Couch to 5K - Run 1 done...

W3R2 completed today. I’m struggling with the 3 minute runs tbh :(

Most people swear by Flipbelts, so I bought one. However, I hated mine and gave it to DH. It was too big and rode up, so swung around under my boobs, bashing me with gels.

Because I'm an idiot, the first time I wore it was during a marathon too. That wasn't the time to discover how annoying it was!

I think Flipbelts might suit people who are more up-and-down (like DH) or maybe people who haven't got such a big difference size between their waist and hips. Mine would never stay put as my waist is a lot smaller than my hips IYSWIM.

I know others will be along to correct me, as most people swear by them

@resipsa Whoo hooo, well done ...that first 20 min run is the scariest I think, you just have to focus in all the great running you’ve done so far.

@Mumista @MintToBee sorry to hear about the knee injuries, I’ve had all sorts over the past few years. Do what you can and continue with getting a good warm up, stretching after and cross training (Yoga, weights etc) RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevation is really the key.

@CeibaTree - my pleasure - glad to be able to help

@BlahBlahLand if you want to repeat then go for it, but just remember week 1 probably felt like a long time - your body soon gets used to it 😀 The heat will make things a but harder though so slow down if you need to - just don’t stop !

35minutes and 4.8k done this morning. Woohoo.

I echo the advice being given about making sure you’re not going too fast, was a very helpful tip when I started!

@Tootles, thank you for the explanation, i focused on your advice this morning. W4r2. The last 5 min run felt so long, I slowed down and managed it but not sure I could do any longer. I might repeat week 4 before moving up.

Thanks @ChanklyBore. I've ordered a knee brace to help speed up the healing. I'm missing it. Now theres a sentence I never thought I'd say

Thanks tootles.

I stopped running a few years ago after hurting my knee so am going steady this time and making sure I stretch before and after each session. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has really good (and short!) pre and post run workouts so am doing those too now.

W5R2 I'm coming for you!

Hope the knee improves soon Mint.

Goostacean - not sure about feeling the pelvic floor. I have to admit that if I sprint when I really need a wee there is a possibility of leakage. I know that’s not OK but I haven’t given birth for several years. What exercise can improve your floor feeling and my damp feeling I wonder? Oh the joys of being female.

Not felt damp yet on c25k thankfully.

I'm still sidelined and missing my running. My knee is actually pretty painful now. I'm applying R.I.C.E and fingers crossed I'll be back in action soon!

@ChanklyBore You’re one ahead of me! I just did W1R2 today. Only got into the swing of it about halfway through but did start to find a rhythm. Albeit a slow one. Must work on my pelvic floor though, could feel it, very strange sensation.

@Tootles2 Thank you - that's super kind of you to share those tips :)

Thank you for such a thorough answer @Tootles2. We have a gym in the garden so I look out the window which doesn’t change much I must admit, the 3 minute runs were easier than they were last week so I do trust the programme. I’ll try again on Sunday & hopefully it’ll be slightly better. It’s so hot right now I’m just running in my sports bra & shorts. If it gets any hotter my neighbours will get a shock!

Good to find this thread. I’m at the dizzying heights of week one, run three. However I’m really enjoying it, so far. I’ve always considered myself a terrible runner, too many school sports days of being booed by my own team for coming in last for events I had never tried and hadn’t a hope of training for.... my preference is long distance walking, 15-20 miles type distance, preferably up hills and down dales, so
it’s fair to say I like going out and coming home muddy and sweaty, already. Not much of that going on on lockdown and I’d always said I’d try c25k at some point, knowing lots of people who have done it.

So far, I’ve liked it , and surprised myself by not wanting to stop running when she tells me.

@happy You will often find you get ‘harder’ runs, but you need them so you can recognise the good ones ! Often it can be because you’re focussed on other ‘stuff’ or maybe you didn’t drink enough yesterday, any one of a thousand reasons. I’m not sure where you are, but if its a treadmill at home then its much hotter today so it will take a while for your body to adapt to the heat.

My view would be don’t panic or over analyse, just see how the next couple of runs go. If you want to repeat then fine, just do what you gotta do .Think of it as improving your fitness, not ‘repeating’ with all those negative connotations

I use audible on a treadmill and find it great, particularly some of the 30 min podcasts. I’ve also counted cars going past the window, singing ten (or more) green bottles, planning lunch - you name it, I’ve tried it.

Thanks @Tootles2! I found today exceptionally tough & I'm wondering if I should repeat a week. How do I know if that’s the right thing to do? I’m running on a treadmill so it’s harder in a way as I can’t pick the next lamppost etc. Hoping Audible will help

Well done everyone! I lead. C25k programmes for our local running club but obviously aren’t doing that at the moment . I thought it might be helpful to give you a few of the tips we give our C25krs

• If you’re finding it really hard , just slow down ! It’s not school sports day, just go at whatever pace you need to to complete the run sessions
• Don’t worry about speed! C25k is about building stamina. Out of rhe hundreds that do our C25k courses only about 5% do it in the 30 mins the nhs app allows. Most people take 35 - 50 minutes - and if they stick with the programme they all do it ! Once you get to week 6 , just start by adding an extra couple of minutes on each run.
• C25k is about running fitness, but also about developing mental toughness to keep going ..pick a lampost or driveway, run to it and then the next one. Even Paula Radcliffe breaks her runs down into chunks of 100 when things get tough
• Don’t worry about the increases from week to week, you thought you couldn’t do week 1, then week 2 etc . Suspend your disbelief and trust in the programme. Don’t lose the mental battle before you’ve started

• You don’t have to love it, just get through it ...love often happens when that run is over !

Hope that helps ! I miss all my C25k newbies 😀

Rather than take a break @dancemom maybe repeat a week?

@LittleBird74 I'm exactly the same. Was delighted after I did the 20 minute run but then I have massively struggled today running just 10 minutes. Due to run 25 tomorrow and I just can't see it. Said to dd maybe we should take a break and try it next week but she wants to keep going 🙈

W4 R1✔️
Holy moly. That was TOUGH. I managed to run the first 5 minutes but the second was a killer. I had to stop with about 2 mins left to tie up my laces, had a 30 second break, then back to it. Did 3.5km in 33 minutes which is the furthest I’ve run so far. I’ve been listening to programmes on Netflix while running but that’s not enough to keep me going now. I don’t like listening to music so I’m thinking of downloading audible.

You can do it @Littlebird74 ! I'm on week 7 and I felt the same about week 6. In some ways, I think the starting and stopping becomes harder but you get to run 3 and think there's no way you will do 25. I went out thinking I'd aim for 25and see how I felt, got to 15 and thought well I know I can do 20 and that got me through the next 5 then I just kept pushing. It was hard but I did it. What hasn't helped is the weather suddenly feeling so much warmer and I my tops just make me feel too hot half way through now. I've got some new ones ordered and been trying to get out early while I wait for delivery. Just go out, take it slow and see what happens. If it takes more than one attempt, that's fine, you can do it!! Look far you've come already, did you ever think you'd be running this much?!

I’m on to week 6 and I just don’t think I can do it anymore.
I was doing ok and even managed the 20 minutes at the weekend but I have just hit a wall this week. I have done two runs of week 6, Monday and Wednesday and I have hardly managed either of them. I can’t breathe, my legs will not go. It’s just too hard. How did I run 20 when now I can’t run 10, even 5 was almost impossible.
So disappointed in myself. I don’t think I can face trying the 25 minutes.