Feeling lonely

[Amyn1992]

Hiya. I feel so lonely with having no friends to talk to or come on long walks/runs with me.

[Amyn1992]

I'm joining a local run near me on Wednesday but feeling really nervous

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Parkrun is a good suggestion, give it a go.

[Archerygoddess Graduate]

What week of C25K are you on? It seems that you've done something positive by starting on this journey. I'm sure you'll enjoy your run on Wednesday and meet new friends, but you have loads of VRBs ( virtual running buddies) here as well!

[Penwithpink Graduate]

Do t b nervous about park running they are such lovely friendly communities you are all there for a common purpose x none of my friends understand the running bug either x I prefer being by myself personally but pls give park run a try it’s really fun!! Good luck xx

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate]

Try joining a local running club 🤞🏼

[Kevin41 Graduate]

absolutely look at joining a local running club or group who have a C25K or beginners group etc. There will be plenty of people to run with and the shared experience of C25K will help with conversation and friendship. It may seem a big step but you’ll be glad you did it

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hello and welcome!

Yo seem to have had a heck of a lot to handle over the past years since your op'... have you got the go ahead from your doctor to take this running on now...?

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

If you want to run with folk at home, then check out your local running groups and join them!

Loads of supprt out there and here too!

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

Good Morning Amy

It sounds like you’ve been through the wars and it’s been really tough for you. But you’ve made a really positive decision to get yourself healthier and fitter.

As you have had a serious injury and subsequent op you probably have already or otherwise need to ask your Dr/physio what is appropriate for you in terms of exercises and how to build on them. Anything you do should be very gradual and review each stage to make sure you are ok.

Is there a local gym where you could join a beginner Pilates or yoga class ? There may be other classes you could sample to see what is available. If the instructors are good they should discuss with you what you can do and how to pace or adapt the exercises .

It does always feel as if everyone else has friends and family around when one is feeling alone. I moved recently and it has been an experience losing easy casual friends and acquaintances . But on the whole people want to be ‘friendly’, it is just increasingly hard to ‘make friends’ in the closer way one does as a child or young person.

There could also be something like a walking group, an art group or a book club where you will be around people and this might feed in to other ideas. Maybe you could do some volunteering in some area you are interested in, to meet and get involved.

Good luck and don’t feel sad, feel positive that you are turning your physical and mental health around. Just be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much of yourself. Gradual is good. Keep posting as people will support you here. X

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

I absolutely love this reply JeremiahObadiah ❤️ I totally agree with everything you’ve said here.

It is so hard to make friends as an adult. The same thing happened when we moved to an area where we didn’t know anyone. It takes time to get past the “how are you?” “Fine thanks” level of conversation and have people you can be honest with that it’s actually been a bit rubbish. It took six months of regularly spending time around the same group of people to get there, but it did happen.

Wishing you all the best Amyn1992 . It’s a lovely, friendly community here and we will happily chat to you about all aspects of your run journey. Really hope you can start building those real life friendships too.

[Basil73]

I do mine on my own If I go with others I would feel compelled to go faster.

[Jools2020 Graduate]

I just recently joined a running club. I was so nervous the first time I went! I got there early and sat in the car waiting for them. When they all gathered it seemed a huge step to go and join the group but I’m so glad I did. Mine is part of the Run Together group and welcomes runners of all abilities. They even run Couch to 5K groups. You may have a local group near you.

I also swallowed my nerves and went to my local parkrun. It doesn’t matter if you are a slower runner, it doesn’t even matter if you walk it, it’s the taking part that matters. I felt great afterwards and got chatting to a few people! If you don’t feel like walking or running then volunteering there is a fantastic way to meet people and be part of it.

This forum is so supportive, too and it’s interesting to read run reports from others to get ideas. Write your own to share successes and ask for advice if you need to!

I have realised that I need to make the effort to make friends. Unfortunately potential friends do not come and beat a path to my door! But making an effort, even though that can be hard, is worth it.

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate]

There is always a supportive reply here 😊 Try looking on your local authority web page. Mine does local guided walks quite regularly for people of all abilities. The Ramblers may also be an option. Also you could try joining a book club or a night class. If you do something you love you may find people with common interests who may also enjoy a walk/ run. I hope you can get over your nerves to push yourself out of your comfort zone to join the local run. It’s always hard at the time but tends to widen your horizons each time and boost confidence. Good luck!