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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:
lurkingfromhome · 25/09/2013 17:32

That's the thing, isn't it ... a 5k doesn't actually demand too much of our time and going out for half an hour can be fairly easily fitted into our lifestyles, whatever they involve.

Working up to running for an hour at a time (and keeping that going afterwards) is actually quite a commitment in terms of time. I'm going to give it a go, as not having DC and working from home already make it more of a feasible prospect (although sometimes when I have huge deadlines to meet, I can barely find time to get dressed, never mind go out running for an hour...). But yes, my focus is definitely on mastering the 5ks first Smile. The app I found that I quite like the look of is called 5k Forever, so I'll be investigating that further in a week or two. Eeeek!

You kept your half-marathon background very quiet, workate! What an amazing achievement!

Good luck for tomorrow and your graduation run. We can have a virtual ceremony on your return Smile

Original poster
workatemylife · 25/09/2013 15:59

well done tinwe - great effort, and I think, as has been said already, the first 'I had fun' run. Progress indeed. Bolt, watch out behind you. The C25K ladies are coming!
slev thanks for the warning on shoes. I wasn't planning to get new shoes this week, but it would be a shame if the graduation retail therapy ended in pain, or if the plan to keep going was thwarted on run number 1. I have weird feet too. Ouch ouch though. How can you run as fast as the rest of us with bleeding feet?!
woohoo lurking you covered the distance. Brilliant. Another landmark.

I'm glad I'm not alone in needing a target to keep up the motivation. I ran a Race for Life a few years ago and then went on to a half marathon (!!) at which point I decided enough was enough and went back to being a couch potato (and pregnant). I don't want this to happen again, so I need to keep the buzz. Like you, this is my bid for a healthy middle age, and an attempt to get some 'me-time' doing something other than eating chocolate cake.

I don't have the time to invest in training for another half marathon. I don't even know if I have the time to invest in 10K training, with work and family life to consider. So I think my focus needs to be 5K, probably using Park Run as a goal. If I can do my local Park Run in 30 minutes on race day, I'll be really chuffed. After that, maybe I need one of the plans that you're talking about to try to improve the time. Each minute drop would require a lot of effort, but that might be the thing that keeps me moving, literally. The whole thing seems set up really well - informal and friendly, but with little incentives to aim for, like T-shirts and stickies on the website if you complete certain numbers of runs, a little 'PB' stickie for the fastest time, charts and stats etc. I doubt I'll ever get down to a 25 minute 5K, but maybe seeing the figures stack up over a few weeks / months would be incentive enough.

Still, tomorrow first. eeek.

OP posts:
Tinwe · 25/09/2013 12:32

Oh and I listened to Chris Evans breakfast show on Radio 2. It was the Eusain Bolt episode Grin

Tinwe · 25/09/2013 12:30

Aw Lurking! You really made me smile, thanks for the cheerleading Smile

The 5k improver sounds interesting. Count me in!

lurkingfromhome · 25/09/2013 08:29

tinwe! You are not only a Proper Runner but you have had the inaugural Enjoyable Run of the team! Flowers Very well done. The finishing line is in sight for you too now.

Interesting what you say about the podcast. I was pondering that yesterday. What I have done is downloaded an app that has all sorts of different mixes at specific bpm. I'm going to try to use that for the next little while to get my speed up. I'm working on the assumption that if I have constant music at the right bpm, that might spur me on a bit. We'll see how that goes. I think I might use podcasts when I start on the 10k programme though. What are you listening to? I wonder what would be most distracting ...

Also, I have started to do a little research into what I could do for a bit before embarking on a 5k to 10k programme (I can't believe I just typed that ... Grin). I found some worrying things on forums about how long it might take to get to a 30-minute 5k. One person said it took them two years after completing the C25K programme. I was hoping more like 3 weeks!

However, I've found an app that is actually an 8-week 5k improver programme. Every run is different and is a mixture of walking, slow running, normal running and sprinting intervals, probably with a few hills too. It is supposed to be the best way to achieve a more efficient (ie faster) 5k. I don't really want to spend 8 weeks on it, though, so I'm thinking do that for 3 or 4 weeks then embark on 10k training (just as the weather is going to be getting quite horrible, no doubt).

tinwe it would be great if you could join me and if our team here could keep going in some way. Grin

Tinwe · 24/09/2013 21:59

My update - W9R1 done.

I decided to try the same route as last run. Although it hadn't gone well last time, I wanted to get my confidence back by conquering it (was feeling a bit anxious following all my foot/ankle problems and then having to cheat on my last run)! I did it in reverse though so I did the big steep incline early (about 5 mins in) rather than spending the whole of the first 20 mins on a gentler but continuous slope. I also took it really slowly to be sure to be able to complete the whole 30 mins non stop this time. I also swapped music for a podcast to keep me distracted.

Bit of a gamble all round but I actually... wait for it... ENJOYED IT!

The podcast was great (and I'm going to stick with them for now) but I don't think it helped my speed at all! It was such a good distraction though I was really surprised when my app called time - I could've kept going for a lot longer! Grin

Stats: running time only

30 mins, 4.7km at 6.3mins/ km or 2.9miles at 10.2mins/mile

Tinwe · 24/09/2013 21:16

Ps, I think I'd be tempted to do a Parkrun as my graduation if I were you. Your times seem to be consistently bringing you in under 30 mins and you're used to the track, so, the odds are good it'd be a great finale!

Tinwe · 24/09/2013 21:15

Nearly there Workate! You should definitely treat yourself to new kit when you graduate - you'll have proved your commitment and "earned" it by then Smile

Tinwe · 24/09/2013 21:12

Nothing wrong with slow and steady Lurking- I'm adopting that approach myself. I'd been thinking the same as you about post-graduation. I'd like to get confident and consolidate the 30mins/5km running, maybe with some inclines or speedier pace then build to a 10k. If you decide to follow a plan I'll join you! Smile

Tinwe · 24/09/2013 21:09

Slev - your stats say you're as speedy as ever, even with blistered bloody feet! Wink

lurkingfromhome · 24/09/2013 16:31

Well, that was quite tough. W7R1 in my app is Run 20, Walk 3, Run5. It was quite hard to get going again for the second run when all I wanted to go was cool down, go home and have a cup of tea. That was the last of the interval runs, though. As of next time, it's warm up, run (for a minute longer each time), cool down

I attempted a small experiment with changing my gait from longer strides to more of a brisk trot. If anything, I am getting even slower Smile. Only a little, mind you. There is still hope that I will break this 30 min barrier eventually. Actually I did notice that my playlist was very poorly chosen and largely consisted of songa that were all a little bit too slow. slev, I'm going to take your advice and really put together a good playlist for the next one and see if that helps.

Stats are ...

distance: 5.15 km (yaaaaasss!)
average pace: 7.33 mins/km
running pace: 6:54 mins/km

lurkingfromhome · 24/09/2013 14:57

Goodness me, workate, just one more run to go. Eek! It's very fitting that as the thread starter you should be first over the line with the rest of us in your wake Smile.

I absolutely agree about the temptation to tick this off as a done deal and take up residence on the sofa once again. I am very very bad for this. The first time I ran regularly, I worked my way up to a 5K in a similar way to this, did the Race for Life, then literally hung up my running shoes and never went out again until three years later. Honestly, what an idiot Blush.

I am determined not to do this again and to try to actually make some life changes as the whole point of this was to get fit and stay fit into middle & old age. The only problem is that unless I have a goal and a reason to push myself and achieve something more with each run I can easily see me losing momentum and just bottling out. How do you go about making this a habit rather than a project?

I was reading somewhere or other that it's best not to embark on the 5k to 10k programme until you're in the habit of running 5k a few times a week. I think I might do a bridging programme to get my speed up until I can run it in 30 mins (the way I'm going, that will take me years Grin). Then I'm going to embark on the 10k programme. I hope some of you here will join me .

Anyway, haven't even gone out for W7R1 yet so will do that now. Back with stats in a bit. Oh, and I bought a lovely new long-sleeved running top for the cooler weather that looks great and, as it turns out, is actually made out of recycled plastic bottles. This pleases me enormously!

slev · 24/09/2013 12:44

workate be careful with the new trainers! I bought some last week, tried them earlier this week and got slight blisters from breaking them in but they seemed fine, and then went out again yesterday and completely wrecked my feet - the plasters slipped and it's not pretty! Plus my nice new trainers have bloodstains on them Sad which is more information than I suspect you wanted. Somehow it was fine when I was running, it was when I stopped that I realised quite how bad it was. I always get it with new shoes for some reason, I think one of my feet is bigger than the other one so they always rub a bit until I break them in properly.

Anyway, that disgusting piece of news aside, the good news is I completed W6R3 last night so that's another week down. And my blister-ridden stats were that I covered 2.31 miles in 22 minutes so speed was 9.31 minutes/mile. So actually no faster than workate, despite my newly acquired reputation.

I would really recommend the music thing though to anyone that's struggling with speed. I had a bit of a mix of music going last night and I did notice myself speed up when I got to the tracks that were supposed to have the faster beat to them. I think it's just one of those subconscious things that I unintentionally slow down without something to spur me on, but with the right music, I can run quite fast - but that's why my stats vary each week.

workate do you think you will go on to do to 10k programme as well? I was having this debate with DH last night - do I just keep upping the lengths of the runs and keep at it that way, or do I move onto another programme? I kind of like the sense of achievement of feeling like I'm moving through the weeks, but I'm going to run out of programmes - unless I start training for a marathon which is most unlikely Hmm

Enjoy your run lurking (yes, I said enjoy it - you never know!) - I'm going to do W7R1 on Thursday so not too far behind you!

Original poster
workatemylife · 24/09/2013 11:07

Nutter that I am, I went out for W9r2 today! I can't manage a run Weds or Friday this week, so I thought I would try to run M, Tue, Thurs. It was okay - I think I could feel yesterday's effort in my legs a little to start with, but once I loosened up I managed to keep on going for the 30 minutes.

I was back at the Park Run course today, most of which is on paths, so didn't suffer from soggy feet, unlike yesterday. My pace has definitely improved a bit in the last couple of weeks - not a patch on slev but I'm doing a mile in around 9mins 25 or 30 secs rather than 9 mins 40. A tiny change, but every little helps.

So, all being well, I can do the 'graduation' run on Thursday this week. Or, if I pluck up the courage to do Park Run for real, on Saturday. It would be really nice to finish on a high and make Park Run a graduation run, but it might be a bit much pressure. I've not run with a lot of people before, and I'd love to be able to claim that my graduation run was 5K in 30 mins, rather than fail to pace myself in a crowd, head out too fast, and not finish.

One thing though - I really need new trainers! Mine are old, looking a bit tatty, and I wonder if they are slightly too small. My general foot size seems to have got bigger since the DCs were born / old age set in, and I think I might need to go up in trainers as well. Maybe my graduation treat, whenever it happens, will involve some retail. I seem to remember that we were also keen on acquiring 'kit' when all this started too Grin

I think I might have made too much of the nine weeks / graduation landmark though. For all the chatter about what next, I have a real feeling that this is ending now. Keeping up the momentum might be harder than I thought when the instinct is to put a tick in the 'done' box and get back to the sofa Blush

OP posts:
lurkingfromhome · 24/09/2013 09:33

Oh slev, such false modesty Wink. You do realise that you are our pacemaker, don't you? Smile

tinwe, you know I hadn't even considered stopping for a mid-run G&T. I will now, though Smile

Isn't this graduation week for several of us? workate are you going to be first over the finishing line?

I am going out for W7R1 later but am going out to meet DPs for early lunch first and don't have time to get the run in beforehand, so it will have to be a later afternoon one. I am exhausted today so hoping I perk up a bit in the course of the morning.

Perhaps today will be the day I enjoy it. Ever hopeful, that's me... will report back later. speedy slev, are you heading out today too?

Tinwe · 23/09/2013 20:48

Well done Workate... Week 9! You're only 2 runs off finishing! Must be frustrating regarding your stats but whatever pace/distance graduation is only days away GrinShockGrin

Tinwe · 23/09/2013 20:46

Well done Lurking! And a very respectable time too!

Sounds like a nice route to run, I thought you were going to tell us you felt compelled to break your run with a quick stop off at the pub Grin

slev · 23/09/2013 14:26

I'm amused by the whole speedy slev thing - honestly, if you saw me you'd say it's anything but - and it's certainly not elegant. Although possibly more so than workate's constipated waddle which has amused me! And definitely no hills - fortunately there aren't even any inclines near me which obviously helps.

And congrats to everyone for being another run down - and lurking - you are now a Proper Runner Grin Flowers. I'd like to say it gets easier/more fun but I'm not convinced of either.

Oh and on the music thing - I haven't paid to download any, I just spent an hour on the website while I was supposed to be working looking at tracks that fell into my speed. There's a lot of American stuff on there that I hadn't heard of, but I managed to find some I already had so that's now my playlist. It really helps me to have something to focus on but I'm weird like that.

Original poster
workatemylife · 23/09/2013 11:52

Well done lurking. Sounds like a good run, and a great way of measuring progress too. I had one of those 'I could never run that far but now I'm just keeping on going' moments last week and it really cheered me up. The speed looks fine. We can't all be speedy slev (although I wouldn't mind being that fast EnvyEnvyGrin)

I went out this morning for a pretty poor effort. I ran on playing fields rather than the Park Run course, and my feet got soaked and really cold. Plus it was really muggy, so the rest of me was all hot and sweaty. Pleased I am not. And no sign of enjoyment yet either. I did 6 laps - 1 and 2 were okay, 3 and 4 were depressing and 5 and 6 did hold out the promise of it all ending. Same pattern as most of us I think.

My GPS / Mapmyrun went nuts again - I know it is only a little thing, but bloomin' annoying. Apparently I ran for less than a minute! Really? NHS Laura guided me through 30 minutes on the podcast, so at least I know I did something that approximates to week 9. On a more positive note, week NINE! I think I'm only here because of you ladies. I'd be too scared to report back that I can't actually be bothered!

OP posts:
lurkingfromhome · 23/09/2013 08:17

My stats for W6R3:

4.03 km
average speed 7.29 mins/km
running speed 6.53 mins/km

Man, I am so slow. I feel like I'm trotting along quite quickly when i'm actually out there but the stats beg to differ Smile. However, I am not minding too much as speed can get sorted later.

Yesterday I realised something: the route I'm taking at the moment is along a canal path where there is a nice pub at the end. Pre-running, whenever I went to the pub and walked home along the path instead of taking the bus or a taxi, it felt like a good bit of exercise. Now I am running there and back and usually before 10 o'clock in the morning. I would never have thought that was possible just seven weeks ago.

lurkingfromhome · 22/09/2013 18:27

Oh and no, workate, I cannot say with any honesty that I enjoyed it. I think perhaps I had a moment of elation when I realised it was nearly over but that's the closest I got Grin

lurkingfromhome · 22/09/2013 18:24

I am indeed back and I did it Smile. It really wasn't much more of a stretch than the last one although I was even slower than usual. Will post stats and full report once I'm back in my computer as I hate posting from my phone. Just wanted to reassure you that I hadn't expired en route.

Well done slev and welcome back! We are running partners now, more or less (although your speeds are way beyond what I can ever inagine doing). Really pleased you are happy to be back Smile

tinwe, well done for getting through what sounds like a tough one! I feel your pain re the inclines. I am now not even attempting anything that isn't perfectly flat or (preferably) downhill. Will work on that after graduation... Great news that you've recovered from your ankle injury too.

Another week over. Graduation time for some of us soon Grin

Original poster
workatemylife · 22/09/2013 16:10

Well done slev. I have yet to follow my own advice on music, but glad to hear that it worked for you. I'm too IT illiterate tight to pay to download stuff that I don't know if I like, so I keep meaning to listen to some of the tracks, but I have put some of the NHS podcast for 'moving on' from C25K onto my Mp3 player. I won't be running the time or distance, but reviews suggest that the podcast has a bmp in the 150-160 range, so I'll see if it makes a difference.

Hope you get home soon lurking and that you enjoyed the run. Yes, ENJOYED. Someone has to start loving this soon!

tinwe that really doesn't sound bad at all. Tough course, a slice or two of Cake and you still put in a pretty good effort. At least you kept moving, and the distance looks good. It may not be what the plan was advising, but it surely counts as a decent run nonetheless.

I hope to go out tomorrow and start week 9, but my usual M, W, Fr schedule probably won't be possible this week. I should really have gone out today, but I was feeling lazy busy tidying up the garden

OP posts:
Tinwe · 22/09/2013 15:45

Weeellll... That didn't go so well. I picked a new route to motivate me but didn't figure out the slight inclines huge hills involved. I HAD to stop after 20 minutes of what felt like constant uphill and walked minutes 20-25 then ran through to the end of the cool down. So basically I still ran the 28 mins but with a 5 minute walking break 2/3 of the way through. I could've coped with probably half the break but I needed to start on the next 5 minute reminder to keep track of how long I'd run for. I was really disappointed especially as I should really be able to tackle an incline or 2 by now) but on reflection I'm doing this to get fit and lose weight and today's efforts still achieved that. Plus my foot didn't hurt today! I'm just getting a bit worried I'm on a downhill slide :(

Stats: 5.11km at 6.3 mins/km over 33 minutes (includes the 5 minute walk and the 28 minutes running)

Tinwe · 22/09/2013 13:58

How did it go Lurking? I'm about to go out for W8R3 with a hangover Confused