Finished C25K.. now what?

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hj1119
hj1119 Posts: 173 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I will be finishing up week 8 of the C25K program as of Wednesday! Whooo hoo! Jogging for 30 minutes straight never felt so good.. and certainly wasn't anything I ever thought *I* would do.

So my next question is - what now? As proud as I am that I can jog 30 minutes straight now, it's getting kind of boring. Not sure if I can keep it up because as much as I would like to keep up the exercising, I don't love being a "runner" - I liked following "challenges" or "programs".. I'm not sure the 10K trainer is for me though because I choose to get up at in the wee hours of the morning to do it so the 40 minutes of the C25K app is close to the maximum amount of time I have.

I also live on a rural stretch of road so there's not much I can do to change up my route. I only have 2 choices of routes - unless I take a detour through a graveyard which spooks the dog and feels a little disrespectful, I'm not gonna lie. Run/walk intervals are good for me :)

What would you suggest?

Replies

  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I think they have a 5k to 10k program.
  • jigsawxyouth
    jigsawxyouth Posts: 308 Member
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    You should check out Zombies, Run...
    Might make the jog by the graveyard a little more entertaining...
  • Leigh_b
    Leigh_b Posts: 552 Member
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    run a race. I didn't totally buy into the running thing until I completed a race... then I was hooked
  • Wails
    Wails Posts: 3
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    Try an interval running program. It changes it up, gives you new challenges, can be done in the same amount of time, and is even better for weight loss. I love the app that I have used, "Running for Weight Loss", it tells you when you should be running, sprinting, walking and so on as well as tracks your time and distance so you can really see the progress. You can also choose what level you want to do it at.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
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    Personally when I finished C25K I started to work on adding a bit of speed to my runs, which allowed me to run further, and that led to running longer and getting up even earlier. I have finally reached a limit, at least I hope so, of getting up at 3:50 a.m. for my daily exercise which includes quite a bit of running. I feel for you on the route limitation....I can either go left or right but either way leads to the same basic loop...... Best of luck!
  • _funrungirl
    _funrungirl Posts: 145 Member
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    If you don't like running then don't run. I don't see why running through a graveyard would seem disrespectful, in fact I think its nice that you're visiting.

    Check out some of the MFP challenge boards, there are a ton of them. Everything from BeachBody, to Les Mills, to burpees, bootcamp drills.
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
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    Sign up for some races. There's nothing wrong with sticking to 3 milers for a while. When and if you are ready to increase your distance, you will.
  • nehushtan
    nehushtan Posts: 566 Member
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    Running got boring (and painful) to me also, so I switched to bicycling.

    But also consider that cardio does little to improve one's muscles. Cardio burns energy. It shrinks fat stored up in various pouches around the body, or burns off recently-consumed calories so they don't turn into pouches. But it doesn't make your skin and muscles firm and taut.

    Strength training is "the fountain of youth".
  • hj1119
    hj1119 Posts: 173 Member
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    I have finally reached a limit, at least I hope so, of getting up at 3:50 a.m.

    WideEyes.jpg
  • hj1119
    hj1119 Posts: 173 Member
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    run a race. I didn't totally buy into the running thing until I completed a race... then I was hooked

    I am signed up for one but it's not til September! :(
  • hj1119
    hj1119 Posts: 173 Member
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    I love the app that I have used, "Running for Weight Loss"

    Is there a free version I could try before I buy that you know of?

    My ideal app would have random intervals (tell me to run / walk / sprint etc) in 30-45 minute / 2-3 mile routines and also track calories / distance / time, work with music, etc. Does the paid version do all that?
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
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    There is a program to continue from C25k up to 10k. I am on it, started at week 9, so not to repeat the training for 5k.
    Stef.
  • Wails
    Wails Posts: 3
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    Yes, that is actually exactly what it is.
  • Wails
    Wails Posts: 3
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    I love the app that I have used, "Running for Weight Loss"

    Is there a free version I could try before I buy that you know of?

    My ideal app would have random intervals (tell me to run / walk / sprint etc) in 30-45 minute / 2-3 mile routines and also track calories / distance / time, work with music, etc. Does the paid version do all that?

    I don't think there is a free version, but that is exactly what you described. it gives you a 9 week program, it can be Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced and that dictates how long, how far and how much sprinting and walking you do. I did the advanced so it started at 3 mi and 45 minutes long and got longer, but I assume the other programs have more walking and less sprinting. The app doesn't include music, but it does allow you to play music and the prompts from the app go over the music, I use it with Pandora and it isn't a problem. It also breaks down your times and distances for you (walked this distance at this pace, ran this distance at this pace and so on, and then also gives you your overall distance and pace).
    I found it very worth the $4 for the app and if you like it, you have 2 more steps to go where it would be useful for you!
  • WRENxxx
    WRENxxx Posts: 11 Member
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    Running isn't for everyone. Try cycling, swimming, or even hopping on an eliptical/crosstrainer to keep improving your cardio. You could also try something a little less traditional and do dance/zumba or kickboxing. You can also lift to improve your cardio by introducing circuit training. Good luck!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,212 MFP Moderator
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    You should check out Zombies, Run...
    Might make the jog by the graveyard a little more entertaining...

    This. I LOVE Zombies, Run. Entertainment while running - always a good thing.
  • RunnersLament
    RunnersLament Posts: 140 Member
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    Great Job completing C25K.... Now what? Just Run!

    Quite often I see rookie runners finish a program and then they just stop. They have nothing to keep them focused and no goals to accomplish. And when that happens they stop and they regress.

    As others have mentioned, sign up for a race to keep something on the horizon and keep you training. Even if you are content to stay at 5K, you can still work that last week of training over and over again to get better/faster/stronger.

    Some other options include joining a running group a few times a week (the Running Room stores offer free group runs on Wednesdays/Sundays... I am sure others do it as well.) Running with a group is a great way to enjoy the social aspect of running and keep you focused on running.

    Staying challenged and focused helps you become a better runner and reap the rewards that running can offer you.

    Awesome achievement! Keep it up!

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