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

I went a bit mad today and ran 5 km without stopping, in 34 minutes. I'm really pleased as that's the first "proper" (as in, absolutely no stopping or walking) 5 km I've done since June.

W1R3 done. I went a lot further today! Clearly I should always run while pissed off with DP

Hi all. W7R2 done. My knees are not happy!

With regard to distance I have no clue how far I'm running at the moment. Keep meaning to put MapMyRun on to see. Although I may wait till I can do the 30 mins first. I'm thinking of doing Wk 9 and then moving on to the C25k+ runs to help build up speed/distance. I suspect it will take me some time to reach the 5k. Quite possibly another 9 weeks!

I agree with cinnamon - to start with it's best to just focus on the 30 minutes.

If you then carry on running for 30 minutes, you'll find that you do get faster each time.

I've stopped using my GetRunning (C25K) app, and use MapMyRun instead, and use that to tell me how far I've run. Regardless of the time, I run for 5K. Apart from one run, where I was running somewhere different and much hillier, and one run where I wasn't really feeling great, my times have improved with each run.

I've finally broken through the 30 minute mark (best run was 29 minutes and 52 seconds), but that was some time after I'd completed the C25K programme.

4 k seems so near but so far - those extra 300m are still out of reach for me yet.

Iwearblack. I have no idea how far I ran on my first 25 minute run. It would have been a lot less as my focus was on completing the task rather than achieving a specific distance.

Now there's only 2 weeks left of the plan for me, I know that I really need to up my pace if I'm going to make it to 5k but I don't know if my fitness level will be good enough in time for me to manage that.

We'll see.........

I aspire to getting over 3 km! Just done week 6 run 3 (NHS - 25 min run) did it (woohoo) but only 2.4 km.... I was running honest!

Week 7 run 3 done.

I went a different route and still only managed 3.7kms. 5kms in 30 minutes is looking a very long way off

Hello!
I'm still going, but I've dropped back a week, trainers arrived and running in them is so completely different from running barefoot! I have aches and pains in my calves and can't seem to do more than twelve minutes at the moment, so I'll just drop a week but keep going, seems more sensible than coping with an injury.

Miranda, the only time I think about something specific is when I'm getting tired or feel like I need to stop. Then I focus on my breathing, arms or feet.

Thanks, ripping! Though you're only a day behind me so I best get running

I'm not sure I could ever do proper training cinnamon - I'm very impressed. I do have quite good self motivation (or do at the moment anyway...)

What do other people think about when they're running? For the first few minutes I am wondering why I am putting myself through this again although after that I start thinking about all sorts of vague problems/issues and try and work them out. Think today's run was better as went a route with a straight road and no side roads to cross so easier to concentrate on the running part :)

Week 6 Run 2 (Guardian podcasts) - 20 minutes running. I was slower than on Wednesday but as I have a dodgy tummy (again - darn DH and his chilli con carne) I was just quite pleased with myself for doing it at all. After the 20 minutes I walked for a couple of minutes and then ran on (very slowly) until I'd done 4 km. At that sort of pace it would take me almost 35 minutes to run 5 km but I'm not too bothered about that. My PB last year was only about 31m30 seconds and it took me months to get to that . I'm just not built for speed!

Was meant to be run 10 min walk 3 min run 10 min but I kept running at the end for a bit to get to 5k. And including the 5 min warm up and 3 min walk it took me 31 min 13 sec to do 5k. Think my legs have realised they can still run when they try :) in total I did 5.51km in 34 min 41 sec

Whenever I manage to get round to doing week 6 run 3 think I'll try and keep going in the running part and see how long it takes to run 5k...

Whatever week you're on, I'll be behind you, Reiltin

Just having another coffee taking on vital fluids and I'm off for week3 day 3

So I'm planning on starting a new thread and only people who are behind me in the programme can join. That way, when people are talking about runs, I will be safe in knowledge that I've already done it. As opposed to all this talk of 20min runs and weeks 5 & 7 freaking me out

Well done to everyone, this thread is really inspiring.

I have just completed W5R2, just the big 20 min run of W5R3 looming at me now. But Laura says I can do it and she has been right every other time so I will have faith.

Thanks to whoever it was who mentioned making sure your arms don't cross your body.. when I am struggling a bit, I make my arms go forward (iyswim!) and it makes a big difference.. really helps my breathing.. so Thanks!

25 minutes of nonstop running all week pirate.

I'm doing the NHS choices version and it's killing me!

Will be off out again tomorrow night!

How many minutes of running is Week 7 in the version you're doing, Iwish?

Week 7 run 2 done. 3.7 km I think.

I gave it my all - could barely walk straight during the 5 minutes brisk walk at the end, but I'm still not even going 4k

I did have some very annoying underpants on today!!

Hello all

Onto Wk 6 of Guardian podcasts this morning, so did 20 minute run and it was fine - I was very relieved. That's the first time I've run for 20 minutes properly - no stopping for drink of water or to blow nose, no walking whatsover - since June and it felt great! I ran 3.21 km, so I wasn't running fast at all, but I am pleased that my stamina is gradually coming back.

I did it. With a headwind every way I turned I think

Decided to run a little during the cool down and went 5.40 km altogether in just over 35 min. Not exactly looking forward to 25 min of running in run 3 but hopefully run 2 will get me in the mood for it :)