running: trouble getting back on track

I started c25k in June and finished it in August. I ran my first 5k distance a few days after that (I was doing the program by time and running nowhere near a 10-minute mile).

Then I went away for 2 weeks and didn't run at all. When I started again, I went back to week 5, day 3. I worked back up to 30 minutes, but the last two runs of the program I had to walk because of cramps and then last weekend I ran a 5k race, and I had to stop and walk a bunch of times just because I felt like I couldn't go anymore.

So basically, I'm now having trouble getting back into running regularly. I think it's a combination of the fact that I've been cramping and losing steam recently, but also that I no longer have c25k to tell me what to do and how often. I really don't want to lose all the progress I've made, but I am missing the motivation that I had when I was trying to finish the program. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

Re: running: trouble getting back on track

Is it important to you to race competitively and work up to a 10k, half marathon, marathon?

What I'm saying is... what's your new goal? If it's to be in shape and maintain the fitness you get from running, try out a new schedule and see how you feel with jogging x minutes, walking x minutes, x times a week. I think you should start low and work your way up, and if you feel crampy, don't feel bad about walking. You can work back up to it, you did it once right? Everyone has off days.

This may sound defeatist to people who are serious runners, but I don't think everyone should strive to be a marathoner. I get enjoyment out of jogging, and I probably do the equivalent of 50% through the C25K program. It doesn't matter to me that I do 5k in 45 minutes, not 30. It just makes me happy and I like my fitness level. Sometimes I'm doing more, sometimes I'm doing less. But the point is that I don't stop, and know that I can maintain this long-term. That's my goal.

Re: running: trouble getting back on track

And if your goal IS to do 5k, 10, half marathon and marathon... don't listen to any of what I said.

Re: running: trouble getting back on track

Thank you so much! That's really helpful. At this point, I'm not really interested in trying to reach for those further goals. It's possible that this would change in the future, but I think your suggestions are exactly right for where I am now.