C25K advice needed

Tdoyle

Can I ask for opinions please. I am in my early 50's and apart from a little walking have never done much exercise. However after a very serious illness a couple of years I have made huge changes to my lifestyle. Good diet with very little processed foods etc. This time last year I started the C25K and found it torture. I stuck at it and completed it though it did take me a long time to get to the end of it. What I do now is kind of move up and down through the weeks. I go out 4 times a week and sometimes I do week 4, sometimes week 6 or whatever. I really feel I have completed a good workout when I am finished and I find week 2 as tough as week 8. I dont find any week easier or harder than another. Am I fooling myself exercising this way or am I doing enough to keep me reasonably fit for my age.

Once you have finished the program, week 8 should definitely be harder than week 2. Week 2 is about 5 mins of running total? vs 28 mins running in week 8?
Maybe it's psychological.
Have you tried doing anything longer than 28 mins? How do you feel after jogging 28 mins and can you do it without stopping?

If you have no goals and just go out exercising and enjoying yourself and you walk fast enough on the walking bits then I mean it's up to you how you feel. No reason you can't do more if you wanted though depending on if you're fully recovered from the illness.
You could do some parkrun 5k runs and see how you get on and challenge yourself to bring your time down, you could go longer again.
Plenty over 50s in those http://www.parkrun.ie/marlay/results/agecategorytable/?ageCat=VM50-54 for example
55-59 http://www.parkrun.ie/marlay/results/agecategorytable/?ageCat=VM55-59

huskerdu

If you are exercising 4 times a week for 30 minutes at varying intensity, then you are definitely fitter than if you were not. I agree with bluewolf, if you are happy to continue with your current regime, then its a good idea.

However, if you are not enjoying it, its not sustainable in the long term.

It does sound like it is psychological. Having a target like parkrun, as bluewolf mentioned, might give you the motivation to continue.

Maybe you just don't enjoy running. If so, I personally think you should experiment with other sports / exercise and find something that you look forward to and are motivated to continue.

You have improved your health by the changes to diet and exercise that you have made, keep it up, but make sure its an enjoyable change and not a chore.

Good luck.

Tdoyle

Thank you both. I actually do enjoy the running and as you say I am a lot fitter than I was. I also wear a fitbit and get my 10,000 steps most days. I will never run a marathon but I suppose its a confidence thing. I probably should be doing a bit more than I am doing but I am taking the easy way out if what I am doing is just enough to keep me ticking over. I will set some tougher goals over the summer and see how I get on.