First setback...W7R1

[NESTR]

Hi Couch to 5K community...this is my first post after having followed the group for quite some time. This is an incredibly helpful community, thanks everyone for sharing! So I started the program a few weeks ago and I enjoy every run. I am taking my dog Ella with me who is an incredible companion. Alongside building up stamina - I feel the improvement every day, chasing my kids has never been easier 🤣 - I lost about 8 kg so far. I have also made some dietary adjustments when I started running.

So I finally got to W7R1 on Sunday and then a cold hit me yesterday. It forces me to put the running on hold. A bit depressing since I just got into continuous running. I thought I would never be able to make it this far, at least not by just following the program without deviations. So, I hope I won't lose all that stamina with this cold. I really wanted to finish Couch to 5K by October 27....a birthday gift for myself 😊.

[nowster Graduate]

You won't lose much in the way of fitness for about two weeks, by which time you should be over the cold.

If you really want to you could go back a couple of runs and do W6R2 again.

[NESTR Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thanks - good idea! I may just go back to W6R2 or even W6R1 once I get better. I don't want to feel defeated or overdo it...

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

As Nowster says you don’t lose fitness for a couple of weeks so should be good to carry on, also yes colds are horrid but if you are able wrap up warm and go for a walk, that will keep you moving but it’ll depend on the cold, I’ve run with colds and a huge handful of tissues as well as lay in bed with a cold hardly able to get up let alone get out so only you know which sort you have. Get better soon

[NESTR Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

So no walking yet - I went for a ten minutes walk with the dogs yesterday and it was so exhausting. I will try again so as soon as I can, you are right, just trying to keep moving...

[nowster Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

The usual advice for this is if the cold is above the neck it's probably OK to run, but if it's on the chest, it's probably not OK.

[NESTR Graduate in reply to nowster]

I will definitively have to wait then - now all three kids and the husband are sick, too, so it is not like I don't know what to do with my time 🤣.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

As stated in the guide to the plan, you lose no significant condition in the first two weeks of non running. After that loss of condition is gradual.

All any of us can do after a lay off is to go out for a gentle run and see what we can comfortably manage, then use C25k or something similar to rebuild stamina and resistance to injury.

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.

[NESTR Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you!!