Hello

[Murphy113113]

Hello

I started C25K 2 years ago when I lost some weight doing slimming world and would like to share my story

C25K weeks one to three were done in the gym with cheap trainers I then decided to speak to people on there experiences

1) first thing get you running gait checked out in simple terms this is the way you move when running and how your feet land on the ground a lot of running shops do this for free it’s part of the service don’t be afraid to ask them questions use there experience they are there to help you my local shop was “up and running”

I bought a pair of running shoes which were £100 , sounds a lot but I bet a lot of you spend this on cloths or night out drinking and if you carry on running put £2.00 a week in jar to get you next pair once you’ve worn the first pair out

2 run outside when ever you can don’t just use a gym treadmill you are missing so much and a lot of benefits that outside running has , and at this point I went back to week two of C25K don’t be afraid to go back a week or a run in a week and do it again it’s all there to build up your confidence

3 C25K once completed doesn’t mean you can run 5k in 30 minutes it means you can run for 30 minutes and then more don’t worry if you take longer than 30 minutes

4 join a running club and by this I mean get out with like minded people maybe a friend or go to a parkrun

5 parkrun is one of the best ways to meet like minded people who run at all level of abilities no winners no losers and you will make friends whilst running you can also help by volunteering and make more friends , like minded people who like to be outdoors at 9:00 on a Saturday morning it’s a great way to start a weekend

6 so C25K done what’s next well the sky’s your limit now but just don’t stop keep on running

Enter a local race 5k 10k 1/2 marathon full marathon , ultra marathon 50k 100k 100 miles are all distances to aim for running on roads or running off roads (trail running) get out and enjoy yourself , trail running doesn’t have to be up steep hills it’s just running on other surfaces other than tarmac

7 after running for about 1 year I decided I wanted to do an ultra marathon this is any distance above 42.19k or over 26 miles my first ultra was the K2B in the Lake District and I did this with 2 friends in the end we walked more than run and the 37.5 miles took us 13 hours the winner did it in a little over 5 hours but the hills and beautiful scenery made it all worth while I then did my second ultra which was the RTTS day one 50k and I did this on my own for most of the way but met so great people along the way

8 ultras as against marathons I’ve never done a road marathon and I still don’t think I want to they are hard but an ultra is easier , now I can see you all asking how can that be well a marathon is all about the time you keep on running you grab a drink at the water station sup the water but keep on running but an ultra you are encouraged to walk especially up hills you are encouraged to stop at the aid stations to eat proper food to talk to people make friends it’s just like been at a big party , it’s not easy to do you still should train but if you want to go out and achieve something then an ultra is the way to do it

9 thanks for reading this and if you got this far then well done

John

[Hidden]

You should post this on the c25k forum instead. It would be informative and encouraging for a lot of people just starting out

[Murphy113 in reply to Hidden]

I did to be fair then noticed the marathon one so copied and pasted it here 😁

[Hidden in reply to Murphy113]

It’s interesting to read of your amazing progress, but the other info is probably old hat here. You’ve done some awesome runs though 😊

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Wow. That's amazing. Well done you!

I've pretty much said no to the idea of running a marathon and am pretty sure I mean it (gotta be careful as I didn't think I'd ever run 10k let alone more!), but you just managed to make an ultra sound much more fun.... I'm currently on the IC couch so all I get to do is dream - this is a new one for me 😀. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure a lot of what you've said will be especially valuable in the C25K forum, so good to hear you've posted there too.

[Murphy113113 in reply to linda9389]

If you like cake crisps and sweets ultras are for you most people do them about 1/2 there marathon pace so if a road marathon takes 4 hours then the ultra will take around 8 you walk the hills and sometimes walk in between

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Murphy113113]

Hmmm! I wouldn't be able to do a marathon in 4 hours, that's for sure 🤣🤣🤣

[Murphy113113 in reply to linda9389]

I did a half along my local canal track with “it’s grim up north” 2 hours 40 and it killed me leg cramps for the last 3 miles that was in the February in May I did the Lake District K2B that was a lot of speed walking rather than running 37.5 miles in 14 1/2 hours it’s all about getting time in your legs I suppose we could have gone a bit quicker but we stopped for 45 minutes at the half way point

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Fantastic progress in just 2 years. Well done John! 👍🏻🏅😁

[Madge50 Marathon]

Thanks for posting, this is really interesting, and shows what a variety of events there are out there....we’re all different, and I must admit I like the idea of such a social run, I love being outside - I’m already looking at a cross country 5 x 5k next year , different route for each that goes on the hour each hour, and you have an hour to complete each one......no pressure to be a racing gazelle.....its good to try something different.

Mx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Madge50]

That sounds fun too! Then again anything sounds fun compared to the IC. I better be careful here 😀

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I know.....then there’s a ‘chase the train’.....(no chance to beat it, I know......but it’s fun taking part if you get a ride back with a steam locomotive taking the strain...😎) ........

Mx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Madge50]

You're in for some fun times 😍

[misswobble Marathon]

Well done! We start from the couch and look where we end up! We'd no idea when we first took those first tentative steps wherethey'd lead. It's an interesting journey isn't it.

I wanted to do an ultra last year but events conspired against me. It's on my to do list. Just a little matter of another marathon to get out of the way first though

Good luck with your running! Have fun

[Lavender1962 Half Marathon]

It was great reading about your ultra experience. It sounds interesting and not like I expected it would be. You’ve made a lot of progress since you started C25K, Well done!

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Great read John, thanks for sharing your amazing journey. One day in the distant future I am hoping to maybe try an ultra. This was great info to take in.

[Tasha99 Marathon]

Well done! Although you should share this on the C25k forum 👍🏽

[Murphy113113 in reply to Tasha99]

I did just been lazy and copied and pasted when I found this one

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to Murphy113113]

It’s a great story

[Katnap Marathon]

😁 you make ultras sound a breeze! Well done Murphy113113

[Murphy113113 in reply to Katnap]

They are compared to road marathons usually no worries about time yes your on your feet longer but it’s not as pressurised as a road marathon plus plenty of pit stops with food in them , I’ll be doing a couple next year you can power walk an ultra and still be well in the cut offs

[SmilingTortoise1 Half Marathon]

Wow what an amazing running journey you have had in the last 2 years 👏👏👊

Thanks for posting. I have just managed to reach HM distance and there's a lot in inspiration in your post for where to aim next 😊

[HappyNoodle 10 Miles]

Thank you for this. I have been thinking about trail and (embarrassed face as thinking far ahead now) an ultra and you have put it more firmly in my head. I am in the middle of London so trail running means travelling but I will have to start looking at where I need to go. Thank you 😊