Welcome to the latest chat thread for graduates! You might think you’ve accidentally stumbled into October with the Halloween pumpkins but I can reassure you it’s definitely November!
If you’ve finished Couch to 5k for the first or the fiftieth time, come and say hi! This is the place for you to share how your runs are going and to get inspiration and encouragement from others.
⭐️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?
Last week I’d posted about feeling flat. That was exactly how I felt when I graduated. I’d expected to be elated and confident once I got my badge but I actually felt lost and like a fraud. I thought I needed to be faster to be a “proper runner”. If that’s you too, let me reassure you that you are a real runner and to think back to how far you’ve come. It really helped me to have a bit of a plan for my weeks-even if that was as vague as “run three times for any duration”. That’s actually what I ended up doing last week. Three very different but super fun runs. It’s amazing how quickly your mindset can change when you feel like you’re back on track. Motivation can come with activity, as well as the other way round. I don’t always feel motivated to go out for a run but I’m (almost!!) always pleased when I’ve been. Every run I’ve done has made it easier to do the next. Lace up those trainers for a quick run round the block and see if it can bust your gremlins too!
This week I’ve got three runs planned, 20 mins, 30 mins and a longer run. Plus some strength at the gym, yoga at home and some Zumba just for fun. I’ll report back next week!
What are you all up to?
⭐️ This week’s challenge: Spot something fun on your run!⭐️
Did anyone rerun a Couch to 5k week last week? After setting the challenge, I almost immediately ended up ditching it! 🤦♀️ MrU can with me and I thought it would be a bit antisocial to also listen to Denise!
This week I thought I’d set a photo challenge. Can you find something interesting on your next run? Anything photo worthy can count! I the pumpkins above are my first contribution. They scared the life out of me on a dark run! Looking forward to seeing your pictures. You can post them below or as a new post. Tag me if you can and I’ll give you a cheer!
So come and chat! I love talking about all things running and can’t wait to hear from you all…
MissU and the Couch Team xx
—————————————————————————
A bit about consolidation and running as a new Graduate…
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!
Running as a graduate 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. Keeping to 30 minutes max as a rough rule of thumb is a generally good idea and we’d encourage you to be really sensible about running for longer. It’s widely recommended not to increase the length of any of your runs by 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!
NEW GRADUATES CHAT DEC ‘23 - WEEK 4
