How imperative is it to follow training plan exactly?

CharlesWPB

CharlesWPB

Barefooters
Jun 3, 2012
14
10
3
30
Brandon, MB
bananas-and-running.blogspot.ca
#1
I'm doing C25K and I'm on about week 3.
I know that It's perfectly fine to repeat a day/week as needed if I'm not ready to continue or to take an extra day of rest if I feel I need it. However, what if I want to run more?
Once or twice I week I've been doing some short runs on 'rest' days (nothing intense, just relaxed pace, a couple km at most) simply because I just have to get moving, I enjoy running and can' not run :/
Plus, at this point the workouts seems like nothing, I finish them and I feel like I could have gone through like 5 times that and don't quite feel satisfied :/ my muscle are never sore I'm just slightly less tired than before hand. (I've tried sprinting during the running portions helps me for the day of the workout, but by the next day I'm completely fine again and want to run again)
My gut tells me that at the moment I'm fine as nothing hurts, or aches, or feels sore, but I'm wondering if perhaps Im overdoing it?
Everything I find online basically says to not going over what is says in the plan, not even by a single km, but Ive been doing this since I started the progam and feel fine.

If I start to feel like it's too much I'll stop, but at the moment it doesn't even feel like enough.

Basically, am I going to injure myself, or should I be fine as long as I tone it down if things start to get hairy?
 
#2
You may just be in better shape than the C25K assumes when most people get off the "couch". However, I would be VERY cautious about adding extra miles. You will do NO harm if you do a little less than you're capable of. You can absolutely injure yourself if you do more than you're ready for. Have patience. In the grand scheme of things we're talking a few weeks and you'll start to get your distances up to where they may at least start to feel challenging. You'll be healthy, uninjured, and ready to continue adding mileage.....very gradually. The 10% rule still seems to be considered by most as a good guideline (add no more than 10% of your current weekly mileage in any given week).

So, while you may seem less than challenged right now, you're actually building a base for when the challenges come. Enjoy it. You'll be ready when the time comes. If you add challenges now, without the base......you may be back on the couch and even more frustrated.
 
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#3
I concur with Hawkbilly. If you're 20 years old, thin and athletic, you probably could do more. If you're older, out of shape, and have little experience with sports, then caution is in order. But as Hawkbilly says, no matter what, there's little to be lost by going slow, and lot of risk in going too fast. If you get a stress fracture it will set you back by weeks or months. In my own case, I came to BFR as a casual barefooter so my soles were already developed somewhat, got up to three miles within a month, and then out of the blue, got moderately painful TOFP in my left foot. There had been no warning signs on previous runs. I probably wouldn't have listened--my previous running and barefoot experience made me overconfident--but I wish I had known about the 10% rule at the time.
Also, it would be helpful to know if you're running barefoot barefoot or barefoot shod. Most people recommend starting out with actual existing barefoot running.
 
#4
I'm going to agree that you need to stick to the C25K program even if it is easy. When you start running, there will be some part of your body that is the weakest link. If you're reasonably fit, it isn't going to be your cardiovascular system. But it might be some weird ligament in your knee or ankle. Go too fast, and you'll hurt that weak link and end up back on the couch for six weeks.

My husband had many, many aborted attempts to start running. For ten years, he'd start, go too fast, and then end up giving up when something hurt. It wasn't until he slllloooowwwwweddd down and finally did C25K that he was able to run. He did C25K last year, and is now really a runner.

Go cycling, go swimming, or lift weights if it isn't enough exercise.
 
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#5
I guess back when I got off the couch and started running again a year and a half a go I didn't know there were any sort of running programs like c25k. I'm actually glad because I just got out and ran and listened to my body, not some sort of program. I understand everyone is concerned about your safety and well being, but if you don't feel your doing enough and you are not satisfied after a workout then your body is telling you it can handle a little bit more. It's funny, as barefooters we preach to listen to our bodies, but for some reason we don't seem to listen when it tells us we can do more. I'm not telling you to go and get all buck wild and crazy with running, but maybe you can add an extra minute or two to your run portions and see how it goes. You are probably in better shape than this training program assumes as a lot of people that start doing it can barely walk without getting winded.
 
#6
Yeah I totally repeated some days or even weeks. I'm just now on the home stretch to the finish of E25K, an 8 week program which has taken me about 8 months to complete. I've never been a runner or did any kind of regular workouts before now.

Go slower and repeat days or weeks if you have to, but I would not skip ahead if you have no prior running or BF experience.
 
#7
NickW said:
I guess back when I got off the couch and started running again a year and a half a go I didn't know there were any sort of running programs like c25k. I'm actually glad because I just got out and ran and listened to my body, not some sort of program. I understand everyone is concerned about your safety and well being, but if you don't feel your doing enough and you are not satisfied after a workout then your body is telling you it can handle a little bit more. It's funny, as barefooters we preach to listen to our bodies, but for some reason we don't seem to listen when it tells us we can do more. I'm not telling you to go and get all buck wild and crazy with running, but maybe you can add an extra minute or two to your run portions and see how it goes. You are probably in better shape than this training program assumes as a lot of people that start doing it can barely walk without getting winded.
Click to expand...

The bold was me when I started. In my case, without a program I tended to just take the easy way, i.e. stop running at the slightest bit of hard breathing, etc. For me, a program helps push me a little more and actually make progress. I have no doubt I would never have gone from running 4 or 5 minutes to 25 minutes in these past months if I did not use any kind of program.
 
#8
Lack of individuality is a problem with any program. It is impossible to create a "one size fits all" program simply because our individual differences are too great. Some people respond well to an increase in training. Some don't. Some people do better with longer, slower runs. Others do well with faster runs.

The tricky part is learning to listen to your body in the beginning. You have to judge if you're doing too much or too little. Unfortunately, that's a skill that comes with experience. My best advice- it's better to be conservative until you begin to recognize the signs of doing too much.
 
#9
Last Place Jason said:
It is impossible to create a "one size fits all" program simply because our individual differences are too great.

The tricky part is learning to listen to your body in the beginning.
Unfortunately, that's a skill that comes with experience.
My best advice- it's better to be conservative until you begin to recognize the signs of doing too much.
Click to expand...

Very well said.

Last year, I "stuck" to my marathon plan and (slightly) paid for it later. This year, I've learned from my mistakes and altered my plan to better suit my personal needs.

Unfortunately, as Jason said, it's trial-and-error to see what works best for you.
 
#11
The "listening to your body" thing is definitely a skill that needs to be developed......at least with me. I'd like to have a nickel for every time I over did it and was left perplexed as to how this happened (again). I'd be fine, and then wham!......toasted. Now, I am likely just too blind or stupid to recognize the signs.....but I believe this now with all my heart.....you have to stop to listen. So now I regularly stop and ensure I'm feeling strong, no nagging aches, no soreness that doesn't disappear with a day of rest, etc. If I'm all good, I proceed and maybe add some distance that week. If unsure, I hold the distance constant. If I think a problem is developing (hasn't yet) I'll slow down.

A plan is a great thing unless followed blindly.
 
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#12
SillyC said:
When you start running, there will be some part of your body that is the weakest link. If you're reasonably fit, it isn't going to be your cardiovascular system. But it might be some weird ligament in your knee or ankle.
Click to expand...

Definitely agree with this. When losing weight, then transitioning to minimalist, then barefoot, I'd have all sorts of little (and sometimes not so little) aches and sore spots throughout my body. A bit of massage, rest, stretching made it all better, and stronger. I can tell that my body is still adapting as I'm adding distance slowly.

Although I do have some basic goals in mind, since I'm doing all this for recreation and personal fitness, I have no need to stick to a strict schedule and chance injury.
 
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#13
The OP may be gone... but, Charles WPB, I though of something else.

Answer this question - Why are you not a runner already? I mean, running is about the simplest way to stay in shape, and an easy habit to pick up because it doesn't require driving to the gym or coordinating your schedule with some kind of team.

If the answer is "I just graduated college and I was on the lacrosse team. Now there is no lacrosse, and I need to find a way to stay in shape that fits in with my busy career".... then I think you can probably go over the limit.

But if the answer is one of these:
1) Been sedentary and trying to improve my health
2) Trying to lose weight
3) Tried to start running before and always quit because something got sore
4) Never really made a habit stick

.... then stick with the plan. Before swallowing his pride, my husband was always in category 3.

Don't underestimate category 4. There's something psychological about C25K that makes it work. Yeah, the workouts ARE fairly easy. So, you develop the habit of going for a run without having any of those awful, awful runs that make people not want to get back out the door ever again. I've been running for ~10 years, so a horrible run isn't going to make me want to quit anymore. Nor will a month of horrible runs. But early on, they need to all be positive experiences or you won't get the habit to stick.
 
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#14
lol, I think I got my asnwer :p
And I'm not a runner already because, although I love running every time I would seriously try to run before afterwards I would have a sharp pain on the bottom of my foot on my arch, but since I started doing it barefoot* It hasn't happened :) I guess I'll just suck it up and slow down.
(don't worry, I didn't just jump into it, I had a couple of months of walking on gravel daily before starting actually running, and before that I would go barefoot as much as I could including outside)
Heck, maybe I'll take up yoga or something to pass the time? haha ya never know what the future'll bring i guess

Edit:
btw I'm not gone...you're all stuck with me, I almost feel bad for you guys XD
 
#15
Ah - the pain on the bottom of the foot might be something you can rehab easily, without having to give up running. Google plantar fascitis, and if it's that, there's a whole lot you can do to fix it before it gets really bad. I have a set of night splints that I'll sleep in any time they start to complain. Also, wooden foot rollers help. You'd have to use your own judgment about whether or not you can run. When my plantar fascia have acted up, I've been able to nip it in the bud with the splints and rollers, and haven't had to back off running.
 
#16
This is a great question, great thread!
 
#17
SillyC said:
Ah - the pain on the bottom of the foot might be something you can rehab easily, without having to give up running. Google plantar fascitis, and if it's that, there's a whole lot you can do to fix it before it gets really bad. I have a set of night splints that I'll sleep in any time they start to complain. Also, wooden foot rollers help. You'd have to use your own judgment about whether or not you can run. When my plantar fascia have acted up, I've been able to nip it in the bud with the splints and rollers, and haven't had to back off running.
Click to expand...
My pf has flared up recently to the point of me having to take time off as well as I am now trying supportive shoes for a while to see if that will help get rid of it. I've tried rolling, massaging, stretching, trying to find trigger points, and night splints and nothing seems to make it any better except just temporarily. These shoes (I got in an argument with the shoe sales lady, she tried to tell me they are minimalist shoes when they clearly are not, 24mm heel 13mm forefoot. I guess that's the difference in point of view from barefooters to shoddies.) do seem to be helping to a degree and I am able to run again, although I feel off balance with the slightest change in the ground and I feel really unconnected to the ground. I really got used to being barefoot. I am using the shoes everywhere right now too, not just when I run. I figured if I am going to give shoes a try since I've tried nearly everything else already I was not going to half ass it. It sucks but hopefully it will help and then once I have control of the pf I will transition back to barefoot.
 
#18
Sometimes, in order to heal PF, you have to let the plantar fascia rest, and sadly, the best way to do that is to use cushioning to lessen the impact and support the fascia. You will want to wear these padded shoes "everywhere" though to speed the healing. (Man, it kills me to say that. Just typing that makes me feel like someone just ran their nails across a black chalkboard.) And once you have done that, then get back to being normal, Mister!

I found a pair of zero drop flips that have padding, and that is helping me with my shoe-induced PF, but I still have a long way to go, since I also have pre/post surgical MN, another condition caused by shoes.
 
#19
Barefoot TJ said:
Sometimes, in order to heal PF, you have to let the plantar fascia rest, and sadly, the best way to do that is to use cushioning to lessen the impact and support the fascia. You will want to wear these padded shoes "everywhere" though to speed the healing. (Man, it kills me to say that. Just typing that makes me feel like someone just ran their nails across a black chalkboard.) And once you have done that, then get back to being normal, Mister!

I found a pair of zero drop flips that have padding, and that is helping me with my shoe-induced PF, but I still have a long way to go, since I also have pre/post surgical MN, another condition caused by shoes.
Click to expand...
I've tried my minshoes already in my collection (zero drop and 4mm drop) and they didn't seem to help me as much as my old supportive hiking shoes do. That's why I went out and bought a new pair of supportive running shoes (NB 1400). They appear to be helping quite a bit, and yes I am wearing them everywhere, including in the house which I hate. I can't wait to transition back to being barefoot though. I miss feeling the ground and every little nuance of it. Besides, rainy season isn't that far away and who wants to run in soggy shoes?;)
 
#20
I hear ya!
 
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