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Original poster

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

690 replies

workatemylife · 30/07/2013 10:39

I have not run for YEARS. In the last 18 months I have lost a lot of weight through diet and exercise (walking), and, it would appear, breastfeeding. But I'm back at work, LO isn't drinking me dry any more, my diet is not all that it could be, and the weight is sneaking back on. I don't have the opportunity for long buggy walks with a gurgling baby to toddler groups and playparks, but I do try to cycle to work to get a bit of exercise, although probably not enough. A couple of friends do Park Run eack weekend and I'd love to join them, but at the moment I suspect it would be Park Huff and Puff before Collapsing rather than actually a RUN Blush.

I'm planning to start a C25K plan on Monday next week, and would love some (virtual) run buddies until I feel brave / fit enough to run with real people as well. I've seen some positive comments about the plan on here, although I think I'm still a little Hmm about whether it is possible to progress like that through the weeks and actually get as far as a 5K. Still nothing ventured nothing gained.

I have running shoes somewhere at the back of the wardrobe, but might need to invest in some suitable clothing, and have a weekend of overindulgence lined up. So Monday is the day I think. First Monday of the month, and counting. I'll put a big ring around a late Sept Park Run on the calendar and start counting.....

Anyone care to join me?

OP posts:
slev · 01/10/2013 06:50

lurking I had exactly the same thing. Thought the run was going better and then turned out my time was 9.00 minutes/mile so pretty much the same as my "bad" run!

I say better, I'm still finding it quite hard work this week for some reason. But I've got 2 more weeks to go - 28 minute runs next week and 30 minutes the week after. Which is probably for the best as Ias definitely ready to stop after my 25 minutes last night!

Good luck to anyone running today!

lurkingfromhome · 30/09/2013 17:05

Thanks, workate and slev, for your wise and kind words.
Honestly, where would I be without this thread? It has been so lovely to have three running companions at various ends of the country. Grin

It was strange today. I went out in a much better frame of mind, took a different route, had a new and improved playlist and really felt like I was doing much better. Pushed myself to run a little bit faster, and came home feeling a lot more positive. That really was A Good Run, I thought to myself.

Imagine my pain, though, to discover that last time my pace was 6.54 mins/km and this time it had increased to an astounding 6.53. What is that all about?!!!! slev, I think you're right - there is so little difference in the stats between a good run and a bad run. I'm sure there is a lesson to be taken from that, but I'm not sure what exactly Confused

Yep, just two more runs for me. I think I'm going to just have a couple of weeks of normal 5k running, where I don't really try to get faster but just consolidate everything I've been doing without every run being a new challenge and needing yet another big effort. After that I'm going to start on the 5k improver programme (I know what you mean about going back to intervals but at least in the app I've found very few runs have any walking; most are running/faster running) and do that until I feel ready to take on a 10K programme. Eek.

Have a good run tonight, slev.

slev · 30/09/2013 15:39

lurking glad you're feeling better about it today and hope your run went well. I think we just have to keep remembering how far we've come - a bad run is now one where we run nearly 3 miles - that's impossible for most people. So definitely don't give up or get downhearted - every step we take is progres!

And yes, workate - for all I was saying it was a bad run, ultimately I still ran as far and as fast as before (well, nearly) - it was just that it felt like a lot more effort. But I think it's so variable as to whether all the factors are right - I've taken to running in the evenings when it's dark, cooler, not as busy on the roads etc. and so when I run a bit earlier in the day as I did on Saturday it just completely throws me - even to the extent of timing of meals etc. But I was really pleased I kept going - in another time I would have stopped and walked but I couldn't fact coming on here and admitting it Grin

So back to normal tonight and hopefully I'll get closer to enjoying it. Think I'm actually last now as that will be my W7R3 - lurking is yours an 8 week programme or 9?

Oh, and I agree with you on the speed thing workate, I never have any idea how fast I'm going which is why I'm slightly obsessed with running to the right beat of music, otherwise I go much slower than I meant to. I like your idea of just running a bit longer each time though and see if you gradually get faster - I really don't fancy going back to intervals again after getting used to running non-stop, which is what all the 5k improver and 10k plans seem to recommend. But I'm getting ahead of myself - got to get through tonight and another 2 weeks first!

Original poster
workatemylife · 30/09/2013 12:54

Welcome / welcome back southchinasea and congratulations on your graduation! Glad to have been of some help! Are you going to stick with us? A few of us are dithering about how to continue after graduation, so the more the merrier.

lurking Sounds like one of those moments that we have all had, but keep at it. Please! We need you! tinwe has given some great advice based on her experience, and I would second the comments about focusing on you and your progress rather than other runners. I got really down about the whole thing a couple of weeks ago, based upon faster runners that I could see around me, the times online for Park Run, my own pace etc. But even if there is some progress to be made on all of these, I'm trying to take pleasure in the journey that I've travelled so far. I may not be fast, but I am at least running, which I wasn't doing two months ago. Still not enjoying it mind Wink but maybe that time will come.

slev another one under the belt. One thing that amazes me (apart from your times!) is how one run can seem a total disaster with no hope of finishing, but is I stick with it, it turns out to be no worse than any other. tinwe's DH must have a point.

Sorry to have come on for a rant on Saturday. Poor DH - I've not really talked to him about what I've been doing, times, plans etc, so the poor bloke probably had no idea that one particular Saturday mattered. He started running around the time that I stopped (years ago), so has a fair amount of experience and races under his belt. But I find his attitudes to other runners a bit Hmm sometimes - mainly when he criticises their speed, which is probably way faster than mine.

I think maybe it was no bad thing that I didn't leap straight into Park Run from graduation. I need a better sense of my own speed / ability. I can never tell how fast I'm running from one outing to the next, which makes it hard to make a sensible plan for a 5K 'race' apart from putting one foot in front of the other and seeing what happens next. I know that the key to better speed is meant to be better endurance, so I'm trying to do a little more this week. I spent the last few runs of the C25K plan chasing to the line to try to get a good time for the course, so for the next few weeks I'm going to focus on running for a little longer - either another lap of the playing fields, like today, or for another five minutes, in the hope that being able to run longer or further makes a 5K / 30 minute run seem a little easier. I went out today and ran 3.5 miles. I could probably do with a better 'how to speed up and keep smiling' plan, but haven't got around to looking properly yet, and 3.5 miles was probably far enough!!

OP posts:
lurkingfromhome · 30/09/2013 10:09

Thank you for your kind words tinwe. I feel much better about things today and am just about to go out for W8R1. Only two runs to go. Eek! Hope everyone else is ready to take on another week and get to graduation.

southchinasea - well done on your graduation!! Flowers

workate - what are your running plans for this week?

southchinasea · 29/09/2013 14:18

Thankyou so much for starting this thread, workate- and to everyone who has posted. It got me running again and kept me going, and I've just completed w9 r3! Really pleased with my achievement, feel fitter, more stamina, slightly more toned, but just mainly more energized, which is great! I'm quite slow, up to 4.3 k so far in 30 mins, but planning to work towards 5k over the next 3 or 4 weeks? And then just to keep going out regularly even once the evenings get darker, maybe with a longer run at wk ends. We'll see! Thanks again for all the encouragement.

Tinwe · 29/09/2013 08:52

Lurking - for your interest, I checked back and I ran 6.44mins/km on W7R3, almost the same as you. I had better runs after that though and I'm sure you will too. Smile

Tinwe · 29/09/2013 08:46

No Lurking! I've been there, round about the same point in the plan too! Think it's a common time to loose faith/drop out. Remember, this is about YOU and not the other park runners. You don't know their history, maybe they've been at this for years. You are moving through the plan and THAT's the progress, not the time/speed at this point. The building time/speed comes AFTER graduation. All you need to achieve to succeed at this point is complete the plan and then you will have gone from 0mins - 30mins solid running in only 9ish weeks! Think of the benefits to your health, stamina, looks etc. they come no matter how fast you go.

lurkingfromhome · 29/09/2013 08:06

Oh dear: sounds like everyone has had a bad weekend in one way or another. tinwe, I'm so glad you're feeling better - good that you've taken a few days off to get your strength up and in the great scheme of things missing a couple of runs won't make any difference. workate - bad husband! I do think that other people, whether runners or not, don't always realise how challenging this all is and how we have to set ourselves small goals all the time and it can be disproportionately disappointing not to be able to fulfil them.

Like Slev, I had a dreadful run yesterday. Aaargh. I had gone for a long walk in the country the day before, so was perhaps a bit tired from that. Also, it was baking hot yesterday morning and I was wearing a long-sleeved top so felt hot and bothered right from the off and was just counting down the minutes until it was over. The worst thing of all - oh the humiliation - was that another runner came up behind me, overtook me and then proceeded to run so far ahead of me that after a few minutes I couldn't even see her. That is how I need to be running to do a 5k but I am so far from that just now ... I was looking at my local Parkrun results and there are usually around 500 runners and with my times I'd be last. The winners usually come in at around 16 minutes and even if I could do it in 30 mins that would have me in the bottom 90%. Which is fine, but I can't even contemplate it until I can get to that stage or would be too disheartened to be limping in after everyone else had gone home. Smile slev, if I could have what you think of as a bad run, I'd be delighted Grin

Anyway, my stats, such as they are:

distance: 5.04km or 3.13 miles
running pace: 6.54 mins/km or 11.54 mins/mile Blush

For the first time, I am not looking forward to the next run Sad. I am no longer having any sense that I'm getting better at this and that's what has spurred me on until now. Aaaargh.

Tinwe · 29/09/2013 07:47

Oh Slev - I empathise! Still, very impressive keeping the pace up. If that's a bad run then I don't think you have much to worry about Grin

Good luck to all running today.

I won't be running again til tomorrow earliest but I'm not eating normally yet so probably just as well. Hmm

slev · 28/09/2013 19:04

I think it was Tinwe's DH who said we'd have bad runs sometimes. Well, Reader, W7R2 was my bad run. Wasn't in the mood before I set off (heavy legs after going out last night, general knackeredness after getting back late and being woken at 6.30am) and it was really blustery. So I did it and kept up my speed (9.03 min/mile) but it was really hard - I wanted to stop after 5 minutes and still not sure how I kept going.

On the plus side, that's a bad run out the way so the next one has to be better - right?!

Hope you've told your DH off workate. I think we've all got parkrun in our minds as the thing that really proves we're Proper Runners so it must be so annoying to gear yourself up for it and then not do it. Hope you get to go out anyway.

Tinwe - glad you're on the mend. I'd say don't push it until you're ready though - but it must be really irritating when you're so close to the end!

Tinwe · 28/09/2013 14:06

That's a shame Workate but at least the park run wasn't your graduation run after all. Another week to consolidate so you can be super confident next time might be best anyway? Didn't know your DH was a runner?

Original poster
workatemylife · 28/09/2013 10:04

Well I am one ANGRY c25k graduate Angry DH refused to do a family trip to Park Run this morning because he wanted to do a longer run himself. He could have done it any other time over the weekend. I suppose I could have been more explicit about why this week mattered to me, but on balance it didn't seem worth the argument. I would probably have bombed in the effort to run it fast. I will try to chip away at my times and have a shot another weekend. lurking you might be our first Parkrunner!

OP posts:
Tinwe · 28/09/2013 07:53

Think I'm better today. Very achey though.

Slev - amazing times! I can see you doing long distances in the future.

Workate - are you doing the park run today?

Lurking - are you out again today?

Original poster
workatemylife · 27/09/2013 17:47

tinwe get well soon! Kids are great at sharing!
slev that sounds fantastic. I will be similarly in the final group of finishers at my local parkrun. Depressing, but these people must have started somewhere too. I hope!

OP posts:
slev · 27/09/2013 14:51

Sorry, haven't been able to post because work kept getting in the way - most unfair. Anyway, workate congratulations on being first across the line - now you need to come back and inspire us with your stories of what happens next! And lurking well done on your parkrun entry - must be good to have something to aim for. And last but not least Tinwe - you poor thing - hope it's one of those 24 hour things and you get better soon.

So before I tell you about my run last night, I should start by saying that I looked at the results of my local parkrun to get an idea of times. And clearly I live in an area surrounded by elite athletes as a time of 30 minutes would have me finishing about 730th Shock out of 900 - the first 200 people were doing it in 20 minutes or less. I also clearly live in an area where people like running - I thought parkrun would be more like 50 people!

So I was due for W7R1 and thought that if I'm going to do parkrun, I don't want to embarrass myself - yes, I know it's not a race but I don't want to be left feeling like I'm not a Proper Runner after all that effortGrin. So I loaded my phone up with some speedy music, did my 25 minute run and turns out I managed to run at 8.53 minutes/mile (5.31 min/km) and covered 4.52km on the running bit. And was absoutely dead afterwards. So I guess on the plus side, I don't think I'll have a problem with completing 5k in 30 minutes, but on the negative - I'm still going to come in 700th place! I may have a look for another parkrun nearby where they're not quite so keen!

Oh, and I must recommend Compeed blister plasters if anyone suffers - they're brilliant, I didn't feel a thing. And if anyone want tips for speedy songs, while these aren't ones I would normally listen to, the below have a good tempo for running to, if slightly fast - thanks to workate's website

Blondie - Maria
Meatloaf - Dead Ringer For Love
A-Ha - Take On Me
Kim Wilde - Kids in America
You Can't Stop The Beat from Hairspray
Puretone - Addicted To Bass
NSync - It's Gonna Be Me

Tinwe · 27/09/2013 11:33

Thanks Lurking, hope you have a good day. I ache all over now. Won't be running til next week at least. Very frustrating as I'm only 2 runs away from graduation Hmm

lurkingfromhome · 27/09/2013 11:27

I am but only just as am going out in 5 minutes (although not for a run!). So sorry to hear you are throwing up, gaaaah. You poor sausage. Have you caught a bug of some sort?

Probably best you take it easy for a couple of days as the Vomity Horrors can really take it out of you. Anyway, you'll still be finishing ahead of me Grin

Tinwe · 27/09/2013 10:48

Anyone around to talk to me and share a proxy run so I don't feel guilty while I lie here groaning? Grin

Tinwe · 27/09/2013 04:47

Update: Didn't run today due to poorly babies and I've now been up all night throwing up so I doubt I'll be out tomorrow either. DH is away all weekend on a stag do, so I imagine I won't run again til next Monday now :(

lurkingfromhome · 26/09/2013 17:13

Yaaaaaay! Very well done, workate - absolutely fantastic. Our first graduation Flowers. Hurrah! Ooh, I feel quite emotional Grin

Tinwe, looks like you'll be next. Good luck for the penultimate run Smile

Saturday morning will be my next one, then Monday, Wednesday, Friday next week. Hope everyone will hang around until speedy slev and I drag ourselves over the finishing line. Then we might need a new thread!

Tinwe · 26/09/2013 14:27

Congratulations Workate! ?? ?? ??Great distance and speed, you'll blow them away at Park Run! Grin

Well done Lurking, you'll be graduating in a flash. I think you can count 4.99km as a 5k anyway through rounding up Wink

It'll be tricky for me to extend my runs to an hour too (with family commitments) but I hope to invest no more than an hour each run and then as I get fitter go longer distances within the time and maybe even start to reduce that time if I ever reach 10k.

Going to try to get out later for W9R2 with another podcast. It might make me slow but hopefully will keep me going.

Original poster
workatemylife · 26/09/2013 13:24 

Well, that's that folks! C25K finished! I am, apparently, a runner! (just not a very good one. Yet. I WILL persevere!)  I can't believe how fast the time has gone, or that I actually stuck with the plan and went from couch to 30 minutes of running, given my well honed skills in lounging around on the sofa. 

I went out this morning and did the Park Run course. I wondered about using Saturday's event to 'graduate', but the weather forecast is rubbish, and I'd be really disappointed if we ended up not going. So today was a little private graduation among the dog walkers - I'll see what Saturday brings. 

According to MapMyRun (in which I have precious little faith, given recent history, but I like the stats on this one so I'm claiming it as truth, even though it looks a little <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Hmm" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/hmm-PR4o6B1t.png">):

To the end of Mile 1: 9 mins dead (!!!)
To the end of Mile 2: 18 minutes 22 secs
To the end of Mile 3: 27 minutes 52 seconds
<strong>To the end of 3.1 miles / 5km: 28 minutes 58 seconds</strong>  <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Grin" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/grin-D7Eg_B6y.png">

At the risk of delivering an Oscars speech - <strong>thank you very much ladies. I would NOT be here without you</strong> 

Right. Who is next? I am going to keep up with this if I can, and would love to keep you as my running buddies.
OP posts:
Original poster
workatemylife · 26/09/2013 13:13

I'm here lurking (but yes, it seems quiet at the moment). FANTASTIC. The distance is spot on (I'm sure your app in not that precise), you kept going, AND you've registered for Park Run. I hope enjoyment follows. I'm sure the pace will increase in the final couple of weeks. A few folk here have said that it take a good 5-10 mins to get into your running stride, and after that it all gets easier, so slightly longer runs probably give the impression of being faster. I know what you mean about the progress from the start of the programme though. Every time I get cheesed off with myself for finding it a struggle it helps to remember that this time ten weeks ago it would have been nigh on impossible. Great going.

I know how you feel though about the music. I once borrowed DHs Mp3 player and had to turn it off. I thought we had similar tastes, but his running music brought out the granny in me too!

My half marathon history is just that. A decade ago - when I was a different age, and a different person leading a different life. And I can't claim that I finished in style! I'm annoyed that once upon a time I could do that and now I can't, but I think for that reason I will limit ambitions this time and stick with the time that I have to invest rather than grand plans that won't be fulfilled. I looked at the app that you had found, but I have an android phone, so probably can't use that one. Still, if a few of us are going to carry on, we can chivvy each other along Grin

OP posts:
lurkingfromhome · 26/09/2013 11:14

Back from W7R2. I used the new podcast with a mix of music at the same ideal BPM but it was awful - really rubbish beepy techno nonsense that got so beepy and techno at one point that it was making me feel a bit sick trying to keep up with it so I had to switch it off.

I do realise how much of a old lady that makes me sound, by the way. I am reminding myself of my dad when he used to shout "Do you call THAT music?" when I used to watch Top of the Pops.

Anyway, stats:

distance: 4.99km (gaaaaah!)

run speed: 6.49 mins/km (which would have me doing a 5k in 32.45 - not too dreadful - surely I can knock a couple of minutes off that in four weeks???)

enjoyment factor: limited

Also, two good things:

(i) I registered for Parkrun today. Won't actually do it for another month, I think, but feel pleased with myself to even be registering for it.

(ii) When I was out this morning and the voice in my app said "10 minutes remaining" I thought "Thank goodness I'm on the last 10". Imagine that - I couldn't even run for 10 minutes a few weeks ago and now it marks the last section of the run and is a sign that I'm on the home stretch. That makes me happy.

Where are you all? Grin