Advice needed please! - new runner

chloebarge

Hey everyone i have two questions,

I've been using C25K and am on week 8 now which is 28mins of running. I didn't feel like too much of a challenge today so i added another lap around the park and ran for over 30mins which is what week 9 aims to do. So do you think there is any point of me going back to just running 30 mins for the rest of the programme or should i set myself a higher goal for next week?

I was also wondering about rest days. I run 3 days a week (every other day) but on my rest days i really want to just go out and run! So do you think it is a bad idea to run up to 5 days a week instead? I don't want to cause myself a injury but as im only running about 5k will it really do any harm?

blackgold86

Try Interval?

Run for two minutes at your fastest pace
Jog for two minutes
Repeat..

Stuz359

I completed C25K a week early too, just couldn't resist running the extra. I am just maintaining at the moment, but I am looking at some 10k plans and that starts to incorporate a fourth run in the week. If you do decide to put in an extra run, make it a shorter run than you normally do, you're body really does need the rest days. Know what you mean though. If I have Sunday and Monday as days off from running, by tuesday I'm itching to get out and run. Good luck.

MoreBean13

Here's the deal with rest- your joints and tendons take longer to get used to regular running than your muscles and cardiovascular system do. Even if you feel strong enough, and your CV system can take it, adding too much running too soon puts you at risk for serious overuse injuries. The golden rule is not to add more than 10% to your weekly mileage per week (until you're doing really long runs, then 10% every 2 weeks is better). So, adding 2 extra days is a 67% increase over your current mileage, I wouldn't risk it. Overuse injuries can set you back several weeks where you can't run at all- it's much more sensible to add mileage slowly. If you are dying to get out there, you can cross train on those days- bike, swim, walk, use an elliptical, take a fitness class, do yoga. Any of those activities can help develop the muscular and CV fitness without overstressing the joints.

I never did C25k, so I don't know about wk 8 vs wk 9, etc. Adding a few minutes to your run though is no big deal. You don't have to follow the program exactly- just do what feels right. The way I originally learned to run and build endurance is by running as long as I could, walking just long enough to catch my breath, and running again, with no specific program. Just don't add mileage too quickly, and do whatever works for you!