to ask if you would be able to run 5k?

[itslikeblackpoolilluminations]

DP and I had a breakdown about how fat we've got and registered for parkrun at 9am tomorrow.
DP will probably be fine, however I have never been a runner and now 5k seems like a lot.
I'm still in my twenties, was never the best at PE in school but not in anyway unwell or particularly unfit I suppose.
Would you be able to run 5k? And will I be able to with training whatsoever realistically? Or is it a fry up in bed kind or morning instead?

Good luck this morning - you’ll be fine as you have lots of Mumsnet support with you. Enjoy x

I blinked I reckom you can run the whole thing but you need to run slower than you are at the moment. Your pb is better than mine and I run it - time between 31.5 and 33. One of the issues is the first time you just run you will be slower

Good luck to everyone going today

OP I hope you're going. It's unlikely you'll be able to run it straight off the bat, but like the others say, you can walk it today, or mix walking & jogging. Download yourself a Couch to 5k app or build up to it by running between lampposts or something.

Well done for making the first step on your journey.

In October ....no way week 1 of couch to 5k made me cry.

But this morning I'm about to run to park run do park run and run home...So about 9 miles.

I think you'll struggle if it's your first one. Ours has a run walk pacer which lots of people use.

OP get yourself along there this morning - best thing you’ll ever do! It just isn’t a Sat morning without Parkrun - I love it! Ours gets over 700 a week of all ages and abilities.

Look up your local running club too and see if they have 12 week courses for beginners - basically the C25k but in a supported group. Our club has gained a lot of members this way and a lot of new friendships have been formed.

Go get ‘em

When I first started running I was a size 16 and incredibly unfit (would get a bit out of breath just climbing my stairs). It took me about a month to be able to run for 10 minutes (slowly) nonstop and it felt like torture every time. It then took me another month or two to be able to run 5k without stopping (was still doing it at a snails pace). Can now run it quite a lot faster and don’t get as out of breath and I’ve dropped a couple of dress sizes (6 months on from the first run).
Lots of people walk at park run or they walk for 1 min and run for 1 min. Good luck!

I'm going and I know I won't run it. In fact I usually drop out at 4k (haven't had a barcode so far). It's week 5 of couch to five k and it's a 5 min walk and 20 min run. I'll find it easier with all the people around me so may as well do it at park run.

I'm 52 though! When I was in my 20s I could have run most of it I think.

I did my first park run about a year ago after a couple of the couch 2 5k sessions. I jogged about half of it then after that kept walking and jogging till I finished. I did it in 37 minutes which I was over the moon with! Honestly, i was a bit overwhelmed at the start as i suffer from anxiety but everyone is lovely and people genuinely want you to do well! I've since had a baby and not ran at all so I'm not sure I could even attempt it now 🙈 you should just go and do what you can. No shame at all in even walking the whole thing!

Just wanted to say I was a size 14/16 at that point and about 13 stone. I was doing a lot of work at the gym (was previously about 16 stone) but I've never been good at running at all!

I'm pretty fit but I'm not a runner so I don't think I could run it. I'd walk it at a brisk pace and I'd easily skate it in about 15m but if I had to jog/run it I think I'd struggle. Tbh, I'm not convinced something like Parkrun is the best way to start for weight loss. While a variety of factors lead us to become over-weight, the first thing to look at is diet. If you are eating too much of the wrong things then exercise alone can't fix that.

And when it comes to exercise find something you really, really love. Something that you count down the time until your next session as opposed to dreading it. That really is running for many people but for most of us, I don't think it is. I rediscovered skating this year and it's changed my life. I skate at the rink 2 or 3 times a week and I inline skate along local smarter travel routes another 2 or 3 times a week (depending on the weather). In the rink I'm working on roller dance moves on my adults only night and outside I'm working on perfecting a long distance stride with the aim of completing a skate marathon before I'm 45. And it works for me because it's just an insane level of fun. I can do it with and without DS. I have skate friends who I love to skate with and I can do it solo with a skating playlist on my phone. It manages to be family time, social time and me time. It's just kind of perfect in every way. And if you really want to get fitter, then it really helps to find the thing you love like that.

I can run 5k but I had to learn to pace myself and work up to running that far in one go.

I'd like to say yes........ but in reality, probably not.

Go slow op, jogging at a fast walk pace and breath deep regular breaths.

Good luck

not without a bit of training. I can walk it very briskly with spells of jogging but to flat out run the whole thing, nope.

I think most people who don't have specific health problems can run 5k, if we take running to mean a very gentle jog. Lots of would be runners try to start too quickly, get exhausted, and write it off. Once you've broken a sweat you can probably go further than you think, if you pace it super slowly. Breaks for walking and water help a lot.

I do about 8 miles now but still slowly and still with breaks.

You will be able to do it but I found my first 5k (pushing buggy I might add) very hard. I'd gone from power walking to a light jog round the block (about 1 mile) straight in to it, but I am very slim... but don't think that particularly matters it's all about fitness levels.
I was aching like a bitch the next day.

yes its good u want to exercise but not if youve not done one bit of training-you'll prob have to walk it first time

Yes and I have completed a 5k before,, but that's only because I've used a couch to 5k app which lasts 9 weeks and starts you off slowly.

At the start I found running for a 1.30 mins hard!

I couldn't a year ago. Now I can run 10km, probably more but haven't tried.
How did you get on?
Also take a look at "Jeffing" which is a run/walk technique.
Good luck with it all x

I can do it on a treadmill but no idea if I could on a parkrun or pounding the pavements as I've never tried.

Good luck with it, OP. Getting active is great and I speak as one who did everything I could to get out of school sport

I couldn't today, as I've pulled a muscle in my back getting dressed one morning this week (oh the irony!) But generally yes I could, and I was meant to be doing a half marathon tomorrow.

OP if you are serious about losing weight and getting fitter then trying to run (or even walk) 5km "cold" with no training is a bad idea. Yes ParkRun is a huge amount of fun but you're likely to injure yourself if you try to run the whole thing, or it's going to hurt so much that will be the last time you run. You'll ache like hell tomorrow.

Yes there are lots of people out for a jog/ brisk walk/ laugh at PR but there are a lot more people there that are serious runners aiming to improve their PB (personal best). I'm not telling you that to put you off ParkRun - far from it - but so when you look at the results you''ll know all those hundreds with sub-30 minute times are the "keen" ones!

Why don't you download the C25k app, or even just look at the programme on the website, so you can see how the training works, and make a commitment to start that? It would be a much, much better idea. C25k works - thousands of runners have started that way, including me in June last year. Do it!! It isn't any harder than putting on a pair of trainers and stepping outside your front door.

Let us know how you got on OP.

Oooh sorry just realised I never came back!
You all inspired me so DP and I got our arses out of bed this morning and went along, he went ahead and I did jog/walk intervals like many of you suggested. Was right at the back but will definitely be there again next week to beat my time! Thanks all!!

Fab news - we’ll done - sets you up for the weekend.

PS Hope you remembered your barcode :)

So how did everyone do, time just arrived at 37 mins for me. My aim is 35 mins by summer!