Couch to 5K - Run 1 done...

@RonBurgundyspanpipe great PBs well done!

Hello RUNNERS. Can I join?
I’m on week 8, I never ever thought I’d get here. Running for 28 minutes?! Me? The very overweight 30 something!
I’m so bloody proud of myself though. Although tonight’s run was slow (thanks Strava!) it felt controlled!

Well done Ron! That’s a lot of PBs!

W7r1 done, such a mental battle and thought it was hard today. However, 4.2km covered, 150m more than last run, 1mile pb, 2 mile pb and 1km pb, plus 18 seconds of my time per I'm!!! Where did that come from? This programme really works.

@BekindStayhome that's my weight loss plan too, can't push myself to exercise and cut calories too.

Well done to everyone who has run over the last few days.

I haven't lost weight and I can't really see it happening without changing diet too. So, my plan is to finish the C25k, get into a nice exercise pattern and then look at how I could reduce calories/fat/whateber it takes.

Morning all! Wk 4 R2 ticked off for me, I am really delighted. I found it easier pacing myself today, I think I could have made it another few minutes!

My period is due this week though and if I’m going to hit the wall, it’ll be then. Boh.

I haven’t lost any weight yet but I see a difference in myself and I’m much more confident. I have been out in a vest top and I don’t care if I’m flabby, which is a total turnaround for me.

I also go Beetroot red for hours afterwards! Don't care anymore!
Sorry those that have had a bad run, the first time I tried to do C25k a few years back I had a bad run and gave up on it and then gave up on the whole thing. Really wish I hadn't now and have learnt my lesson.

@MumOfDiamonds, I should think you’ll be fine to move on to the next run

5/2 ticked off. Really sweaty but good.

Not quite 10am and I’m already over 12k steps as have walked dog and done my run. Today is going to be a good day! All the best to those out today.

Hi everyone. I started C25K just over a week ago. I did my wk2 run 1 on Thursday. I suffer with awful periods and this weekend has been terrible. Will I be okay to do run 2 tomorrow or have a left it too long? Will I need to redo run 1? I found this 2nd week fairly easy, breathing was noticeably easier.

Also I'm needing to lose around 4st, is anyone else steadily losing weight whilst completing it?

Chin up @FallenSkies, I felt the same yesterday and managed it. You can do this.

I'm sitting here in my running gear trying to find the energy to go out for my W4R3 run. I have found this week hard too @Thankssomuch and if it goes horribly today then I think I will repeat it.
Just need to keep in mind that just getting out there is better than nothing but not feeling motivated today
Hope everyone due out today has a great one

I am doing wk 4 run 3 later today. I’ve found wk 4 hard. My motivation is good because I can’t believe I’m actually running! I’m not losing any weight though and feel just as flabby which is disappointing... I had hoped it would have a visible difference. But I am so proud that I’ve started running at all! Keep it up everyone! I feel this is one positive to come out of lockdown!

Thanks Ron
I go red too and suspect I might be anaemic, so interesting.

My oxygen readings on the oximeter are not great.
Hoping exercise will help.

Hi, I’ve not posted for a long time now. I don’t really know where to start. I literally have no motivation at all! All I seem to do is moan about putting weight on (I’m so self conscious about my weight, I can’t find nice clothes etc, don’t get me wrong I’m a size 12 but I have piled weight on, especially my stomach and boobs (sorry tmi)... no matter how much I know myself I’m unfit I just don’t do anything about it! No motivation nothing.. is this just me that has steadily watched myself put weight on? I feel really unhappy at the moment I feel quite alone, although I’m not alone I have a hubby and kids... not sure if I’m just feeling sorry for myself (sorry for the rant)

W4R2 today.

Went in the evening. It was too hot. I swallowed a fly on my first long run and had to stop. Grim. The joys of rural life.

Second 5 minutes I kept going, did 8 minutes.

There's hope for week 5 yet!!! Back out in the mornings for me though....fewer flies 🤢

@ChanklyBore I found W6R1 much harder than the 20 minute run (I also managed to end up doing it on a hilly route which really doesn't help!), and RonBurgundyspanpipe is quite right that this seems to be a very common thing. The other runs of that week were fine though. I wouldn't repeat it just carry on with the programme as you have originally planned and I'm sure you'll be fine too.

Thank you! I will not underestimate the interval runs again. I’m wondering whether to repeat the day....tomorrow? Or not, because I did make it up.

I also plotted my route into my geeky map website and there was 671ft of elevation gain over a distance of just under 4 miles, so I have decided I will never run that way again ....!

@middleoftheroad my hr is very high, easily 100 bpm at rest, it hit 200 in the gym and the machine told me to top. Went to go and they said they were not concerned if there was no accompanying chest pain. I am anaemic which explains it a bit but I think it's mainly genetic. They always tell me I have white coat syndrome but I think it's just me.

I'm also a very pale beetroot and the redness lasts hours. Not o bothered now in my 30s but I was mortified in my 20s. Happens on holiday too.

@ChanklyBore you've had a bad run, at least you ran. Look up the 6 week wall, it's a thing. It feels like it should be easier after the 20 minutes and a lot of people go to fast or are not quite mentally prepared. Many think it's the hardest week so dont be too hard on yourself and try again.

@ChanklyBore I had that on Wednesday ( albeit several weeks behind you) take a few rest days and you'll be fine.

If it's the same run/walk again walk it so you know the flatter bits to aim for. You can absolutely do this, you have before.

I’m not sure about the heart rate. I don’t know what mine is resting or not.

Not meaning to drag the tone down but I had an awful run today. Week 6 run 1. Back to intervals after the longer stretches last week and it was awful. You’d think going from 25 mins running back to 8 would be easy but it wasn’t. I chose the wrong route, huge bloody hills that went on forever. It was really hot. And for some reason filled with either gangs of teenagers taking the piss out of me or proper runners springing along like gazelles in proper running gear with swishy hair and not a beetroot face in sight. I’m on day two of my period, the last few days have been crap, I ended up aborting the final run three minutes before the end. I made it up once I was back on reasonable ground but it’s the first time I’ve stopped a run before I’ve been told to and it did not feel good.

Thanks all. I felt OK running (bit of a shock, but that's expected!) Sounds like I'm not the only one.
Hopefully if I can lose some weight and get fitter my HR and BP will normalise a bit (though think I naturally have a high heart rate - my one son has a fairly high HR too yet he's skinny).

Another beetroot here - just finished w4r3 and am seriously glowing! I put it down to being very pale and so you notice more. It's one of the reasons I avoided energetic sport as a teenager but I couldn't care less now. C25k has been quite liberating in a weird way.

Glad it’s not just me then. I looked at the mirror quite a while after getting home and was really alarmed!

@middleoftheroad my HR is quite high when I’m running, around 180 (but my resting is about 55-60, my normal sitting up is about 75, wandering round is about 80-100). I feel ok so I assume it’s ok, but I don’t know.

@resipsa I wonder if you live near me. We are close to one of the largest parkrun events in the U.K. and it gives me the rage. Every Saturday the road is full of cars while 1000+ people run around the local park. Nobody else can use the park in this time because if you do you get harassed by the parkrun volunteers. But this is quite an active area and most people round here do parkrun so you can’t criticise it!