🎵 🎶 Congratulations and celebrations when I tell everyone that you’re a Graduate too! 👋 Welcome to the last chat in January. I have enjoyed hosting this month and look forward to hearing your stories and questions.
Once we have graduated and consolidated what do we do next?
I was so interested to recently read the replies to Happyfeet4life healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
who is thinking about running and wondering if she is too old. It’s a post well worth looking at because the many answers given to her, not only prove we are never too old to run, but will show you the variety of things graduates have gone on to achieve! Something in there for everyone regardless of age!
Week 1: We chatted about the options during consolidation
Week 2: Running terminology explained
Week 3: A chat about ramping up our fitness & running further or faster
If you missed these you will find them if you click on the Pinned posts above.
It’s time now to set yourself a new goal. We are all unique with different lifestyles, needs and wants. Your body is now much stronger and fitter than when you finished Couch to 5K. Three weeks or more of running 30 mins 3x a week (Consolidation) has enabled you to enjoy the discipline of a running routine. You will either be wanting to continue as you are, or be longing to move on in your running journey. I was content to keep up the routine and just try to run a little further each week but later on after reaching 5K I was suddenly hungry for more. We are all very different and at this point there is no right or wrong motivation. The key thing is to have a long term goal and break that up into smaller more manageable goals. It’s always a good idea to increase time or distance slowly to avoid injury or burn out!
You may want to join the Bridge to 10K healthunlocked.com/bridgeto10k
and see what others are doing. You can post any questions you may have. Once a week there is a Quest Club healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
which is very popular and helpful to many. It’s for anyone who is a graduate and not only for those wanting to get to 10k. Questing helps you sift through your goals, glean ideas from others, keeps you accountable and enables you to share your current running needs.
So some quick fire ideas… remember this is a personal journey.. so the ball is in your court. It’s an open road. Some things you will have heard before, others not. Don’t forget you can work toward any goal in small steps! This list is not exhaustive or a tick box..it’s brainstorming. Hopefully something here rings a bell 🛎️ Please comment below and add your stories or ideas … The running community love to hear running stories.
🍏Work on a plan to run 5K and or to run it in 30 mins
🍏 Try a park run
🍏Work towards a 5K or 10k race and maybe a half marathon ultimately
🍏Try some of the guided runs on the NRC App .. they have many different runs from 10 mins to very long ones to choose from.. speed runs, fun runs, recovery runs, easy runs, specific training runs… so much to explore there.
🍏Explore other running Apps
🍏Add in Strength & Flex Exercises to your routine if you haven’t already, or yoga, Pilates, steps… and so much more…A strong core is basic to furthering your running story without injury or burnout.
🍏Perhaps you want to explore different routes, run on a holiday for the first time, tackle hills, run in the rain, run on a beach, do a trail run.
🍏Some folk like to keep a running journal, subscribe to a running magazine or encourage others by replying to posts on C25K or Bridge to 10k. Google running articles on the web..draw paint or make up poems about the things you hear, smell touch and see on the runs.. read up and become knowledgeable about your anatomy and physiology as regards to running.
🍏 Nutrition, hydration, sleep hygiene, your mental health and running… running in the dark, sub zero runs, what to wear for more extreme weather runs, Running Clubs, running with friends, running with your dog, running on a treadmill, gait analysis!
🤔 Quick Reminder: What is Consolidation?
It’s recommended that when we finish C25K we keep up the routine of running 30mins 3x a week for a few weeks. It strengthens both your body and your mind without any pressure to do more. A time of adjustment to think about what’s next and to fix the habit of getting out there and running. 🏃♂️ 🏃♀️
💥The world is now your oyster… you have an open road…we would love to hear what you are planning or already involved in, since finishing C25K
Graduated (again) and consolidation runs
Weekly chat 28 - 4 December 
Hello October! It's Week 3 of the Quest!!! 😊
