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

So many new messages - this is the thread that keeps on giving . I'm sure we're all posting much more than they are on the other C25K threads so I'm happy I decided to start this when I did, otherwise I wouldn't have had all this fantastic support.

Ilove - so sorry to see you go, but yep, sometimes life just conspires against us to ensure that we have not a minute of free time and not an ounce of spare energy. Hope you feel ready to pick it up again at some point. And, yes, in the meantime, do check back in and watch us heave our weary bodies over the finishing line

tinwe - great stuff! really pleased that your ankle wasn't too painful. I am laughing at the fact that once again your "very slow" running is so much faster than what I'm doing.

Also, that was actually a helpful comment from your DH. I think because we're relatively new to this lark, it's easy for us to become focused on each individual run and really feel put off if we have a bad one. If you're a Proper Runner, though, I can see that you just take for granted the fact that sometimes it won't go so well but there is no need to get hung up about it as it's just one run of many. I am going to keep his wise words in my head. My marathon-running SIL was out for a run the other week and fell flat on her face in front of many many people, grazing her knees and elbows and losing all dignity. That would have really thrown me, but of course she was back out the next day, thinking nothing of it.

workate - great idea to run the Parkrun course, just to put your mind at rest, although I do think there is probably no point getting too worried about time and distance at this stage. The programme really does seem designed to build our stamina first and then get us to the point where we're running more or less 5K. My plan is the same as yours: get as near to 5K as I can with the programme, then make sure I am actually running 5K, then start improving my time until I can run it in 30 minutes. I'm going to start looking for an app that will get me there (I think we may need a new thread for that!)

Get us, eh? Talking about improving our 5K times, when less than two months ago we were feeling slightly daunted by the 90 second runs

I am just waiting for my porridge to go down, after which I'll go out for W5R2. The distance is meant to drop back down to 3.63K for this one. I'll report back later.

Oops sorry just read back through, big cheers for slev on the 20 minutes! lurking what week are you on, not sure if you've done the 20 minuter?sorry!

Well just got back from w5r2 (I'm so far behind!) and it was fine, wasn't very quick (first 8 min interval 10.59/mile pace and second 8 min interval 10.45/mile) but I did it! My dd was 3 months old on Friday and I did want to have run the 20 minuter by then but nevermind, i'd never have been able to run for 8 mins without stopping 7 weeks ago!

ilove sorry to see you go, but if you're not enjoying it and with a busy life sometimes you've just got to find some other exercise you enjoy doing more.

lurking congrats on the 20 min run!! You've done fab esp with all the injuries you had at the start

tinwe you're an inspiration as ever, hope your foot keeps on recovering nicely.

workate I've had the dodgy GPS thing too, its a one off thjbg I think - was it cloudy with you? That seems to make it harder for my phone to get GPS signal and maybe to keep it? I'm no scientist mind so that may be bunkum!

I think (?) I'm the last one to attempt the 20 minute...any chance of some words of encouragement for slowcoach over here for my run on Monday! Your posts are all so motivating, for you all!

W7R3 done. Went out earlier than planned to avoid running in the dark, so was a bit soon after I'd eaten. Felt a bit nauseous but not like I'd actually BE sick and my foot/ankle was a bit tender, like running on a bruise but no so bad. Took it very slowly i thought but stats aren't terrible.

Stats:
Overall distance 5.15km.
Speed: 6.4 mins/km or 10.3 mins/mile
Running speed: about 6.1 mins/km or 9.8 mins/mile

Lurking - thanks for your opinions ideas, especially regarding diet. I ate a protein rich snack (missed dinner unfortunately) about 4.30 and will run at 7.30ish. Hopefully that will be a big enough time gap.

The pain/discomfort (it's not really pain now) is on the inside of my ankle, under my ankle bone and running down to my instep. Shouldn't make my ankle unstable I don't think if I run on it, just might become sore again especially if I twist it again. I'm planning to try the run as usual but be prepared to stop if it hurts no using it as an excuse otherwise !

I love - I understand your difficulties with motivation, especially at this time of year. Hopefully you'll feel keen to start again next spring (if not sooner). I admit I have the big motivation of a wedding coming up next month plus DH who runs regularly.

Workate - I feel for you having a lousy run. When it's hard to motivate yourself anyway its even more of a kicker when it doesn't go according to plan. In fact, I think its more likely to not go according to plan when you set off with the wrong mindset anyway. When I came back off my last 2 runs unhappy, DH (who's been running for over 10 years) just said "well, that's how it is... You'll mainly have average runs, some will be great and some will be horrible". Probably very true but I wanted sympathy!

Don't worry about the app. It does sound like a glitch but the speeds and distances otherwise have seemed quite likely. I suppose GPS isn't always reliable but if you check your route and it looks correct then I'd assume its worked ok on that run. Trying the Park run sounds a good idea. Mine is too far away to use regularly. You won't be far off the 5k in 30 mins now though anyway will you? Your next few runs should build you up to that easily

I'm thinking I'll go out tonight as I hope it'll help me de-stress but I haven't prepared for it as hoped.

Well done Slev and workate, wow! More "proper" runners.

Tinwe, sorry to hear about your ankle. Hopefully it's short lived and you'll be back out there very soon. I love how you are getting your running fix by reading this thread.

Lurking, am so impressed that you have just picked yourself up and got on after your injury and you sound like you are enjoying it to boot.

I have struggled to keep up with the runs these past couple of weeks, a combination of an non sleeping toddler, a school run to fit in and not being as keen to get out of bed at 6am now the mornings are darker. I'm just not enjoying it and so I'm struggling to motivate myself and keep finding excuses. So, for now I am going to bow out not so gracefully from the plan.

Keep up the good work! I will be checking back though, I want to make sure you lot make it to the end

tinwe, that sounds a fraught day to say the least ... poor babies (and poorer you)

Does it feel like your Achilles is causing the trouble or is it actually the ligaments around your ankle? Do try to ice it today a few times if you can to get the inflammation down and put a support on it when you go out, whether that's today or not.

Definitely protein at lunchtime, I'd say. That will fill you up just as much as carbs but you shouldn't be left with the I-have-a-ton-weight-in-my-stomach thing a few hours later.

I am trying to eat fewer carbs, or at least better ones - porridge every morning, lots of brown rice, low-GI seeded bread if I have bread at all, things like parsnip and carrot mash instead of potatoes with dinner. It's amazing how full I can get just by eating a bit of proper protein for lunch.

I'm not going out today but am obsessively poring over google maps trying to plan a route that is around 4K and has not the merest whiff of an incline in preparation for tomorrow's run. I note that on my app all the runs on W5 are a little bit different so tomrrow's is Run 6, Walk 1, Run 4, Walk 1, Run 6 and is a bit shorter. Bit scary only to have a minute to get my breath back in between runs, though.

Let us know how you get on today, tinwe. Hope your ankle improves and you get more of a chance to rest it.

Good luck to all out today! I love reading your posts even if I can't go out myself note to self: must not develop running by proxy habit

Workate - you going out today? Good luck if so. I'm still undecided. Had no chance to rest or ice my foot yesterday as I had the babies all day, their first dentist visit (that was an experience for all of us), a gp apt for me and shopping to do. Stupid dentists doesn't have a car park and has steps up to the building and 2 internal flights to the dentist. Managing those with a pram and a screaming 2 year old under my arm did nothing for my ankle

Stairs are the most aggravating to my ankle but I went to Pilates too yesterday though and was able to do all the exercises so although it's still tender to touch and a bit achy at times I might be able to go out on it today as long as I'm super careful not to twist it again. I'll eat carefully in case I can. I know I shouldn't rush but it feels like one of those niggly things that could drag on...

Anyone know whether I'd be better to eat protein or carb rich stuff at lunch so that by teatime it's not heavy on my stomach but still gives me energy?

Well done Lurking! Nothing worse than not being able to get into your stride properly as you're having to keep turning round/changing direction. I bet your speed will increase when you've got a route planned and can just crack on. Good distance though anyway

Forgot to say that I do feel great, though, now I know I'm not going to expire.

Well, am back from W5R1. It was a mixed bag of a run.

The disastrous bits were that I planned my route completely wrongly and ended up with a huge hill to climb in the final run. Decided against doing that and went on a mad detour, running round various streets, getting progressively more and more lost (honestly, this is only about a mile from my house and I had no idea where I was, thanks to my legendary non-existent sense of direction) and going farther and farther away from the direction I was meant to be taking. Aargh.

Ended up with a bit of a hill to climb in the last run and just could not do the last 30 seconds. Once I got to cool down I kept running for 30 seconds, though, so it should have evened out. Had ended up so far away from my house that I had a 20-minute cooldown walk to take me home (stopped the app after 5, though) and honestly thought I might faint the whole way home. The only thing that kept me going was that I felt worse when I stopped walking and my heart didn't seem to be racing, so I thought I probably wouldn't have a heart attack in the middle of a quiet leafy suburb. Which would have been embarrassing.

Anyway, the good news is [drum roll] that I covered 4.47 km/2.78 miles today.

Average pace 7:37 mins/km, 12:16 mins/mile
Running pace 7:01 mins/km, 11:18 mins/mile

Still horribly slow (I am like a snail compared to all of you) but at least I got closer to the elusive 5K. Next time I am going to plot a route that has not the slightest incline. Or will perhaps get DH to drive me to the top of a hill so that I can run all the way down and double my speed

Go for it Lurking! This is the exciting bit now for you, the bit where you become a proper runner over the next few runs and really believe you can do it! Glad we're inspiring you , you ploughing through injury is an inspiration too

Ankle not too bad today, I can walk on it and it doesn't look too bad but its throbbing a little bit and is sore to touch. Really hope I can go out again tomorrow to finish week 7

slev, what a hero!! That makes you another Proper Runner. Well done indeed!! I may be lagging behind you three by a couple of weeks but hearing these stories of how you've managed to break through the 20 minute barrier is really inspiring!

workate, you're doing really well with the 9 mins 40/mile. I really must try to go a little bit faster.

tinwe, you poor thing. What a catalogue of disasters. Does it make you feel any better to know that on your supposedly terrible run, with a bad ankle, feeling sick and limping to the finish line, you still ran considerably faster than I do on a good day?

As the self-proclaimed Running Injury Expert in our little team, get yourself some Deep Freeze cold gel for your ankle and ice it for 15-20 minutes several times a day. I bought a cuff thing with a gel pack. The cuff wraps round your leg and fastens with velcro so you can go about your business with the icy gel on your leg, rather than having to sit with a bag of frozen peas on it. Let us know how you're feeling today.

Going out later for W5R1. Week 5! So pleased I've made it this far. Not sure I would have without this thread to spur me on

Thanks tinwe . Yep, it's a great feeling - sounds pathetic when it's just running for 20 minutes but it's such a psychological step up from the 8 minutes I'd done previously - now I just feel like I'll be able to do any length (within reason!).

And yes, the pace thing was interesting - I definitely started faster, slowed in the middle and then got my second wind towards the end. So not too concerned as it means I should be able to do 5k in 30 minutes by the end which is all I was aiming for.

That's bad news about your ankle though - have you iced it and bandaged it somehow? Sounds as though you've twisted it so hopefully just needs a rest - although I know how frustrating that would be. Fingers crossed it's better in the morning. I think it's part of the problem with running at night - I didn't realise quite how bad the lighting round here was until I started running and couldn't actually see the potholes pavement.

My ankle is getting more tender and red...

Well done Slev! ?? for you, put your feet up and enjoy a well deserved ?

Can't beat the feeling of completing your first 20 minuter, can you? Remember you can officially call yourself superwoman a runner now according to my app

Glad to see you found a slower pace at last too, that should be sustainable as you build your time up rather than burning you out early on. 3 miles is 4.8km too so you're not far off your 5k already!

I did it! I ran for a whole 20 minutes! It wasn't fast - 10.02 minutes per mile (which is quite annoying as I would probably have managed 2 miles if I hadn't had to wait to cross the road, as it is I did 1.99 miles - grr!) but that's not the point. Am feeling a bit like Superwoman now.

And a huge thank you to everyone on the thread because it really kept me going. Not just knowing other people had done it so I should be able to as well, but also thinking just how embarrassing it would be to have to come on and say I'd failed. You're all great - have some and a - although not sure that should be on an exercise thread

Workate - that speed is great compared to mine!

Just done W7R2 and it was a bad run :( Started off already exhausted after not sleeping well last night (baby issues), then just as I was getting into it someone stopped me for directions and I panicked trying to stop all the apps I had going (minor I know but it threw me off), then I went over on my ankle which was already a bit sore for some unknown reason from the last run (seriously considered giving up at this point but pushed on) and then started feeling like I'd be sick again! Pushed through at a crawl so technically finished the run but it was a hollow victory.

Second run in a row I've wanted to throw up :( It was my own fault as I was so hungry when I got home from work that I ate a yogurt before I went out running. Not sure how to get over that problem, I have more energy if I run later in the day but seem to get sickly if I've eaten...

Stats:

3.28 miles at 10.5 mins per mile in total, actual running bits 9.8 mins per mile

Or in metric
5.28km at 6.2 mins per km in total, actual running bits 6.1mins/km