Declining fitness!

[Cheey]

Help.I am a bit puzzled.

I have completed the C25K twice last year. I had a long break from running for 8 months for a variety of reasons - mainly work and depression.

I got back to running this May and started the C25K again from the very beginning. Even though I could very easily run for 5mins non-stop.

I got to week 7 Run 2. And since then it has been a steady decline. I am now even struggling with Week 5 Run 2.

There have been a couple of weeks I have gone 5 days at a time without going for a run - work pressures. But I have always resumed where I stopped easily. Always with a day's rest between runs. Even did my first ever 5K parkrun 2 weekends ago.

I am at a loss to understand what's happening. I haven't been unwell, still eating the same, mo pains, no aches. But I am getting less fit with each run.

Anyone experienced this? What can I do?

[MissUnderstanding Administrator]

Welcome back and massive congratulations on those parkruns! That’s a great achievement.

Running is such a mental game as well as physical. I wonder if maybe you’re psyching yourself out when you get to week 7 run 2-it looks like it was as exactly that stage that you found it harder last time? What’s happening on the runs you’re struggling with? What runs have you done over that last couple of weeks?

I also found week 7 difficult because I’d just got tired with all the running through the programme. The runs are al longer than before and it can feel a bit relentless. Taking an extra rest day or two can help. The weather has been tricky too.

Did you run all of the 5k of your parkruns? That could be another reason for feeling fatigued-you’ve probably run more than the programme asks of you there.

You’ve been doing really well and I wonder if this is a big attack of the dreaded gremlins as you’re nearing the end. That’s really common and you can get through it. For me, the key thing was to find a run I knew I could complete so I could have some success and that was a good base to get back on track from. You absolutely can get there too. ❤️🏃‍♀️💪

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Maybe as MissUnderstanding suggests, a tad too much too soon... also, what strength and particularly stamina, work are you putting in on some of the rest days?

If you are having a few days in between runs, then the running body does need to be kept moving. There are loads of ideas on the D and F forum, which can be fitted in, even in the busiest work days too. I do know that I have not run since Sunday, but I have kept up my daily routines and put in some extra core strength work too.

Take it steady and slow and don't ush too hard... those gremlins mentioned can work against you, but they hate running x

[Carners1 Graduate]

I've been going through the same a bit in the last couple of weeks. I've realised it's not that my fitness that's declining, but my mental stamina. I find I've been pulling up on runs when I'm easily capable of continuing. To counter it I'm having a week away from running in the hope that I'll have my mojo back when I start again.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Carners1]

Those gremlins! They get everywhere..,

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Time out can be very beneficial... just as I said in an earlier reply... keep that running body moving with some S and F work?

[MissUnderstanding Administrator in reply to Carners1]

Mojo is a funny thing. It comes and goes for all of us and is such a fickle friend!

It might be worth coming up for with some strategies for when you are thinking of pulling up.

What works best for me is to think through what’s making me want to stop. What is the message?

Is it that I’m in pain? That’s a stop running.

Am I tired? That’s ok-I have run tired before and I can slow down to get to the end.

Is it just a general “I want to stop”? Think through why and do a systems check and see if there’s a physical reason to stop. Usually it’s just my brain playing tricks and I can distract myself through it by just running for another minute/until the next lamppost etc and then review, or I think about how many minutes of the run are left and how I’ve run that distance before so I know I can do it etc.,,

Steve Magness is really good on this-there’s a great book all about the mental side of running and what being tough really looks like. He turns up on a Runner’s World podcast that’s a great listen,

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...

My top strategy for when I’ve had a bad run of runs is to do something short that should be quite easy so I know I can do it. Once you’ve had a run go well, it’s much easier to start in a good frame of mind.

Good luck!

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Absolutely, I think my problem is that I'm not good in the heat. My brain just kicks into 'why are you doing this to yourself'. Then I think about stopping and inevitably I stop.I've tried early morning/late evening but the same things happening.

Since I got over covid I've been running pretty much every other day, so I think a weeks reset is probably what I need!!!

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Carners1]

I'm absolutely dreadful in the heat Carners1 , so sympathy on that one. I hate running in the morning too, though have been forcing myself to get out before it gets too warm. This morning it was already 23° at 8.30am, but I took the dog with me, so I had a good excuse for stop-starting and some walking.

Mostly if I feel like stopping, I tell myself I'll just run to the next tree, or the top of the hill, or whatever. By the time I've done that the desire to stop has usually gone away. The other thing that helps me is to think about something else that requires a bit of attention - my to-do list, for example!

I'm trying not to beat myself up too much though. Fact is, I just don't enjoy current running conditions, so I need to accept that and just do what I can.

[Cheey Graduate]

Thank you everyone for their input. It has been really helpful. I didn't run the whole 5k. Ran the 1st 3K but walked/run the last 2K.

I can still keep going when I stop but when the thought 'you are tired' pops up, shortly after these thoughts start, I stop.

I believe my brain when it starts with these thoughts because work has been 5-6 day stretches of 12.5 - 14hr shifts with a 2hr hour commute both ends. But this has been work for months now.

So with regular running, shouldn't my fitness be building? On my off days, I do running, yoga and occasionally a little calisthenics.

You all may be right, I think it could be mental. And maybe also too much too soon.

Oldfloss , you are right, I am going long stretches of days with no running and no stamina or core work. I am totally drained on work days. I physically can't do more than crawl in to bed and wake up 4 hrs later to head back to work.

I really felt I was taking it very easy because I have not been pushing myself beyond the C25K.

I take everyone's point on board, maybe I am expecting too much and I need to work on my mental stamina.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Cheey]

Oh gosh....definitely some time to ease that mind set...!

You work so, so hard and there is a limit to what your body and your mind can handle... I wrote a post a while ago.. which may be helpful... Ill try and find it...!

Until then... maybe ease back and apart from your yoga and your stretches... take a rest.

Just reading your reply here, and I feel your exhaustion. It is so easy for folk like me, old and retired to offer advice... but, the advice I would give right now is, it is time to be kind to yourself for a while... x

[CBDB Ambassador]

It might also be that you are unconsciously running faster this time. Might be worth a try to intentionally slow down on one of your next runs and see if how that feels. But a multi day break is not a bad thing either, as others have said. I was ill at some point for 2 weeks, and I was amazed how strong I felt getting back to running after 2 weeks rest.

Another option to try is jeffing (e.g. one minute walk, 1 minute run, repeat indefinitely) . I find jeffing is perfect for hot weather.

[Cheey Graduate]

Thank you CBDB & Oldfloss

[Cheey Graduate]

Looking through your posts Oldfloss .Thanks.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Cheey]

This is one with some thoughts in it... the three As

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Cheey Graduate]

This is so good Oldfloss and really speaks to me. Thanks for this. Much appreciated.

[nowster Graduate]

Most of June was hot in England. Heat can tire you out very quickly.

I've been running in the heat the last couple of weeks and have needed to take little breather stops every now and then because I've found myself going too fast.