Couch to 5k...it's not about speed (thread no 2)

Ok. Advice needed. (Feel a bit pathetic.)

I did w1r1 yesterday. Felt fine. This morning my muscles really ache. So, should I go ahead and do w1r2 today or rest a day? Seems a bit ridiculous to rest after what was fairly minimal exercise and I'm keen to move on and get fit, but will I feel even worse tomorrow if I run/walk now?

If I rest for a day then I suspect I will still feel achy the tomorrow, so will have to do w1r2 with aching muscles anyway, so should I just do it today?

I'm going to attempt W5R2 later today. GULP. Feeling OK-ish about it but not looking forward to 8 minutes of running...! I'm definitely better if I don't look at the app - the second I glance at it and realise I've still got x minutes to go, my breathing goes all over the place and I feel panicky. The runs where I haven't looked have been much better - mustn't look!

Flash - really impressed with your progress. You are what I would like to be on the programme!

yellow - keeo going. I struggled just a few weeks ago to do the first couple of weeks running. every run you do makes a difference at this stage so repeat runs and you will get there. it feels fantastic to make progress - just wait and see!

hi,

halfway through my repeat of week 4. I fell asleep on the couch last night - before the run not after! still managed to get my mojo together enough to do the run. Once I got going it was ok and I'm very glad I bothered.

yellow I second what everyone else has said - just keep going until you can do it, you will get there! It has taken me about 9 weeks to actually get to week six because I needed to do each week about 4/5 times to really feel able to move on. I do feel a bit jealous of runners like flash who have whizzed through it - but a huge well done! At the end of the day, it's the doing it that counts - not how long it takes or how hard it is. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway .

Repeated w6r1 today - should have been run 2, but it's been a while and I was doing quite a hilly route, but one which I could co-ordinate the hills and the walking sections! That's not cheating is it?!

Fun, I started on 23rd May, so I've done it over 5.5wks. I'm doing 4/5 runs per week. My fitness levels before I started this were practically zero. I was doing no exercise at all. I've been amazed by how I've got thru it. My brother is a runner & has kept me motivated, when I would say I'm never gonna be able to run for 5 mins straight he would say: it's mind over matter, just stay focused on what's in front of you & everytime you think of stopping just tell yourself you can do more. I've had some great tips on here too, one of the best was to shorten my stride.

I guess I just need to be a lot stricter with my diet, either way I won't stop running, I love it now

yellow keep going and definitely repeat runs if you need to. you'll be able to do it, honest. I felt terrible after a couple of week 4 runs and really had to slow down at the end of each run - virtually stopped and felt really bloody rubbish, but somehow I've made it to week 5. We can do this!

yellow I have done w1 and w3 twice sometimes you have to repeat. I have never done anything resembling proper exercise in my life but somehow managed to complete w4r1 tonight. YOU CAN DO IT

yellow It really will work so don't give up. The hardest thing is starting. Just keep trying every other day. I found that my fitness would suddenly take a leap forward after a day off and what was impossible becomes doable. Don't give up!

Yellow - repeat, repeat, repeat until you can do it and then move on. Just push yourself to go a little further each time.

I found I repeated days more in the earlier weeks before it all seemed to come together.

I did w1r2 yesterday and struggled after the first two runs. I started dropping 10 secs off the remaining runs but stopped before the end. Was totally and horribly knackered last night afterwards. I really REALLY want to be able to run, but it's not coming naturally. How can it be such a good programme if I can't even manage to jog for 60 seconds?

Just done W1R2, and I actually enjoyed it. For a bit. I stupidly chose to run along a bit of road that has a sharp downhill and uphill bit, and so running uphill on the way back was really hard.

My ankles are really sore though. Anyone else got this? Nowhere else hurts!

We'll done Flash! Hopefully I will be able to do the same in a few weeks.

Anyone who is having doubts about improving....

I repeated the solid 20 min run tonight - just for fun! Now there is a sentence I never ever thought I would write 6 weeks ago. Or even last week come to think of it!

Bloody hot though - even in Scotland for a change!

I did it W4R1 complete can't quite believe I managed to run for 5 mins a few weeks ago I struggled with 60seconds.
I'm off work this week so think that has probably helped, going to sit down with a celebratory

Well done flashnorman, running for 28 minutes straight. I'm really impressed. Just doing 60 seconds was taking it out of me today. If you don't mind me asking how difficult did you find the programme when you started and how long has it taken you to get to w8r2?

The weight thing is odd. I suppose staying the same is better than getting heavier. I wonder if it's plateaued because you have more muscle and less fat. Muscle is heavier than fat. Maybe waist measurement would be a better guide.

I've done w8r2 & got on great, managed to keep going the whole 28 mins! I'm really pleased with myself. The only thing bugging me now is I'm doing weightwatchers & my weight has plateaued. I've stayed the same 3 wks in a row, despite doing more exercise than ever before.

Hello all, I've been putting off getting fit for ages, but today did W1R1 of C25K.

It wasn't too bad, although I did find myself looking at the ap a lot to see how much longer I had to go.

If I don't feel too achy tomorrow I think that I might do W1R2. I'm unfit but I do try and walk and cycle regularly (not to the extent that I'm out of breath though, so not pushing myself there at all) and I'd like to get to the point when I can see an improvement in my fitness sooner rather than later. At the moment I can't imagine being able to run for 30 minutes. I'm not sure that I've ever been able to do that.

I best go to Doctos then! Thanks for feedback everyone I thought I might just be being overdramatic but my DS has asthma and the wheezing and coughing are the symptoms he has so it has been playing on my mind a bit.

good luck whatsthat! I've found week 4 the hardest so far, just in terms of psychologically getting through 5 minutes running, but having done that 3 times and now W5R1, it's becoming slightly more do-able! You can do it - just keep going..!

Everyone is progressing so well. I have repeated W3 over last week and I am planning to do W4R1 tonight. wish me luck

Inkspell - not for long - I seem to be being very social over the next couple of weeks, which is not like me at all and will bugger up my gym days...!

Moosey!! Well done!

Yay! Well done Moosey!

Stop press.... stop press... Stop press....

I did my first 20 minute run today!!!!!!!!

lovelidl it's a miracle. Well done on yours. :-)

Felicia- definitely see your GP. When I was about 25 I thought I had develop asthma but my GP didn't believe me. My little brother has it so I knew what it looked liked & I didn't budge. Turns out I was right.
If your GP doesn't believe you ask them to give you a peak flow metre. Record your breaths for two weeks twice daily & go back with the results. That's what convinced my GP.
Good luck