It's meant to be far easier than that.

There is no need to go back to W1 - none at all. You've suffered a knock to your confidence, that's all. Your body is more than capable, you just have to slow down - that's all there is to it.

*** if this keeps happening and you are out of breath doing everyday stuff, then see your GP ASAP.

Have a watch of this - it should help you.

youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2kh...(Not working as expected?)

[Marjolondon in reply to John_W]

I don’t have any medical conditions but am not very fit. I was jogging quite slowly. I couldn’t go slower or I’d be walking. However, things were going well before so I am blaming Christmas and overeating. I am at my parents so just stuffing myself with mummy’s food and I’m running in a different environment at the moment. So both factors may play a role. Anyway I’m starting over again and see if I can make it a bit further.

[FreedomToRun Graduate]

I’m restarting. First time I rushed through to say I completed it. That was first lockdown.

This time I’m pacing myself through it to say I can keep running into the future. I’m back at W2 and enjoying myself

Slow is the way!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to FreedomToRun]

Curious... if you completed it, why didn't carry on and consolidate for a few months?

[Marjolondon in reply to FreedomToRun]

Thanks! I felt like such a failure for having to restart. Very happy to hear you’re restarting as well and enjoying it. I’m back at w1 and notice that one is actually really easy. Way easier than I started so it’s giving me a bit of mental reassurance that I’m definitely getting somewhere so that’s good

[FreedomToRun Graduate in reply to Marjolondon]

Exactly. But I think great way of getting fit levels up with structure. I love that its at my own pace this time. Not putting any pressure on myself! We can do this the gentle and fun way.

[FreedomToRun Graduate]

That was in May. Lost a bit of fitness since then with only a few runs so enjoying a gentle restart