Couch to 5k- Cage your inner chimp and get started!

Oo a poster from down under you'll be giving us tales of sunshine while we are bemoaning the wind, rain and lack of light mornings!

Iwearblack - you could be park running in a matter of weeks!

Congrats Mairead - very impressive time

Wet and blustery here today ... The couch is looking tempting. Shame I have to go to work.

W5r1 for me later, not such a shock for me Reiltin as DH has not long finished the programme and I had to get over his shock with him :-D

This is also what might have been called character building way back.

It's always stormy and very wet on the days I'm running.

Still, it's working :)

Good luck to everyone running today

Hi there, I'm just starting the C25K - first run/walk will be tonight after work - am in Australia so will post at odd times. I firstly need to get some new trainers as have only got old ones and I assume they're contributing to my sore knees/back etc.

I've just read through some of this thread and it's great to see so many of you doing so well - sub 30 mins!

I'm hoping this will get me fit and healthy and thinner for Christmas.

Did w5R1 today. Kinda! As in, I mostly did it properly. But thought, I'll be grand by the end of the week. Then noticed that the next run is different. Longer. 8 minute runs. I'm appalled! I was unprepared for such change! eats chocolate to calm the rising fear.

Well done all you park-runners and sub-30min 5kers! It's my ambition to be able to do a park run this time next year...

Have completed week 7 - so that's 4 x 25 min runs done. It's a struggle but I've done it so bring on week 8 (28 min).

Aldi have running gear in stock at the moment so have bought a glowing gilet to be seen in!

I've just done week 9 run 1. I managed 4.3 kms. I'm a bit disappointed by that but will keep at it until I manage the full 5kms.

Can anyone suggest a programme to graduate to from couch 25k? I don't want to run for longer periods - not sure I'd fit it in so something to keep me interested and getting fitter that lasts 30-40 minutes would be great.

Did my first 5k today, charity run, 29.24. Absolutely chuffed. 28th overall out of 71 5kers.

More interestingly, a 10 year old girl came 6th in 22 mins. Future Paula Radcliffe.

Today I just couldn't get the Wk 7 podcast to play! So I did the Week 8 one, so that was 30 mins running, 5 km done.

Hi all,

I tried to post on here yesterday but my laptop ate my post! Went for a run yesterday morning which was meant to be Run 3 of Week 7 but I got very tired at about the 20 minute stage so I am not sure I really did complete it, although I ran on (slowly) and in fact completed 5 km in the end. But I think I will try and do another good 25 minute run tomorrow before moving on to 30 minutes of running.

watchingout a friend of mine did Twilight Race for Life today too - well done to you and everyone else who did it - great stuff!

That's a very good time, Thistle, well done!

I'll be doing 5k mid November, I am determined :)

Hello All!

I have posted on some of the c25k threads before, but not this one. I have a bit of a not-so-stealth boast and hope that it will be encouraging for others.

I started c25k back in January of this year because I wanted to do triathlon this year. When I started I was finding the 90 second runs hard work, so was really pleased when following the program took me through to running 5k.

I have struggled to get my time for 5k below 30 mins, either in triathlon or on my own training runs (although I do have a hill to get over).

I did my first 5k run today and the provisional results say I did it in 26.44!

So chuffed! I feelI have come a very long way this year and am now running better than I could have hoped for.

Keep it up!

I won't be running again until Monday but there's a marathon happening here tomorrow and will watch runners go past (will be watching between the 3 and 4 mile point so guess there will be lots of them streaming past together :))

Twilight Race for Life completed - my first run for over two weeks and.... I RAN EVERY STEP!! New personal best time too - Take that chimp

Huge mental battle not to give in and walk any, but SO glad I didn't. Great atmosphere and no rain. Very odd running in the dark though.

That's week 8 finished!

I managed another 4.2kms in the wind and rain. I'm now drying out my running shoes ready for next time!

Oh, and actually that's a lie, I haven't lost any weight, but I had to put on size 18 jeans last week, so something is changing.

25 minutes this morning. 2.5k. Am going to do another week of 25 minutes then increase. I'm doing most weeks twice, but as I said, I'm a hefty size 20 and I'm 55 soon, so I'm allowed to do it my way!

Morning all

That's week 4 done and dusted, it was bloody hard going on session 2 but today was much easier.

Although I'll deny it any other time, my body is showing signs of wear and age, I think I've got arthritis in my knee, the joint is quite tender to touch. Got a well-woman appt next week will ask her to check up there.

BUT I feel ready to start proper running now. Bring it on!

Did week 7 run 2 this morning and decided to keep going at the end to try and run 5k. And I did it :) Did 5.05k in 29 min 40 sec so have broken the 30 minute barrier :) am quite pleased with myself as haven't run 5k since march.

Now just need to keep doing it...

Watching Have a fab run and fundrasier this evening. Hope it stays dry for you (dry here atm)

Tina I've dropped to running once (or maybe twice if other plans fall through) a week. Excerice class once / week, and swim once / week.

So, I've been doing a mixture of the c25k+ podcasts - start with stepping stones, leave stamina til the end, and weeks 7/8/9 depending on how much time I've got. I really can't get out for more than an hour, so not pushing to 10k. Prob wont suit you, as you've mentioned distance, but thought I'd mention it.

Tina I've started 10k runner but I seem to have lost any and all motivation. Very down at the moment and not sure why ;(

Just been catching up on the running threads! So many people doing so well :-)

I started c25k in June but as I reached wk 9 I had such sore knees I had to stop for over a month. Back to it in Sept and a couple of weeks ago finally did my first 5k. Had a cold so not run since (had 10 days off) but going back out tomorrow and hoping I can repeat the 5k!

Then I need a new programme! Has anyone done another structured programme after 5k or is it best just to make your own targets?

I don't think I could run any faster so I guess I need to build distance rather than speed? I need to be careful I don't do anything too drastic too soon as need to look after the knees!

I haven't checked in for a while. I also haven't run for a while - had a nasty chesty cold for ages, life & work getting in the way etc.

I'm hoping to get out again this weekend, so a bit of butt kicking wouldn't go amiss please, ladies. I need you to help make me get those running shoes on again!