Chuffed & knackered!

[Kick-boxer]

Mixed emotions... feelings of elation having completed w9r3 yesterday and reaching my first goal of getting to the end of the programme. But also a bit sad... will miss the structure & encouragement from the app. Will I be disciplined enough to keep this up? My 30 run section covered 2.9 miles, so should I aim for increasing pace or period of running? Do I still need 5 minute walks either end? Oh, and how do I get my graduation badge???? 😃

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

Elite athletes with finely honed bodies still warm up to avoid injury. Perhaps us mere mortals should follow suit. Cool down likewise is done for sound physiological reasons.

This guide to post C25k running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

To get your Graduate Badge leave a message at this month’s Graduation Badge Post, which you can find in the Pinned Posts here healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Kick-boxer Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Many thanks for your sound advice, as always! This wouldn’t have been possible with the additional support from this forum

[Hidden]

Congratulations and very well done on completing the programme. If you still want some structure while you do consolidation runs, try the Nike Run Club app. There are guided runs, different times and distances. I've been using them since I graduated and (at the moment) prefer this to just running. Have fun x

[Kick-boxer Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. Will def look into that one to help me on my journey 👍

[nowster Graduate]

You should keep up the warm up and cool down walks around every run. They're still very much needed. I still do them even for runs as short as 15 minutes or as long as 10 miles.

About the only situation where you wouldn't be doing them quite the same way would be for an event, for example Park Run. But even then you need to have warmed up in some way before you start running.

Even with a brisk warm up walk, the first five minutes or so of running can show up all sorts of little niggles in the legs and feet. Linked with that is the Toxic Ten, which is the feeling of lack of coordination of movement and breathing and energy that often happens whilst the body is shifting into a running mode. Starting slow is always a good idea.

The usual suggestion for new C25K graduates is to keep repeating runs of no longer than 30 minutes for the first few weeks. Don't try to increase pace or distance just yet. Get your body used to this level of activity first.

Good luck! 👍

[SassyF Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating. 🤩👏🏼

Definitely check out Nike run club, if you like the idea of sticking with guided runs there’s plenty of choice on there. 😎

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating from C25K 🎓 🏃🏾, now go and celebrate your wonderful achievement 🏃🏾 👍 🎓

[QuadroVEINia Graduate]

Congratulations! Well done👏👏👏👏👏I’d keep with 30 minute runs sandwiched with the usual warmup/cool down walks and not worry about time or distance.