Are you a new runner working your way through Couch to 5k (C25K)? Perhaps you’ve never run before, or maybe you were keen at sports when you were younger but it’s been a while.
Or have you started/completed C25K before but changes in life circumstances – illness, injuries, babies, responsibilities – got in the way of the good habits you set up the first time you did the program so you’re doing it again?
If so, this is the post for you. We want to know how you’re getting on.
Are you still gathering up your courage to start? Is there something specifically holding you back? It took me about six months to find some headphones so I could listen to the app, absolutely daft, they were in my bedroom drawer the whole time. Have you got an even flimsier excuse? 😂
Are you right at the beginning, only a week or two under your belt? Or perhaps you’re a few weeks in, ticking off runs and patting yourself on the back? Or near completion, hardly able to believe what you’re achieving?
Perhaps it’s not going so well. Have you hurt yourself? It’s very easy to overdo it when you’re carried away by enthusiasm. It takes time for your joints and muscles to get used to the increased strain you put on them, especially as we get older.
Is Imposter Syndrome whispering in your ear? Are the Gremlins telling you all those reasons why you should just put your feet up and leave your running shoes in the cupboard?
Or maybe you just aren’t enjoying it. I didn’t, at first. Then, around Week 3, I gave myself a good talking to, abandoned the 'I hate running' view I'd cherished until then and discovered why so many people love this activity.
This is a really supportive and kind group and if you’re struggling a bit we’ll do our best to help. Likewise, if it’s all going fantastically well this is a wonderful thing to share, we all love a success story
So, don’t be shy, how is C25K going for you?
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Yesletsgo
Administrator
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Hi I have managed to do two runs of stage 7 one failed by one minute the other just completed and am seriously considering stopping as I am struggling with knee and hip issues and I can’t afford a serious injury at my age.
Sorry to read this. Please don’t carry on running until you have visited your GP or Physio for some professional advice. They will be able to advise you about the correct way to get you forward.
In the meantime I’ve dropped a link below. It’s called active 10 and you can still exercise …perhaps gentle walks. Many of us aswell as running go walking and share our walking experiences.
Please don’t keep running if it’s upsetting you. It would be awful if you were to injure yourself.
Anyway here’s the link below. Why not take a look 👀
Thanks for the link I do quite a lot of walking as it’s not as much pressure on the joints and I’m signed up for the Memory walk for Alzheimer’s in October but thanks for your sound advice and I hope to get back running again soon 👍
Oh, I am sorry to hear about your difficulties. Please don't run through what sounds to be some serious issues. Do see a health care provider before starting out again.
Seconding what Folkylass says, it's really important to get these aches and pains checked out.
Before you do that it's always worth taking a couple of days to rest, ice the sore area if necessary, put a compression dressing on the bit that hurts and elevate your legs. Painkillers can help too (unless there are medical reasons not to take them, bear in mind I'm not a doctor but this is just my personal approach). If after 3-5 days you're no better see a doctor or physio. On the other hand maybe you just needed to give those joints a bit of a rest.
When we start to run we get all sorts of aches and pains. I didn't realise how complicated our lower limbs are until I started to run. I think I've hurt every tendon I didn't realise I had.
When you mention pain in the knee and hip I think back to last year. I was on the trip of a lifetime in France when I got an excruciating pain in the outer side of my right hip and knee. If I walked very carefully it would resolve after a couple of hundred metres but I could barely hobble at times. I wasn't able to get to a doctor for nearly 5 months. He examined me, told me it was my ilio tibial band, gave me one, yes JUST ONE exercise to do and said to use ibuprofen gel at night. Within 3 days I was fine. I could have saved a whole summer of pain. Don't be like me, get it checked out, you could save yourself a lot of discomfort.
Now I realise that I need to adapt it is working fine for me. Even though I am at early stages - first week 2 coming today after 4 weeks adapting week 1 I am getting a good amount of time in zone 2 and surprisingly I am already feeling fitter
It's amazing the difference it makes once you get up and get moving on a regular basis. Well done for taking the time to adapt the plan to what works best for you.The first step of anything new is often the hardest. Now that you're on the way things will get better and better.
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Setting the pace (For Couch to 5k)
Spring into action Quest Week 2. So how is this month going folks? 🌤🌷
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