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

Maybe there was a reason....I did 25 today, this afternoon, it was hot and uncomfortable. But it was a bit faster than I have done lately.

I find that when I set off on a longer time than previously I go slower. Not entirely consciously, just cautious.

well done for running for 30 mins sybil!!! Doesn't matter how far... you kept moving .

Did my 30 mins today sans Rawbert. Woo hoo! But it was the same distance as I ran on Fri in 25 mins so am clearly regressing.

good stuff :)

nobiggy, I think the time version and the distance version are completely separate; if you had to do the distance specified in the time specified, you would have to walk at 6mph as well as running at it, which is clearly ridiculous.... tbh I just focus on running for as long as I have to and not on how fast I'm doing it.

panzee you are only 2 runs off that 20 minute one :o :)

Oh I wrote week 4 - I meant 5!

Well done Panzee and NObiggy! Great stuff. It is fab once you start doing it and feeling like a runner. I do on rare occasions but feel less like one as I am overtakem by folk in their 70s, or when I can't overtake people who are walking!

I could not run today as DH went and tomorrow I have to go to work and leave the house at 6 so can't be arsed to get up before to fit a run in. Tues am, definitely.

Way to go! Hope to run with you again

Sounds like a plan nobiggy!
I bit the bullet and have just come back from Week 4, run 1 - in the rain, with a little hangover, and I survived! In fact more than survived, the only time I was struggling was in the last throes of the 3rd 5 minute run. During the second one I was faster, my stride was longer and I actually felt like a runner! The third run was almost walking pace, but I did it and now feel fantastic!! :)

OK, reporting back on week 1, run 1, but faster :)

I went off too fast on the first run, and stopped after about 30s. I was doing about 6mph, which is the speed the programme assumes we're doing . Felt like a sprint to me.

Anyway, tried to settle into a fast but comfortable pace, didn't really find it. Over the next 7 intervals I ducked out of another after 30s, and when at the end he said "just another 20s to go. You can do it!", I thought, you know what? I can't.

Speed was around 5-5.5 mph, my usual I try to keep just above 4mph.

It's a good thing to do I think.

ooh, thanks sybil :) yes a fantastic sense of achievement and of imminent collapse!!

Well done desertgirl! Knew you could do it. You do get a fabulous sense of achievement when you've done it, don't you? Robert congratulates you less the further you are into his programme, which I rather miss.

Way to go! Hope to run with you again

Well I went for my run and I did the 20 minutes!! very impressed with myself :) - maybe this running 5K business is actually going to be achievable!!

I don't know about two versions of the podcasts kiwi, but the first four weeks are just the same thing three times; then it stops and gets mean.

c25k.com/c25k_metric.html

I tried Rawbert for week 4 but wasn't that keen on the music, and he only seems to do one podcast per week, so to avoid all risk of confusing myself I used the kissmyblackass podcasts for week 5; there are separate ones for each run (and music that I quite enjoyed compared to Rawbert's whalesong sounding stuff - are they all like that?)

I love "Operator"! :o

I didn't start week 5 yesterday . I was tired after a mad week at work, but I think I'm also scared about doing it! I fully intend to start tomorrow... :)

Sorry, my last post was really to Desert girl.

Kiwi, I run each of them 3 times then move on. I did one 4 times but it didn't seem to help with the week coming up. I do have a rest day but only because I need my DH here to look after the kids and his work patterns mean that I can only generally get one in every couple of days or so. If you feel OK, I would go for it, although I would be wary of running, say, 4 days without a break for a few more weeks yet. I'm just not fit enough. DH is working tomorrow so if I can get up and back before he goes I'll run, but otherwise it won't be til Tues am.

Hello everyone

Kiwi, I didn't mind "operator" but did not like the week 6 music at all. I was daunted by the 20m run but you just have to go for it and tell yourself you can always stop if you need to.

I've had an up and down week. After the disaster of Tuesday, I ran on my birthday with friends yesterday (only 1 lap of park, but mile in 11m) but this am I ran with my ipod (and no Rawbert) for 27 min non stop. I found not having Robert's music and having my own rather camp tunes was really good. I think I may have had my first high whilst running! Let's see if I get another one.

Hope you are all having good weekends.

after reading your post desertgirl, I am convinced that there are two versions of Rawbert's podcasts out. I know this has been mentioned before and I'm not the only one who runs the same run / listens to the same music and guidance three times. I rather fancy eight minutes to build up to twenty!!

loler... "operator" hahaha! The tune after that one is quite jiggy . I can't achieve week four though. I can't quite finish the second five minute run. I hope you and Panzee are feeling fantastic after starting week five!!

I have a couple of questions:

• Do you have a rest day between each run? I find it so hard to get going again after this rest day and wonder if I would be better off just keeping going... especially while I am motivated! Sometimes I run one morning and the next evening so there is about 36 hours between.

• Do you run each week until you are comfortable that you can successfully complete it? It's taken me about four runs each week so far... but maybe a few (dozen?) more with this one.

hi loler, am half way through week 5 (actually started on week 4, about four weeks ago, but was travelling etc so just kept repeating when I did run....) and convinced I can't do the 20 minutes. I think I shall redo w5r2 tonight and try to psych myself up for the 20 minutes next time. Somehow going from 8 minutes at a time to 20 is an enormous leap.....

Panzee - I'm doing week 5 today too - have redone week 4 too many times ecause I really like the music to it (can't remember who's I use but it's a bit shouty loud music - finding it's making me go quicker (or is it that I'm just putting off doing the 20 mins

kiwibella I start tonight - I'll let you know!

Don't lean too hard on that buggy Sybilfaulty or you'll send your ds flying!

Hmm, interesting Loler, do I jog or do I run? I would definitely say my pace has picked up since I started - I used to do teeny weeny little strides, a real "housewife jog" but I have lengthened my stride and slowed it down as I got better at it. Not sure I'm exactly "running" though.

But I have to ask myself - what am I doing this for? Basically I wanted to get to a position where I could just go out for 25-30 minutes, get a quick blast of exercise on a regular basis, and tbh I'm pretty much where I wanted to be. I've gone from being completely unable to cope with ANY kind of physical exertion to a point where I have got a fitness regime that works with my busy life. I have no particular wish to run further (haven't got time) or faster.

My only problem is keeping motivated to do the same thing day in day out (OK, every three days). So far it's OK, but it is very strange not to have a constantly tougher target to strive for. Maybe I will think about improving speed (particularly as I run the same route every time).

But for all of you still working towards that 5K - don't stop, keep at it, because it really really works!

Panzee... how is week 5 going?

nobiggy... nope!!! I've done the full and the half marathon. Hope that you enter though .

I was thinking back to the early days as I ran today and how difficult it was running for one minute. I ran week 4 again today... it wasn't any easier than last time but I prided myself on the fact that I could comfortably run three mins when two months ago, I couldn't run for one minute.

Happy Birthday Sybil! I found training for the moonwalk much easier with a toddler in a pushchair than on my own last year. Perhaps it was having something to lean on? I hope you have a wonderful day.

We used to do pram racing in post natal exercise - easier in many respects, as you have something to lean on.

NObiggy, you are doing better than me. I went out for my first W7 run on Tuesday and could not manage it all. Had to walk after about 20 mins, so very long cool down. My youngest had kep me awake for a long time though in the night so I'm blaming that. Oops, hope I am not backsliding.

I got my running shoes yesterday and the woman in the running shop said I had a very natural action. I explained I found it difficult and she said it is just building stamina until you get to the time you can do it and enjoy it. I looked a bit sceptical until she said that in the first couple of weeks most runners struggle with even a couple of minutes, but now in W7 even 20 mins is a huge increase on the early days. She was a big fan of Rawbert. I am less keen.

It's my birthday tomorrow and I am off for a run with some friends, and my son in his buggy. I hope the running and pushing thing works. A friend swears it's possible, so we;ll see.

Keep on running everyone.