More Couch to 5k encouragement!

Well done LambChops. I did W5R1 this morning, and got a bit suspicious when Jo told me it's a different run each time. Looked at R3 and baulked at running 20 mins straight. We'll see what Wednesday brings...

I did W5R3 yesterday. I'd been... not dreading it...but anticipating it with trepidation...all week. Can't believe I managed 20 minutes running with no walking! I had my blue powerade with me (usually have water, but psychologically I wanted something to tell me it was a special day!) and a Snickers ice cream waiting for me at home.

It was warm in the park but I bloody did it. Feeling really pleased with myself.

Annoyingly of course Garmin is down so I can't ogle my stats, but I know I ran for 20 min and that's amazing!

Well done others on your progress this week too!

@UnaOfStormhold Thank you for that link, it is really helpful to look at it that way.

Week6 run3 yesterday! Am still alive! Well done to all

Well done everybody – all these metres and miles covered a bit by bit – we are doing so well.

I’ve just done W3RR1. My dropFoot Was playing up a bit but I do suspect that the more I do the better it will get so I’m going to press on. Definitely easier doing the longer sections of running even if they are only three minutes! Also I feel quite impressed that I’ve managed to find some kind of routine with it all and now the hard - Sticking to it

@CeciledeVolanges I’m completely with you on losing weight to run better - about 70lbs in my case (eek)

We managed week 7 run 3 even though ds really wasn’t feeling it today! It felt like I was dragging him along at some points but we both mamaged it and he was chuffed with himself at the end.

Onwards to week 8.....😬

On getting the right distance, Strava also has a nifty feature where it gives you an estimated time for a new route based on your previous runs. But if you know how far you went last time you can use that as a starting point and add on a bit more when you change week to allow for the extra running time.

Itsspitting you can plan routes for free on the web version of mapmyrun and it will work out the distance and show you elevation change etc. You can then access those routes on your phone.

However, now I have a Strava subscription (I mostly got it for the beacon safety function) I really like using Strava's heatmap tool (again I think you can only make routes online and the view them in the app) which shows you the popular running routes nearby. I like running off roads where I can (softer underfoot) and the heatmap makes it easier to find paths, including many that aren't obvious on other tools.

I do occasionally just turn round at the bell but I tend to carry on a minute or two beyond that point as I often pick up the pace a bit in the second half and it helps balance out the distance.

Twilbury it will be fine, week 5 is the point when you start to realise the benefit of all the running you've done up until now. You may find this helpful: healthunlocked.com/couchto5k/posts/139255210/week-5-myths-busted

If you're going out for a run 3 times a week I think you definitely count as a runner even if it's partly walking intervals :)

I went for a little run this morning before work, never ran around there before so was surprised it only took 15 minutes.

I never planned a route as such just started running after the warm up and then when the half way bell chimed turned around and headed back the way I came. This meant I was home at the end of the cool down.

Can anyone give me a tip for how to work out /plan a run route so that it's roughly the correct length? More for when I'm at the longer runs in the next few weeks really. I did week one around our large garden but it's got quite muddy so I went out around the streets yesterday and honestly had no idea what I was doing so ended up going around and around, I'd much rather do one big loop if possible?

@JonHammIsMyJamm sure and if you are covering ground and some of it is running, you’re definitely a runner and have my respect as such, I’ve heard of marathons completed with the Galloway method and take my hat off to those people!

@NCTDN I felt like a runner today when I took my sports bra out of the linen basket !

Have now done wk 4 r 3 . Was kind of ok but I know wk 5 is now looming which is scary.

@CeciledeVolanges, some runners never stop the walk-run-walk style of interval running. It’s a legitimate and well respected style, some even think it is more efficient than a constant run.
www.runnersworld.com/training/a20829531/this-17-time-marathoner-tried-run-walking-a-race-heres-what-happened/

Jeff Galloway wrote a book about it.

@NCTDN this might sound facetious but if you’re going out running, you’re a runner! Even if it’s interval training :) but you are past that now. Think of how you would have felt before you started if someone told you that you would be running for 25 minutes straight - I think you’re definitely a runner.

I felt quite runnery in week 7. Once I was doing runs without walking intervals I guess?

What point do you begin to feel like a runner? I've just repeated week 7, am still extremely slow and dread the thought of going out. Once I've completed it I feel good (though ache the next day).

Well done @MirandaWest

You’re allowed to be proud of your pace too. Since I started doing the longer runs I’ve been looking at my km split times and been pleasantly surprised by how quick they are!

Just did week 5 run 3 😊 I ran for 20 minutes without stopping . And although I know it doesn’t really matter I’m quite pleased with my pace too

W6R3 done, had a bit of tightness in one calf (not the one I had problems with before). Explored a nice new route and including warm ups and a bit of extra walking to get back to my start point managed to cover 5k. It all looks quite serious from this point on, all these long runs! But the app tells me that I am now a runner, who would have believed it!

W3r2 this evening, legs were dead in the last minute of the last run. Worryingly my knees have started to ache, going to get new trainers next week

No idea if I’ve lost weight as have no scales at home - that said feel fitter and definitely more toned - colleagues at work have commented which I view as a good sign

You don’t tend to lose weight from moderate exercise, unfortunately, at least not significant amounts at any speed. The number of calories burned isn’t massively significant compared to the number of calories you used just existing and going about your day, and it makes you hungrier (hence “working up an appetite). But it does make you fitter and healthier! Which is why I’m doing it - I’m actually thinking of trying to lose weight to make the running easier rather than the other way round...

Had an absolutely horrible week 8 run 2 today, I was positively gasping by the time I finished (halfway up the hill) and probably looked like a beetroot! My calves were aching and I had a stitch the whole time but I did it, I’m going to relish the rest tomorrow.

Amazing job everyone and keep it up :)

I was thinking this about not losing weight. I am only in wk 2 (one more run left) and I've not lost an ounce BUT I definitely feel better. Maybe we tone up rather than lose weight and they do say muscle weighs more?

I'm so annoyed that I've completed couch to 5k and not lost 1lb! I think I may have slightly toned up because I put on a pair of jeans the other day that last time I wore had to wear with the button undone because I couldn't breathe and they were loose. The scales aren't shifting though. I'm going to have to diet as well I think I could run a lot faster if I wasn't carrying so much weight around with me.

W8 complete. 3 more runs till graduation can't believe I've made it this far. Weighed myself today and even after getting my hair cut I've not lost anything. I'm feeling better by thinking I would have put on loads if I hadn't been out running.