Just started - help

[Cassandra61]

I have just completed week 3 and it is hard but ok. I find the breathing hard although I am a fairly fit person. Also my BPM is around 160, is this too high? I am just 60 years old. Any tips /advice/ reassurance? I really don't want to give up. 😁

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

If you cannot breathe then quite simply you are going too fast.

Counterintuitively, it is an easy conversational pace running that builds your stamina and endurance, not fast running.

Slowing down to the recommended easy conversational pace makes it more achievable and for most, more enjoyable.

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.

[Cassandra61 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks so much for replying, right I will give it a go. It is good I don't want to stop!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Cassandra61]

C25K can be a life changer...........you won't regret it.

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Hi, Well done on your progress !

As already suggested you are probably trying to run too fast !

Take a look at this video to give you an idea of pace .

youtu.be/9L2b2khySLE(Not working as expected?)

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

What are you using to measure your heart rate?

At this stage, a better measure of your effort is your breathing. If you are 'fairly fit', maybe due to other activities, then perhaps your have a preconceived idea of what running should look and feel like. If that's so, then I'd say to forget all that and focus on being nice and slow and comfortable . You should not be trying to push yourself, at all. That may sound surprising and counter-intuitive but trust me, it works.

[Cassandra61 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you so much, I swim a lot at least a couple of miles a week, so I am surprised that this is quite hard. Thanks for the advice, I will definitely give it a try. Oddly, I don't want to give up on this and this support is really helpful, thanks again

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Cassandra61]

Swimming fitness is very different to running fitness (or cycling/rowing/elliptical/dance/zumba fitness).

They don't necessarily correlate. Having decent endurance at any one of those is a good starting point, but if you're going at the right intensity (at the new disclipine) then you'll have difficulties.

[nowster Graduate]

At this point, don't worry about your heart rate. If you're not feeling like your heart is beating out your chest, or feeling tight in the chest, or faint, you're probably OK.

Slow is definitely the way to go. If you can speak a coherent sentence without gasping, you're doing the right level of activity.

If you are really concerned about this, have a word with your GP.

[Cassandra61 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thanks so much for finding the time to reply. I swim a lot and am surprised by how very different this is. I will definitely try to slow down and focus on the breathing. Thanks

[nowster Graduate in reply to Cassandra61]

Before I started C25K I thought I was reasonably fit, being someone who used to walk lots. How wrong I was!

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

Don't worry about the breathing at this stage. You will find your own rhythm in time.As a regular swimmer myself I struggled to begin with when I started c25k - it's a different technique to when you swim but one day it just started to "click". I'm sure it will for you too.

As for the heart rate, as others have said, don't stress about it too much. As long as you are running at "conversational" pace you should be fine.

The swimming will probably have given you reasonable cardio fitness, but it will take time for your body to adapt to the stresses and strains from running. Slow and steady is definitely the way to go

[Cassandra61 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Thanks so much for finding the time to reply, this is really encouraging, I'll keep going! Thanks again.

[Fionamags Graduate]

Like otbers have said - slow is the way to go. It will enable you to actually enjoy the runs rather than see them as a rest of endurance. It took me a long time before I finally realised what IT meant by slow. For me it is consciously slowing myself down to the point that feels slightly embarrassing - then that joyful happy pace kicks in that makes you feel like you could run for miles. By the way I did a lot of cycling when I first started c25k - but still puffed like crazy (going too fast...). Seems to be different cardio as well as muscular demands... Good luck!

[Cassandra61 Graduate in reply to Fionamags]

Thanks so much for this, I have booked the next run for Thursday and will definitely bear in mind what you say about so slow as to feel embarrassing. The idea of different cardio demands is a good one. I swam today and even doing sprints, it was never as hard. Still I don't want to stop and thank everyone for their support and encouragement.