Yesterday I went out running for the first time after completed C25K last week. I have enjoyed having Laura to keep my company and giving useful guidance over the last nine weeks but this was an interesting change in psychological approach.
The simple act of going out on a route, which I knew will take about 30 mins at the right pace, was strangely liberating and particularly satisfying. Maybe it was the knowledge that it was within my capability, and I did not need anyone to keep me going with prompts. It may also have been the realisation that I have come such a long way since I started and all I have to do now is enjoy myself!
Has anyone else had the same feeling?
Written by
LanciaA
Graduate
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Well done you! I remember my first run after C25K and I felt like a child let out of school. It was like look at me I can run, LOOK AT ME I CAN RUN! It was such a great feeling 😊. May you have many more 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️.
Totally.... I called those runs after Graduation as Runs of Pure Joy... just because I can run!Huge well done you, and really enjoy these next runs. Your runs, your pace, and your joy!
While I mostly enjoyed Laura's prompts during C25K, I've never used an audio-coached run since. Many people find them invaluable, particularly the Nike Run Club ones, but I don't get on well with out-of-context audio instructions. I don't even use GPS in the car unless I'm desperate.
Enjoy consolidating C25K and finding the sort of running that suits you!
Yes definitely, we just consolidated but if the only time we could run was after work and were tired we just went less time then a bit longer on days off
Yes - but in a different way. I didn't use the podcasts after the first couple of weeks, but I did become reliant on counting the number of circuits I did (of a small park path) to the point that i was worried about striking out and running elsewhere. How would I know how to pace myself??! The freedom I felt once I had run a few other routes (sometimes a linear river path, sometimes on a nearby running track) has been fantastic.
Oh yes, that's what happened when I finished cto5k. Such freedom to run. It's a great feeling!
I'm running an hour now & still run with Denise for the first 40 mins. I like her to tell me I'm doing ok after that I just sing along to the remaining time. Obviously need a pat on the head to talk myself through it!!
Brilliant to be able to run for an hour non stop - it might be some time before I can achieve this Also, I might get a few dark looks from my wife, who has been fairly tolerant so far!
I have used MapMyRun for this as well. I do not find it intrusive and it does help me to gauge distance and pace. The difficulty I have had is unconsciously going faster than I probably should do, perhaps due to being relatively tall and having a relatively long natural stride.
Hee Hee. Those first few consolidation runs felt like I was a naughty puppy being let off my leash 🤣🤣. Goodbye Laura 👋
Sometimes though it is nice to have a bit of inspiration and I find that through the NRC guided runs.
Some great comments and suggestions, thank you. I will need some options to keep me motivated and, as they say, in the zone for 🏃♂️🏃🏃.
Good to hear that I am not the only one who has felt this way, and even starting to enjoy myself. Can't quite believe I have put that down in writing!
I downloaded the NHS couch to 5K as a podcast is it just me (I’m not the best with technology) my phone or Laura as some of the runs are out by 1 to 1.5 mins.When Laura says slow down now, I find that my times never seem to match hers. I find myself saying wait I still have another min to run which feels like the longest min ever.
I felt a bit lost to start with without the encouraging commentary but I much prefer it now. After a bit of consolidation, I’ve moved on the the magic plan for getting from 5km to 10km. I did my first 7km run this morning and I’m still on a high. I like that all I need is my Fitbit to tell me how far I’ve gone (although you could do the timed version instead of you didn’t have a distance tracker). There’s lots of chat over on the Bridge to 10km community.
Thank you for that inspirational post. I’ve just graduated and the thought of going out without the app is a bit daunting but will definitely try it after reading your post. 🙂
Congratulations, yes I absolutely recognise that feeling. Actually I got it again when I stopped timing all my runs (which was how I gradually increased my distance after consolidating).
Congratulations! Having just completed week 5's 20 minute run as part of my C25K reboot I can relate to your sense of freedom. I long for the unscripted runs, but having face planted early in my first C25K attempt, I'm sticking to the program - concentrating on form and ignoring Laura's negative "you might be getting tired" and "if you didn't finish" comments. I ran my first 5K at age 71 back in November (finishing in 43:09) before an unplanned house sale and move interrupted my running schedule.
I find the music to be helpful in maintaining pace even though - as a jazz musician it's not my favorite running soundtrack. On my last go-around, as helpful as the pacing in NHS's Speed and Stamina podcast were at first, I actually prefer running in silence - enjoying the sounds and sights of nature. Maybe next time I'll just use a click track for pace when training for a race, but otherwise just keep my legs and arms pumping at whatever pace feels comfortable.
Thank you. It is somewhat satisfying to get this far.I am sorry to hear about your unintended contact with the ground. I hope this was not too serious for you. I am so impressed to hear of your success with your first 5k; not so good having to move house.
Interesting comment on music. I have been listening to the BBC Pacesetter compilations. Not my type of music either but I just let it wash over me and provide some background. I can still hear what is going on around me - birdsong, traffic etc, which helps with awareness.
Actually this is really interesting- the fact that you enjoyed running without instructions and prompts - I'm now running 3 weeks after completing C25K and still need the support and timers.. Feeling a bit silly 😅
It’s not silly. We’re all different. Have you tried doing a really relaxed run with no podcast? Maybe for a shorter time? Put on some music and just go (after a five minute warm up walk obviously!!)?
Congratulations on graduation and carrying on. How are you finding it?
Thank you for the encouragementand tips! Don't want to contemplate a shorter run now that I've been so far🤩 I'm still running the same route every time so I'll eventually start being bored and will explore other routes and podcasts.. all v exciting. I'm finding regular running so beneficial that I'm trying to stick to 3 runs a week 💪😄
Don’t write off those shorter runs. It’s good to mix it up a bit. You could do a shorter, faster run, go up a few steeper hills, try some intervals or treat it as a recovery run. Not every run needs to be thirty minutes or longer to count as a good one. If you decide to increase your distance, you’ll often do that with two shorter runs and a longer one each week.Enjoy consolidating!
One trick is to have run a route already with the timers so you pick out the relevant landmarks: where to transition from walking to jogging, how far to run to, etc.
All my runs now are done like that. I pick out a route and know roughly where I need to go to achieve a particular distance. The watch just keeps me honest. I've done most of my routes so many times now I know what I should be doing at each location.
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