I have previously run half marathons, with my proudest in 2017 at the Royal Parks in London, age 30, where I achieved my best time, running to raise money for The Dogs Trust in memory of my Mum.
Life happened, running wholly fell off of my radar, particularly as therapy (to address early life trauma) helped me to recognise just how unhealthy my relationship had been with exercise/running. I’m very grateful for that knowledge and it was absolutely the right thing to step back, reflect and gain choice (rather than a sense of obligation) back.
Missing the good parts of running and wanting to “begin again” via a positive, healthy starting point, I decided to try C25K. I’ve been humbled by how difficult I find running now, and if I’m honest, feel embarrassed and haven’t told any friends/family (I know it’s all about pride/ego, which I’m also embarrassed to admit!)
It’s nuts, because I feel so much pride and excitement when I read the stories of others who take on C25K, regardless of whether they’ve ever run before or not, there’s not a single part of me that thinks the same things I do when it comes to myself (e.g I should be better/find this easier as a former runner, people will wonder why I’m walking as I “look” like I should be able to run fairly easily, until I’m able to run like I did before I can’t talk about running to anyone)
So I’m very grateful for this community, and wondered if anyone else is a “former runner” and whether you’ve had similar thought battles with yourself?
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Runnerbeaney
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Although I have never been in the situation you are now with running , I have in the past found it difficult to go back to things I had previously done as I knew I wouldn't be able to just pick up where I left off.
But as I see it , you have 2 choices , don't start again as you are not now where you were , and then probably regret it later .
Or accept that you are where you are and try not to compare where you are now with your running with your former self .
Returning runners often overlook the inevitable fact that they are older than when they ran previously. As we age, not only is adaptation slower, but it will rarely raise us to the performance levels that we once enjoyed.
I started C25K a total of six times after injury or illness and the acceptance that you are where you are has to be taken on board. The plan is your route forward in achievable stages.
C25k is a brilliant programme for any runner, either new or returning and the biggest lesson to be learned is that progress and physical development are maximised by running/jogging at an easy conversational pace. Faster is not better.
Wise advice, I pay far too much attention to the highlight reel content of older runners who are far quicker - this is a good reminder to “run your own race” and look for enjoyment, rather than comparison
Don't forget that highlight reel content (Instagram? I don't use that so am guessing) only represents what its author has chosen to present, so most likely their best moments.
Also, older runners posting such content probably have decades of running experience behind them. My younger brother and his son did a half marathon last year. His son, a very good 20 year old soccer player but novice runner, finished in just under two hours. My brother, with 40 years' running experience, finished in under 1 hour 45 minutes.
I'm not a former runner in the way you describe, as I didn't start until I was 59. However I can empathise with the "I should be able to do more" and feelings of self-criticism, as I'm consistently much harder on myself than I am on others.
As mentioned elsewhere, I fell three weeks ago, which stopped me from running for two weeks, and is forcing me to take things very easy. I'm finding this incredibly frustrating, even though I know that building back gradually is the right thing to do.
IannodaTruffe is, as always, right: you are where you are, and you have to accept that, and do the best you can with it. By restarting with C25K you're well on the way.
It's "only" been five years away from running for you, but a lot can happen in that time.
Maybe approach things as if it was all new to you. You're not exactly the person you were the last time you were running.
Much of your past experience will be still relevant, but comparisons with what you used to do could actually be harmful, both physically and mentally. Focus on what you're doing now, not on what you could do then.
I was just 30 years between runs! That first run back remains the toughest one I’ve ever done… it used to be so easy 🤣
My battle was remembering that I’m no longer at my peak age for fitness, that no matter what I will not beat my times from my youth (a 3 minute kilometre would have to involve a bicycle now) and that I’m not even a teenager on my rest days (a coupe of dumb non-running injuries since my comeback). What I can do though is run so much further and appreciate it all a lot more… 4k was my limit, recently I went 22 miles.
Welcome back to running and enjoy your journey back to awesomeness (if a tad slower)
My take aways from all of the supportive replies is that, really, running as an activity isn’t the challenge, it’s the process of re-wiring expectations, working through any failure feelings and attachment to unattainable goals. It’d be great to be some sort of superstar, gifted outlier, but perhaps being “just me” can be great, too.
👏 I come from a family in which running (and 'fitness' directed activity generally) was a positive model in some ways and in others quite unhealthy... not something I wanted to emulate when I was, unexpectedly, in enough of a remission to do *something* and keenly aware that disorders do not, sadly, come with a pass to exempt you from the usual risks of inactivity. C25K was the answer for me (and yes, I kept it very quiet for a long time... and to some extent still do, and am probably wise to so)
Knocking around here over the years, I have seen there are different challenges for anyone coming at C25K from a background of being fit and active in other ways or from being a previous runner. But it does have so much to offer those people... especially those where there has been or is something unsustainable or problematic about their relationship with exercise.
You are on the same journey as all of us, acquiring a tool.... just a tool to do something different from what you were running for previously. Enjoy!
I was never a runner prior to c25k, but always a head case. You are who you are today, no more no less. And when someone sees you out training, asks “are you a runner?”. The answer is yes. Not yes but I used to be faster. What we are isn’t what we were. Thank god. Not changing means you’re dead.
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