Couch to 5k... how long before I don't feel like I'm dying ? :D

[Sonolanona]

I don't look unfit..but I am, and fooling myself that walking the dog is sufficient exercise isn't cutting it now I'm mid 50s ,and suddenly my shape is changing, everything aches etc.
I can't afford the gym (and would be too scared to go!) but I need to do something, so I downloaded the NHS app and set off to Sarah Millicans cheery voice.
Which I hated by the time the 5 mins brisk walk warm up was over

I've never been a runner even in my fitter days (I got my black belt Taekwondo at 48 so I CAN do exercise) but I want to because it's free and I even I can't argue that I can't make 30 mins free every day or so.

But god I hated it today...day 1. How to I convince myself that this is fun!?

There are also various free apps with different voices/features, if you wanted to try another one. I had one with an American voice which told me what my current pace and distance etc was and whether I'd surpassed any previous recorded pace or distance, which was nice.

Definitely slow down. If your bobbing, you are running. Don't worry about speed now (or ever... just enjoy the run)

I would say that by week 2-3 it got a lot easier. I was never a runner. Like, truly could not run. I first did it, admittedly in my early 30s at the time, and I went on to run not one, but two (!!) half marathons later that year.

Just go slow, like literally just only as fast as is comfortable, and don't hesitate to repeat a week if you feel you aren't ready to move up to the next one.

I’m about to restart, after a 10 year break from running due to a knee injury (yes, really). I’ll be using the c25k method. My experience of it is that it does get easier but because it progresses, it gets harder again. Then it gets ‘easy’ (relatively) again. You’ll have good and bad runs, sometimes it’s the weather, sometimes it’s the route, sometimes it’s your mindset, sometimes it’s whether you’ve slept enough or whatever you ate or drank the day before/day of.

In fact, I’m going to do the run today and report back here. Shall we make this an ongoing support thread for c25k?

Like pp said, slow down. Try jogging as slowly as possible, then go slower. If it feels comfortable go up a notch, but just marginally. If you have a steep hill nearby try jogging up it for 10 seconds, you'll soon realise there's a difference between walking and running and it's not speed.

Enjoy it. I did C25k 5 years ago when depressed and within a year ran a half marathon. Then fell pregnant and have barely run since. I'm desperate to start again.

Thank you for the feedback..and yes a 'who managed to do it this week' thread would be great.
I did my second 'week 1' today..this time with music which definitely helped although I ache now... I have arthritis in my back and hip so I'm paying for that!

But I am determined... to like it.. or at least like the 'I've done it' feeling afterwards!

Turn up and walk the parkrun. Then the next week volunteer for the parkwalker or tailwalker role. That way you'll put your mind at rest and know people once you're up to run/walking it.

I say this because, like a few PPs, I've been leading c25k courses for over ten years and the big, big, big predictor for success or not is running regularly with a group.
Mrs "I go to parkrun every week and walk if I'm not myself" will stay running.

Whenever I try to run, my throat feels like it's burning so it put me off couch to 5k, any tips to prevent this as I would like to try and enjoy it too.

It’s very likely to be either a breathing issue or acid reflux. For the first, are you breathing through your nose? It filters the air so it’s less irritating on the throat lining. For acid reflux, make sure you don’t run for 2 or 3 hours after eating and try not to eat acidic foods before a run. Your body won’t have digested the food if you run too quickly after eating and it sloshes around in your stomach and rises into your throat. Hope that helps.

Can I offer Jeffing as an alternative to C25k?

I’m obsessed with it, so much better than just running.

Are there any things similar to C25k that start you off even slower?

I tried C25K years ago, and that was with a running club, so was supervised with lots of help and proper warm up/cool down things. I did the homework, and the following week in the class session, I ended up with what appeared to be shin splints... and that put an end to that. The irony of it all was that the club was called Shin Splints 😅