Not run for 8weeks- need help!

[Happymel]

Having finished the C25K a few months ago I had a terrible flu bug before Xmas and now it’s been 8w since I’ve run Any suggestions to get me back out there

Thanks

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

Oh no! Poor you-that sounds utterly miserable.

My plan for any comeback run is to choose something I know I should be able to do and not to push any further. That could be week one of Couch to 5k, it could be week 3, or it could be a super gentle ten/fifteen minute run depending on what you did after graduation but keep it easy and keep it extra slow. Take the pressure off. It’s absolutely fine to walk any time you need to. The key thing is to do something and that will mean you’re a runner who ran today instead of eight weeks ago. You’ll also be in a better position to assess where you are to pick up again. .

You might find your first run back is hard, but once you’ve had a few you’ll get into the swing of it again. Really good luck to you.

[ChampGran Graduate]

I'm glad you posted that, thank you! I got flu at Christmas and I took ages to get any sort of energy back. No walking, no running, no gym. Felt in a total rut.

And then this morning I thought I'm not going to think about this, get the gear on and go. So I picked a podcast (Cerys Matthews Blues Show), picked a week 6 run to ease myself back into it and I went. It felt great.

I'm putting reminders in my phone and in the diary. I'm lining up some more podcasts I really want to listen to and the rule is I can only listen to them if I'm exercising.

Fingers crossed for both of us! We can find our mojo again. Once you step out, you will not look back.

I'll be checking back on you so I will 😄

[Jessiedog15 Graduate]

hi I was just the same , was unwell so much in the last 8 wks but yesterday I went for a good walk with my husband after which I felt I could try a run , I am very worried about wet leaves etc so chose my route to avoid many and off I went . I took it steady and only mange 3.69k but I did it and was so pleased . So just go out and do what you can . I will try and build up my running over the next few weeks . Good luck

[Pugwash Graduate]

Yes, there's a strain of the 'flu that absolutely knocks the stuffing out of folk. Good you're now getting back at running. How about choosing a week of C25K that you think you're up to and using that as a calibration of where you're up to?

From personal experience I know how true rings the old saw that 'the longer you leave it the harder it seems to be' however (and this is the good news bit!) it is ALSO true that it is never as hard as you think - after all, you've done it before so you can do it again, Bon chance!

[limberlou Graduate]

Ive been the same - 5 weeks for me and even now I’m not running as often as I was but I pick a day when I feel like a run and just go and see what I can do with no real expectations of distance- just let it happen. And it works. And once you are runnjng again just take it easy and slowly and gradually build up again . If you need to walk now and then do it. Just enjoy the run and don’t pressure yourself

[Oscar0402 Graduate]

I also didn’t run for about 10 weeks due to various bugs, to ease my self back in to running I repeated week 6 session 1 for 2 weeks - I am now back to running 3 or 4 times a week and hope to get back up to a 30/35 minute run in the next week or so. Slowly, slowly I have decided, after all I am only in competition with myself!