Picking up after sickness

[Unfitforthis]

Hi, I would like a bit of advice on where to pick up my couch 2 5k journey after sickness of 2 and a half weeks.

I had completed up to week 6 run 2 when I fell ill with the flu and a bacterial infection. I have felt well for the past 4 to 5 days and have my appetite and energy back (and have also returned to work in the last 3 days).

I would like to pick up my running this week but am not sure if I should go back a week or 2??

Any advice based on your experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

🍏So pleased you are feeling better & a run will really be great. 😊 why don’t you drop back to 5:3 Do your 10 min brisk walk then slowly into the run & see how you go.. you can always walk some of it if necessary & then it’s a practice. Try again after a rest day. Once you confident about running for 20mins you will know you have regained your fitness. Keep it slow and breathe normally. If you need to walk, walk! Let us know how you get on 🤗

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Sorry about your illness Unfitforthis but happy that you are better, perhaps you could go back to run 1 of week 4, but if you feel well, try run 1 of week 5, as you have not been off running too long you don't need to go back to week 1, good luck.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

There’s no hard and fast rule for this. My strategy is to go out for a jog with no expectations and just see how it goes. That will give you lots of useful information about where to pick up the programme again. Take it slowly and don’t put any pressure on yourself. Before you know it, you’ll be back where you want to be.

Good luck!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

This was the question with which I first joined this forum, just under 12 years ago (gulp!), when I had been ill and unable to run for a period during C25K.

The response then and my response to you now is to do Week 6 Run 3, just as you would have if the flu hadn't got you. You are not rushing back to running and it hasn't been so long that it would be wise to presume you've lost anything. I agree with MissUnderstanding that the key is to go into it with no expectations, no pressure (and certainly no 'speed'!).

Going back to a previous stage will give you no information that W6 R3 won't give you. Either you'll complete whichever session you choose, or you won't - and that can be pretty random! When people ask this question, often (not always) they are flagging their feelings about the import of not completing a session - and dealing with that sort of *emotional* setback is one of the key things that we have to learn from C25K to become regular runners.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Lots of great ideas here already....I am one who tends to go along with the, head out for a little jogette, just to try out the legs and everything else.. no distance or time in mind...just head out and run.

Your body will tell you where to go from there.. and just see how you feel. Keep us posted please!

[Unfitforthis]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I went out this morning and put the week 6 run 1 podcast on, thought I would gauge if I was still there or work out where I needed to be if I struggled.

Suprisingly I found the run really comfortable and felt really good. So I just kept running and ended up doing 25mins. Took it very steady and just put one foot in front of the other.

So GoogleMe your advice was spot on even though I hadn't read your post before I went out.

In essence I will now start week 7 on my next run but I think I will go out with the same intention as today just incase today was a fluke lol.

Thank you all once again for your comments, I really appreciate it.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate in reply to Unfitforthis]

🍏👏☺️That’s is good news indeed! Back on track! Drink plenty of water always important but more so at the moment!! So well done!! Happy for you ☺️

[Unfitforthis]

It wasn't a fluke. Have done week 7 run 1 this morning 😁

I first did c25k about 8 years ago and loved it, then someone told me to go for a 30min 5k, completely ruined running for me. I put so much pressure on myself every time I ran and ended up just hating running. Been an on and off runner since then but never really found my love for running.

However this time, I have concentrated on my posture and breathing and just keeping everything steady. I blooming love it. I find myself running thinking "this is cool", "I'm loving this". I really hope I can keep this attitude once c25k is done. I'm hoping I can just run for a period of time rather than chasing distances and time 👌

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Unfitforthis]

That’s brilliant! Goals can come in many shapes and forms, and carrying on running for joy is such a great one to hold on to. You’ve found something that’s working. Long may that continue!