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

Have you got a foam roller or a tennis ball @BlueberryPancakes17 try rolling on the side thigh muscles above the knee where the IT band is and have a good stretch of hamstring and calf’s muscles. Often they stiffen up and it feels like knee pain. I have to roll or stretch after every ‘run’ and the next day. I’m SO stiff as I age it’s getting worse. Hope you can find some relief. Honestly doing lunges and squats 3-4x a week in sets of 10-20 will really help strength too.

Me too!! (Both of what you said)

@BooseysMom id agree any movement is good, some yoga for 20mins, a walk to get some fresh air it all helps. I’ve been taking a dissolvable VitB12 which I swear is helping with energy levels.

I got soaked out on my bike today as I didn’t manage to dodge the rain showers. Hope to do R1 of week3 tomorrow if it’s not raining hard!

I completed it in Nov and the sense of achievement was amazing. I was unfit and overweight but knowing I could run for 30mins (even if I don't look it) was amazing.

I would say stretching is more important then you think, especially as the weeks progress. There are some good YouTube videos on stretching.

Annoyingly I got the lurgy in Dec and haven't run for about 4 weeks and I'm still probably not up to it. I'm guessing I will have lost a bit of stamina, especially as it was so recent I finished the programme but I'm looking forward to getting back to it.

I made it out and did my W2R3, it was harder than I thought it would be today for some reason.

Dreading next week as it really steps up.

W1R3 complete, got out to beat the rain. My slowest run of the week but loved it. Love Strava analysis afterwards, when you hit local champ for a section it makes your day.

@Passportpondery I'm am totally with you, not massively overweight, though im the biggest I've ever been and won't go on the scales, poor muscle tone and core strength and I hate that lack of stamina. Honestly though C25K works and at some point you'll be running thinking how am I achieving this??

@BooseysMom that's a shame. Try and get some exercise in, even walking as it will give you a good base when you feel well enough to give it a go again.

@Cathpot I did it during lockdown too and wish I hadn't had a 'break' from it, then got injured as I'm no w having to start again. Well done for keeping it up. I also think a 40 min 5K is very respectable, my best best best was 39mins and I was over the moon with that.

Well done everyone for getting up and going out. I already feel my energy levels rising and my mood is so much better. I don't know why your body makes it so easy to stop exercise when it does so much good for you.

This is such a good point! I have stopped exercise due to awful peri symptoms and getting back into it feels impossible now.

Winter645Mermaid

How is it going? I'm afraid I've had to delay starting as my menopausal symptoms are getting the better of me. I've started HRT but so far I feel worse, not better. I know the only way is to just get out and do it..it's just the aching that's horrible.

I did Couch to 5K in lockdown and now go about twice a week. I am very slow- I do just under 5k in just over 40mins but for me, given how very much not a runner I was, that is amazing! My main tip is as another poster says, give yourself permission to repeat runs. Sometimes the jump up to the new run looked really daunting and that psychological barrier was making me reluctant to go out. I normally only had to repeat a run once or twice to feel comfortable to move on. I also did the same basic route every time (building in sections as I needed a longer loop) as it helped to be able to gauge how I was feeling at each point and if I needed to slow down. Knowing where the hills are is important! Now I have 3 different routes and I can swap between them depending on mood. I’m trying to nudge my DD2 into starting- she is very much an indoor cat.

I’ve just joined and would love some moral support.

I’m on week 2 run 3 today (when I can get my arse off the sofa and go out).

I’m a bit worried about week 3 as it does seem to jump quite a bit!

I’m not over weight, but not at all fit or healthy. Poor diet, low muscle tone can can barely run up stairs without getting out of breath, it’s embarrassing!

W1R2 run done today. Accidentally did an extra long run when I knocked the app off but felt great so that was a big bonus. Left it two days as we went out spending Christ money and ended up in a restaurant. I've learned from bitter experience it's not worth running even a few hours after a heavy meal 🤢

Well done everyone for getting up and going out. I already feel my energy levels rising and my mood is so much better. I don't know why your body makes it so easy to stop exercise when it does so much good for you.

I had a good run at sunrise this morning that was the 3rd run of week2 done. Still struggling with shins that feel like they are cramping up in the first 15mins and had to stop a couple of times to stretch but did manage a couple of 2min runs at the end. Next week it steps up to 3min runs eeek..

I like listening to RunPod and this weeks episode was good if anyone needs “motivation” with Karen Weir.

Started last year and have kept going it's so achievable. You can do it everyone!

Went for my third run today, although I’m mixing it up a bit between c25k, jeffing and Nike Run Club. I unfortunately lost my keys from my waist belt, so have to go back round again where I luckily found them. Suppose it all adds to the steps count though…..

That's week 1 done tonight with run 3 whoop whoop. So proud of myself as I've been on the couch too long. My knees are feeling it a bit tonight though (a bit of osteoarthritis but i wear knee supports).
So sorry about the ankle @cluele hope it recovers soon.
Thanks also to pp for the link to the FB page, am finding it really helpful and inspiring.
Well done to everyone of you. We can do this!!

I started this a couple of months back and was loving it... sprained my ankle in week 4 and it's still stiff and sore 6 weeks on, so it's shaken my confidence a bit. Itching to get back to it, but being cautious (was a bit gung ho after about 3 weeks, and started running again... and of course I went over on the same ankle, which set things back a bit - and taught me a lesson).
It's amazing how quickly fitness builds... my legs were already looking more muscular.

Well done @BlueberryPancakes17 & hope your daylight run goes ok, honestly no one pays any notice but I do prefer going early morning as less folk about.

@BooseysMom just put your trainers on, find some good tunes and tell yourself your going for a walk then the first run just happens by stealth 😂 I lay my kit out the night before setting my intentions so I can’t talk myself out of it.

I’m tired tonight after a really busy week (thanks train strikes 😬adds 2hrs driving a day for school run...) but I’m going to lay my kit out tonight & squeeze W2run3 in tomorrow morning ..hopefully!

Hi, can I join too please?

Winter645Mermaid We seem to be in a similar position! I'm 50 and finding the peri menopause to be hell. Recently started HRT which has actually made my symptoms worse! I also want to try the Park Run and have signed up to it. Still haven't got around to my first run though..I need a confidence boost!

Well done @BlueberryPancakes17 . I plan to do W1R3 tonight. Strangely looking forward to it. Perhaps I need the dopamine as also doing Dry Jan!!

Listened to Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia album today doing W2 runs. Took 15mins for my legs to warm up but managed 2min runs for the last 2x reps instead of 90secs. I had planned to do it yesterday but got utterly drenched walking the dog and it didn’t stop raining all day so had a swim instead.

Im enjoying getting it done first thing it was challenging this morn with school run and work so just put run kit on at 6.30am so couldn’t not do it.

I started today on week 4and felt like I might die 😩 Jeffing is so much easier than running straight and I’m quicker doing that too. Hope everyone is getting on well

Week 1 Run 2 done yesterday and back to the gym today. Also signed up for a 10k in May. I've done it before and it will give me something to aim for.