C25K is truly up and running!
The C25K is now coming up to week 3! All who are taking part are doing brilliantly and it’s great to see such positive attitudes and commitment to their individual goals!
As we have gradually increased the running time and reduced the walking time we can notice the differences – not only in the distance we cover but also in how we feel in ourselves. Depending on your previous levels and types of exercise, this is when the body might start to say “What are you doing to me?!?!”. On the one hand, you probably have a rush of “feel-good-feelings” as you’ve finished each session with the endorphin’s rushing around and the sense of success to have made it out the door again! I often find that even if it felt like I didn’t run as well as I wanted, I’m still really pleased that I went out and did something.
On the other hand, some might start to feel some aches and pains. This is quite normal as your body is adjusting to the new strains of running. All your joints, tendons and ligaments are getting used to the increased impact that comes with running. Someone said to me that running is like falling graciously. I’m not so sure about gracious but it gives that sense of how each time you put a foot down it has a bit more impact then when you are just walking. Please come and chat to one of us run leaders or supporters if you are having niggles of some sort.
The important thing at this point is to listen to your body and give it the best chance to recover and build strength between each session. Make sure to rest and re-hydrate.
You know your body best – trust what it tells you. If you need to rest or have a break, then do. If you find that keeping active actually helps reduce the stiffness and reduce the pain, then carry on. Just make sure to monitor yourself so you don’t overdo it. If you find that the pain increases during activity or you start having sharp pains, then stop and allow your body to fully recover before thinking about getting back on track. You might then want to get some advice from a physio therapist or your GP to make sure you remain well and injury free.
Some of you may however have now caught the running bug and are struggling to contain yourselves between our two sessions! If you want to do more in between then go for it! Just remember to allow yourselves rest and perhaps think about cross-training such as cycling, swimming, yoga etc. That way you change the impact on your joints and how your muscles are used. The C25K programme we are following doesn’t require you to do any additional sessions so it is entirely up to you if you want to do more or not.
Looking forward to the next session!
/Johanna, Club Secretary