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Couch to 5K- the first day of the rest of your life :)

999 replies

cinnamongreyhound · 07/03/2013 08:23

Come and join us if you're thinking about starting, have started or have finished and are loving running! Lots of support, advice and general cheering on for everyone. Find the old thread here.

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Chopstheduck · 07/03/2013 09:12

marking spot :)

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pennygallops · 07/03/2013 10:32

Marking my spot too. Smile

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frenchfancy · 07/03/2013 16:46

Just gone out for my first run since my holiday and I had to abort due to a thunder storm. I'm on W6R1 and I'd just run the first 5 minutes and started walking when the rain started. So I just started running again and turned for home. I ended up running for about 14 minutes which I suppose is an acheivement in itself.

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Belugagrad · 07/03/2013 20:14

Well done French fancy!

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SamuelWestsMistress · 07/03/2013 20:22

Well I've had an interesting week I was following the 10k runner app and had always felt ahead a little ahead of the programme, so as I approached the 3km stage a few weeks back I thought to myself ill see how far I can run. Amazingly I managed 5km! I felt great and really enjoyed it, so I carried on running 5km until last week where I thought again "I'm just going to go for it" and I managed 10km last Saturday!! I really felt fine afterwards. I know I was slow, I felt the need to take my pace right back and it took just over 1hr 20 mins. I went again for a 5km on Monday, then on Wednesday I tried a new route and completed an 8km circuit! Tomorrow I think I'm going to ease off a bit and just do a 3km as on the weekend I'd like to do another 10km.

I just can't believe how much I've enjoyed this, and how my body has managed to get into it. That's 9 weeks since I started and now I'm running 10km! It's such a great feeling and I'd recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about running to just go for it.

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SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 07/03/2013 20:38

Woohoo, well done SWM and FF! Grin Have had a few days off due to being away for work (and barely enough time to sleep, let alone run around a strange city) so am really looking forward to getting out again tomorrow. At least I think I am, the weather forecast doesn't sound very encouraging and I do find it hard to get motivated on a Friday evening (would rather be having Wine ) Blush
My fitness doesn't seem to be increasing much though, in that I'm not getting any faster now or finding it much easier every time - it's like I have made it to 5K relatively easily but then plateaued. Anyone else found this?

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frenchfancy · 08/03/2013 06:17

Respect SWM that is great.

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cinnamongreyhound · 08/03/2013 07:15

Well done frenchfancy, its always hard when you've had a break (mostly mentally!). Hope the weather is better next time you go! I had a wet run today but light drizzle, was nicely soaked through when I got home :)

That's great SamuelWestsMistress, I make it about a 13 1/2 min mile so not disastrously slow! Speed doesn't matter anyway you're out running and enjoying it and that's what matters Grin

Yes I do know SarahWithAFringeOnTop as I was the same. I just went out and did 3 x30 min runs a week for probably 3 months after I finished c25k and still found it hard! I think joining the local club really helped me as interval training most definitely helped my speed and you push yourself more because others are there. My first 5k was 35 mins and from then I just tried to push that little bit harder when I felt ok and slowly it improved. I still love running on my own but doing something with others is good for me I think. I was also told by NBS that I was anaemic and started taking iron supplements at that time so I do genuinely wonder if I couldn't get better as my blood just couldn't hold anymore oxygen!

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NurseEzzzaChapel · 08/03/2013 12:50

Well done frenchfancy and SamuelWestsMistress!

Well I did it! W5R3 done! I actually managed to run for 20 minutes without slowing down to walk! Grin So on to week 6 next week.

My running shoes were delivered in the one hour gap that I was actually at home this morning so I'm extra pleased now. Grin I had already been out for my run when they came so now I'm tempted to go out for my next run on Sunday instead of Monday to try them out, although I don't know how tempting that prospect will be on Sunday morning!

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HeySoulSister · 08/03/2013 12:58

I'm at danger point ... Been here before too!

Finished the c25k programme... Doing 30 min runs now( don't know how far I'm going as my phone with the gps app broke)

But I'm less motivated now there's no longer a goal.

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Chopstheduck · 08/03/2013 14:29


I SLASHED my 5k time today - 38 minutes! Grin I think that's 5 minutes down on my first one now, so I must be making progress. I'm finding I am aching a bit less now too. Still too self conscious to think about running with others yet, but once I get closer to a 30 minute 5k I want to do parkrun. I galloped ran round ascot racecourse twice today.

Ezza, I tend to run four times a week, so I'll be out on sunday too.


HeySoulSister, if you track your runs on here you can see how far you are going and perhaps have 5k as a goal to keep you motivated? I think I would get a bit demotivated if I didn't have feedback too.

Zoom in on your start point, set it to metric, manually and then click start recording, and double click your way around the route you run.
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frenchfancy · 08/03/2013 16:38

Well done Ezzza I knew you could do it! We are at the same level now despite the fact i started a month before you Envy

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NurseEzzzaChapel · 08/03/2013 19:33

True frenchfancy but you've just been on holiday and managed to lose weight while you were away so I'm sure many are Envy of you!

Well done Chops! I know what you mean about being self-conscious running with others. I ran along the park route today and I'm think I'll wait until I can at least run most of it before I join in the park run. I'm a bit too Blush to do it if I have to keep stopping to walk.

So I'm sitting here in my new running shoes now because I didn't get to run in them today but I want to play with my new toy. Grin

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cinnamongreyhound · 08/03/2013 20:30

Welcome HeySoulSister! I would suggest motivation for longer term running is how it makes you feel, being fitter, knowing you can run and possibly pushing it out to a longer distance. I just love running and that's all the motivation I need. If you find after a while you really aren't enjoying it then perhaps another exercise it better for you?

Well done NurseEzzaChapel, and good luck on your first run with your new shoes mine was a revalation! I bought £9.99 trainers from sports direct until I knew I was going to keep it up, the first run in my running shoes was so bouncy Grin. I got new ones last Saturday and wore them out Sunday as we went out early, ds2 spent the whole trip asking if I was running! I went out when we got home and did my best 5k time, coincidence?

Well done Chopstheduck, 5 mins off is fantastic!! You shouldn't be embarrassed about how you look while running, everyone looks different while running even the most experienced runners have interesting runs :)

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HeySoulSister · 08/03/2013 20:48

Yeah... I feel GREAT afterwards! Love the challenges c25k set me....is it better to increase on speed or distance? Cos I can happily obsess over one of those!

New running gear is required as I've lost 35lbs!!! Anywhere got anything nice in for spring/summer?

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cinnamongreyhound · 08/03/2013 20:55

It depends how much time you have? I started by pushing myself when it felt easyish and then I joined a running club so do interval training regularly which helps speed. I've since increased distance and now do most of my runs longer than 5k/30 mins :)

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cheerup · 08/03/2013 22:52

I've just started week 2 of C25K and combining it with my existing class schedule is proving tricky. This week I ran on Saturday, Body Attacked Sunday, rested Monday, ran on Tuesday, Zumba'd Wednesday, ran on Thursday and Body Combatted tonight. Tomorrow will be a run day and Sunday back to Body Attack and so it goes on. As I'm already very active, I'm not finding the runs very challenging but as I have always struggled with running for any length of time or over any distance don't want to skip sessions. Saying that, I did only do 2x week 1 as it was very very easy and I ended up running for another 10 mins after it had finished just because I wasn't feeling it. I love my classes and don't want to give them up in favour of running but do want to build my technique to be able to run as exercise when I'm on holiday etc as well as just being able to do it.

On the plus side I've lost a stone and a half since the beginning of January (big big smiley face, small small size 10 jeans - hurrah)

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cinnamongreyhound · 09/03/2013 08:04

You sound very fit cheerup! I can see why you don't want to skip ahead but if you can run 10mins I think it's probably a mental reason why you can't do further. Give week 5 a go and see how you get on. No reason why you can't drop running down to twice a week if you're finding there are not enough hours in the day :)

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jchocchip · 09/03/2013 08:12

Hello new thread! Off to parkrun, think I'll wear my new trainers again. They were supposed to be the same as my old ones but are more neutral (running shop shut so online purchase). Wore them for a run on Wednesday and they did take pressure off my foot. Report back later :)

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whattodoo · 09/03/2013 08:16

Is it really doable?

I am huge (17st) Blush and have ginormous boobs. Haven't run in 30 years.

But I often see these threads in active convos and think that maybe I should give it a go.

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MirandaWest · 09/03/2013 08:21

Can I join in here? Have been running on and off for the past few years - redid couch to 5k in September and was doing good running in November (about 28 min for 5k). Have slipped a bit since - think lack of motivation hasn't helped. Have been using runkeeper recently with a 10k in 60 minute plan and it has different runs to do each time - have gone up as far as 5 miles although I see longer ones are in the horizon. Did 3 miles followed by intervals yesterday which was good :)

Have done one park run Blush. Will do more at some point. Am planning to do the York 10k in August (did it three years ago and was just over an hour so would love to break that barrier!)

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lynsam · 09/03/2013 08:28

I've tried to do this before but it was mid winter. Thinking about trying it again. I'm so fed up of being fat and unfit.

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Masterchuff · 09/03/2013 08:30

I started yesterday with c25k. I ran 3.2km in the 30 mins on w1d1. I do a fitness camp 3x a week and eat clean and have lost 7st6lb in just over a year. Other than more weightloss my goal for this year is 5km race for life on June 2nd. Yesterday's run was wet but great. I ran in some of the rests too which I was chuffed with. Thanks for the thread will be great to keep up on others progress

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frenchfancy · 09/03/2013 10:22

whattodo yes it is doable. Just take your time and redo weeks if necessary. I wear 2 bras (I put a sports bra over a normal one) as 1 just isn't enough support.

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SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 09/03/2013 10:38

It is definitely doable whattodo, I had never run before and have a tendency to asthma when I exercise, but the C25K builds your time gradually so you really can do it. But yes, get yourself a decent sports bra (or two) first. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

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