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

@Spirini thanks for the tip re: shorts!
W3R1 for me today, the first 3 mins felt v hard but the second was fine and could've carried on. I think I might need to warm up a bit more enthusiastically ha ha

@Gilmoregirly I was a bit unclear sorry- I never actually finished it. I think I got to week 6 or 7 and then completely fell off the wagon.

I did lose weight (8lbs) but this time round my body is not playing ball. I lost 1lb last week and it's bloody well back on now 😠

@Spirini totally agree. For me it is going to be a mix this time. Well done for completing at first time. May I please ask if you lost any weight at this time?

@Winter645Mermaid thank you! Top tips. I will size up and check out those socks.

@minipie interesting. I think I have ok cardio fitness as I can carry on as long as I don't go too fast, it's my calves that start to burn with pain🔥

👋🏼 @Gilmoregirly running outside is so much harder isn't it? I had been doing c25k on a treadmill last summer and decided to do a couple on the road and they were very tough. I've re-started again and all on the road this time.

I got out again this morning after the school run and again it was painful. I was running into a biting wind for most of it which was quite painful but I did it so all good.

My app is playing up - the other day it said I did 4.56km which I delighted with but today I was back to 3.74km which I think is right as that's more in line with previous runs. Still a bit to go before I hit the 5km!

can I please join? W2R3 for me too. For the first time I ran outside today. I have been running on the treadmill. I have never run for exercise before.

Thank you @Winter645Mermaid and @Spirini. I’m still a long way from covering 5K in distance so looks like you’re going further than me already and doing well with those hills - and I’m happy to build up to it in time.

Spirini they say it’s either legs or lungs, for me it’s lungs. I have reasonable leg muscle (upper body is a difficult story!) but rubbish cardio fitness. I absolutely couldn’t run 5 min uphill like you just did! No wonder your legs ache 👏 well done!

@bailarbailar m&s do some great cycling type shorts that I really like and are good value. You need to size up though.

Wow so many of you are killing it! @Winter645Mermaid @minipie @Anewagain

I did W4D2 yesterday and I managed to do nearly 4.5km which I was thrilled by. I misjudged the distance and ended up running up a massive hill for my last 5min jog. It nearly killed me! I thought I'd be on the cool-down for that hill, I'll know for the next time...very annoying living at the top of a mini mountain...But the Fitness app on my phone told me I did 35 flights of stairs which isn't too shabby.

Very achy today, anyone else find their muscles are sore after each run? I'd have thought by week 4 my legs would have strengthened up a bit

Whoop well done @Anewagain that’s brill.

I’m still not running non-stop 5k but I think that’s my age & joints preferring some short walk breaks. Was very tired this morning after late night with DD and 5am wake up by strong winds and hip pain. But I’d laid out my run kit last night so I just put it on to do school drop off and then did a stop / start 4k with gale force winds & at one point rain hitting my face painfully. I was relieved to finish & head home for breakfast but got it done ✔️ I’m tracking my total kms running and I’ve gone over 100k now since January as Ive set a 500km my target this year.

I haven’t run in two weeks due to a sore back and busyness but today I ran W9 R1! I was very tempted to go back and re-start with earlier weeks but ultimately decided the hardest battle would likely be a mental one - ie to believe I can do it and not give up. And I did it! I ran 30 minutes!!!

W6 r1 today. I had to swerve past my house to drop off my hoodie half way through and just ran in my vest and leggings. I get very hot when exercising despite being a cold person in general. Sign of unfitness??

Oh and I managed some little bits of (not very steep) hill…. tiring, but worth it for the joy of running downhill afterwards!

@bailarbailar I can't believe you're thinking about shorts already! I only ever wore running shorts when it was over 30 degrees. I was getting a bit warm in my hoodie today, so might be soon time to dig out a long sleeved running top for over my short sleeved one.

W2R1 today. I really enjoyed ot again. I'm feeling good and am very pleased. I could tell it was more than last week, though I was also running into the wind for half of it.

W2R3 for me today. Will start W3 on Wednesday.
Much better weather today although I started to overheat again... always used to be my problem. Will have to find some running shorts (!) if it continues getting warmer

I skipped Thursdays run this week but I think it do better actually running twice a week now rather than 3 times.

I did my usually weekend 5k and got it down to 37 minutes today. I’m aiming to be below 35 minutes by the end of the April.

No one likes hills 😂but honestly just find a gentle one pick a couple of lampposts or walk a 100m up and then try fast walk up it and back down. Honestly I’m not built for speed at all I’m short & 3st overweight but it really does help your running.

@minipie I remember years ago when I was running there was this one big hill that I hated. I always walled up it. Then a few months later I felt so good when I was able to run up it! You'll get there! (And I will too.)

Thanks Winter and well done on your Parkrun and hills! I can’t do hills at all (yet…!) they are so tiring.

WellDone @minipie If your knee is achy try stretching or foam rolling all the muscles around it. My thigh muscle / IT band above my knee gets tight and can feel like a sore knee.

The dreaded W5 r3 done! Thankfully not in the rain. In some ways easier than the intervals as I didn’t have to worry about getting cold in the walks. However my knee did ache a little afterwards which is a bit worrying. Need to get those new trainers!

@Gardenerboo i run in shoes a size bigger than my normal shoe size plus I have D width wider ones. I either wear knee high compression socks the men’s ones from sports direct fit my wide calves or I really like balgea running socks www.wiggle.co.uk/balega-blister-resist-socks
they are worth the £s as nicely cushioned. I’m a fussy pots for sensory things and like the soft feel of them.

Just did a very windy Parkrun but dodged the heavy rain lucky. I really wasn’t feeling up for it this morning as slept badly & very sore achy joints (thanks menopause..) but I did 20mins of gentle yoga & 10min walk to the start. I started too fast felt sick at 5mins, couldn’t breathe & was feeling deflated that everyone was running past me so i walked for 60secs regrouped & carried on bit slower. I took 2 more 30sec walk breaks and didn’t find any boost of energy but kept going behind this guy. Too my utter surprise I was only 40secs slower than last weeks time 😄so if your feeling crap give it a go, if you need to walk take a quick 30-60sec break but keep going & you may surprise yourself.

Can anyone please recommend a pair of shoes that don’t run the base of your big toe? Sort of where a bunion would be - I don’t have bunions but my trainers run there badly.

Or maybe some cushioned running socks? I don’t know!
thank you