I've been doing the C25K for the first time. I'm a 48 year old male,
Backstory.. In February 2023 I weighed in at 18.5 stone and joined Slimming World. I smashed through that, losing 5 stone in 5 months, mainly through diet, but as I progressed to lose weight, I started using the treadmill for the first time in my life and started doing HIIT training - 200m walking and 200m running, for longer and longer as I carried on through the weight loss and got fitter.
I eventually lost another stone to take me to 12.5 stone. I'm 6'1" and skinny at this point and I wanted to try road running to keep the weight off. So I started C25K, I found it very, very hard going, but each week I'd complete everything and the sense of achievement has been incredible!
Until now! I finished Week 6 at the end of June and have been struggling to complete any more 25 minute runs. 10 , 15, 16, 17, 20, 15, 14 minutes and I'm completely done in! I've completed the 25 minutes once and it felt great!
I do my running first thing in the morning, ~5-6am and before breakfast (I go to bed at 10pm and don't sleep for much longer than 6 hours). I'm still eating healthily, a couple of boiled eggs in the morning with an orange and a banana, a ham, cheese and salad wrap for lunch and then a slimming world based meal for tea, but also will have more treats than when I was losing my weight last year - the odd takeaway or snacks or beers. I've recently stopped drinking fizzy drinks as I get very phlegmy and spit a lot while running. All I normally drink now is water and a couple of black coffees.
I also go to the gym on alternating mornings with my run as I'm trying to get a bit of muscle on my frame. I've never really done any fitness regimes in my life before all this and gained all my weight over the years after getting married and having children!
Has anyone got any advice how to get over this wall? Should I be eating in the morning before my run, or perhaps the night before to give me more energy/stamina?
Thanks 🙃
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sausageandchips
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You are moving on in such a positive way, but maybe, just maybe, it is time to be a tad kinder to yourself... ?
You have done incredibly well.. so time to ease back try to relax and take a breather. The runs are getting longer... and they are perfect for slow, relaxed running. Letting the new running legs begin to do what they are getting used to.
Eating regime...do check this out on the section in this FAQ post...
Many of us don't eat before a run on this plan, some do, and you should get some useful replies.
"Whatever time of day you run, it is best not to do it on a full stomach. While one man’s large meal is another man’s snack, the general guidance is that you should wait two to four hours after a large meal, before you run, and thirty minutes to two hours after a snack."
I run early after a morning cuppa and two digestive biscuits.. always have... and run about an hour after... I have my breakfast when I get in after a shower... Breakfast, best meal of the day, for me...
The old saying," Breakfast like a king, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a pauper..." It has some merit!
Maybe look at your eating regime...while your diet may be healthy you do need to out the fuel in to get the performance out...
My own feeling and it is mine...I am not an expert nutritionist, but for your height and wight,,, I am not sure you are eating enough... ?
There needs to be a real balance.. and it is a fine line between toned and underweight...I speak from experience, as over thinking and over worry a few years back, meant I lost a lot of weight..
You do need a good, nutritious diet,, great hydration included... every day.
Loads of ideas for core strength and stamina on the S and F Forum.
Hope this may help a tad and hopefully more folk will pop along to offer ideas too
Thanks for your reply! I'm running a fine line at the moment between putting weight back on and maintaining - the eternal struggle I suppose - which is why I'm trying to get fitter to burn more off.
A lot of advice which I'll try and integrate, but what is S&F? I'm new here and only found the forum a day or 2 ago 😊
The Strength and Flex forum...so many useful tips there.The weight bit is hard...on or off...! But we're here to support each other and make sure you get where you want to be !
🍏 Welcome to the forum and sooo well done on getting towards the end of the program already! Amazing!! Sometimes our bodies are ready for the longer runs but our heads need to catch up! The self doubt starts to creep in. One way of getting round it is to give yourself permission to relax and enjoy it. Start the run very slowly especially the first 10 mins… let your body adjust from walking to running, make a conscious effort to relax your shoulders and your arms and hands… increase the pace just a little and keep it steady. If you have energy in the tank towards the end that’s the time to bring it home a wee bit faster. Whatever you do, do not worry about speed until after you have graduated. It will come naturally as you run for longer periods of time. For the moment slow is GOOD 😌 Sometimes when we want to keep weight off we think we need to run fast to burn it off. Avoid injury and let your muscles and tendons strengthen as well as your lungs. Running fast at this stage strains everything and if you injure yourself you will be back on the couch and snacking! Even marathon runners do a lot of slow running when they train to build up stamina and prevent injury. Hope it goes well and please let us know how the next run goes. Relax and enjoy it! You are doing great!! 🥳
Well done on your amazing weight loss! I'm struggling to shift any 👀
I'm also an early morning runner who's recently restarted c2k5. I get up, go to the loo, swill face, brush teeth, glass of water and then straight out. I did this even when at my longest distances a couple of years ago.
I have a glass of water when I get in, quick shower and then breakfast and a coffee. Usually Weetabix with banana and a bit of honey.
I think running on an empty stomach is much easier.
I'd suggest you just keep running, your doing brilliantly and those 25 and then 30 minute hurdles will come!
If your REALLY worn out by 24-25 mins maybe just bring the pace down a touch early in the run, sometimes starting really slowly pays dividends later in the run.
Your doing amazingly well, keep it up and happy running!
Echoing the slow running advice. Spend the first 5-10 minutes concentrating on your breath and how your feet are landing. Once you're comfortable keep it steady. Try saying ' I can get to the end of this sentence on one breath easily' out loud. If you can't say it in one breath slow down.
Speed doesn't matter. Just run comfortably. If it's getting tough try smiling - it lifts your spirits and gives your energy a boost. Or, if there's nobody around to hear shout 'This is fantastic, I'm doing great!'. Sounds bonkers but it'll really boost you.
Gosh, you have really done amazingly, so that needs to be said first! 🙂
I can’t comment on your nutrition - I think we are all so different and my guess is you will be the expert on that but I would echo the comments about pace. As the runs get longer, it is even more important to ease off on speed and just run at what feels like a comfortable pace…even slower too! This enables your body to build up endurance - speed can come later and often improves naturally over time.
I also think that weeks 6 and 7 are where the gremlins often catch us and start us doubting.!😈 Trust in the programme and find yourself a good positive mantra - ‘I am strong - I’ve got this!’ is one of mine!
I accepted at W5 FR3 that it was all in the mind, so when 25mins came up I just thought, "sure it's only another 5 mins". Same with 28mins and 30mins. That worked for me.
From reading a lot of forum posts and from my own wk 6 & 7 experiences, the slow bit is key. I know it doesn't always feel right, but I gave myself a compromise, slow and steady until Laura tells me that there is only 60 seconds to go, and then I up the speed as much as I am able to, not quite a 400m sprint but more than the slow jog.
If c25k has taught me one thing, it's that it is about time and not distance and not speed, those will come later, for now keep it slow so you build the endurance.
Running on the treadmill made it a bit easier for me I think. With the jump from 20 to 25 I was there thinking, well I've done 20 I'm sure I can do 21, and 21 is nearly 22 which is nearly halfway through, and now I'm halfway through I can do another minute or so, and well 60 seconds is about 110 paces, I can do 110 more paces...
Well done on all of your achievements, first of all!!!
I would just add/highlight the slow and steady pace. I used to laugh because my briskest walk was faster than my running pace. But it got me through the programme, it got me to 5K, and more recently, it got me to 10K.
I take pride in heading to the back of the pack during races knowing that I'm going to run a 5K where six months ago that was the furtherest thing from my mind.
And there's no issue with repeating weeks/runs as you need to...your body has been through a lot of changes...it will tell you when you are ready.
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I have my breakfast when I get in after a shower... Breakfast, best meal of the day, for me...
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