Couch to 5k

Well done!! Keep going. Think how far you’ve come-I am still astonished I can run as far as i can!!

Week 8 run 1 done. I haven't run for 10 days and have had a cold so todays run did feel tough, but I managed to completed it. 28 minutes, 4.5k.

I've just realised that I missed run 3 of week 7, oops!

@SoftIceI did the same run this morning. Could have written your post exactly. The last few minutes were awful and then a couple of minutes after o stopped I felt fine! Also happened to ‘coincidentally’ finish by our local cafe so rewarded myself with a latte and croissant for the 5 minute cold down 😂

@ILoveCatsAndKittens I hear what you are saying, personally I think daytime, sun and snow (cold weather) is the best. Don't worry about the break, I'm sure it'll be fine!

I ran W8D1 today and it was hard - this inner voice is constantly telling me to "just walk, it doesn't matter" and the only reason I'm able to resist it at the moment is the app. I know I would make myself repeat the day if I didn't run according to plan so I may as well push through. I hope I'll be able to keep it up when the programme is finished!

The odd thing is that when the run is done and I start walking I'm back to "normal" basically within 30 seconds so I'm definitely getting fitter.

Well done! Snow??!! Oh wow!

Ive not managed to get pit this week as its half term and I have my young son. By the time its nighttime, im too tired! I dont like running at night either, would much rather get it out of the way and done with in the morning. I am also full of cold so wouldn't have been a great week to run anyway. I just need to get back to it ASAP, should be able to get a run in on Saturday.

It looks like everyone is progressing well, loving our motivation for each other, its so inspiring!

Thanks @TomCat24 ! Week 7 done today, and I managed 3.00k, so a bit more than last time. It is snowing heavily. Perhaps subconsciously that made me run a bit faster.

Well done @SoftIce!!

You girls are an inspiration! @ILoveCatsAndKittens I bought the watch some years ago just to count steps - never actually used the "Activities" feature before. I'm really pleased because that will allow me to track my progress. I ran W7D2 today and tried it out: 2.77k (I'm veeery slow, but it's so hard). So to continue for 5k I'd probably have to run another 25 minutes (not happening! haha). This is already a huge achievement for me though, so I'm fine with it. I'll just continue on after week 9, adding on a couple of minutes each week. Eventually I'll get there.

Valentines Parkrun was nuts. An estimated 2500 people including Dame Kelly Holmes People from Dublin and coach parties, and we had to queue up for 20 minutes to get to the finish funnel.

So so proud of you @TomCat24 massive well done!! Mad how it doesnt take many weeks to actually go from not running at all to running many km's!!

Week 7 run 2 done. 25 minute run, 4.2km. Ive found writing it on here actually encourages me to do my next run as I can see my progress through my posts.

Week 7 run 2. Carried on running til I reached 5k. Ran through the 5 min warm down and managed 5k in 35 minutes!!!

This is not a braggy post - sharing because 6 weeks ago, I could not run! This programme works!!!

This is also following the worst run of the entire programme on Thursday, where I wanted to stop so much and felt like crying but kept going. Slowest I’ve ever done it in and my legs felt like lead. If you have a bad run, don’t give up! Praise yourself for doing it and move on to the next!!!

@SoftIce I have a Garmin watch so set that to run at start of c25k and stop it once its finished.
Last two though ive not included the five minute warm up and warm down, so just started it when ive actually begun running and stopped it when ive stopped. That gives an accurate figure for how far ive run then.

I didn't run this morning as I did one yesterday. Usually I'm busy Fridays but I could have done one this morning and actually miss doing it.....even though I hate it whilst I'm running! Change of plans tomorrow morning means I can now do a run first thing which I'm looking forward to.

Kudos @ILoveCatsAndKittens , I did W7D1 today and it was awful. I managed but definitely could not have continued on for another round. (On my app, W6D3 was 22 minutes, so three minutes less than today, that was marginally less awful.)

BTW, how do you measure your route? I have an old Garmin watch which shows me steps and km, but currently it shows me more metres than steps, so I don't trust it. 😄

Week 7 run 1 completed. I carried on running to 5k, completed in just over 31 minutes. I did a new route and messed up though as part of it was uphill and steps......it was a killer! I need to find a longer route thats flat.

I used to do 5k in around 26 minutes but that was years ago.

I've just checked and we dont move up to 28 minutes until week 8.
Week 7 is the same as the final run of week 6, 25 minutes. Still daunting!

Thats exactly how I feel! I really look forward to a run but whilst I'm doing it I hate it!

@ILoveCatsAndKittens Yep, same. Also, I'm really looking forward to runs, which I would never have expected as a pretty unfit person - I thought it would feel more like a chore, but it doesn't. I also feel really good afterwards. Both is really odd because during runs I don't feel good!

Oh this sounds lovely!! Good luck with park run!

Well done!!

I think the weeks are flying by, how have you been finding it @SoftIce ? I cant believe I can now just about run none stop for 25 minutes.

W4R3 done. I'm going to try to do the next run at Parkrun on Saturday.
Valentine's Day run at Valentine's Park!

That's really bad luck @ILoveCatsAndKittens 💐, I hope your knee is better tomorrow, but if it is swollen it doesn't sound good. Maybe sit tomorrow out and back on Monday? That should hopefully be enough.

Week 6 done for me too! "Fun" it wasn't but it was OK. I think I can do week 7 (it's just three minutes more) but it will be a bit tedious.😬

Run 3 of week 6 completed yesterday, 25 minute run. Went ok although I wouldn't really call it a run, I was more fast walking by the end! 🙈

I have an injury though! So annoyed, crouched down to get veg out of the fridge and ive twisted my knee. Its so swolen and sore. Hoping its ok by tomorrow ready for my next run. Although i am in work on my feet all day today so can't rest it.

@CandidOP @HayceeDeeCee
What really helped me was slowing down significantly. When I started C25K, I thought I was running slowly but I was out of breath at the 5 minute mark at the latest. I continued anyway (with small walking breaks for long runs) but eventually I admitted defeat, went back to week 4 and really slowed down. Now I'm running at a snail's pace (just above walking pace) but I don't get out of breath and I can run for 20 minutes without breaks. So my advice would be: even if you think you are running slowly now, try to slow down even more and keep that pace steady. (I used to start slowly but would speed up involuntarily. Now that I pay more attention and manage to keep a steady, slow pace, everything is much easier.)

Feeling a bit mis as just did week six run three for the fourth time and had to walk three times. I haven't run for a week but previously had managed it two out of the three times I did it although absolutely exhausted at the end. I have a chronic joint condition, take immunosuppressants, have osteoarthritis, am waiting for a new knee and had some of my lung removed a few years back. Logically I know these are all good reasons that I may never get beyond this particular run and why I will never again be able to run 10K like I did in my forties. Illogically it makes me feel a bit rubbish to be honest and takes away the enjoyment I felt in the first few weeks just finding out that I could still run (shuffle) despite everything.

That's so good, well done @ILoveCatsAndKittens

That's brilliant! Medical proof that you're doing something which is making you healthier has to be the biggest win