C25K

I was the very definition of “couch” and now I can run for ten mins straight and I’m only on week 4. I’ve never been able to do that before. You will be surprised at how quickly your stamina improves

I just do alternate nights most of the time. Occasionally I’ll do two in a row if I know I can’t get out the following night.

Thanks everyone will let you know how it goes. Do you always have the same days every week? Seriously unfit but hopefully in 8 weeks not so much

Thanks @FATEdestiny, I am unreasonably pleased with myself! My little achievement has kept popping back into my head all day! It's nice to ruminate on something positive for a change!

Yeah @Zazu44! It's amazing! I can't believe I've just run for 20 minutes continuously, after struggling with every week so far! Good luck for tomorrow!

Zazu it’s the best thing you’ll ever do. I wish I’d done it years ago. It has honestly changed my life.

I was the girl who deliberately forgot her PE kit most weeks.

Starting in the morning! 😳

We have new people starting all the time on this thread @Zazu44. Have you started yet or just thinking about it?

I think all of the coaches on the NHS program fellow the same script, more-or-less. I used Laura on the podcasts and a few months later my DH used Micheal Johnson on the app. We found that the "patter" was almost word for word identical, apart from the odd manner of celebrating or congratulating.

Yey @DomesticAnarchist - W5R3 is the best run of them all. Well done - be proud of yourself.

Any one about to start C25k?

I love Sarah Millicans commentary. Kind of hoped she’d be funnier though

Just did W5R3 and my first 20 min run! Pretty pleased with myself! Sarah Millican's little celebrations and positive snippets are really good aren't they?!

Kudos for your hill-battle @RunningWhileTheWorldBurns. My plan is to do the times first, and then work on speed & hills later!

Yay well done adayhastoend I love that feeling

I did W3R3 tonight and it was better than I thought. Getting a bit fed up with my route but there is a hill that kills me and I am determined to conquer it. When I started a few weeks ago I was knackered just walking up it but I managed to run to the top tonight 💪 nearly passed out afterwards right enough

I did W4 runs 1 and 2 tonight and feel really accomplished. I'm actually excited to do run 3 tomorrow 😊

Haha

I think I want you as my personal trainer FATE

Good luck @RunningWhileTheWorldBurns - go slow as @FATEdestiny says and you'll be fine!

I just almost enjoyed W5R2 (the 2x 8mins), but I think that's because I cheated and planned both runs to start with a downhill and into a flat bit.

I passed some others from the group running uphill 😱😳

Thank you FATE

Just go slow from the outset RunningWhileTheWorldBurns. If you're not 'feeling it' the thing to do is accept an "easy run" (ie much slower pace, but still running) but still go out and face it.

I have the fear about W3R3 tonight and I’m not sure why.

On your fitbit app, you want to click the weekly exercise bit. Then click the stopclock in the corner. This will track your run. See attached images.

Thanks FATE. I’m keen to understand both though time is the most important to me, I really only want to run for 30m generally. I am using a Fitbit but it wasn’t showing me distance for my runs. I have changed the location services setting so I’ll see if that works on my next run. It is showing total miles for the day but this could be estimated from the number of steps maybe.

Hi @openupmyeagereyes. Yes, you can use Map my Run, or fitbit, or Samsung/Apple Health, or any other app you like alongside the C25K one.

It is worth remembering that it is very deliberate the NHS don't include distance. Distance is never mentioned, at all, throughout the program since this is not the focus. It's how long you run for, not how far. It can be quite demotivating to aim for a distance because it counteracts the advice on the app to keep slowing down.

@5SecondsFromWilding you will do it. The most important thing these earlier weeks are teaching you is that 80% of running ability is psychological, not physical. You think you can't do it, rather than you physically not being able to run.

Ask yourself this - are you physically able to walk after you have finished a run? Do you collapse to the floor or faint - no, you don't. And when you've finished and you start walking, how long before you are capable to talking? Are you unable to say your name, or can you say good morning, or can you have a brief chat (albeit through panting breathing).

These two things (ability to move and ability to speak) are physical. Everything else telling you that you can't do this is psychological.

If at any point (during or after) you reach the point where you can't say "good morning" to a dog walker or whatever, then you are going too fast. The answer is always slow down.

It's not that you can't do this. It's either
(a) you are running too fast - slow your pace but keep running.
(b) you think you can't do it.

Keep your mental self-help positive

• I can do this
• my legs will keep me going
• I can talk so my breathing is ok
• I can control my breathing
• I just need to slow down, not stop running

Hi all, I’m reading through the most recent parts of this thread. I’ve just started c25k after a number of years of no formal exercise though I was a runner years ago. I have previously used the run5k app and did the 3 wk1 runs on this last week but for the last 2 was struggling to hear all the prompts over traffic so I’ve downloaded the nhs version and did wk1 r1 last night - I thought I’d start back at the beginning as the runs are slightly longer at 60 secs vs 45.

I’m finding it ok and I think I’m running at a decent pace (I think muscle memory puts me in good stead), I do want to feel like I’ve worked out. However the previous app showed the distance I was going and the nhs app doesn’t. Can I use an app like Map my run underneath both iTunes and the NHS app?

I’ll be running again tomorrow, so far I’ve been looking forward to them. Good luck anyone running today.

I did w3 r2 today and found it really difficult. Those 3 minute runs are never ending and I don't understand how they're going to be the short run next week, alongside far shorter recovery periods and a jump from a total of 9 minutes to 16 minutes. I'll break next week I think

Well done @PhannyMcNee!

Just back from W5R1 with the local club. It's always easier running with other people - easier to pace myself. I think I accidentally go too fast by myself.

Well done Phanny don’t do yourself down!

I’m going out tonight once kids are down. W3R2. I must admit I’m tempted to change up my route now. There is one hill in particular that is a total killer