going to try

[Upforarun]

I’ve been through chemotherapy in 2020 Relapsed early 2021 and went through second series of chemo - finished March 2021. I’ve had no energy since. Maybe due to long covid as well as recovery from intense chemo. I thought I would give Couch to 5K a go but worried it might be too much. Any tips?

[Comte Graduate]

Suggest you start gently. If you have experience of running then starting run 1 of week 1 of C25K will not be a problem. But if you have not run for a long time or never done any running then you may find even the first run of Week 1 too much and should do maybe only a few minutes of this very first run. I know when I started running at the end of 2021 I would have found this 1st run of Week 1 much too difficult but I did not start with the C25K programme. Good luck with the programme. 👍👍👍

[Upforarun in reply to Comte]

thank you

[JJAnBan Graduate]

I’ve also done two courses of chemo with the second finishing in June, 2022. I”m currently on week 8. Pretty much every run has been hard for me, and I’m slow, but I’m up to 28 minutes, so much improved. My goal is just to prove to myself that I’m healthy enough to run a 5k. I was never a good runner, but I wasn’t this slow either. I think just being patient with ourselves and accepting that we’ve been through a lot is important.

Best of luck!

[Upforarun in reply to JJAnBan]

thank you. I’ll give it a go

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

I read your other post first! Welcome! Couch to 5k is a great programme and hopefully you’ll find it appropriate for your fitness level now. You can always take it more slowly if you find you need to. It’s best to be comfortable doing a brisk walk for thirty minutes when you start. Is that where you are? If not, I’d build up to that point and then start. The key thing is taking it slowly and not pushing yourself too much. I’ve found when I was recovering from chronic fatigue, I had to do a bit less than I wanted to make sure I wasn’t exhausted afterwards. It was a lot of trial and error and taking it cautiously.

There’s a brilliant little guide to the programme here with lots of helpful hints and tips.  Well worth a read.  Most important is keeping it slow and steady at a pace where you can talk in full sentences without gasping.  Most of us go too fast!

Recovery days between runs are absolutely essential too. You might need more because of your fatigue-see how it goes and listen to your body.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

You’ve been through so much. Wishing you loads of luck with coming back to fitness ❤️

[Upforarun in reply to MissUnderstanding]

thank you. I really appreciate the support. 💕🎂

[LiisaM Graduate]

Thinking of you and wishing you success in doing the c25k program . My thought is if you try and find it too much the first time out, just stop for the day, give yourself a day of rest, and see if you can repeat the first day’s effort the next time you go out. I hope you let us know how you are doing. We’re rooting for you!

[Upforarun in reply to LiisaM]

Thank you. I’m going to do Walk a Mile a day for May to support Dementia UK. Then my C25K with a vengeance! 💕

[LiisaM Graduate in reply to Upforarun]

just saying: I’m a 24/7 caregiver for an 82-year old husband with dementia. It is very hard.