You just don't know what you're capable of.....

I was due to do Week 8 Run 3 yesterday (28 minutes of jogging) but I decided instead (on the hottest evening of the year!) to join an informal group called Run Together which meets every Thursday evening at 6pm - for beginners and, er, older folk, at the near-by athletics track.

Couldn't have received a nicer or more friendly welcome...and everyone assured me that they too run slower than snails. So off we set - and....whoosh...they all shot off into the distance in a puff of smoke, leaving me and the group leader way behind.

The group leader told me she would never leave a new member to run on their own...and that she would accompany me on my run, no matter how slow. Well....it was so hot that I really struggled to run at all - breathing was haywire, legs like concrete posts. I honestly thought, after four or five minutes, I was going to have to bail out. But a combination of her encouragement and my pride kept me going until things slowly stared to ease up.

After almost a whole circuit of the park, I managed to gasp that I really thought I could succeed in making it back to the athletics track - which I could see ahead in the distance. "That's good," she said "but we're not stopping there, we're not finished yet."

To cut a long story short, we jogged for FORTY SEVEN minutes and completed 4.4k. OK it nearly killed me, but I did it and I survived to tell the tale. Euphoric doesn't begin to describe it - especially after a hot bath and a cuppa tea!!!

I had no idea I had it in me until I was pushed well beyond my comfort zone.

So tomorrow I start Week 9. I wonder if I should stick to the prescribed 30 minutes (sensible!) or should I add another 15 minutes on the end...and risk mucking the whole thing up by being an idiot?

Thoughts welcome, as always!

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Hard work but great fun. I'd suggest you complete the 30 minute runs, don't risk injury by overdoing it

[Hidden in reply to SueAppleRun]

Good advice, thank you!

[Jamesrunsforlife Graduate]

Don’t rush it …I graduated a couple of weeks ago and I’m still loving my 30 minute consolidation runs …ok I have a Parkrun tomorrow and may increase it but slow and steady wins the race in my humble opinion

Well done for running and enjoy your next one 👍

[Hidden in reply to Jamesrunsforlife]

Thanks Jamesrunsforlife - I was getting over-excited!

[Maitko2 Graduate]

you go girl🤩🤩🤩!!!!

Keep it at 30 minutes!

[Hidden in reply to Maitko2]

Thanks! Interesting that everyone has agreed with you, so 30 minutes it will be....hopefully building up to longer ones as times go by.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Well done on your runs but keep them at 30 minutes apart when you are with your informal group Run Together and even with them run very slowly

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks AIMorr, this definitely seems to be the consensus! I'll follow your advice.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done, but gosh.... that sounds to have been a very punishing and tough running time.

Stick to the 30 minutes... and the group leader.... I am not sure whether her decision to continue running was a great one.

You did so well, but maybe just take it steady for your next run x

[Hidden in reply to Oldfloss]

As you can see, everyone agrees with you. Everyone's unanimity is not only encouraging in itself, but makes me realise how highly you all rate the Programme. Thanks Oldfloss.

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

Gosh I’ve heard the expression running before you can walk but this sounds like another level!

Well done for your stamina and bravery. It does show you that you have loads more stamina than you remotely thought. However, the huge benefit of the gradual, incremental and controlled process of C25 is that injuries and strains are less likely.

So I’m with the others here-treat that as an interesting blip (and a sign of great things to come) but get back to the tried and tested programme. Only a few weeks and you can begin to challenge yourself again. Do do post run cool downs and stretches, turns out it’s quite important.

Were it me, I would probably go again next week to the run group as it sounds as if you really enjoyed it but limit the running to the 30mins you’ll be up to by then and tell the leader you’ll walk the remaining section . You so don’t want to get an injury at this point to scupper all your training and it’s easy to overdo things in enthusiasm and peer pressure! .

[Hidden in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

Thanks JeremiahObadiah, I'm sure you're right about the injuries...and perhaps I was lucky on this occasion. I will certainly follow everyone's very welcome advice and stick to the Programme, but I will also do as you suggest and return to the running group - not next Thursday because I'm supporting my sister through her last round of chemo, but I've booked in for the following Thursday...by which time I should have graduated C25K.

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Best wishes to your sister.

[Hidden in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

Thank you so much.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

wow wee well done  Hidden , that’s a fantastic amount of minutes! Pushing through those doubts is hard going, but you nailed it, bet you’re still smiling?!

As for your next run, def stick to 30 mins…I know it’s tempting now you’ve done it once…but imagine how disappointed you’d be if you couldn’t do it again? It’s so easy to feel invincible when something like this happens…a bit like the feeling after W5r3… 💪🏻..when you’ve finished the programme and joined the new graduates club & consolidated your runs then’s the time to start upping your time/distance…you’ve had a peep through that door now so you know it’s in there but not just yet x

[Hidden in reply to Mummycav]

I always love your advice Mummycav because I get the feeling you've been there yourself! Yes, I did feel invincible...which is why I'm so glad I asked for the Community'd advice. You all manage to be encouraging and yet at the time, grounding!!!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, that’s such a lovely compliment…and also true…I have so many ups and downs with my running that I can relate to most scenarios…and I just give honest advice and it’s just the same as I would tackle things myself…I hope it works for you and I look forward to watching your running go from strength to strength x

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate]

sounds like she worked you hard! I would say stick to the plan don’t run before you can walk as the saying goes!!

[Hidden in reply to Wavy-chick28]

Thank you so much. It's really indicative that everyone who responded has given the same advice....not a single wild, run-or-bust merchant! Week 9 Run 1 this evening - I'm looking forward to it.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Good luck x

[Cmoi Graduate]

Well done  Hidden !

I don't rate that group leader though. Pushing someone to help them reach a target, and maybe even slightly beyond it, is great. Making them do an extra 20 minutes on top of 28 minutes is not great. It's taking a stupid risk, especially when you don't know the person. In fairness I don't know you either, but I have at least read and responded to your previous posts on here, which is more than that group leader has done.

You've not been running long enough to stick a 50% increase on top of the final C25K week runs. It's pointless anyway - if you're going to keep running after C25K, you have years ahead to build up to longer runs.

On the upside, though, perhaps this will convince you that the Greenwich Park event in November is nothing to worry about!

[Hidden in reply to Cmoi]

Interesting food for thought, thanks. The experience certainly helped me realise I can - with sensible training and development - achieve the Greenwich Park run, which previously I was very unsure of!

[John_W Graduate]

There are 2 groups of runners who are most vulnerable to injury:

- beginners - because we tend to do too much too soon - the body just isn't used to what its being asked to do. It's an absolute classic mistake.

Completely agree with Cmoi re: the group leader. Did they know what stage you were at with your running?

- elites (national/international/ Olympic level) - because they are pushing their bodies to the very edge and riding that edge nearly all the time.

You are a beginner.

I strongly suggest you complete C25K as per and then consolidate for a few weeks after , i.e. stick to 30 mins, 3 times a week. During that time, think about how you'd like to develop your running. Obviously that parkrun is a nice target.

If you want to increase the duration (time) of your runs then there are sensible ways to go about it - same approach as C25K :-), i.e. 'adding a bit on every week'.

[Hidden in reply to John_W]

Thanks John - definitely advice I will follow.

[Basil73]

Well done. I've just started, week 2 run 3 coming up. I would say stick to the programme. Slow and steady but what do I know!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Basil73]

Well that’s the right answer!! 😜

[Hidden in reply to Basil73]

You're as expert or inexpert as me Basil73...it just sounds like good sensible advice. Thank you. While I'm on - massive congratulations, by the time you read this you'll probably have completed Week 2....such a great achievement and I hope you feel terribly proud!

[nowster Graduate]

As everyone else has said, stick with the programme.

The recommendation to even the top athletes is not to increase workload by more than 10% each week to avoid the risk of injury. That session on Thursday evening blew clear through that!

One thing that nobody's mentioned yet is that your little niggles during the first few minutes of the run are quite normal, and they even have their own name, "The Toxic Ten". They can be reduced by using dynamic stretches and warm up exercises, but there will be always be a few minutes at the start of a run where you feel a little uncoordinated or bits of your body complain a bit before settling down.

On the plus side, it gives you an insight into what you're capable of.

[Hidden]

Thanks Nowster, I'm fascinated about the Toxic Ten, which I experience every time. It seems counterintuitive that my breathing is deep and laboured at the start, but shallower and almost relaxed at the end. it's a mysterious world, this running! Thanks for the intel on minimising the discomfort at the start...I'll try doing that next time.

[John_W Graduate in reply to Hidden]

It's not much different to a cold car on a winter morning. It's a bit cranky at first, but will only start to run efficiently when warmed up.

In the 'old days' you might leave a car engine running (when cold) for a few minutes, to warm up properly.

Our bodies are no different to be honest. The more effective your warm up, the less 'toxic' the 'ten' will be.

[MrsLydiaWickham Graduate in reply to John_W]

I like that analogy! 🚗

[Hidden]

Ha ha...in my case, an old crock with a wonky starting handle.