Starting couch to 5K tomorrow morning - anyone want to join?

I’m interested too @Passportpondery because I can’t still imagine it either 😅

Well done! I will be interested to see how you find the R3. I can’t imagine running for 20 minutes without stopping at the end of this week!

Im currently on the sofa with painful sinuses and zero energy. I really wanted to get R1 done tomorrow and R2 on Monday to fit in with plans this week.

W5 R1 today. Tough going but I enjoyed it and it was manageable.

I finished W4 yesterday and actually felt quite good during it. The first 3 minute run was hard but the last 5 minutes felt good and I probably could have carried on a little more.

I’m now full of cold and have a sciatic flare up so week 5 might be a bit delayed in its start.

Oh no @HayleyBay, so frustrating when you feel like you've been making progress! I'm in a similar position as have caught a bit of a cold. Was supposed to be starting week 5 today but going to have to leave it for a couple of days. I would just try your next scheduled run and see how you get on, then repeat a week if you find it too difficult.

I felt like I was making progress but on Monday my horse stood on my foot and it's still too painful to run.

I'm guessing maybe I'll have a week of no running. Does anyone know if I should go back a week, or try to keep going from where I got to?

Well done @sylv165 its great when you can feel yourself getting stronger @Anewagain sounds like good going.

I did run2 W5 this morning and was feeling bit daunted by the first 8min run when it was freezing mist but my compression socks & elastic laces are helping reduce the shin cramp I was getting and I did 8min then 3min walk and a 10min run. It was too cold to keep walking in the middle so I just started the 2nd run earlier and kept going. Still really slow and only covering 3.5k but I’m super happy just to be building it back up even if it’s slower than I’d have liked at the beginning.

I’m just behind you @sylv165. Week 4 in the bag. At moments I felt I could run on for longer without stopping which was positive but the last 5 minutes was still tough. On to week 5.

Week 4 complete! On to week 5 - the next run looks ok, but after that is a bit scary! Will feel like proper progress if I complete it though.

I’ve got elastic laces in my trainers I love them they definitely help as my feet expand when warmed up

Thanks @WinterMermaid234 I've been fiddling with my laces but will stretch more.

The numb toes can be a warning I’d be careful check your trainers aren’t laced too tight but I’ve had bouts of lower back disc issues and that can give me numb toes. Try doing a pigeon or piraformus stretch it may help relieve muscle tightness in the butt with can compress the sciatic nerve that can lead to numb toes.

Four years ago I felt the same when I first did C25K and yet I still remember doing that epic 20min run and Micheal Johnson telling me I was a runner when I finished it. It doesn’t have to be fast. If you’re not ready just repeat the previous weeks run but it does work. 🤷🏻‍♀️ you just build up the stamina and a-lot of it is mental self belief. If it’s not for you try something else you may enjoy, not everyone likes running. I enjoy cycling and swimming too but like the easy buzz a run gives me. I don’t enjoy lifting weights but I know I should do it more often but it’s not my thing..

Ive just looked ahead for next week and I don’t understand how the jump from W5R2 to W5R3 works! Surely running for 20 minutes with no break is much much harder than 2 8 minute runs with a big walk in the middle? It just seems a huge jump that’s putting me off even attempting to be honest.

Great to read all the updates. Did wk 3 r 1 today and felt fine, other than numbnes s in 1 foot. Does anyone else get this? Any tips?

I walk a lot doing school runs etc and we did a family 3 mile walk yesterday.

I can get out once DH is home from work so I’m fine for evenings, but I live too rurally to run in the dark as there is no street lighting.

Keep going if you can @Passportpondery it does work but you do need to keep doing min 2runs a week plus some strengthening stuff if you can’t do 3xruns. We all get crap runs, it makes the good ones feel better. If you can’t run go walk for half hour with a good podcast or music or silence as a parent to young kids it’s great head space. That’s 90 mins a week, I bet your partner gets 90mins a week to themselves??

I just got back from Week5 run 1, and really enjoyed it but I love being out on blue sky cold days. I shorten the first run to 4mins as warming up but made the third one 6mins and felt ok.

Did W4 R2 today here too. The last 5 minute run was hard going.

Finally got round to week 4 run 2. It’s been nearly a week since I last got out and it felt really difficult today! I was counting down those 5 minutes!

I feel like i’m losing motivation to be honest. I’m an instant gain sort of person and I really wanted to be finding it easier by now!

I just can’t imagine ever been able to run for 20
minutes at a time!

Well done @sylv165

how are you getting on @BlueberryPancakes17 ?

Week 4 run 2 done! Definitely feeling fitter, those 3 min sessions are easier now, and managed it extend it to do 3 x 2mins run/2mins walk at a faster pace.

Yes a tricky age @Passportpondery it’s easier once in school or they can be left at activities. One of my kids does a lot of sport so I used to run when they were old enough (8) to be left. I’m also lucky my DH likes to run alot so we share ‘slots’ between us, hope when the days get lighter you can find some time.

Those are quite tricky ages @Passportpondery. Too little to run with you, but too big to shove them both in a buggy and push them (although imagine the workout if you did!). Hopefully you can fit enough in now so that when the lighter nights finally arrive you’ll already be flying 🤞

They are 3 and 5. Constantly driving them to activities or birthday parties too!

It will be easier once the nights get lighter but at the minute by the time DH gets in it’s too dark to go out and run (rural area, no street lights and country lanes with fast cars).