Couch to 5k- fantastic plan that works for all!

kaster that's great, I assumed you were still resting, glad your knees are good and I bet you feel great having done the 20 minute run! I think that one gives you the confidence that you can finish c25k. You're catching me up, I'm starting w7 tomorrow.

I took the bull by the horns tonight and went out alone after over a week off to attempt W3R1 - AND I DID IT!!!!!!

It wasn't half as bad as I was imagining and I had trouble keeping a grin off my face as I couldn't quite believe I ran for 3 minutes - twice!!

That's the 20 minute run done! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Though when Laura said I'd been running for five mins and it felt like at least 10 I had a 'wobble'. Those who said it gets easier after the first ten mins are right you just keep going after that. I feel great now and that I can do this.

Hi everyone. I posted a few weeks ago but then life got in the way and I fell off the wagon. I'm right on it now though and definitely getting the running bug. Just finished w3r3 and looking forward to w4. Feel like its going really well so far although a bit nervous about the jump up to so much more running on my next one. I've developed slightly sore shins, nothing serious but hope it doesn't get worse the more I run. Anyone else had that and have any tips for me?

maw I hope your injury gets better soon. I can imagine how frustrating it is to not be able to run for a couple of weeks, my knee was hurting a lot a couple of weeks ago. I tried to rest it but only managed three days off. Luckily whatever it was it feels fine now apart from the odd niggle. I've got run 3 of week 5 tonight, 20mins running I'm dreading it and looking forwards to it at the same time. I am determined I'm going to do it! even if it kills me.

maw hope your injury gets better - I can imagine that 2 weeks off is very frustrating. At least the nice srping weather (being optomistic!) and lighter evenings will be here by the time you get out again.

madmonkeys I am actually v jealous of your mothers day present!

I managed w7r3 today - another 25mins. Was still really hard for the first 5 or 10 mins (it is like my body and lungs are just screaming 'noooooo I don't want to run' and then after 10mins it kind of gives in and I can carry on!). I wonder if that will ever change? I figure it is 40years of inertia meaning my body is still in shock when I suddenly expect it to move

Anyway despite the difficult start the rest of the run was, dare I say it, enjoyable. Keep at it people!

Oh maw, that sounds very frustrating. Hope you're back running again soon.

I ran tonight, after 2 weeks of illness, and did w6r3 again. It was a bit of a push at the end so I'm glad w7 is consolidating 25min runs. I can't believe I can run for that long, I'm so not sporty! I use the RunSat app on my phone, its pretty basic but it tells me how far I've gone and that's what I really want to know.

I'm having some running tights and short tights with pockets in for mothers day after my phone-in-knickers experiment was unsuccessful! My younger self would never have believed it!

Hey all, not posted for ages but I am still running. Did my first 30min nonstop a couple of days ago, only covered just over 4k though (I checked on this). When I was running a lot before it took me ages to be able to manage 5k in 30 mins, in fact I only did it once (unless you count a 27min Race for Life but I don't think those courses are officially measured). So lots of room for improvement, though I'd like to work on more distance first. Need to look up some 10K schedules...

Much sympathy to those who are injured, having to take an enforced rest from running is horrible at any stage but especially when you are just catching the bug. And hearty back-pats to everyone working through the program, whether at the start, finish or those daunting middle milestones.

Oh no Maw. I hope your shins get better soon and you rest, rest, rest now. Don't be too down on yourself, it's easy to get enthusiastic about it and push yourself a bit too hard. You'll be tying up your trainers in no time at all again. Wee called for tonight?

Well done for your 25mins StartWhereYouStand. I found that the hardest jump and week to do. Honestly I think the only reason I've been able to do those times is because I walk super fast normally with a big stride so much so my mum makes fun of the way I walk

I love mapmyrun Brie as I couldn't be bothered with runkeeper burbling in my ear all the time. Think I have a route-making addiction now.

Big pat on the back for everyone else still making it out there, especially if the weather is anything like it is here.

I officially graduated my zenlabs c25k today. 5.15k in 30mins. Felt stupidly a bit emotional about it and really couldn't have done it without everyone on this thread. I would have given up in disbelief at the 3/5minute weeks thinking there was no way I could do this only for people popping on saying it is totally achievable and to stick with it. So cheers to all you amazing people!

Two months or so ago I smoked 20 a day and the furthest I could run would be up the stairs and even that would have me out of breath so for anyone starting it is doable and you'll be so proud of yourself when you can officially run 30 minutes! Right speech over

I've been so stupid, I could kick myself. For reasons out of my control, I had to go on a stupidly long walk wearing shoes that may as well have been slippers. My shins were already sore but by the time I got home, I could barely take another step. The next night they felt better, so I decided to go for a run. So stupid, I was in agony. I kept telling myself to keep going but I got exactly halfway and my body just stopped. It was so weird, like my body wasn't connected to my mind. So I had a wee cry, panicked a bit about how I was going to get home, and eventually got myself together enough and hobbled back. Hideous.

And now I can't run for two weeks. And it's all my own fault for not just fucking resting for a couple of days. I'm so pissed off.

Just wanted to preach again about map my run. Laura was great for motivation but I don't have a fancy GPS watch so it's been good to use map my run instead so I actually know how far I've gone. Am creeping up a little each time... 4.16km tonight. Love that achy leg feeling!!

Good luck for all the 20 minute runners! Am I allowed to say that I still find the first 20 mins quite tough? But the last 10 are actually pretty fun.

So I really didn't want to go for my run today and was worried as had done W7R1 on Monday and hadn't managed to keep going for the full 25mins. Grrrrr.
Also I have had really busy week at work and no time for lunch today and I and felt sooooo tired......basically I was writing my excuses note in my head all day. But then I realised that I would feel better if I at least had ago at R2 and hurrah I managed the full 25mins

The first 5 mins I still felt like I was dying and would never be able to carry on...... but then I sort of reached a very slow rhythm and kind of just kept going. Trust the plan....it knows what works!

For those of you about to do your first 20minuter - I am sure you will be fine. Just think how great you will feel at the end.

And for everyone else at various stages keep at it - I love love love this c25k thing , though at my speed I think it should be c24k!

morrigu I am v impressed by and slighly jealous of your ever-increasing distances!

Wilbury yay well done! I'm with stilllearnin it took me several months from getting proper (cheap) shoes sorted, MP3 player loaded etc before I actually ventured out for my first time ever. So keep up the good work you're on your way to gettting considerably fitter!

Morrigu glad you're still improving. I dragged myself out this morning and when I finally stopped at the last corner (forcing myself past the magic 5K beep) I had done 5.2 in 32 mins. No excuses, but felt quite tired (as usual, so nothing new there!) and it was REALLY COLD
I'm now toying with the idea of running more often than three times a week. Could fit one in on Sunday too, on top of my usual Saturday, and last week's 2 consecutive Sunday and Monday runs were not too hard on the system.
However I would advise everyone still in the middle of C25K so follow the advice and have at least one 'rest' day between runs! I have been sticking to that religiously for 3 years now...

Hi stillernin I'm on week five too. I did the first one on Tuesday and found it very hard, I wasn't looking forwards to today with 8 mins running, but I managed it and it wasn't as hard as the last one. I find that every week one of the runs always seems harder than the other two. I was looking forwards to the 20 min run, but now I'm not sure.

Morrigu I'm loving your advice for stillearnin and I'm going to take it to, I love reading the successes of those who have done the weeks I am on and you will get that 5k really soon now, soon be 10k

My knee seems to be holding up okay, to say how sore it was a week or so ago it seems to be fine apart from the very odd niggle now. I'm so pleased as despite the runs being very hard sometimes I still enjoy doing it.

travellingwilbury I think once you have started it's easy to keep going. you don't want to give up on what you have already started. I've found it's actually quite addictive.

Wilbury I'm sure you've done the hard bit of getting started. You soon realise all runs are different so if you get one that does not feel right/ easy, don't let that put you off (unless it's an injury of course). The trick is to do what you're told in a blind obedience way I find. I'm just back from w5 r1. Took morrigu's advice. Top notch advice as ever.

I am off to do wk2 r2 today , so far so good , I really enjoyed it last week , just hope I can keep up the enthusiasm .

I think every single person has had those thoughts about the 20minute run Felicia. I know I was bricking it but physically the groundwork is done, it's more of a mental challenge that anything. You can do it!

Personally if it was me I would probably run the W6R2 in the background Madmoneys but continue to run rather than walking after the ten minutes if I felt ok. Just to see how it goes and how the chest holds up.

Just get going in the morning stillearning. You know you'll feel better for it!

Nearing the end of week 8 and hit 4.8k in 28 mins running today so the 5k in 30 is seeming quite achievable if not next week then very soon. Enjoying it again this week even if I did get soaked to the bone today. One part of me can't quite believe I'm running 3miles or thereabouts now, one part of me now wants to be able to achieve more. Never happy me

Hello, I need a bit of a boot for tomorrow morning. I last did w4 r2 last Friday. I have lots of excuses not to do it tomorrow and also I have the question of do i do the last run of w4 or do I go straight into w5??!

Mins, not mums...!

felicia well done on your run, I bet you'll do the 20 minute run ok, I was really apprehensive about it but I managed. You'll be so chuffed when you've done it!

I'm hoping to run on Friday after almost two weeks off with a cough and cold. I ran w6r3 last time, wondering whether to repeat any of week 6 or just bite the bullet and run w7r1. Actually I think w6r3 and w7r1 are both 25mins so maybe I'll have the w6 podcast and run 25 mums if I feel good or r1 or 2 if I'm not so good. If I do 25 mins I'll count that as w7r1. If that makes sense?! What do you ladies do if you e missed a couple of weeks?

Hi all. I've not been on here for a couple of weeks due to work and my son being off school all last week with bad asthma.

I had started week 5 but redoing it and did 2nd today. I was just going to do the first run again as told myself I couldn't do the 2nd but just decided to try doing the 2nd run while turning my app on.

I'm surprised to say it went fine. The first 3 minutes I thought no way will I last 8 minutes but once I had fully warmed up I think I could have kept going another minute or two. The end of the 2nd run was definitely harder though.

The only problem is looking at the next run - a full 20 minutes with no break! I know I've run a total of 16 minutes today but it seems a huge leap to do it with no break.

Hello (slinks in), I just can't keep up with you chatty people. I have today, possibly the first time ever, run two days in a row. An easy sub-5K (3M) for Sport relief yesterday - I was the supporting team for my 9-year old who ran a mile and then I carried on. And then a proper 5+K today. We'll see what my legs think about that tomorrow.

Wow Dharma that's a great plan. I must say that you are all inspiring me to possibly up my game and head for a 10K programme - I know that's still nowhere near a half-marathon though. However it's a question of time as much as anything. I can only fit in one or possibly two (when I'm lucky) longer runs into my week.

MissSmiley yay well done! I just gets easier from here.

Morrigu wow well done.

And everyone, if you're anything like me - after week 9 there is 'week 9 forever'. I was not organised enough to sort myself some timing device and alternative music to I ran to the NHS Week9 track for a long long time (at least a month). And noticed that I was slowly slowly getting further and further, without consciously pushing the pace. So then I got myself sorted with a GPS watch, and found that I had reached the 5K milestone in my 30mins.

Hi everyone, I went out yesterday in the end to do my third week four run, I just wanted to do it so much, paid the price of my knee hurting today but it didn't hurt much while I was doing it and hasn't got any worse. I've bought myself a good knee support to wear while running and it made a difference yesterday

I'm actually looking forwards to the 20 min week five run, I must be insane! I know it won't be easy but I'm going to try my hardest and I feel so good afterwards when I've pushed myself. I've been pleasantly surprised how much I enjoy doing it.

So many of you on here are a real inspiration on what you have achieved, and I enjoy reading all the posts, it's a lovely thread were people only offer encouragement and help

When's the half marathon Dharma? Very best of luck for training for it.

Far as I can see week 7 is 25mins, 8 28 mins and 9 30mins. Mine is on the zenlabs one for week 9 though and only one option run 5k opposed to the nhs one that has three.

The lie-in was well needed StartWhereYouStand after dealing with a sick toddler all week. Think I'll screw up my courage and go two Saturdays from now when the dc are away. Well done to you too woodrunner on your first parkrun.

Started my week 8 today even though I said I would stay at the 25mins. I actually told myself at the start I would see how I felt at the 25 but carried on as I felt ok. Well I feel alright once I get my pace and rhythm but the first 5 mins or so are still hell. Thought this was strange but after consulting with google it's all to do with the way the body changes how it's releasing energy. Interesting.

Hi everyone
I did first run of week 8 this morning. 28 minutes running.
Really enjoyed it after finding last week quite hard.