And we’re off! The Graduates’ Club…the Next Steps is officially open. Who is going to have the honour of being the first poster to come and say hi?!
Lots of new graduates tell us that they feel a bit lost once they’re finished with the structure and formality of C25k. The Graduates’ Club is here to be a space to share how our running is going and to encourage each other to keep going. We want you to make running a regular part of your life in whatever way works for you. That’ll be different for everyone and we’re going to celebrate that. It’s one of the best things about running-you find what you love. We’re all part of a massive community though and we want to share our enthusiasm to help keep us all on track!
⭐️First and foremost: How’s it going?⭐️
How has your running been this week? What sorts of runs have you been doing? Have you had any triumphs or challenges? What are your plans for next week?
It can be hard not having a plan so we’d recommend choosing a goal or focus for your week ahead. We as the admin team want to really encourage you to mix up your runs! If all your runs have been running for 30 minutes so far, make one of them shorter! Why not really mix it up and make that one somewhere different?
That leads me to my first challenge run: Re-run your favourite Couch to 5k run. The only rule? It can’t be week 9. Let us know how that goes for you. I’m going to be doing Week 4 run 3 with Denise and I can’t wait to spend some quality time with my old coach.
⭐️ This week’s challenge: Re-run your favourite Couch to 5k run ⭐️
This is going to be a new regular feature and I’d love suggestions for future challenge runs!
If you are a Couch to 5k graduate (or you’ve done something you feel is equivalent) you are very welcome here. Even if you haven’t graduated yet, you can pop in and start getting excited about what could come next for you. There aren’t any hard and fast rules-if you think this thread will be useful to you or you can support others on it, please join in!
A bit about consolidation…
You’ll almost certainly have heard people talking about taking some time to “consolidate” after graduation. This isn’t compulsory but it’s a really good idea. When you have increased your running distance or duration over a few weeks, it is good to pause and consolidate for a short period, bedding in all that effort and getting ready for whatever comes next. That just means not continuing to build the distance or setting out to get faster for a little while.
It’s a brilliant time to just enjoy your running. Without having to increase duration week on week, you can take the pressure off and have some fun! You can run somewhere beautiful and new. Forget about pace! Mix up your run times. Go up a hill! While you are consolidating you are also helping to establish the habit of running in your life. It is said to take twelve weeks of changed behaviour to create a new habit, so a three-week consolidation will get you there!
Consolidation will look different for everyone which is why we really hope people will share what they’ve been doing. We can pinch ideas and take inspiration from each other. The key thing is to keep it steady and remember you’ve got a whole lifetime of running ahead of you.
Previously, we feel we have taken a very strict line on not running for longer than 30 minutes (or 5k if that’s what you did during the programme). Going forward, while we’re absolutely still recommending that as a good rule of thumb, we’re just going to encourage you to be really sensible about running for longer. It’s widely recommended not to increase the length of any of your runs but more than 10% each week because of the risk of injury. Think about how Couch to 5k gradually builds up. The last thing anyone wants is to spend time on the injury couch just after finishing!
So come and say hi! We are all so excited about this new club and we can’t wait to hear about how you’ve been getting on.
MissU and the whole team 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
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MissUnderstanding
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Thank you for creating this Graduates Club. Just what we need after completing C25K. Even though I graduated at the end of January I still feel I'm consolidating to some degree. I'm still going fairly easy after my fall but this week I've managed 2 x 30 minute runs plus a fairly good 5k Park Run (with Coach B) this morning- still waiting for official time. I'm going to look through the C25K app and choose a run for Tuesday. Well done everyone, have a great weekend and ... keeeep running 🏃
Great to see you here, and especially as our first participant! An extra big welcome. ❤️
Well done on those 30 minute runs and parkrun (especially with the lovely Coach Bennett along with you!). It’s hard coming back from a fall and it’s a real achievement to have such a good week. That’s something to feel really proud of.
Have a good run on Tuesday. It’ll be really interesting to see the range of runs that get chosen. I’ve got a sneaky suspicion about what might be most popular but I’ll keep that to myself in case I influence people’s picks!
Fantastic! It’s really great to see you here. I remember enjoying following your journey and you’ve done brilliantly since graduating. It looks like running has become a real part of your life now.
How did you run in those early days after graduating (if you can remember!)? How did you find it transitioning away from using the Couch to 5k app? Whatever you did worked really well for you! Maybe you’d like to take your old coach from the C25k days out with you this week…Denise is getting a call from me!
Yes I think that is true and I'm hoping it will be part of my life long-term now!
I found the early days quite challenging outside of the structure of the app. I used both the app and the podcasts and missed having the guidance and encouragement. However, the NRC (Nike Run Club) app filled the gap very nicely!
The biggest challenge was learning to run at a slow, easy, pace. It took me a long time to find that and I used my consolidation to really focus on that. One of the things that helped me slow down was realising that I was quite capable of running on the spot and drawing the obvious inference from that! I didn't equal let alone better my first 5k time for a long time! I consolidated twice in fact, once at 30 minutes then at 40/5k, with my 5k's coming in fairly consistently around 36-38 minutes.
I like the idea of re-running one of the c25k guided runs. I can't make up my mind which one I would choose. There's a good argument for week 5 run 3, because that's when I really started believing I could do this! I'll have to take a look on Strava and remind myself of the route I took that day!
The biggest challenge was learning to run at a slow, easy, pace
You and me both and we’re most definitely not alone! I think I’d still be running all my runs like tempo runs if it weren’t for Coach B and the Nike Run Club runs. Total game changer.
Don’t feel limited to rerunning just one Couch to 5k run if you’re stuck in choosing! Will be great to hear about whichever one(s) you end up doing!
It is so exciting isn't it and I have a feeling, if we wish too, we can keep probably learn a lot from this post and the replies too... I know I am excited!
Fabulous, it’s out! And challenge accepted! I’ll dust of my C25k app and will run to it in one of my next runs! What a great idea.
I’ve just run 60 min this morning, and it was the first 60 min run for at least 2 month or so, so I am actually wanting to consolidate on the 60min duration! Can I be part of this consolidation club?
I’m already starting to develop my next plan for after consolidation, wanting to head towards 10k again.
This would be my 3rd time, once with the magic plan and once with NRC 10k plan. And this time I want to merge the magic plan with some other ideas I have to make a plan that suits me. I’m already having a lot of fun just pondering of what will go into that plan.
And that’s also a an activity which I find is great to do as I consolidate a distance or duration. I keep my running stable, without worrying about new experiences and that gives me the capacity to plan for after consolidation.
I’m so excited about the Graduates’ Club too! I know all of us team members including those on our sister forums have been keen to bring this back for a long time so it’s wonderful it’s finally here!
Congratulations on that 60 minute run. Just for the benefit of those who might not know, you’re an experienced runner who has gradually built up to that run time. A serious milestone to be celebrated and one people here might be aspiring to one day too. Did you celebrate? 🏅🏃♀️🎉
Even though it’s a different milestone to graduating from couch to 5k, I can see so many similarities. A big goal is ticked off and some new ones are emerging. Your excitement about what’s next is so clear for all of us and it’s infectious! I’m excited for you and that’s made me excited about my own plans too, even though they’re not the same.
Making plans and working out what’s next can be fun and confusing and exciting and scary all at once. I like the way you’re keeping your runs stable and allowing things to fall into place. That’s something our new graduates may like to take from your post.
Because we’re aiming this thread at graduates from Couch to 5k and you’re going to be doing much longer runs, I wonder if the Bridge to 10k forum might be better for sharing the nitty gritty specifics of the runs you’re planning as your next steps. You should absolutely feel very welcome to drop in and chat about consolidating and some of the other aspects of running that I’m sure will be supporting your plans. Strength and flex and cross training will most certainly be a focus here which I know you’ll be very pleased about!
Can’t wait to see which Couch to 5k run you’ll be digging out! ❤️
yes, I should have said. It took me 2-3 month to build up again to 60 min after a stint on the injury couch. This time I used increasing Jeffing intervals, which is very similar to the couch programme with run-walk intervals.
Also to just say, I’m known for very long buildups, see the 12-week consolidation plan, which I did after graduating: healthunlocked.com/strength...
I should have also said that as a super-super slow runner (I call myself the Queen of Slow, as I’ve not met anyone on the forum yet who is slower than me! 🤣), my 60 minutes gets me to just below 5k.
Yup, that slow.
But we love slow, right? (Always wanted to start competitions on how slow you can run 🤣🤣).
Yes, my forays into a new 10k plan will be posted on Bridge, but will definitely take the invitation to run a C25k week and report back. 30min runs are still a staple in my week, with the 60min run being my long run.
We love love love slow and steady here! There might be quite a few challengers for your “Queen of Slow” title. It’s such a lovely way to run! Snails rule 🐌🐌🐌
I’m really glad you’ve reminded me that even when people are building distance, there are plenty of shorter runs in there too. A lot of my week still looks pretty similar to my Couch to 5k weeks-two runs of thirty minutes or less and a long one. I definitely used to think that proper runners only went for long runs but loads and loads of us are still rocking the half an hour runs.
“How slow can you run?” has been noted and recorded for a future challenge run! That’s such a great idea 💡 !
60 minutes!!! I mean I've heard people run marathons, but 60 minutes! 🤣 I ran properly beyond 30 minutes to 35 minutes this morning and that was a (literal) big step. Yet, in all seriousness, the remarkable thing is that I can see it; at the start of C25K a minute was a mile. In week 2 or 3, being foolish enough to look ahead to what was coming and see 20 ... 25 minutes on the horizon was 😲😲😲.
So 60 minutes now seems like to the centre of Timbuktu and back. Yet it's possible.
I suppose my favourite graduation run was run 3 of week 9, I have reran that many times including that graduation run exactly at the same place where I graduated from C25K 5 years ago, that is a very good post from you MissUnderstanding, I am sure many people here will be very happy about that, well done ✅👍
Thank you Alan! How long is it since you graduated now? It much be lovely going back and running that special week 9 run over and again. While it’s great trying new things, sometimes the old and familiar ones are wonderful too. I did a lot of my Couch to 5k runs along the same route and I’ve walked that this evening. Lots of happy memories!
5 years, I graduated from C25K on Monday 18th June 2018 by running run 3 of week 9 at exactly 10:30am to 11:00 along the promenade at Helensburgh on the west coast of Scotland which is about 30 miles away from where I live, I reran it at the same place on Monday 19th June from 10:00 am to 10:30 yes it brought happy memories back to me.
The other 3rd runs of weeks 3 to 8 were run at various places, notably run 3 of week 4 was run along a park at Loch Lomond and run 3 of week 5 was ran around Linlithgow Loch, that's the place nearby where Mary Queen of Scots was born, all the other runs were run locally.
I have been a cyclist since I was 7, I only started running with C25K at the tender age of 72, you will never get me running along a road without a pavement, (sidewalk in North America) I have had enough of cycling on roads so all of my running are off road or at least with a pavement.
I'm here and ready too. Tuesday I did a nice, gentle and enjoyable 32 mins covering 4k with Coach Bennett for company and Thursday I was in the Cotswolds - hilly again! As we were also biking, I eased off for a relatively gentle 20 minutes only, so as not to overdo the hills. The views were magnificent and there were so many beautiful butterflies. I feel like I've marked time enough now as I'm feeling really comfortable in my running skin. So I'm thinking of starting Juju's magic plan next week which looks really more interesting with different runs on different days. In the meantime which C25K run shall I do tomorrow? Not sure I've got a favourite, so I need to think 🤔 🏃♀️🏃♀️
So many of us have become Coach Bennett groupies! He’s just got that wonderful manner of making you feel like a real runner and making you laugh unexpectedly. He’s kept me company on so many of my runs! The Cotswolds is such a pretty part of the country. I’m envious!
You sound like you’ve had a great time post-graduation-being comfortable in your running skin is such a beautiful way of describing it. That’s exactly where you want to be starting the next phase of your running journey. The magic plan is excellent-that’s what I followed to get to 10k. I wasn’t using Nike Run Club at the time but I’d definitely be keeping Coach Bennett with me if I was doing it again. If you’re heading over to the Bridge to 10k forum, you’ll be in excellent company there and you’ll see many names you recognise!
If you haven’t got a favourite run, one way you could do is pick one you didn’t enjoy as much and see how it feels now, or even go right back to week one and marvel at how far you’ve come. Have you got plans for your other runs this week or will you see what you feel like?
Thanks for posting-it’s so encouraging read an update as great as this one!
Hi, I did my third consolidation run this morning. On all my previous runs so far I usually ran the same route out and then back along the same road. I've been running 5k this week in around 33 minutes.Today's run was a different route entirely, and only my third morning run since beginning running. It was the second time it has rained on a run.
While it was a change running along a different road, I did miss my old route, not that there was anything special about it... Actually there is something very special about it. It's the first route I ran on the C25k and have done it so many times now that it will always be special
What an interesting challenge! And we can't do week 9. I will have to think about this. I doubt it will be from week one or week two as those were my hardest weeks. There was one run I did on holiday. Oh my goodness, I think it was five minutes eight minutes and five minutes. The start of the eight minute section began at the foot of a very long hill. I think I reached the top when the walking break began and I had to turn around. I might try that one again on Monday.
This new area is a great idea. I've felt like I have been clutching at straws to find a way forward. Loads of info on the forum but how I would like an app for the next steps to continue on.
Nike run club is great but the runs are all over the place. No training plans on it for consolidation, though I think there might be a 10 k plan.
Thanks for letting me know about this new forum area
Ah just checked my app and it was week 6 run 1 that was 5 - 8 - 5 so I will repeat this on Monday. I'm expecting it to be fairly easy, especially as I will be doing it on the flat this time. Hope it doesn't give me a nasty surprise!
It’s funny how we get attached to routes! My main couch to 5k route is just an out and back, country lane route but there are som many memories along the way. That sort of route is brilliant for seeing progress too. I bet if you think back to your early days verses how you’re feeling now on particular parts of the route, it’s going to be really obvious how much of a difference there is. Enjoy your week 6 rerun!
The Nike Run Club app runs are great but I agree that they’re not in the most useable format. For consolidation, I think I’d be looking at the short runs and mindful running pack. “Breaking Through Barriers” is one of my favourite runs on there. Maybe think about much time you want to spend each run to be and that will narrow it down. I often go to the ones that you get a badge for if you do four of them-that’s the “Run as you are” playlist this month, I haven’t had a run on there that I haven’t enjoyed, although the distance based ones often go on for longer than they should because the app isn’t great at measuring how far you’re run!
Mine is the same, an out and back country road with a few twists and turns. Starts slightly on a downhill but always end up with a bit of uphill at the end, even though I usually run on a little bit after the halfway bell to try and avoid it :)But I think I know every tree, fencepost and pothole along there as I gasped my way towards each on those early runs. So you are very right in me being able to see my progress along this route in comparison to how I used to run it.
I bookmarked quite a few NRC runs of distances between 20 and 40 minutes. The headspace mindfulness runs do look good and I'll try the barriers one too.
One I tried the other day was Fuel the run with Shalane. That was interesting as I've not read much about the nutrition side of running.
Thanks so much for all your feedback, it's a massive help
The app is so fantastic that you'd have thought organising the runs, sorting them, grouping them, making them searchable would be a doddle. Yet that part is just crap. Coach B should give the developers a talking to!
Absolutely brilliant-we can’t wait to have you all the way through the door and on this side of the graduate club! Enjoy your final programme runs. I’ve been loving your run reports ❤️
🍏Love this Graduates Club! My favourite week was definitely Week 6 Run 3 and it’s my go to run when I haven’t run for a week or two due to other circumstances!
It’s lovely to be a graduate and be able to pick and choose what runs you want to do.. I did find it helpful though to have a plan in my head as to what I was going to do… to keep the discipline & motivation high!
I totally agree and I’m so glad you’re here with us too. To start with, I missed the structure of a plan but now there’s something brilliant about feeling control of which runs I’m doing. I’m following a plan at the moment but since there are five runs offered a week and I’m only doing three, I’m still feeling like I’m choosing for myself. That’s a nice happy compromise between the two extremes of strict plan and nothing at all! It’s very nice seeing those ticks appearing on the app too!
Looking forward to your week 6 run 3 rerun! ❤️❤️❤️
I am just popping in to say, Hi...and what a super post.... !
JUST what we need and have needed, for a while, to bring back, so our amazing new Graduates don't feel lost or alone after all the company they had on C25K...
I have popped a link on Catch up Corner too... signpost to this... thank you for this ! x
Great to see you!! So glad we all managed to get this going…I’ve got a very good feeling about it!
Are you thinking of doing a couch to 5k re-run? Mine’s coming up later/tomorrow! Can’t wait to hang out with Denise again. I hope Coach B won’t mind! 😂
How exciting - I feel very lucky that the very day I graduate - the Graduates Club arrives! I'd already been wondering about what to do next, especially as the tentative independent changes I'd incorporated to investigate what would happen were not always that successful. (Not deviating from instructions but just adaptations to the routes/clothes etc). I've got a few things I'd like to try:
Some of the C25K runs (I'd not thought about pre-week 9 but that's a good idea) with different coaches - I'd chosen Sarah and she was great but I thought I might learn different things from other people.
Listening to music - (I've not done that yet - I think because I am a bit concerned that what I choose might encourage me to go too fast, and if I choose something "slower" it won't be so motivating). I always listen to something that I can get mentally involved with and diverted by so I need to try a change.
A different route (I have just "added" sections or reversed beyond the half way point so far as I have a handy loop on my doorstep). I need to venture beyond that and try something that either isn't a loop at all and just turn back, or have a longer walk at the end. I find hills a bit of a struggle and its impossible to avoid them so ways of dealing with them other than head down and keep going would be welcome.
Driving somewhere to run - I've so far only run from home - I think I'd like to scout out some other places - which also gives the potential for flatter routes perhaps.
Different surfaces - I usually run on tarmac roads albeit in a countryside setting. I think it might be interesting to try footpaths etc and maybe even a beach as there are plenty around albeit sand I suspect is much harder than it looks.
Giving myself permission - I loved following C25K and doing what I was instructed. I think I need to tell myself that to consolidate, I don't have to follow any rules other than not exceed 30 mins for a while (which I inadvertently broke yesterday by pausing the run for at least 5 mins without realising). I should feel free to explore different things now within the confines of the time, and it doesn't matter what happens as I've already graduated.
"Maybe" running with someone else - its been totally solitary so far but when I get a bit more confident, perhaps running with someone else for a change might be a good thing - or doing a Park Run. I could also test out if I really can talk at the same time!
Time of day - Other than W1R1 I have always run really early and I really really like that I have carved out some time that is just for me. Later in the day that is less easy and its also much much busier - especially approaching peak holiday time here where roads are full of drivers who don't know the routes and can't reverse. But, I think in school holidays when I won't have to be back to get anyone up and out, I could just take a bit longer being out - not necessarily running all the time.
Distance - so far I have not even looked at how far I run. I don't want the added pressure of that type of goal which I might not be able to avoid if I knew what I was doing. But at some point, just out of interest I will do it.
Tech. I have a smartphone which has to come out of its wallet type case every time to fit in my pocket. At some point I might want something a bit easier to manage so advice on watches or whatever else people use would be good.
I also think it would be worth me thinking a bit more specifically about safety. I don't yet run in the dark but if I keep to this time frame, by the winter, it will be dark and there are no street lights along the routes I use. What are the best ways to stay visible? How do I make sure that I'd be "found" if I fell or whatever somewhere on route (especially if i am not sure where I am going to go).
Clothing - I've got the right shoes for my gait but otherwise I am wearing leggings and a t-shirt over a sports bra and I have invested in proper socks which feel much better. However, I have seen an array of different clothing in sports shops/on line/on people. What is worth buying? Does brand make a difference? Also, I don't take water with me, but at some point I recognise it might be sensible - what is the best way to do this?
Don't need all this answered immediately but would be very interested in seeing anything here covered in more detail over the weeks/months ahead.
Thanks for setting it up - its brilliant to know that there will be new ways to keep things interesting and supported...
As for running clothing, almost all of mine comes from Lidl or Decathlon. Range of colours and styles can be limited, and they're not good on plus sizes, but in my experience the quality is excellent. By all means spend on brands if you have the budget and it makes you happy, but it's certainly not necessary. I've also picked up stuff on Vinted!
Thank you...helpful link. Yes, I too have a collection of Lidls crivit clothing as well as a random mix of other items I've repurposed for runs. I guess I am thinking about later on in the year when I might need more than a t-shirt, plus not clear if waterproof tops are used. I am not a fan of very windy conditions so also wondering about wind-proof garments...
Oh both do long-sleeved tops, and windproof and/or hi-vis stuff too. Waterproof isn't necessarily a good idea. Unless it's good quality breathable you tend to end up boiled in the bag with water dripping off onto the rest of you!
Great to have you here and really enjoyed your re-run post! Top choice of run too!
You’ve had done great clothing suggestions from Cmoi . I’ve also got lots from Decathlon and Lidl. Decathlon should come with a warning because it’s so tempting in there! I absolutely love Sweaty Betty Power and Zero Gravity leggings but only in the sale. M and S has a great range of sports kit-my favourite shorts come from there. For winter/dark runs I’ve got a head torch and a light, hi vis Karrimor jacket which was £6 in the sale. I thought I’d need to upgrade it for something posher but it’s perfect. I love long sleeved t-shirts when it’s cold and windy with a light jacket over the top. You’ll find that as you go through the seasons, you’ll pick up bits and pieces as you need them and suddenly you’ve got a whole chest full of kit!
Carrying water is quite personal. I don’t bother unless it’s really, really hot (and usually I’m not running then anyway!) or I’m going for longer than about 10k. I’ve experimented with various things and ended up with a hydration vest. I really like that and it has loads of space for snacks too!!! Depending on the route, I sometimes just stash a bottle behind a tree and have a drink when I pass it!
Keep asking questions as they come up-there’s a lot of experience here! We’ve tried and tested lots of things!
I love running with music and I’ve got better at picking the right sort of thing for the right run. I love thumping dance music but I know that speeds me up so I save it for faster runs, or like yesterday, I’ll start with pop and then move to drum and bass for the last ten minutes when I’m doing a fast finish. It’s worth experimenting with. One of my weekly runs is now a podcast run where I’m just going out for time on my feet so listening to a chatty podcast helps keep me steady and not bothering about pace.
You’ll find as you go through a whole year of running, many of your questions will naturally get answered. It’s an exciting time for you!!
Thanks so much for that thoughtful response to everything I've asked - loads of good suggestions and things to try. I love the idea of hiding water - I could see myself becoming a human squirrel! It is an exciting time!
Happy graduation! I bought running socks very early on. And running shoes about week 3 as an investment in my health. I have never spent £100 on shoes of any kind before!!! But it was a promise to run/birthday present ... and it has worked. Happy running!
Many thanks! I got "the shoes" for the start of W3 and by W4 my knee pain had vanished - magic! I was also very impressed with the odd way the laces were threaded which keeps them in position - so many things to discover!
I know! And your post was really useful as the suggestions are awesome! I've run in warm rain, so I'll see how it is running in cold rain in the autumn, but with the alternatives mentioned here that seems to be for the best!! 🤣
Hi, just to say I'm 3 weeks away from graduating (start wk 7 run 1 tomorrow)... for the 4th time 🙈 my big problem is with 2 boys (one 4 and the other 6) so much life seems to get in the way and once the structure (and much needed guilt if I don't get out for a run) of c25k goes I lose momentum... So I had in fact already been thinking about what comes next because I absolutely need a plan to keep me getting out of the door. Looking forward to seeing other people's suggestions and making that plan ready for 3 weeks time!
Life can make running really tricky sometimes. I find knowing other people are having the same struggles and are rooting for me to get out of the door really spurs me on. Really hope you have a great time completing the programme and finding a way to make running work for you. Glad to have you here! ❤️
I won't graduate for another 3 weeks but really happy to see this as I'm already wondering what I'm going to do when I finish! So good to know I can have a peek and get excited about what's ahead while I finish C25K.
You’re already here! Sorry, I don’t think I explained very well that there’ll be Graduates’ Club threads appearing regularly on the Couch to 5k forum. Just join in with the currently one in whatever way you’d like to-share some runs, or ask questions, or support other runners on here. I’m really hoping it’ll be a great place to talk about the things that have been going well and helping each other to work through any tricky things.
Have a fantastic time finishing off couch to 5k. You’ve already achieved so much and never too early to celebrate how much progress you’ve made!
oh right - I'm already here 😀 that's great I'll keep an eye out for the posts so. Thanks for getting back to me. 😊 Graduates' Club brilliant idea after the structure of C25K. Looking forward to hearing what others are doing. Thanks, I will enjoy the rest - and celebrate!
Excellent news! I completed C25K quite a while ago. I try and mix it up with road running and a very uneven old track ! The track is very near to our house so in my head it’s not as far 🤣 but I always run around 5K. I run 3 times a week and I’m happy with that . I also use the NRC and yes the fav is coach Bennett some decent tips and help. Very interested to see what others do and see if I can a adopt some new ideas ! Exciting 🏃♀️😃
How lucky to have a running track just for you! I’m envious. I sometimes use and old airfield for running intervals on. It’s a lot of fun imagining the planes coming in to land and it makes me feel like a hero running on a runway. Ridiculous but it makes me smile!
It sounds like you’re in a great routine and I’m sure people will enjoy comparing notes on NRC runs. Really glad to have you here!
Fantastic! Really glad you’re going to join in! We’re a bit of an unofficial club really-no need to formally join. Just drop in on the Graduates’ Club threads and join in the chat. Share how things are going, thoughts and questions and people will reply. This forum has so much collective experience that it’s almost guaranteed someone will have had the same things to celebrate and the same challenges. It’s great to spur each other on ❤️
I feel I need someone in my ear so even though I’ve finished couch to 5k (twice) I still do the runs (without walking) with different coaches! I find that helps!
I haven’t ran for around 3 weeks and still don’t feel up to it at all with fatigue and feeling low but I also know that it would help with those things! It can be such a battle!
So this group has come at the right time for me I feel. I’ll keep looking at posts and fingers crossed that will get me out the door!
Fatigue is horrible. I had chronic fatigue after glandular fever a few (a lot!) of years ago and for me, the most important thing was to try and be patient and not go to much on days where I was feeling good so I didn’t feel awful the next day. Sending masses of sympathy-I know his hard it is not being able to do the things you want. Hopefully it won’t be too long before you’re back up and running again. We’re all around for support even while you’re not. ❤️
Thank you MissUnderstanding that really means a lot!
Hopefully not but reading through these messages is always a good start for me. Hearing other people stories, advice and tales always perks me up and make me miss being out there!
I’m so glad to have found consolidation club and all you runners out there. As a recent graduate I’d been considering what to do next but actually have enjoyed repeating my graduation run a few times and not pressurising myself to go further or faster. Instead I have tried a couple of different routes and run with music for the first time. C25K is massively helping me with my mental well-being and relaxing my mind while doing something to keep me physically fit is a double win.
Absolutely fantastic! It sounds like you’re really enjoying your runs after graduating. Sometimes it’s just lovely to take all the pressure off and have fun. You’ll know when you want to do something different. Taking time to consider what that might be is such a good plan and it’s really exciting!
This is great. I graduated a couple of weeks ago. This will be so helpful. I repeated a few c25k runs as part of consolidation. My last run I did with a new playlist of music and used Strava app to give me distance and pace (very slow lol) so I can use this to see my progress. My long term aim is to be able to run 5k in however long it takes. I struggle a bit in the current warm weather so happy to keep at around 30 minute jog plods for time being and when cooler weather comes in autumn start running for longer.
Fantastic to have you here! The hot weather has been a real challenge-a lot of us have struggled. Being able to keep your running going in any way that works is a real achievement. At times like these, I wish I was an early bird but I’m not! Keeping those plods going will give you a great base to build from when you’re ready. It sounds like you’re finding ways to enjoy the runs and keep them feeling fresh with new music. You’re doing great!
I had a go at the C25k+ Stepping Stone at the end of last week. I didn’t get the pace right and it wasn’t easy but I was a fair bit quicker than normal so fairly pleased. Miserable old Mr Garmin has finally decided that I’m being ‘productive’ so that’s a bonus 😂.
I’ve found the Magic Plan over the Bridge to 10k which looks good and I’m going to try using the C25k+ runs as part of this to begin with healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
Great to see you here! I did the magic plan and I’d totally recommend it. Great idea to use the stepping stones podcasts if you’re finding them helpful. There are lots of other on Bridge to 10k doing the magic plan, or who have done it, or who are combining it with Nike Run Club guided runs which could be an option when you’re finished with stepping stones. You’ll get lots of encouragement and support along the way!
Garmins can be cheeky little nuisances sometimes. Really glad yours is finally being good!
I graduated for the second time a couple of weeks ago and have been doing a few 30 minute runs since then, but yesterday I thought I’d tackle a bit of a local hill that I had previously tried and found virtually impossible.
And I did it, slowly, but far more easily than I expected (but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was easy!)
But now I know I can actually do it, I intend including it in more of my regular routes, as I feel hill training has got to be good!
Congratulations! Hills are tough but they’re amazing for getting you fitter and showing you how much progress you’ve made over time if you keep trying them. It’s all hills round here so no avoiding them. Who knows-you may even prefer them. I find totally flat routes a bit samey and I love a bit of up and down!
Such a milestone to know you can get up that hill-you may well find that mentally, it loses some of its steepness now you know you can do it!
Do we still post on C25K or are we supposed to post elsewhere now? I must admit I do love hearing about other people's runs and offering encouragement to those coming through the stages!
This is a great question! The are no real hard and fast rules about this at all-post where you feel fits best for you. You’ll see lots of the same names all over the boards. I tend to post about my personal running over on the Bridge and Marathon boards because my runs fit better there now, but I definitely posted about my running on both Bridge and Couch after graduating.
Everyone is welcome to come and support the current couch to 5k with replies-that’s such a brilliant part of the forum. We’ve all got our personal stories and experiences to share and that’s so valuable! We’d love it if you kept posting here and encouraging others! ❤️
As I've just graduated, I'm planning on running my last run that I completed before amputation which is week 4, run 3, this was back in early 2020, will even run same route, whish me luck 🤞
Congratulations and so glad to have you here! That’s a brilliant run to choose (I did that as mine too!). Really good luck-hope that run is full of pride in doing it as a grad knowing how far you’ve come 🏃♀️❤️💪
Hi MissUnderstanding - it's great that there's still a supportive community post graduating!! Really appreciate your hard work. I'd never heard of consolidation until this evening...and it sounds like a really good idea. I'm leaving home territory tomorrow to support my sister through her last round of chemo...so it's either run down Welsh lanes that `I don't know, or try the local gym for a treadmill. Maybe I'll try both for a bit of variety. Either way, I'm definitely going to stick to 30 minute runs at my usual pace for a few weeks - maybe three?? - to celebrate my graduation. I'll keep you posted.
Hey all, Please can I claim my badge, although done in the tredmill and completed a couple of weeks ago, ive not had chance to celebrate just yet. 😇 infact I did a couple of more runs just to check I wasnt dreaming. I dont know about you always feel fresher after a 30 min jog like someones pressed the reset button. Anyway Well done to anyone who has graduated this month, it been a blast and has taken me about 2 years to get to this point, due to having a bad back, but now im here theres no turning back.
That’s absolutely brilliant news-what a super achievement. Congratulations! Those things we have to work extra hard for and overcome challenges to get done feel extra sweet when we get them. You absolutely can be doing some serious celebrating now-you deserve it! This is just the start. Running gets even better from here!!
Oldfloss is doing badges this month so if you drop her a quick line here, she’ll be thrilled to give you yours…
Thank you so much for the support, its really appreciated 😇, I can always say to people dont give up, find what works best for you and thats what worked for me. I cant wait to get outside more and try to run that bit further. Maybe even a 10k who knows!! 😊 Graduate club here I come.
Fantastic! Will keep an eye out for you in the Graduates’ Club threads. You can absolutely get to 10k when you’re ready. For now, just enjoy that wonderful feeling of finishing the programme and running with no pressure. It’s a wonderful place to be!
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Consolidation Run 4 -- On the Stepping Stones😀
Post graduation/Consolidation run 26
Consolidation help pls. Am too slow for stepping stones. 
This much I know- couch to consolidation
