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

Well, I've just done the first one of week four. I managed the first three runs (3 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes) but the last became 4 minutes, a break and a minute! Just couldn't do it. I am hacked off with myself, I don't do much, I break out a huge sweat, my heart rate goes up to 149 and yet, my jogging on the treadmill is the equivalent of somebody doing a brisk walk - I walk at 3.4kph and 'run' at 5.2kph. It's nothing, that's 2mph walking and 3mph jogging! I don't see that I'll ever do 5k, the whole thing today took me to 2k and whilst I'm amazed I can do a mile in 30 minutes, I know many who walk 2 in that time. I'm not giving up, just feel a bit despondant. Sorry.

originalpirate & Reiltin I live in Ireland, but I'm actually English. Followed Irish DH over here many years ago & am so settled I couldn't bear to leave now. How fast did you run after you met the bull, originalpirate .

Nameless a half marathon - wow! Well done, you!

Happy birthday scarecrow .

I was supposed to go for a run this evening, but it didn't happen for various reasons. Must try harder tomorrow.

Oh and jeans shopping - I went two weeks ago and ended up losing 2 inches on my waist (not lost more than a few pounds).

Just wanted to pop in. I dropped off the radar for several months but started c25k back in February. Today I ran a fricking half marathon. Me!

cinnamon - 12k - that's inspiring!

Reiltin and DramaAlpaca - I'm Irish too though I live in London - I was back over in the summer and did some running and on one memorable run I rounded a corner and met a bull! That never happens in Hackney...

Thanks for the welcome scarecrow & happy birthday!

Well I did it! R1W1! I hadn't planned to go today but was spurred on my a shopping trip for some new jeans & catching a glance of my backside in one of those surround mirrors they now have in the fitting rooms! Also DH had taken Dd out for a bit so a perfect time to go. Feel good for getting started, legs felt a bit heavy & tired but hopefully things will get easier as time goes

Oh yes - happy birthday

Happy birthday Scarecrow!!

Hi again everyone & welcome to all you runners who've just joined the thread. Reiltin I'm in Ireland too.

I'm still fighting off my chesty cough, but I went out for a run on Friday evening. I found the legs were willing but the lungs were weak, and it took me about 20 minutes to get my breathing sorted out. I really enjoyed my run, even though I needed a couple of walking breaks, and I'll go again this evening & hope I don't get caught with another coughing fit! cinnamon I hope you are feeling better now too.

Despite the bug I've had I've noticed such a difference since I started C25K - my mood is better, I've more energy, and my clothes are much looser. People have started noticing as well, so I'm basking in the compliments I'm getting !

Sorry scarecrow!

We'll done and welcome to chocolate, little, reiltin, ripping and lizard I used to run with buggy after dd, reiltin and found it massively easier the odd time I ranalone. Also try pushing with one arm.and using the other to pump, and keep swapping: I definitely found that easier.

original great times :)

BIWI thanks for advice in spending more.money ;)

Afm, I'm the proud owner of a Garmin GPS watch so about to go from lowest tech to highest tech runner possible. The downside is ad of today I'm 43. Luckily DC v young so need to ignore that and pretend im ten years younger. Hope to christen my watch.later

Week 3, Run 2 this morning, I ran 2.5 km without slowing to a walk and did 1 km in 5.51 mins which is only 6 seconds slower than my (feeble) PB of 5.45 mins.

Yay! Well done.

Did it! W1R2 finished, sans buggy. Did it all. Wasn't as hard as I was anticipating. Turns out the buggy makes it harder than I thought! Oh well, c'est la vie. Off to get changed for a church BBQ. Will pop back later to read how everyone else is doing. Happy Sunday

Thanks next. Maybe I could do Tue & Thursday at gym in the morning & then one day at the weekend/ Friday evening either at the gym or outside.

Lizard they recommend a days break between each run to allow your muscles to recover and rest. Could you do Mon, wed, fri in the gym? Or one day at the weekend outside, and then 2, non consecutive, work days?
As far as I can tell, they are all 3 runs a week, over 8-9 weeks.

Thanks for your encouragement! Right, think I've found an app I like the look of- looks like it's 3x runs a week- so I have one more question if no-one minds? If I do my runs at the gym then they will mostly need to be on consecutive days (ie before work on my way to work) does that matter or is it better to spread them out? Thank you

Just dropping to encourage all the new starters and those doing the C25K programme to stick with it .
After reading the threads on here it prompted me to give it go in March, no running since school. Graduated in May, since then I've run two 5k races, joined a running club and regularly run 8 miles, and have got up to 10 miles. Wouldn't have believed it was possible - but it is and it's thanks to the programme and being inspired by reading others doing it do.

DH started on it recently and did R1W4 today.

Keep it up!

Lovely, thank you all for your advice. I;m in 2 minds about starting at gym or just to get out there and do it. The thing about the gym is it would be easy for me to go before work, shower at the gym and be on my way to work/ on commute. Although the thing about doing it outside is that you can just go and do it whenever is convenient in your day Really enjoying reading about all of your runs. Park run is definitely something I would like to progress towards once i am fitter.

The NHS website is so awesome! I'm Irish but started using it when I was pregnant. Every time i googled something, there was good NHS advice that I trusted. And the c25k stuff is great - thanks for pointing me to it

I used the couch to 5k from the NHS website. Loads of advice there.
Others have used zen labs, and a number of other systems - depends on your player, and if you want encouragement and fixed music, or if you want to run to your new music.

watching sounds like doggy runs are the way to go. Would (s)he encourage you out of bed in the mornings?