Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about Couch to 5k!

236 replies

Trapordo · 19/04/2020 20:20

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? Envy

OP posts:
Frouby · 22/05/2020 21:44

I'm worried about it (the 20 mins) as well. But keep telling myself it's only an extra few minutes and that stopping and starting is losing momentum.

Not that my shuffling creates much momentum anyway.

I don't understand why its a 20 min run, then back to intervals tho?

GuyFawkesDay · 22/05/2020 21:51

I did it first attempt too.

If you can do 2x8 minutes you can do 20. Promise.

It's a mental challenge as much as physical.

Week 6 has floored me though...and should be easier. Explain that one?!!

NoTeaForMe · 22/05/2020 22:08

@GuyFawkesDay but 2x8mins run isn’t the same as 20 mins run and there was a 5 min walk between the two today! Surely being able to do today doesn’t mean I can do the next one?

GuyFawkesDay · 22/05/2020 22:42

I managed it. Honestly you CAN do it. You will be physically able to.

It's a mental challenge as much as anything.

I was really scared of it and thought "no way" but it was actually ok.

Purpleheadgirl · 23/05/2020 09:52

You absolutely can do it!! Early 40s, no exercise and at least 4 stone overweight... I have just managed this run this morning :) Absolutely slow as anything, but it's possible. Try and approach it as 4 x 5 mins and find a flat route on an easy surface :)

RunSoICanEatCheese · 23/05/2020 10:06

I just did run 2 of week 6 this morning - run 10mins, walk 3mins, run 10mins - and was saying to my husband I wonder why I ran for 20mins last week but then I’ve gone back to having a rest in between. I guess it’s to build stamina, as other have said, and really embed what you’ve achieved so far. It does work, I completed it last year and went on to do a 10K.
I find listening to podcasts rather than music helps, because it’s like someone is “chatting” to me and I get lost in the conversation and don’t think so much about how much longer I’ve got left to run.

GuyFawkesDay · 23/05/2020 11:13

I might try that next time @RunSoICanEatCheese as my kids use their dots and nick the Spotify....like they did today (also W6R2)

Feel same about lack of "progress" but next run will be telling!!

I covered 4.2km today with extra walking so I ballsed up a bit.

NoTeaForMe · 23/05/2020 11:54

I might try a podcast too. I did start off doing that but with all the interruptions from Sarah it was annoying. However, now the runs are longer I might go back to it. Like you say hopefully I’ll just listen to people talk and forget I’m running......

GuyFawkesDay · 23/05/2020 13:00

I'll save my next ep of Sh*gged, married, annoyed for my next run.

It was great running most of the route I huffed and puffed round in week 1 and 2.

I went back to it today and ran most of it, bar the 3 minute walk and minor music issues, then added a loop on.

On my 25 minuter I'm not going to start mapmyrun until I actually run!!

NeverForgetYourDreams · 23/05/2020 13:38

We've finished the app but still using for the pep talks. We start Strava when we start running so we can see how we doing pace wise so don't set off too fast.

Today we did 32 minutes and was 4.23k. Gonna add another 2 minutes on Monday and see where we at. 30 minutes was 3.92k.....

NoTeaForMe · 23/05/2020 13:50

GuyFawkes that’s the podcast I had been listening to!

friskybivalves · 23/05/2020 13:55

@guyfawkesday I'm so scared of W5R3 that I've now done R2 three times. And think I went too fast in the first eight last night as thought I might die. Made it through but the noises of relief I made when Michael johnston told me I could stop were so loud people on the common looked round and laughed 😂. How on earth can you go from 8 to 20?!!!!

GuyFawkesDay · 23/05/2020 15:08

You definitely can, I promise! Just have a go.

If it goes tits up then try next time.

O thought the same but was determined to make it and I did.

Looneytune253 · 23/05/2020 15:18

@friskybivalves genuinely you can do it!! I'm the worlds worst runner and I did it last week! I weirdly found it easier than stopping then starting again. I don't know about anyone else but I feel like I've gotten to grips with the breathing side of things but my legs like to give up. I find that I can run thru that though but once I've stopped and then started again I have to go through the dead legs thing again. My next run is 25m just waiting for the wind to die down a bit tbh

PetraDelphiki · 23/05/2020 18:27

frisky I promise you will make it if you run slower!!! Seriously even if you are barely progressing forward just keep that running motion going and you will get there!

And if you don’t do it the first attempt you will do it the second or third or whatever! It’s not a competition or an exam it’s just about you doing better than you think you can.

NoTeaForMe · 23/05/2020 21:11

Petra This is such a good way of looking at it It’s not a competition or an exam it’s just about you doing better than you think you can.

Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 23/05/2020 21:55

I’ve started it today. Really loved it . I’ve never been a runner but I can see how this may work...

NoTeaForMe · 24/05/2020 12:21

I DID IT! Thank you so much for your support everyone. I went slowly and managed it relatively easily really. Wondering if I should have gone quicker but then maybe I wouldn’t have completed it. I honestly never thought I would be able to do this and am so, so proud of myself.

NeverForgetYourDreams · 24/05/2020 15:29

WELL DONE!!!!!! Now it's odd because the next run whilst intervals is actually harder than the 20 minute one!

PetraDelphiki · 24/05/2020 19:39

Well done @noteaforme so pleased for you!!!

NoTeaForMe · 24/05/2020 21:02

Thank you! I’m so proud! It’s such a huge achievement, honestly no-one would believe I could do this! It’s funny isn’t it, I’ve read the about the next run a few times. Once I was in the swing of it I was ok. Maybe that’s why the intervals are harder?
Do you all run every other day? What about those of you that have finished the C25K?

NeverForgetYourDreams · 24/05/2020 21:43

We've been running every other day since week 1. But now we've finished and edging closer to 5k we are going to go out three times a week on fixed days when we can go out early on as it's getting too warm to run after work late afternoon

We are now 4.23k and 32 minutes. Tomorrow going to try to do an extra 5 minutes and see what happens

NoTeaForMe · 24/05/2020 21:58

I did 3.8km today in 33minutes. That includes the 5 minute walk at the beginning and end and obviously the 20 minute run. From week 7 I’m going to just track the actual run but not the walk either side so I can properly monitor that progress and speed. Does that seem like a good idea?
I have an Apple Watch and have become obsessed with closing my rings! What do people do on none run days?

NeverForgetYourDreams · 24/05/2020 22:15

We started doing just that from week 6 so we could see how far actually run

The finished app won't take you much past 3.8km because the remaining 1.2km ish is the 10 minutes of walking

I have an Apple Watch and like to keep my pace about 12.20 so I know I will finish. Saturday I started at 11.50 and slowed to 12.20 for final 10 minutes but boy did I feel it!

NeverForgetYourDreams · 24/05/2020 22:16

On non run days I rest my leg as I get calf ache when I run !