Disaster CR1

[Rem81]

I graduated last Sunday after taking 13 weeks to complete the programme. I was quite stiff after the last run so waited until yesterday to go out again. What a disaster. Even during the warm up walk it didn’t feel right. I started to jog but my legs just felt like lead, and breathing seemed all wrong too. I ended up doing a mix of jogging and walking for 20 minutes and took my sorry self home. I am feeling really deflated. I’m going to try and head out tomorrow again but am now really dreading it. I’ve never been a runner and am unfit and overweight so knew this was not going to straightforward.

[la_fouinard Graduate]

There’s a lot of advice on this by IannodaTruffe but I’d suggest a few things.

Firstly slow down a bit if needed, still the hardest lesson I had to learn. Going off his advice and listening my body I aim for a steady pace the first 10 minutes and and then decide if I want to push it if I’m having a good run.

Secondly I found it’s gotten easier over time as my body’s adapted. I would never have described myself as a runner so it’s been surprise to find a while in I’m actually starting to find it very rewarding.

Lastly some days are just crap. I had one a few weeks back.

For my mind the easy part is doing the programme. That hard part is sticking with it afterwards. I swam pre-pandemic and it look my body 6 months until it really adjusted to the intense regular exercise. So worth it though which is why I’m running now instead, nothing else filled the gap and helped keep me sane.

[SmilelikeImeanIt Graduate]

Don’t be too down. A lot of people feel like this. Did you run without using the app for this first consolidation run? I graduated in July last year but still find that I like to have Sarah telling me I’ve done 5 mins and I’ve got half way etc.

You’ve done 13 weeks with a goal for every run. Keeping going now is the aim, and it helps to have a concrete goal of your own.

(I ended up doing shorter runs so my current goal is to get back to 30 mins - I seem stuck at 25 🤦🏽‍♀️ so have been listening to Wk 7 a lot!)

Look into other apps too - Nike Running Club gives good tracking and has guided runs (although I personally find them irritating as they talk too much for me). I use it for pace and distance tracking.

Take a rest, hydrate and give it another go. Good luck.

[Devon_straggler Graduate in reply to SmilelikeImeanIt]

Perhaps the Nike Running Club does the same, but the Runkeeper app will update you with time and/or distance as you run, and you can set your own intervals. I was thinking I use that post-graduation (I'm being positive that I'll get there!).

[SmilelikeImeanIt Graduate in reply to Devon_straggler]

Good to know! NRC does do an update every 0.5km on your pace and remaining time. But don’t think you can set your own intervals. Will look at Runkeeper. Thanks

[Rem81 Graduate in reply to SmilelikeImeanIt]

I did run without the app because my headphones were dead! I did wonder if that impacted on me. I normally have Michael Johnson nagging at me and I did miss that. So perhaps it was a combination of things. I’m going to try again tomorrow and see what happens!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The monthly Consolidation Club healthunlocked.com/couchto5....... exists for new graduates who are struggling to get advice and help formulating your training post C25K.

Have you read the guide to post C25K running healthunlocked.com/couchto5... which is full of tips.

Heavy legs can be symptomatic of poor hydration. As a runner you need to drink a minimum of 2.5 -3 litres of fluid each and every day, running or not, as mentioned in the guide.

[Hidden]

You already got good advice here, but I just want to add some small things.

1. indeed, bad days exist. Not all days are going to be fabulous. You just need to ignore the bad days and keep in mind the good days.

2. if you feel your body is not fit enough yet to keep running 30 minutes straight, there is noone who tells you that you can't add walking breaks again. Look for example into Jeffing (a method by Jeff Galloway). There are even marathon runners who Jeff, so it is certainly nothing to be ashamed off. It is the same as in the first weeks, you run a bit, you walk a bit. And the longer you do this, the fitter your body will become in time, after which you can lengthen the run bits again until you are back at 30 minutes if you want.

I myself will run CR13 this afternoon and I decided a while ago that I would run all my runs in running 4,5 minute and then walking 30 seconds. This is the ratio that is best for me. It is your run, nobody tells you how it should be run, only you do so.

[Rem81 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you.

[Rennur Graduate]

The only disastrous "run" is the one where you stay on the couch. Just think how much better you will feel with a run that is just a bit better than the one you've just had. It does get better, it might get worse much later, then better, then meh , then fantastic, then... it's all part of a runner's education.

[Rem81 Graduate in reply to Rennur]

I’m going to head out again tomorrow and see what happens. I know if I don’t go tomorrow the dread will just mount up! Thank you

[Teresafaith Graduate]

When I graduated I felt completely 'lost'- so I re-ran week 9 with Michael Johnson again until I got my head around moving forward. I then just tapped into the NRC and my own music to keep me going. I'm sure your next run will be massively improved- with your headphones working!

[Rem81 Graduate in reply to Teresafaith]

Thanks. We are about to find out!

[Teresafaith Graduate in reply to Rem81]

Let us know!