Postgraduate motivation. Other badges to work towards?

[Nevertoolate]

I'm a graduate who's running alone and trying to work up to 10k. Like everyone I have highs and lows, and today is a wet, cold, rainy low day. I loved doing C25K and sharing the experience with all my fellow newbies. I was mighty proud of finally getting through to the end and having the graduate badge attached to my name. The whole process made me feel like part of a big friendly running club!

Now I'm a bit lonesome I suppose in the running part of my life. I don't feel up to joining a club (especially not here in France). I run alone using the C25k° podcasts. I read of so many graduates who need a bit of encouragement and motivation to carry onwards and upwards. I just wonder if anyone else thinks it would be motivating if we could get other badges like 10k, half-marathon and the M word? Maybe I'm asking too much and the C25K site isn't the place for that.

[AliB1 Graduate]

Not asking too much!!! You might not get a badge but if you post what you are aiming for we'll support you all the way Must be hard in a different country...my advice would be if it is not a language issue try and join a local club....it's what makes me continue and gives lots of support.

I have had moments of struggling post graduation but for me it's focusing on the next run / event etc. Try and set goals e.g sign up for a 5k race etc as that will give you the motivation to keep going. Good luckj and let us know how you get on

[Nevertoolate Graduate in reply to AliB1]

Thanks for the support. I guess I'm not really doing this for badges but for me, but the support on this website is amazing. I speak French fluently but I don't feel ready to face having to adjust my training to other people for now. Maybe when I feel more confident. I just wish they did Park Runs here like in the UK. Everything is much more formal and forbidding here it seems.

[Deryn61 Graduate]

I can relate to this as I felt exactly the same a few weeks after graduation! My answer then was to enter a 10k with about 6 weeks notice (not so easy at this time of the year!).

I then joined a club that genuinely welcomes beginners but not because I really wanted to, I was quite happy just going out with my dog and plodding along, but it's been the best thing I have done!

I was also trying to explain to a lady who is thinking of doing C25K but just keeps putting it off, just how gratifying it is when you actually move through the weeks and I remembered that one thing that kept me going was that I texted my sister when I was due to go and run and then the first thing I would do after one of the sessions was to text her again to report back! Helped keep me on the straight and narrow!

Your suggestion has merits though. But in the meantime you message me every time you intend to run and then message me once its done if that helps!

Andrea

[Nevertoolate Graduate]

Thanks so much Andrea, you're so kind. As I said above I don't feel ready to join a club here yet - maybe next year. You're right about sharing the experience. I did C25K at the same time as my twin sister who is in the UK. She's very bravely now physically accompanying a friend through C25K, so she's not able to continue on the same path as me. I expect that's why I feel a bit more out on a limb. I do share with her still and we encourage each other. Nonetheless, I'd love to share with you from time to time. Thanks very much again. I'm off out in the dark and chill tomorrow morning to make up for my lost weekend (no running since Friday).

As for the badge idea - I'll just see what others respond.

[shelleymcb Graduate]

it would be great if laura was there with a bridge to 10k program as lots of us feel lost without her & after following the c25k+ podcasts (they are new, didnt have them when I graduated you lucky people!) there may be a need for another goal to properly work towards.

also, if you were able to add a b210k badge, a half m & a big M to your name, wouldnt it be nice to see that the answers you are getting come from someone who has "been there & done that" & got the badge to prove it

a nice idea. & may stop c25kers losing their motivation & stepping back to the couch. X

[Nevertoolate Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

Those were my thoughts when I posted this question shelley. When you ask a question about 10k and someone writes back with 10k beside their name it would immediately be clear.

I thought another badge to aim for with the C25K+ podcasts to help would maybe help encourage us postgrads who lose a bit of oomph! It doesn't look as though it's a very popular idea so far and perhaps the others who have replied are right - we need to move on to doing our own training plan, have our own goals and perhaps join a club.

[swanscot Graduate]

Like Deryn, I too signed up for a 10K race that was 6 weeks after completing the C25K plan. I made my training plan based on the BUPA 10K training plan, printed it out and stuck it up beside my calendar at my desk.

Even if you can't find a race coming up, you could follow a training plan. If it helps you to share your progress maybe you could label your posts 10K -8, and count down to running 10K, or 5K to 10K Week 1 or something. I realise it will be your individual training plan and not everyone will immediately recognise what stage you are at, but us 5K+ graduates will get the general idea and give support where we can.

[Nevertoolate Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Hello swanscot. I am following my own training plan, using Speed, Stamina and my own long run once a week to build up to 10k. It's working out but I'm not building up regularly and thought another badge might just push me along a little bit more. I'm up to 8k but not finding it easy to go for longer. I know there's no rush but I just feel I'm stagnating a bit. But you're right too, I know you all understand where I'm at and are there to support me. I'm so grateful!

[Wishingb Graduate]

The directory lists 581 graduates. We could all ask for or suggest something to the admin?

[Nevertoolate Graduate]

Hello Wishingb. Thanks for your reply. I was waiting to see how many people sounded interested and given that there were so few I'm not sure its a goer! I might drop a line to the admin and let them decide whether its worth pursuing.

[Wishingb Graduate in reply to Nevertoolate]

Perhaps you may wish to submit it as a poll question?

[genevan Graduate]

I knew I would not keep going after C25K unless I had a goal. So I am now working up to 10k/60 minutes using interval training (though the walks are only 1 minute long!). I copied the programme from the C210K app for iphone and mark off the runs on a piece of paper above my desk; bupa also have a similar one as noted by a previous post. Also, I have just signed up to do a half marathon next May with colleagues at work. Having a goal, using a programme to work towards that goal, and colleagues asking about progress, seems to be a good formula. I track my runs using endomondo, and can definitely see the progress I am making. We are all different, so I think it is a case of figuring out what works for you then sticking to it. For example, I run in the early mornings before breakfast ... and am hopelessly unmotivated in the evenings. Others I am sure are exactly the other way round!

[Nevertoolate Graduate in reply to genevan]

Me too, I prefer running in the morning before breakfast but I can't do so in the week because I have to leave for work at 6.40 a.m. I'm managing 2-3 runs a week nevertheless - and enjoying every minute!

I'm trying to get to do 5k under 30 minutes and get up to 10k at the same time. I hope to do both at once. Then I'll sign up for something too. Good luck with your half marathon in May!