Anyone fancy starting Couch to 5K on Monday 5th Aug?

ilove not just me then?! DS started Kindergarten today but because it's a pretentious private school that meant full on uniform. I've been stressing all week, DH has been most unsympathetic - and of course DS had a great time so now I've had "I told you so" all evening. But I digress...

W4R3 done this evening. Started off too quickly but managed to get the pace right towards the end - think that's going to be my main problem when I do the longer runs next week. Still can't quite believe I'm going to be able to run 20 minutes in only 3 more runs but I'll take my own advice and stick with it.

In terms of what next, I don't know. I'm hoping that I'll be running 5k by the end, but if not that'll be my first priority - just to try and increase my speed. Then maybe a parkrun - I'd rather a Race For Life but there aren't any round here until next year now. Then maybe the 5k to 10k programme - I like having something to follow and feel I'm progressing, I'm just not sure I can realistically fit an hour into my day, whereas 30 minutes feels more manageable.

But there are a good few weeks to get through yet so one step at a time!

Well done Ilove!!! Week 5! Really glad you pushed on, I knew you'd surprise yourself You're doing great!

Lurking - The Paula Radcliffe comment made me LOL and definitely helped snap me out of my mood

Slev - thanks for the bigging up, think I'll repeat some bits as a mantra when I'm really struggling Thanks too for being so open about your height/weight, mine is a state secret!

My mum commented lately that she's been very surprised by my latest endeavours as she thought I couldn't run because I've never showed even the slightest interest in it ever, even as a child. That's probably in my head too, contributing to my insecurities! I'm sure the commeraderie on here is no small part of my new interest, thanks all

Hey all,

Thanks for all the advice earlier this week about whether I should repeat a week or not. Sorry for the radio silence, PFB started school yesterday so I have been somewhat pre-occupied and emotionally drained because I am a wuss.

Anyway, I took all your advice and had a bash at w5r1 and bloody did it. Felt so proud of myself. I did feel like giving up on that final run and just kept shouting (in my head) "legs, legs" in an effort to keep my legs going. I mean, I am going the speed of an elderly snail when I run but I'm doing it.

Tinwe, I totally understand your crisis of confidence, but you are officially A Runner, you're doing great! And as for people regaining their fitness, erm no not me - I am 34 and have never really "got" exercise and certainly haven't run before and I am as unfit as they come. I'm certainly no waif either, I promise you!

But we're doing it, we're all doing it. Even if it takes me until Easter to do this program, I blimmin well will and so will you. Chin up, we'll do this.

workatemy whoop, whoop - another Runner. Well done you.

I have w5r2 coming up at 6am tomorrow morning. Urgh. I shall report back.

Lurking - my plan for after graduation if I ever make it is

1. get speed up do can run 5k in a reasonable time according to local park run
2. do local park run, maybe a few times if it fits with family
3. sign up for a local charity 5k if possible
4. follow 5-10k plan (lots out there so would need to pick one which fits with my lifestyle)
5. do a 10k, possibly with DH although he'd leave me in the dust

Workate- don't feel down about distance, see my comment to Lurking.

I know what you mean about it still being tough after the 20minuter. I think you're my nearest run buddy and you've seen my crisis of confidence! Where are you up to now? Remember your wise words about looking back at our progress and imagining doing so in the future

Lurking - go for it, repeat only if you can't complete, you'll surprise yourself. If anyone should repeat it's me but I'm going to plough on

Lurking - lots of people give up but we won't, made me smile. Teamwork! Thanks

I think all those worried about distance will be surprised by the end. I ran over 5k on my last run and I was staggering, remember as the weeks progress your overall time out increases and the amount of each session spent running does too so the distance increases quite a bit. Not to mention that the last few weeks are basically just repeating the same runs (with tiny time increases) so you'll probably pick up speed too.

Ok, time for a series of posts again so I can flick up thread

First - Thanks all for your support and reassurance. Really kind of you all to help with my crisis of confidence and wise words of course. I'll re-read those before I run tomorrow and remember them as I stagger along. I know I shouldn't compare with others, (I tell people that all the time in my job), I'm just really impressed by some things I've read, so please take that as a compliment

Interesting that lots of people give up at this stage (W4-6). I might have to repeat W6R3 if I don't make it through tomorrow (as someone suggested) but I worry that I'll have stopped "the plan" and knowing me it would prove tempting to not get back on track- once I've broken it once it would be easy to do again IYSWIM like all the diets over the years At least I don't plan to give up altogether yet! I plan to run later in the day tomorrow (not 6.50am!) and eat carefully in the day so I'm not too full but also not running on empty to hopefully give me a but more energy. I'll also plan my route out so I don't have to think about that and change some tracks as during my last run I seemed to get all the slower songs in my running mix using "shuffle songs"! Any other ideas?

Oh, I absolutely agree - I like the thought of it, really look forward to it and feel great when it's over and for the rest of the night. The actual running part, on the other hand, is just a bit of a slog. There have been a couple of runs where I've enjoyed it for a few minutes on and off but largely it's just a matter of heaving my sweaty body round the circuit hoping I don't expire. I wonder when that will change? Surely it must!

I have to say that despite the "advice" I've been giving out to everyone else, I am sorely tempted to repeat W3R3 just once more before embarking on the scary prospect of running for 6 minutes .

And yes, workate, I definitely feel a bit miffed that at the end of the 9 weeks I won't be running 5K but for 30 minutes, which is not the same thing at all. I am so slow that I'll be a fair bit off the 5K by then. I am thinking that after graduation, I need a plan to increase my distance and first get it up to 5K and then start working on my speed a little bit. I wonder how long that would take and if there is an app for it! Only then will I have the courage to enter a Parkrun.

I was having a lurk on the actual C25K forums and it seems that weeks 4 to 6 are the killer ones that absolutely everyone complains about. Lots of people give up in these three weeks apparently. But we won't .

Gaaaaah! I have just looked ahead to W4. I have to run for 6 minutes???? Is that even possible?

Well done, slev. And tinwe, read those wise words.

I'm just back from W3R3. Not easy at all, and my first 3-minute run was like crawling through porridge. And of course as soon as I came back I bumped into three neighbours and had to stand and chat to them while I looked like a complete red, sweaty, panting, bedraggled mess. Hey ho.

But, I feel pretty pleased now that I see the W3 stats. R1 was 2.49 miles, R2 2.51 and R3 2.53. Average speed was 14.22min/mile, 13.33 and 13.27. So each run I've made a tiny improvement and that's enough to make me happy.

It would be nice if it wasn't a constant struggle, though ... I have a vision of me striding along, ponytail swinging jauntily and actually enjoying it, but that is so far from reality I can't believe it will ever happen.

Is anyone at the stage yet of thinking what to do when we graduate in W9?

W4R2 done last night. Not going to pretend it was easy but I did it which is the main thing - did have quite wobbly legs for the rest of the evening though. I blame the heat - it was quite warm when I went out and by the time I got home I was one big sweaty mess. Plus I walked faster than I ran for one bit but never mind, it's not about speed at the moment.

Tinwe you're doing fab - if anything, surely the fact you haven't run before and yet you're our first Proper Runner means you must have done even better? Can you honestly say that when you started however many weeks ago you'd have thought you could be running for 20 minutes at a time? You should be really impressed with yourself - I am, and I've never even met you but in my mind you must be reasonably fit and healthy because you're running for that long!

If it helps, I hadn't run since school - and that was 15 years ago (plus I suspect I ran a great deal less in the later years!). I in no way think of myself as fit and haven't done any other exercise since other than the pre-wedding gym trips (yep, guilty of that one too!). I'm 10 stone so not hugely overweight but as I'm only 5ft2 I should be lighter than I am (as my doctor reminds me at every pill check ). But none of that's really the point - regardless of shape or size we should all be damn proud of ourselves that we're getting off our arses and actually doing something while the rest of the world is slumped in front of the TV. Even if you're only a beginner, it's making the effort to change which is important and we're all well down that path.

Lecture over But seriously, chin up - you're an inspiration to lots of people on here, just read some of the comments and remind yourself of that bit!

Oh tinwe, I'm so sorry you're having a crisis of confidence.

I did used to run and could do 10K but there is a huge difference between running when you're in your early 30s (as I was) and running when you're 45, after a gap of nearly 15 years doing sod all exercise apart from Sunday walks in the country.

I am absolutely starting again and trying to ignore the dodgy knees and general aches and pains. Every time I go out I have to stop myself from thinking that 45 is far too old to be taking up running. But that's nonsense - I only have to look around me and I see evidence that that's just not true. My SIL took up running in her late 40s and did a marathon this year. My dad is 75 and walks 5 miles every day. I have a friend who is by no means slender and she does half marathons.

We are absolutely all on a level playing field here and I don't think the difference in age or weight between us really puts anyone at an advantage so get that thought out your head, woman

Also, what's the alternative? Every time we go out there is half an hour not spent on the couch. No matter how hard it is, it can only be doing us some good. You are doing amazingly well. At the moment I can't even imagine what running for 20 minutes might be like and fully expect to struggle through it weeping and gasping. Everyone has a bad one now and then. The important thing is that you made it.

Just remember that things didn't always go so well for Paula Radcliffe, eh? At least you didn't have to pee at the side of the road with everyone in the world watching you on telly

I am going out later for W3R3. You are way ahead of me and your next one will be better. Don't dare give up now. The team needs you!

Hi all! Anyone running today? Nice weather here.

On a personal note I'm sorry to be negative but I really need a bit of cheering on/up :(

I'm finding it tough going back to road running this week (my 20 mins was on the treadmill) and running at 6.50am I needed a boost. I read back on this thread to inspire me but I'd never read the early part and ended up even more demoralised when I realised that most of you have been very fit and even experienced runners in the not too distant past (10ks!) I've never run or done any aerobic exercise (other than a few months of gym visits to lose weight for my wedding) Also, some of you are so slim, by the weights people listed I'm at least 3 stones overweight

Anyway, I went out thinking that the plan was probably meant for slimmer, fitter people just regaining fitness and I'd have to drop back soon... And not surprisingly I had a bad run. Got a stitch, legs ached and felt like lead, counted the minutes, nearly gave up. I made it - just - but have even less confidence in doing 25 mins road run next time

Sorry to be negative when everyone's doing so well.

Oh, don't worry, Rosina, it was a killer but W3R2 was much much better. I am skipping around today and feeling quite limber

Hi Lurking, I haven't been on here or been out since my last run on August 29th, so while I would love a running partner, you've gone past me!

I haven't done W3R1 yet, although I am going to try to go after the school drop off tomorrow (yikes! I might see people). That said, I'm not looking forward to W3R1 after your comment above!

Ellie we're all going to nag you until you do it, so you may as well just get it done! I'm off for W4R2 later although probably a lot later by the time DH gets home from work. I completely agree, when I was doing the 3 minute runs in W3 I didn't think I'd be able to run for longer but you really can, you just have to be mentally ready. As dotty says, just think in terms of next landmarks or number of songs, that sort of thing. Go on, do it and report back later - I will if you will!

Oh, and lurking, I was reading the blurb in the FAQ of my app and they say that to get to 5k you need a 10-minute mile which they think is very ambitious for beginner runners. So I wouldn't worry too much about time/distance - that can come later - when we're all Proper Runners!

And congratulations workate - can't believe how well we're all doing!

Hey all on this misty Tuesday! Go for it ellie honestly just keep going, slow right down if you have to, look around you and just keep going, and give yourself a massive pat on the back when you finish! I do the 'just to the next tree', reach it, 'ok I made it, just to the next tree' and repeat until the app lady tells me I can stop if I'm struggling.

Have to agree with what workate said upthread, knowing you guys have managed it makes it seem much more achievable, so big thanks to everyone!

Did w4r2 this morning, was hard (in fact r2 of each week always seems hard, why is that!?) as my legs were tired from buggyfit yesterday but onwards and upwards :)

I really want to get that 20min run behind me, even though it seems a bit out of reach ATM, so that is my current motivation!

Ellie, just go for it. If you chicken out and stay on the couch you'll feel disappointed with yourself. I think you need to just get out there and tell yourself it can be done (even if you have to slow to a limping, crawling sweaty jog as I have done more than once). As tinwe says, the worst that can happen is that you can't quite manage it and have to repeat it. But I bet that won't happen.

I find it helps if I stop gazing at the pavement just a little bit ahead of where I'm running, focusing only on my steps and counting down the seconds, and actually look around me and try to think of something else.

I'm using a different app from the rest of you and my big 20-minute run isn't until W6R3 so I have another 3 weeks to mentally prepare.

Tinwe thanks for the Lidl tip! There is a Lidl quite near me so I'll scoot down today and have a look.

Good luck everyone. Ellie, get out there and report back when you've done it.

Sorry for multiple posts, I can't scroll up and down during typing on my iPhone.

I completed W6R1 today. Back on the road after a week of treadmilling. Was tough but the plan drops back a bit to build up to 25mins at the end of this week so I can reacclimatise. Weird to think I'm 2/3 of the way through the programme now. Nice to know you're hot on my heels Workate! I'm really pleased my 20 mins reassured some people, just got to keep going now so I don't let the side down!

Ellie - I think the building up a minute at a time can feel harder than the bigger jumps later in the plan but they are possible if you just plough through. Even if it feels only just possible, the programme seems designed to keep you at the edge of your ability. I adopted the mentality of "I will repeat a run if I can't complete it, if I complete the run I'll move on". Working for me so far!