More Couch to 5k encouragement!

did w3 r1 today . Struggled with the last run but managed to finish.
Longest i have run in years

You lot are smashing the longer runs! On w2 and the long runs seem so far away

Also that’s a pretty nifty mantrah

@LambChopsMcGee I know!!!! I’m a good girl really. I think I was trying to say - a quick trot through the walking bits but still a bit of a slog. The beach was windy and my diction is clearly pants!!

I'm in the same boat as you @Twilbury. Starting W4 on Monday. Feeling very nervous.

It was warm in our park when I went out today, and I found it a slog, but still managed it! When Jo Wiley says about mantras (not sure if it's the same for all the narrators...) I have been reminding myself that i need to do hard things if I am going to make a go of what I want to do with my work life. This has reduced to "if you can do this, you can quit your job", which is great motivation!

Additionally today I went a slightly different route for the last 5 min run so I finished just before the ice cream truck and went straight there for an ice cream to have on my walk home... I'm doing this for fitness more than weight loss (though I have packed on the pounds...) and I really needed a cold motivational treat!

@StillDumDeDumming I was wondering what on earth you were trying to say!! "a quick trot occasion a threesome with a walking bits it was just too much of a slut without." still none the wiser!!

Wk3 is now done and dusted and I am trying not to panic about starting wk 4 on monday.
I know it must be working because I am managing to follow the programme but it is still hard work. I am going to have to get out earlier in the day as the heat is too much at the moment, so I need to get more organised.

Well done on graduating @Stopthehop and @HelpMeh ! What a great feeling!

I graduated yesterday . I did 4.3km in 30 mins. My next run I will set at 5k and go for distance only. I could've run longer yesterday but because she said stop, I stopped...

@ChanklyBore it sounds like you're doing great to me!

I really want my new trainers to hurry up - international shipping is so slow at the moment. My old ones give me blisters under my arch. I bought a cheap pair of Nikes which are comfy but not runners - the tread won't last another month and they give me blisters on my toes as I think I need half a size up for running.

Congratulations @Stopthehop! I’m inspired .

I managed to complete w7r3 this morning so am very pleased with myself! It almost felt easy until the very last bit which was the beginning of an absolutely mammoth hill. I have a bit of a dilemma in that my route is actually 5k but the last couple of kilometres are up that hill. What should I do? I might add a loop or two in the middle before finishing up a tiny bit of hill, I’ll have to think about it.

One thing that is concerning me, or rather two things, is that it is taking my breathing a very long time to return to normal, so I can’t be that fit, and also that my hands are swelling during the runs to the extent that they are uncomfortably tight, if that makes sense. Has anyone else had this and what did you do if so?

Thanks in advance, everyone and well done all of you!

I've not managed to get out at all this week - life got in the way. I was due to start W6. I may repeat W5R3 tomorrow and convince myself I haven't missed any time!

Well done @Stopthehop

Just done w5r1 and I’m actually preferring the slightly longer runs. I feel like once I get into it, it isn’t so bad. Almost looking forward to slightly longer runs, but the thought of running 20 minutes non stop in two runs feels rather intimidating.

I currently have a 3.5k route, but think I might need to find an extra .5k soon. Never managed 5k, even when I was able to run 30 minutes. I’m so determined to actually do 5k this time though!

@Stopthehop I'm not hitting 4K in 30 mins either. Week 9 run 1 for me last night was 3.7k. I did keep going to 4K, which was about 32mins.

I managed to do W4R1 this morning, which I find frankly amazing. I peeked at the times last night and then got stressed that I wouldn't be able to do it, and maybe I would be better off repeated W3 instead. So on my walk to get to my starting point I gave myself permission to try and fail, and if I couldn't do W4 I would redo W3.

Last night I kept thinking why am I attempting something I am going to fail, and this morning realised if someone else was saying that to me I would say they were brave.

It's fair to say the difference between my 'running' and 'walking' is virtually imperceptible to the naked eye, but am proud to have got this far.

I've just done wk 9 run 3. I am a graduate! I can't believe I've actually finished it. I'm no where near 5k though not even hitting 4 in 30 minutes.of running. I'm going to keep going out as often as I can for 30 minutes and I also want to run a 5k route and see how long it takes me.

Ha ha my typos are hilarious! I dictate (badly it seeems) because I spend too long on screens otherwise! That certainly could have done with a read through 😁

I think of this running lark like baking.
I use the same recipe but some cakes turn out better than others.
Some runs definitely feel harder than others and I can’t pinpoint why but we’re getting there. I definitely couldn’t have run for 25 minutes 6 weeks ago.
Anyway, no running for me today - just cake baking!

Hi there I have just done a w2r3. Now I do know we are supposed to stick to the program but I thought we could do would have less walking and with my gait I find it really hard to walk. I was wrong and so I had to do a quick trot occasion a threesome with a walking bits it was just too much of a slut without. I ran across the actual beach this morning which was hard but lovely and now I’m just trudging back. Nice run feeling a bit guilty about leaving DP for longer though. He is asleep so he’ll be fine. And he can now get out of bed and walk as far as the toilet I’m self that’s fine.

@CeciledeVolangesIt would be lovely to improve run on run wouldn’t it but So many factors affect it. I had to be quite fit before I could run in the evening. And even at these early week runs that I am doing, I’ll make sure I have decent amount of water in the evening before. And also perhaps you were a little tense and that always makes a massive difference to me with my running.Happy running my love.
My next run will be back at home I will need all of your words of encouragement. I have to get out and do it quite quickly and then get back for the P so I’ll be running at the big park at the back of my house we’re all of my superfit neighbours run or walk their dogs-and there will be me 10 ton Tessie steam training along!!

I don’t think I’m getting fitter every run :( I got back from work (commuting by bike but I’ve managed to run in the evening once before) and tried w7r3 but I stopped about eight minutes in. I was getting foot cramps before I started and will try tomorrow morning but I just feel a bit self-disgusted honestly. I haven’t run all week as I’ve not been well, again, but aren’t we supposed to be improving?

Ds and I managed week 6 run 3 this morning - I’m chuffed to be able to run for 25 minutes but not looking forward to doing the same three times next week! I think we’ll try to vary our route a bit.

The grass around here is quite long atm which I find hard to run on so we’re sticking to the streets for now.

Well done everyone for sticking at it - we’re all getting fitter every run.

Trying to gear myself up to go out for w7r3 (might do a couple more as I didn't complete w6r3). Would have normally tried to get out earlier but the kids were tag teaming last night so was up for half the night with them and shattered.

Welcome to all that have just joined. Some great pics. I'm just running on the road but think I might try drive somewhere once a week to get better scenery

Thanks for the tip about slowing down - W4R2 yesterday and managed the 5 min runs (only just though!). I run on a treadmill as the ground is just too uneven around me, and my eyes water as soon as I start running outside; dangerous combination! Once I know I can run a bit farther I'll maybe go find some tarmac

Some great stories here - this was my view in Hyde Park today ( needless to say dog is much faster than me but she stops to hunt squirrels ) - just done run two of week 8 - can’t believe I can run for 28minutes

Thank you for the welcome and thank you @thisenglishlife.

I did W1 R1 Today and about to upload my pic from the walking cool down and then a bit later on sitting by the river.

I have a kind of dropfoot which makes walking really hard and that is part of what led to the fatness which means I’ve had to start all over again. I don’t really mind starting over again I just wanna get started!

So in actual fact it’s easier for me to run them to walk apart from The lack of fitness! And I had a little light trot through most of the walking parts for this. I’ve also been doing squats I think today’s number is 65. This is to try and strengthen my leg muscles and protect my knees. Because I weigh around 16 1/2 stone!!!

As I’m running so important for my mental health. My DP had a massive brain haemorrhage in February. He is recovering well, Having spent six weeks in intensive care. But I life is changed possibly forever in almost every way. He can walk but not much and he can talk a bit but not always understand.

Anyway that’s me happy running all of you out there today.

PS this isn’t always my view! I’m on a few days break with DP to get a bit of peace.

Morning my loves. Can I join as a newbie or is there another thread
@StillDumDeDumming I did my W1R3 yesterday so we can be newbs together