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Original poster

Couch to 5k - just started! Help with podcasts, iphone apps and timing please.

438 replies

TinaSurrey · 07/06/2013 14:33

Hi all, Hoping this is the correct place to post.

I have just done my 2nd Couch to 5k "run" from week one. The 1st time I went i timed myself using the clock on my phone so I knew when to run, when to walk etc but it was far from ideal. I used the Nike app to track my run and loved the fact it told me how far I had covered, average speed and calories burnt.

This time I had worked out how to get the NHS podcast on my iphone and played that and followed Laura's instructions which was much easier.

Questions are...
Can I make the podcast play AND monitor my run on the Nike app at the same time and if so how? I couldn't find a way to do it. Secondly, is there an alternative podcast without the music. Laura was great but I'd prefer silence in between her instructions rather than their music. Finally if you are running using the podcast how do you know when to turn round (at the half way point) as I expected Laura to tell me when it was half way but she didn't so I ended up too far away from my car before I realised I should have turned round!

I am determind to do this having not done any exercise to speak of ever!

OP posts:
Original poster
TinaSurrey · 10/07/2013 09:48

Yes yes yes!!

Well done Mog. We did it!!!!

Just back and heading for the shower. 24 degrees out there!

OP posts:
Forgetfulmog · 10/07/2013 07:38

How'd you get on Tina? I did it! Felt sick for the last 5 mins but kept going & feel wide awake! God I was disgustingly sweaty afterwards though!

llynnnn · 10/07/2013 07:26

Annoyed! I set my alarm for 6am, turned it off....then fell straight back to sleep! Totally unintentional, now have to wait until this evening to go out! Never imagined I'd be annoyed with myself for sleeping rather than running! Funny really Smile

Good luck TinaSurrey, I'm sending you running thoughts and willing you on from here.

worley · 10/07/2013 06:00

Will be Thinking of you Tina Surrey :) not sure if I should getup and go though.. Still awake at 1am and the farmer is harvesting already in the field behind me waking me up.. Going to be in a bad mood today :(

Original poster
TinaSurrey · 10/07/2013 05:52

I'm also doing the infamous week 5 run 3 today. It's warm already, i cant go for hours yet and I will still be in the hot jogging trousers as awaiting delivery of trousers ordered online!

Good luck Mog! We can drag each other along.

Go for w5 r1 Worley. It's fine, honestly. You will be surprised. I have slowed my pace a lot to do these longer bursts of running. Consciously really running slowly.

Welcome WatchingOut - great to have you and you now lead us through the rest of the programme! So good to hear you got through w5r3. It IS possible then!

Llynnn - envious of the running trousers. Those looked awful on me! I was shocked at the poor selection of sizes (mostly on the wrong hangers) and uninterested shop assistants in the sports shops I went in. The changing rooms were awful too. Poor lighting. Labels & debris all over the floor, mirror not clean, clothes dumped by previous customers taking up the two hooks so my stuff kept falling off. In the current climate not sorting stuff like that which costs nothing is madness.

So if you you are out in Surrey later and see red faced woman panting and gasping, wearing long winter jogging bottoms in the blazing sun - do will me on for the big 20!!

OP posts:
worley · 10/07/2013 00:01

I'm still awake so don't know If I'll make the 6am alarm .. May have to brave the afternoon..

llynnnn · 09/07/2013 22:41

Hi Watchingout, sounds like you are doing great, always good to hear from someone that bit further through up remind me that it is possible!

I'm on w4 r3 first thing in the morning, feeling ok about it although I kept getting a pain down the inside of my lower leg on the last run? Hoping that doesn't come back tomorrow!

I got some Karimor running trousers and top today from sports direct. Feel comfortable, but have a weird pocket on the back, not sure if the weight of my phone and house key will pull them down! Could be interesting Blush

Good luck for all your early morning runs tomorrow! I'll be thinking of you as I puff and pant my way through!

worley · 09/07/2013 22:32

Watchingout.. Brilliant Idea I need someone to help me during the run :)

Maybe I'll do w5r1 then forgetfulmog..

watchingout · 09/07/2013 21:40

Mitten - I seem to do 3.7 or 3.8k in a 30 min session ( including walk up and warm down) but I'm not really focussing on the speed. Just the fact I've done it Grin If I do go back over "old" routes then I try to go a teensy bit further but it's only 20m or so

Worley - I'm out tomorrow at 6.15 and its supposed to be cooler so will I meet you at the corner? Wink

Forgetfulmog · 09/07/2013 21:38

I'm going to do the dreaded w5r3 tomorrow morning - eek!

Worley - w5r1 is really ok, don't worry!

worley · 09/07/2013 21:22

Welcome watching out.. And we'll done in passing the dreaded 20!! is it really not as bad as we think then. I'm not sure I can psych myself up to it.

Undecided on doing w4r3 again tomorrow or w5r1 again.. will see how I feel in morning. Although at moment I may just have a lay in!!

MittenKitty · 09/07/2013 11:13

Welcome watching out - I like the fighting spirit!

I should be on week 6 but am playing safe repeating w5 r1 and r2 as I go really slowly and I think i need to speed up a bit. Worley and Tina helpfully said they did about 4k in a 30 min session - I seem to do between 3.4 and 3.7 so need to make progress - and then can think about w5 r3

thanks for the music tips Worley - shame about the field man invading your running space. Hopefully he wont be there Weds - and 30 secs less is very nearly finished so you did it really....

watchingout · 08/07/2013 22:40

Hello - can I join? You all seem to be about the same stage as me Grin
I did w6r1 this morning so I passed (yay!) the dreaded 20 min last Friday and BOY did that feel good!! Harder mentally than physically for sure as I was dreaming nightmaring about it the night before Blush. But I chose a flat route and just kept telling myself that others had done and therefore I could too.

I'm also on another thread where there are two runners at exactly the same stage so I know that somewhere, there is someone doing pretty much the same and I'm buggered if they are getting ahead of me!

worley · 08/07/2013 22:19

I tried to do w4r3 this morning but had to cut short at 4.30 mins instead at 5. I rally felt as though I couldn't get enough air in!! And it was hot at 6.30..
Plus the man was back on "my" field at the same time.. So I had to stick to half the field instead so I felt a bit deflated over that. I think I'll repeat today's run on weds. And the start week 5 Friday.. Eeekkk!!

I wear a heavy pair of jogging bottoms.. I have got a pair of leggings but they are full length and no pocket so no where to put house key and phone. I brought some proper running trainers last week and really notice the difference. Maybe I need some proper running trousers then too..

I've had the foo fighters and the smashing pumpkins on as Ive been plodding round.. Ooh and a bit or timerlake. Need a good active beat to keep me going

Forgetfulmog · 08/07/2013 20:22

Did w5r2 this morning at 6.30 & it was bloody hot!

Re running clothes - I bought my stuff off eBay - used Nike cropped trousers & BN Elle long t-shirt.

Sorry, am on iPhone so don't know who posted about the camel toe Grin but a long baggy tshirt would cover that up?

llynnnn · 08/07/2013 16:57

That's interesting about the running trousers, shopping for running clothes is on my 'to-do list for this week! I have resisted buying anything so far until I knew that I would stick to it and enjoyed it, think I'm going to go for it now I'm in week4 and really getting into it.
I am wearing black leggings and a vest top at the mo but dh thinks I look like I'm just running to the shops dressed like this and I need the proper gear!
I was going to look in our sports shop, sports direct, they are usually reasonably priced and have a decent range, hopefully without the beloved camel toe look!!

Just waiting for dh to come home from work so I can do w4 r2.

MittenKitty · 08/07/2013 14:55

Hi Tina,

the only ones I've seen are in M&S called cropped joggers - which I assume you've seen. Not quite sure how their seams impact on bits but if you find a solution let me know because I'm running in long tracksuit bottoms that are feeling increasingly thick and heavy and obviously are a very significant contributor to my slow times....

Original poster
TinaSurrey · 08/07/2013 13:08

God, it's hot! Did wk5 r2 this morning at 9am and was boiling. I am now out trying to buy cropped tight fitting running trousers/ tights or whatever they are called! Have stopped at M&S cafe for a cold drink as am fed up. They look awful and the shops have rubbish choice! They all have seams right through the middle and give horrid camel toe - is it just me?

They look fine on the legs and even ok on the bum but not on my bits!! I found one pair that had different seams and they were way better but there was only one pair and they didn't fit round the waist. Help ladies - where can I get the sort I am after?! Really cross as they would be so much cooler.

OP posts:
MittenKitty · 08/07/2013 12:57

the heat is a challenge that's for sure - i was meant to be doing the dreaded w5 run 3 this weekend - the 20 mins one - but wimped out and repeated w5 r1 instead. And was still knackered.

Anyone got good recommendations for inspiring tunes - I realise a lot of my music is a bit slow - had some nice Beautiful South tunes yesterday but they weren't what I needed to keep the energy up - Suddenly I See was the only thing that perked me up - nice and cheerful as well as uptempo. Anyone got any good suggestions for happy running tunes?

worley · 07/07/2013 21:37

Tina - thank you :) I am curious to See how the 20 will go.. Will do w4r3 tomorrow morning. Need to get the 8 mins out of way first though..

How are you all managing in the heat? Even when I'm in the field at 6.30 it's hot! I passed a man running today late afternoon and it was 26oc here!!

EauRouge · 07/07/2013 09:33

Yes, I still run 3 times a week. One is usually my local parkrun which is 5k (if there's one near you, sign up! It's great fun and very relaxed). Then I was trying to build up my distance, I was up to nearly 5 miles and then something went very wrong. Still trying to figure it out but suspect #1 is hayfever.

For my third run in the week, I'm planning to alternate between hill training and intervals. With running intervals, you don't do any walking; it's alternating between your normal running pace and sprints or threshold running. Same idea though, short bursts of speed. It's meant to make you faster.

All those plans went out of the window a bit though in June when my running suddenly got really crap. I'm going to head out ridiculously early tomorrow or Tuesday to see if that helps.

Forgetfulmog · 07/07/2013 08:33

Tina, I run across fields (well playing fields anyway) - I have a dodgy back & find its smoother on me than running on hard Tarmac

Original poster
TinaSurrey · 07/07/2013 07:33

Worley- so sorry I missed off my reply to you. Thought it was the 1st one I did! Think I must have deleted it when trying (and failing) to post link to the reply I got in the other thread! Glad you are both rested and your ankle is feeling better. Do you really run across fields? That must be hard going! I am a coward and stick to flat smooth road! Anyway I am just going to paste the reply below rather than keep trying to link (note to self to learn how to do links in posts)

Hi Tinasurrey, the Big Run in week five continues to be a mystery to all of us c25k graduates. I remember setting off on that run, thinking to myself that there was no way I could possibly do it and what on earth were they thinking, and then ringing my husband while I walked a cool down to say "you'll never guess what I just did" For some reason, unknown to me, it does work. It's worked for so many of us that it can't be a fluke. Trust the programme and thou shalt get fit.

Apologies to the person that kindly replied for pasting not linking your post (especially as i now cant look up the other thread to get your user name without losing this!)

Good advice I am sure Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
TinaSurrey · 07/07/2013 07:11

Hi forgetfulmog - it went surprisingly well. I bumped into a friend (proper runner!) who very kindly ditched her run and joined me, I had just done the 1st 5 min run when I met her so she walked & ran with me to the end of my session. It was almost impossible for me to keep talking by the end of each run as I was so out of breath but it made the session fly by and at the end I felt like I'd not done it as had been so busy chatting!! Well done on w5 r1 - it was a hot day to run too!

Hi Llynnn - Welcome! Great to have you join us. I really look forward to reading this thread and having it gives me someone to "tell" when I have achieved each run which is lovely! Well done on the first week 4 run. When are you next running?

Ophelia- get better soon! It must be driving you mad. I have started to look forward to run days (can't quite believe that of myself) so can imagine how you feel. I feel very lucky not to have any injuries or aches etc as there does sound like a lot of running injuries when reading these threads. I can imagine once you have an injury it must keep plaguing you when you run in the future. Fingers crossed you are soon mended!

Eau - you've done so well! What do you do now you've finished the c25k? Do you run three times a week for half an hour at a time? I am doing the programme to be able to burn as many calories as possible. My friend said that actually interval training (where you walk a bit, run a bit, walk a bit, run a bit in one session) is best for this. So if when I make it to 30 mins or 5k am I best to break it back down into intervals?

I am having the weekend off so next run tomorrow morning. It's two 8 min runs. This is daunting but far more daunting is that if I do that one then on Wednesday it will mean the big 20 Shock

OP posts:
llynnnn · 06/07/2013 20:20

Sorry to hear you aren't able to run Ophelia, I never thought I'd be disappointed about not being able to exercise but I'm really enjoying my running so can imagine the annoyance at not being able to go. Hope you get better soon.

I've just done w4 r1 and I survived! Actually felt like I could've carried on running at the end of the 5 minutes. I have map my run going in the background and my average speed was 8.7 min/km. this includes the 5mins walks at the start and end, but will take a lot longer than 30mins to run 5km at that pace! Hey ho, at least I'm getting better...! Smile

Hope you are all having a good weekend in the sun