Starting Couch to 5k next week ( 17th May) and looking for company :)

Fi - nice to hear from you again! How lovely, running by the sea (OK, maybe a small clue in your MN name.....). Yes, I can't believe it's Week 8 already, but you're on Week 4, so making just as much progress. It starts getting serious from now on.

I agree with you about treadmills; I starting whimpering like a baby when she started it up, but she was so calming and reassuring I was soon whizzing along (with only a tiny thought at the back of my mind that I might trip over the new shoes, fly off the back and demolish the shop display).

nextmrsdepp whoopee at new your shoes and OMG wk 8 already?!?! well done. The running shop i went to did the same video treadmill thing.. but I found it hard going never having been on a treadmill before or had any trainer type shoes or even jogged before lol.

just back from run2 wk4 and i did it but have to say i'm finding this wks runs really tough.. only grim determination is getting me through the 5min runs. I manage the 3min ones ok though so that's something.

I had to run into the wind for the first half of my sesh and it made it doubly hard as it was quite strong and blowing sand off the beach in my face.. great for exfoliation but not so good for my eyes! other hazards i've had to contend with during previous runs are.. hoardes of wondering pottery tourists enjoying a walk on the prom in a sunny warm evening. They also drive me nuts with the smell of the delicious take away fish and chips they're eating! oh and also sometimes seagulls divebombing for scraps.

Great excitement, I found myself child-free this afternoon (how often does that happen when you have three?!) so I went and got my gait analysed at the local running shop and bought a lovely new pair of running shoes!

The lady in the shop was absolutely lovely, so knowledgeable and thorough; she asked loads of questions, checked my feet, videoed me running on a treadmill, and then I tried on loads of pairs of shoes and went back on the treadmill for more videos so she could check each shoe. She was very complimentary about my running style, said it was very good , I didn't need much support and I shouldn't encounter too many problems ! The only issue I have had so far is a little rubbing on the side of my big old-lady bunions; down to inflexible toes, apparently...

The new shoes felt soooo comfy. I can't wait to test-drive them on Friday morning (the last run of Week 8).

just a quickie to say sorry i've not made it on for a while but well done everyone on your various wk runs and yay to littlebluepills for getting the ok to run.. how long do you have to follow the new guidelines?

although madly busy in RL atm i have not neglected my running it's wk4run2 for me tomorrow.. i managed my 1st 5min wk4 runs but was v tough (as i find each run 1 of a new wk) v chuffed i willed myself along. legs were a bit jelly wobbly today though.

hopefully get back on at end of week to see how you're all doing :-) x

the litllebluepills, hope you get ove it soon. I am sure getting back in shape to run will help you.

Wohmum - I was dreading the 20minute run but It is not a problem actually there is some logic behind the madness as to how the runs are structured.Telling that, I am a bit apprehensive about the 25minutes run.

I am goint to try and run tomorrow but maybe tricky as DH is away.Lets see.

Awww thelittlebluepills, sorry to hear you've been fed up; sounds like the running is lifting your spirits already. Wishing you shins of steel!

yay yay Yay! I'm back! so good to get out there again - I even enjoyed the rain!

Have to put ice on my shins for ten mins after the run so hopefully the shin splints will be kept at bay. will only know over the next few days as it's not an instant thing. keep all your fingers crossed ladies!

notanidea - take a bow! well done on the 20min run

wohmum - don't panic about the runs in the future - if you did the last one you can do the next one - that's all you need to think about

mrsdepp thanks - it's nice to be back - I have been feeling really really low recently (horrid restructure at work etc) and it was this thread that really made me get back out there (the physio had said on saturday that i could get back out but it took until today to do it - because I just felt too fed up )

loler - gait analysis can be done by a running shop - they often have a treadmill and a camera linked to a laptop. Don't be put off though because I found they were so friendly and supportive and genuinely I didn't feel like a numpty novice at all (which I was)

notanidea - yay! You did the 20 minutes! I bet you were well pleased. Week 6 is another one with different runs for each day, and you're back to 8 and 10 minute runs for the first two days, then onto 25 minutes. No idea what the logic is there....

Glad to hear you're back with us thelittlebluepills!

Wohmum, wocka, nobiggy - you have clearly been bitten by the bug. There's no hope for you now.....

loler - gait analysis is what some running shops do to check you're buying the right sort of shoe for your running style and the way your feet land on the floor. They video you on a treadmill. Well, I thought I might as well do it properly...

Bluepills - do you have a canal near you? That's where I do my running - no youths to run (stumble forward) past and completely no hills!

gait analysis - what's that then? And where do you get it done?

mrsd - with you on the excersie dodging - I'm not making to much of a thing out doing this but anyone I mentioned it to has asked to come with me - So not into letting anyone witness how rubbish and red I am when moving faster than a walk! Running is not a social event!

I am allowed to start running again! !!!

Physio has given me an alternative programme though to get me back on course so tonight I will hopefully be doing:

1 min run then 4 min powerwalk repeated 6 times.

I'm then allowed to start increasing the running by 30secs on each outing.

The real problem is going to be finding somewhere relatively flat to run......

Wocka, same here, but nowhere near as hot out, even a bit of cooling drizzle. Made it to the end of 60s each time, but don't seem to be moving forwards very quickly!

Never mind, I'm thinking lasting the minute is the aim for now.

Thursday's run will be in the middle of my usual 3 mile walk.

Felt good this morning!

Hi everyone,

I'm repeating week 1 and went out at 5.10 this morning so that I could get back before DH left for work at 6.00.

It felt a bit easier today and I wasn't so red in the face when I got back.

I'm even starting to look forward to my next session!

Morning all, It's great to hear that the later weeks are doable!
I did wk 3 day1 this morning, yes, got up at 6am just to go for a run!!
Blimey, OH will never believe it when he gets back!

I almost chickened out and wk 2 again, thinking I'd never do running for 3 mins, but I did and it was not too bad at all! Still can't imagine running for 8 or 20 though so you ladies are a real inspiration .

Roll on thursday!

I hvent read the recent posts as I have been working the weekene and starting to work early today. Well Done Mrs Depp-28minutes.you deserve a new gear certainly. Idont have any regrets getting shoes it is well worth it. Welcome abroad everyone. Mrs Depp what happens in week 6. I did my first 20minutes week 5 day 3 - I am really chuffed.

Hi there wocka, keep it up, you are doing the right thing in pacing yourself, although I would say this programme has an uncanny ability to make you do something you never imagined you could....

Loler - I love this thread too, seems like I've droned on posted more than most, but it has really helped. When I'm struggling to keep going I think "can't give up, what would my fellow MN runners say?" Also, I have kept this whole running thing very quiet from my friends, as I have always had a reputation as a bit of an exercise-dodger and didn't want to try, then fail, in public view as such. And I've no wish to join a running club, or do a 5K race, as this is just for me, and I don't want to be measured against anyone else (after a lifetime of coming last in all competetive sports activities)

So you guys are my outlet!!! And I'm so chuffed to hear about everyone else making a success of it too.

I ran 28 minutes this morning (1st run of week 8), despite feeling very stiff from strenuous dance-floor moves on Saturday night (actually fell off the dance-floor at some point). I am now considering myself a "runner" so I'm going to splash out on gait analysis and proper shoes. Woohoo, spending opportunity!

Wocka! Me too! I feel it should be easier to run the minute before moving on. I get a red face from thinking hard mind you...

Hi,

Can I join this thread?

I started W1 last week. I went out Tuesday, Friday and Sunday and found it very hard going and came back with a bright red face each time.

I don't want to take it too quickly and end up giving up when it gets too hard and so have decided to repeat week 1. My next run is due tomorrow so hopefully the rain will have gone by then.

I don't know if it would do that, but it certainly helps with the panting (which is probably shallow breathing anyway, thinking about it). It sort of enforces the breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth thing. So, tongue to the roof of the mouth while breathing in, then tongue down when breathing out. Seems to give a deeper breath, and better breathing rhythm.

Someone up-thread came up with it. I think I've waited 40 years for this nugget!

How inspiring is this thread! - it's an anything is possible thread.

Have just done my last week 4 run due to start 5 but pesky dh done a runner again - I've just treated myself to some proper running kit and a new sports bra too so am dying to try it out (no more saggy leggings and 90s band t-shirts!). The big 20 though is making me feel a bit sick - looking forward to hearing how it goes MrsD.

What's the tongue of roof of mouth method of breathing - must have missed that - sounds a good way of avoiding flies in teeth/on tonsils.

Did my 3rd W1 today, slowed it down a little, used the tongue on the roof of the mouth method for breathing in through the nose (whose idea was that? It worked!)

Progress, just through the week. I think I'll do week one again, see if I feel ready to move on after that.

I;m using B210k on the iphone its the follow on from C25k. I was very surprised at being able to run for an extra 10 mins even though it was seperated by 1 min walks (the walking went very fast)

hi N4NNY , what programme are you using for 10k? - just about to start myself.

I started my 10k training today I've had a week off due to my cold so was expecting to only manage half of it but I completed it all without too much trouble.

5 min warm up followed by 4 10 min runs with 1 min walk in-between. Then a 5 min walk cool down.

Well done notanidea. eight minutes feels like serious running, doesn't it? You'll be fine for the "big 20", I actually found it easier keeping going rather than stopping for a walk then starting again.

What is it about those pesky husbands who keep going away and messing up the running schedules, eh? Mine has no passport at the moment which has curtailed his travel somewhat - ha!