To ask about Couch to 5k!

[Trapordo]

Just that really. I started tonight. I done it, feel great for it.

But got home and googled. A lot of websites online and old Mumsnet threads seem to suggest you shouldn't run run the first week or so, and that you should Jog?
An American blogger ive followed also says the same thing.

Can someone explain which is it, do I run or jog for now?

As a family with the dog and ds (6) we are doing 4.4k in 42 to 45 mins. But my running speed is slower than my striding around dag walking speed 😂😂😂. So I am roughly calculating 5k would be 50 mins. Allowing for the end to be slower than the beginning.

5k in 30 mins seems impossible at this moment in time BUT we seem to be a little further on our route with every run so far based on 9 minutes running. So speed possibly comes with time.

Thank you! @BabbleBee! I'll have a look

I did Week 3 Run 1 yesterday!! I thought about just doing a week 2 run again as I thought there would be no way I could run 3 minutes and didn’t want to “fail”. However I did it. The second 3 minutes was harder than the first but no harder than the first time I ran 90 seconds in week 2. I’m hoping therefore it will get easier every time like the other weeks. I’ll keep plodding along. I just can’t believe I’m doing it and enjoying it!
Can I ask - when you map your runs with whatever app you’re using do you start that off as you leave the house and end it when you’re home so include both walks or are you starting it after the warm up and end before the cool down? Thanks.

Speed does come with time and I think music and others running with you make a difference too.
I've done C25k before and 5K did take me longer than 30 minutes, but then I did a charity run. I did 5K in 32 minutes purely because others were running with me I think. Didn't feel more tired after. So much of this is in the mind!

Well I survived! As you said NoTea the second one was tough but managed it. If it gets easier I will be very happy. We did 5.5k altogether today, I have Samsung health on my phone which automatically tracks any walking I do so it includes warm up and cool down but we incorporate the runs into a normal dog walk anyway.

I found the second run harder than the first too

Just done W8 R1! Keep going peeps!

NoTea

Up to week 6 we started Strava when we set off from home. From week 7 we've started it when we start the long run.

It's a bit of a Swizz the app because the 5k end of week 9 will include the 10 minutes of walking. We are 28 minutes running now and did about 3.5k today. Even with 2 minutes added on we aren't going to reach 5k with the running only

When we've done week 9 (next week!) we are going to increase to 35 and then to 38 and end on 40 and then try to improve speed

My pace is about 12.5 and I've found I can complete the 28 minutes when I do that. Week 7 I tried to go out faster at 11.5 but slowed down to about 14 in second half of the 25 minutes so learned my lesson today with the 28 minutes and paced it evenly

I completed week 3 today. Week 4 looks a lot harder and I’ve kind of already decided I won’t be able to do it! ☹️ I’ll try but it looks a really big jump!

I did week 3 today (and an extra minute walk to get home) 3k in 26 minutes. I have no idea if that’s good or not but I’m so proud of myself for getting this far, enjoying it and wanting to carry on.

NoTea

Keep at it. Two days ago I struggled to do the 25 minutes. Today I nailed 28.

7 weeks ago I vomited 40 seconds into 60 seconds .....

Has anyone’s had to repeat weeks?

W4R2 today.

First 5 minute run was hell. Awful. Uphill slog, swallowed a fly and had to stop!

Second one I loved and kept going...did 8 minutes...helped it was downhill but yay!

Did W4 R2 yesterday. I found it much harder than R1, oddly. I'm a bit worried about the first 20-minute run, it seems such a leap!

@NoTeaForMe I’m going to repeat week 1

I completed week 5 r1 today. I honestly couldn't have contemplated running this much when I started. Music and keeping a steady, comfortable pace is helping.

I did wk 3 r2 today.

Went on my own with dog, earphones in and went a bit too fast I think in the forst 3 min run. Nearly died and then the second one was a slog as well.

But I did it and last week I struggled with 90 second runs so I must be getting better bit by bit.

Am dreading the 5 min runs though, not gonna lie.

Any one find the Sarah Milligan voice really annoying, I thought she would be great but she doesn’t sound sincere at all, just like she’s reading it to get paid.

No I quite like her, I haven't noticed that.

It's better than the crap one I used years back where you had to listen to their awful music as you went.

TheWoods ah, I really like her. I think her tone is really encouraging. I like that she tells me I’m doing well. I liked at the end of the week 2 runs she said “that’s it flower, you’re doing really well!”

Notea me and dd keep saying that to each other 😂😂

Started week 4 today. Didn’t manage to finish the last run but did the other 3. (Which includes a 5 minute run!!) Better than I thought and what’s more is my attitude isn’t that I’ve failed and I should give up, just will repeat it on Wednesday.

Well done for doing your best and not beating yourself up!!! What I will say is if you think you can’t complete a run go slower- even if you are only just not running on the spot try to keep that running motion going if you can...or repeat the walk segment then do the run.

Busy better to do 3/4 and then try again than to not do it at all...so be proud of yourself!

Petra Thank you. I ran 2.5 mins of the last 5 mins run. Wind blowing in my face and then came to the bottom of a small hill and just couldn’t do any more. I walked up the hill then ran for 30 seconds and alternated like that until the end of the 5 mins. I did so much more than I thought I’d be able to do and I can home happy. Also I know I’ll just try again rather than feeling like a complete failure so for me that’s a massive positive.

Well done! That sounds like a really sensible solution! And you’re right - you’ll do it next time (maybe on a route without the hill tho!!)

Wow week 8 just completed :-)