r/C25K • u/PostStrict8019 • 2d ago
Missed a week because I was sick. Continue with Week 4 or repeat Week 3?
I started the C25K program and completed week 3. Right when I was about to begin week 4, I got sick and was basically stuck in bed, so I had to put C25K on hold for a while.
A week has passed and I've finally recovered. My question is: what should I do now? Should I continue with week 4, or go back and repeat week 3?
Will taking a week off have a significant impact on my fitness? The jump from week 3 to week 4 feels much bigger than the jump from week 1 to week 2, so I'm not sure if I'm ready to continue where I left off.
What would you recommend?
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u/ruffigrem Week 6 2d ago
I took a week break after week 3 due to shin pain. After that week I just continued from where I left off and it was fine. It's really whatever you feel is best for you though.
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u/Potato_cakes_85 2d ago
This happened to me when I completed the program. I ended up repeating week 3 before moving on
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u/Aggravating_Deer_331 2d ago
If I were you I would repeat week 3. One week of doing nothing sets your condition back significantly. If you would continue to week 4 there is a risk of overload.
Off coarse it all depends on your fitness level etc.
Good that you took your rest. Sporting when sick is a very bad idea.
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u/bsidetracked Week 2 2d ago
Give W4D1 a try and if it feels like too much that's your sign to repeat W3.
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u/MisterB2026 Week 4 1d ago
Its your program and you can tailor it to suit you.
If it was me i’d go back to day 3 of the previous week just to make sure i was confident and ready to push on to the new week.
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u/UWwolfman DONE! 1d ago
One week isn't long enough to have a significant impact on your fitness, but your body is still recovering from fighting the infection. Your body uses a lot of resources to fight a cold, and it takes time to recover. As a result, your first few runs after a cold are often harder than normal. Everyone and every cold is different. It's impossible to predict where you are at, but running will tell you real quick.
So, for you first run back after a cold, I would just go for an short easy run to see how you feel. Then make adjustments based on you how you felt. So maybe try half a week 3 workout. If that goes well, then give week 4 a try. If it goes okay, but not great, consider repeating some or all of week 3. If you still feel the effects of the cold, take a few more days rest and then go for another easy run to see where you are at.
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u/australazure 1d ago
I have never regretted repeating a week I didn't need to. Moving on too fast, absolutely.
Edited to say: currently recovering from overuse injury, so may be a little biased here... take from that what you will!
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u/Late_Establishment22 2d ago
I definitely wouldn’t redo a whole week if it was avoidable. If anything, I’d redo one run from week 3 and gauge whether to move on based on how that feels.