A bit of a delay but feeling super confident!

[Midlifewino]

it’s been a while since I posted but wanted to share with you about my last few weeks experience. I’m a total beginner runner at the fine age of 57 and have been taking things nice and steady until the end of week 6 when I started to compare my running pace with others. I’d been finding the journey fairly easy and was totally pain free and then competitive me decided I should up the pace a bit to improve my time. WHOOPS! WK7R2 - Having got a bit bored of my usual route which is up the road and back (I don’t have a short loop that I can do) I decided to just keep running and then do a long walk back round the long loop to cool down which took me to around 5 miles. The run was fine but on the walk back I felt a niggle in my hip! I have a best friend that’s a physio and she took and look and decided it was probably a bursa that’s got inflamed! Rested it for 4 days until no pain and then tried to run again at my improved pace and straight away it started hurting! I felt totally deflated and thought maybe my journey was over!

After a few more days rest and whilst out walking the dog I thought I’d just try a little jog at a very steady pace - and amazingly no pain. Last Monday I did a test run WK6R3 at my slow steady pace and no pain whilst running but I do get pain when walking. I now have exercises to strengthen my reluctant hip and take anti inflammatories and ice for the bursa. Yesterday after another week off I decided to pick up from where I left off before the injury and completed week 7. I’m now feeling super exited and quietly confident that the end is in sight once more!

so for all those that think they’re very slow like me, can I just say that’s absolutely fine and don’t compare yourself your’e doing amazing at your pace! And to anyone that’s had a set back with injury or illness don’t worry about losing fitness as it seems to stay with you even after a few weeks of not doing much! Have a great day everyone!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done you. We have many, many posts here on this very subject of slow and steady... the C25K programmed is so structured and builds up, so beautifully, why rush it?

Your long walk sounds lovely and I am sure the dog enjoyed that little jogette too.

Steady as you go now and hang onto that thought you mention...your runs, your pace...

"Comparison is the thief of joy!

[Bhavin1120 Graduate]

Your doing just fine. One tip also try the reverse of your route.

[Midlifewino in reply to Bhavin1120]

Hi Bhavin thanks for the tip but sadly I live at the top of a fairly steep hill so going the other way means downhill to start with and then a lot of up hill 😬 don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet so the other way is flatter! One day maybe! 🤔

[drl212 Graduate]

That's a tough lesson learned. But yes, slow and steady and no comparison.

Go at your own pace. Consistent runs each week will help build up your pace on its own. Then you can look at sensible, step-by-step programmes to reach whatever goal you choose.

All the best...

[Beachcomber66 Graduate]

just a quick glimpse into the future! I started C25k aged 66 and am nearly 73 now. I decided to extend distance after C25k rather than focus on pace, and eventually hit sub 30 minutes for 5k about 12 months after completing the course….but I was running long distances, up to HM by then. Extending distances first and letting the pace build as muscles got stronger worked for me…but we are all different.