Any Couch25K new starters?

Wow Smurf that sounds fantastic, you lucky thing! I am currently putting off todays run, but I will have done it before the end of today! Problem is, if I get caught in a shower today, they seem to be coming down as monsoons here, so will get a little damp!

W5R1. At a place called Huna, a stones throw from John OGroats. Looking over the sound to the Orkney islands. And best of all SUNSHINE

Go duende!! that one is creeping up on me.... but I'm ignoring it

hello everyone! I did W5R3 yesterday - 20 minutes of non stop running! it was difficult and my legs felt veeeeryy heavy but I finished it. I was so pleased with myself.

*cuddly", enjoy your holiday, it sounds good and I am quite jealous :)

Hi everyone and welcome to happydoll. Great to see us all moving forward!

W4 done . Did R3 yesterday and finished with a 2 min VE tagged on to the last 5 min one - new personal best of 17 mins . Can't wait to match Newports. 30. Have 79 days till the 10k I'm signed up for ......

Off now to finish packing - were taking our caravan on tour (no comments please) to the Orkney Islands for a few days of holiday near to BIL and his family then a few days to "wander" home again.

Let's see if you can all make this one into a 100+ thread while I'm on my travels

Welcome HappyDoll and congratulations on starting week 1! I can't believe I can already do 5 minutes after only 3 weeks, so persevere! The pain wears off! Good luck

Hello All!

Week 1 Run 2 done! It's waaaay harder outside than it is on the treadmill and my calves feel so short and tight.

I cannot wait until I can do 20 minutes!

Duende I'm glad you're enjoying the time to yourself. My family are a few hours away so we don't get much 'off duty' time either, but at least they're in the same country - it must be very hard for you.

DH and I went away for a few days at Easter and DS stayed with his grandparents. When we got back we were so looking forward to seeing him, and anticipating his excitement at seeing us again........he was having such a good time playing with his cousins that he looked up, said "Hiya" and carried on playing. I wasn't sure whether to be pleased that he had enjoyed it so much, or upset that he clearly hadn't missed us at all!!

Your DS will be having a whale of a time, I'm sure, so don't feel guilty and enjoy the rare time off!!

Hello! Well done UmBongo! I can remember how hard I found that 5 min run the first time - it seems like such a long time to keep going doesn't it!

Have managed 3 runs since Friday and have started running to my own music now, as I've got a rough idea of the distance/time I need to run for. It's so much better because I love all the songs so they give me a real 'lift'. Couldn't have kept going this far without the nice NHS lady though!

I know what you mean about looking very - I seem to still look like that for a few hours afterwards!!

Up to 30 minutes running (using the term loosely!) but it is very flat here which is a real help!

I'VE DONE IT! Week 4 run 1. I have now run for a total of 16 minutes! in 4 bits. Tired but very pleased! Off for a quick shower before collecting ds.

Cuddlysmurf if I slow down any more even the most arthritic snail will be able to overtake me! And I always look like when I do any exercise! But as your dh said - I'm not walking therefore I am jogging!

W4R2 done - with no VE though as for this one the weather was warm and sunny - which has so not been the case here in Scotland this summer.

Duende good to hear you are just enjoying your time off

UmBongo don't stress about the extra minute, just slow down if you need to to stop you looking like this

Off to work for my penultimate day before 2 weeks of holiday ....

Just thought I would see how I would do as tomorrow is wk 4 run 1 and I have to run for FIVE minutes and I didn't want to set off thinking "I can't do this" but now I can hopefully try and think "come on, it's only a minute extra to what I have already done"!

hello lovely ladies. thank you for making me feel less guilty. the house is awfully quiet and calm without him. I miss him but I am also trying to make the most of this temporary freedom...
I went for a bike ride yesterday afternoon and DP and I went for a curry in the evening. I went to a zumba class tonight and quite enjoyed it.
Hoping to do W5R2 tomorrow.

umbongo, am impressed wih you pushing the limits :)

cuddly, you have made me realise that I should indeed be grateful for a few days off duty. we don't have anyone in this country who could babysit so "off duty" doesn't happen often.

newport, did you find the time to run?

Not horrible mother at all Duende Just practical and unselfish to let your son and parents have some special time together! Including aeroplanes! My ds would trample straight over me for such an adventure! My ds had a sleep over at his grans at the weekend and we all (him and us!) enjoyed it and it took some doing to get him to come home!

I have just done wk 3 run 3 and upped the second 3 minuter to 4 AND put in another 4 minutes - I went off podcast during the recovery walk and found a track that was just over 4 minutes and waited til it had 4 mins left and then started running! So PB total is now up to 14 minutes total in 5 bits

How did you get on over the weekend Newport?

Hey duende you are not a horrible mother - you are just having a few days of time on your own with DP, whilst your parents spoil your DS and he also gets to have a big adventure. . . . My 2.9 DS would love to spend a few days with his GPs. You can always be "mummy on the computer" on skype if you need to (and can promise not to cry).

Just make the most of your time for the next few days - they will fly by, I'm sure - and think of the hhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggeeee hug you will get from him.

You have not lost your mind in fact I'm off now to change my name to greenwithenvyatthethoughofafewdaysoffdutywhilstdsiswithgransmurf

W5R1 done no VE here either, didn't have any energy left but pleased I went out.

on a completely separate note - my 2 yr old DS went away today with my mum, they flew to Poland (where I come from) so that DS and my family can spend more time together. My parents are absolutely crazy about him and miss him like mad and he loves them loads. DP and I will be joining them in just under two weeks. I spoke to mum a while ago, and DS is very happy, playing out in the sun with his grandad and nan. They are both off work whilst he's there. I know he will be happy and they are over the moon. I spent most of the morning crying. I am planning to make the most of being child free for a while but also feel completely lost. Plus, all the british people I talk to think I have completely lost my mind to let DS go away without me for so long.
Am I such a horrible mother? I'm definitely not brave enough to post in aibu

W4R1 done . 16 mins running - 2x3 and 2x5. No VE today, but am so pleased!!!

Hey Newport welcome back.

Good vibes to you all for the next couple of days.

Haven't been out for a run for over a week, thanks to a combo of report writing and SATs marking! Hoping to get back with it tomorrow though.

Week 3 run 2 done, managed another 3 minute VE and another minute, but with a walk in between so now PB is up to 13 minutes total running! (in 6 bits!) Am totally in awe of Duende and her 10 minute VE! 3 minutes is still the longest run and I am pleading to stop by the end of that! (And I was very much heaving and puffed!)

drivingmisscrazy thanks for the invite, and the vote of confidence, but I'm still a bit afraid of big threads I'm sure I will wander on over at some stage for a good old lurk though!

Way to go duendorphin I'm so excited that you are "back with a vengance" and being sensible - well other than your voluntary excess, of which I am really jealous.

umbongo congratulations and you are quite right to be quietly chuffed, rather than heaving and puffed!

I'm done with Week 3, as of 11.39 this morning I'm officially on to Week 4, which will properly start on Sunday when I get out for next time. I did a VE on my last run too, taking the 3 mins to 6.5 - looking forward to posting my first 10 min run in a couple of weeks.

Really loving the podrunner music and have found my mojo with 142 beats per minute (but that was maybe just today!)

Hello ladies! I am very happy this evening - all endorphined up! I went out a couple of hours ago and took it easy. Instead of doing W5R1, I did W3D1. My breathing was so much better than it was just a couple of weeks ago and my legs felt nowhere near as heavy as they used to. So I added a 10 minute voluntary excess at the end! this is the longest I have ever run and it felt fine. My left knee is perfectly fine, my right one hurts now but definitely not as bad as last Friday.
I will carry on with the pilates/ stretching on the non-running days and see how I go.

I go to a local pilates class, it is quite good and she varies the routine a bit so it makes it more interesting, and can tell you if you are doing it right. It is quite expensive at £5 per week though, I may get a dvd over the summer break.

I have just done week 3 run 1 tonight - and worked out that it was the same amount of running as last week, so I added another 2 min and a 1 min run on to the end, so I have run a total of 12 minutes tonight - WORLD RECORD (or more accurately personal best!) Quietly chuffed with myself! When she said imagine you are running next to a hedge, I was!

How did you get on Duende this morning? Or are you too sore to get to the computer this evening!

just to say you are all great - and what you refer to as the 'big thread' - I assume you mean Runners United? - really isn't that scary at all. everyone is very nice - I run, I am very slow, some of them are very fast, but they are supportive and help me stay motivated. Come on over when you feel ready!

so yesterday's planned run happened about half an hour ago..... still it's done now. Roll on Friday.

umbongo, do you go to a pilates class or do you use a dvd? if the latter, can you recommend one?

when I go out in the morning, I don't eat anything before I go. I get dressed, brush my teeth, have a sip of water and leave before I wake up fully so that I don't get a chance to change my mind!
I'm far too tired from work lazy in the evening.

I'm going to attempt running tomorrow morning, if my knees don't cooperate, I'll book an appointment with a sports physio someone at work recommended.

Finished wk2 yesterday so just off to download wk3 for tomorrow! The reason for the middle of the night run was that we were away for the weekend and I couldn't run again until last night, so I knew I had to squeeze a run in when I got home on thursday! I really don't think I could do first thing in the morning - do you have breakfast first?

Duende sorry to hear your problems, the reason I started this running thing was cos I could get a good workout in less time than it takes on the bike, although cycling is great and I enjoy it.

I have been doing pilates for nearly a year and my muscle strength has improved - I now have stomach muscles for the first time in my life, even if they are still hiding under a big wobbly bit!