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Original poster

The Couch to 5k 2011 thread :0)

979 replies

dobby2001 · 01/01/2011 20:38

Thought i would start a new thread so al those wanting to start or return to running in 2011 had somewhere to post Smile

I have NEVER tried running before so very very nervous about starting, but thought couch to 5k sounded a good method of getting into it.

I am off to bluewater tomorrow to buy running shoes - any recommendations???

OP posts:
midtowner · 25/02/2011 19:36

blog.c25kapp.com/about-bridge-to-10k/

And here's Bridge to 10K

happypotter · 25/02/2011 19:36

www.felttip.com/c10k/

Any luck?? If I type in 'couch to 10k' into google uk it comes up as my first link. It plays in the background so you can listen to your own music.

CalamityKate · 25/02/2011 19:43

Ooh thanks for all the advice!

W1r3 coming up in half an hour. Really hoping my friend keeps at it, because I find running with a friend really helps.

I'm still enthusiastic and can't wait to get going!

One thing that bothers me though... am I, you know, a bit too old to get fit?? Or is it a case of "It's never too late"?

I really want this to work, but I'm not sure I'm the fit "type", iyswim. I think some people naturally are and some aren't.

Is it really worth persevering?

midtowner · 25/02/2011 19:47

Yes, yes, yes, of course it's worth persevering!

I'm in my mid-40's, have been fit on and off all my life (lots of sport in my youth, but more off than on in the last 20 years Smile).

My Dad, who will be 70 in September, went off to the gym today, so there's hope for all of us!

It's great you have a friend to go with Smile. If she drops out you will have to rely on us to get you out instead!

sybilfaulty · 25/02/2011 19:50

Wow, Happy, that is a long time! I think it is quite an ambitious programme though. I mean, Rawbert aims to get you to 5k in 30 mins, so 10k in 40 mins is bionic.

In addition, the fitmeisters I know would struggle to do it in that time. The fastest person I know is a friend's husband who has run for years and reckons on about 38m for 10k. My friend Tina who is bionic has a PB of 58.5m for 10k and reckons anything under 1h 05 to be ok for her! Another friend who, like me, is an ageing mother thinks 1h 10 is OK for the 10k. Personally, I'd settle for alive at the end of 10k so profound respect on being a speed queen. I'm still trying to get to 5k run all the way so I'll keep my eye on the 5k - 10k thing for the future.

Rest day for me today. But running tomorrow morning. Need some more tunes on my Ipod though.

sybilfaulty · 25/02/2011 19:52

X posts with MT and Kate. I'm 41. Fitmeister man is a mere slip of a thing at 34 but the others I mentioned are 40+. My friend who is a rheumatologist has patients in their 70s who run marathons with quite bad arthritis! Never too old I think.

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 19:57

I'm sure it's worth persevering! I've been unfit for years and really do feel that this programme can help me to build my fitness level which surely has to be good for my ageing body?????

By the way, thanks ladies for your kind words about my Bottom Corner issue. DH still I suspect quietly chortling but not in front of me - well that figures, I guess he'd have to be behind me to see it!

melodyangel · 25/02/2011 19:59

Hello can I join you all?

Started running at home on the treadmill a couple of weeks ago need to buy shoes to be able to run outside so about to do the foot print thing. We're doing a 5K run in May and I'm hoping to shape up and lose a little weight as I'm getting married in June. Support and advice would be very welcome.

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 20:02

DH just pointed out that keeping going at 10k in 40 minutes would mean running a marathon in well under 3 hours!!!!!!!!!

He's also suggested that, given my recent Bottom Corner issue, I should perhaps consider changing my username...........

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 20:03

Hello melodyangel and welcome!

sybilfaulty · 25/02/2011 20:05

Clenched, if you can run a marathon in under 3h that makes you an elite runner! Wowsers!

Loving bottom corner. I have a very flat arse myself, ut a huge tum overhanging at the front. Are you going to become cornerbottom or what? At least you are changing shape! THat must be a good thing.

sybilfaulty · 25/02/2011 20:06

Welcome Melody, sorry to miss you in my excitement at Clenched#s bottom and a 3h marathon. 5k by May is very doable. Where are you (approx) in the world? We have people from all over on this thread and at all stages of the programme. I'm in S lOndon and can run for about 25 mins without stopping, although I am super slow. 40m for 5 k is more like it for me!

midtowner · 25/02/2011 20:18

Welcome melody!

melodyangel · 25/02/2011 20:20

I'm in Brighton. I can currently run for 20 mins but that is on a treadmill indoors. I'm dreading doing it outside. Should be able to get proper shoes ext week so will be heading outside soon. Have been running in DS1's old trainers so far.

cubscout · 25/02/2011 20:45

Welcome Melody! I love Brighton and lived there for nearly 10 years but boy, is it hilly. You will have to find some flat routes.

Calamity - of course you're not too old to get fit. I'm Blush 48, have always been reasonably fit, do lots of walking/swimming but nothing as strenuous as this running lark. And I feel great.

Hats of to happy,maybe some of us will join you going on to 10k. I would like to aim for 5 miles, but 10k isn't that much further and i would love to say I had managed it - even if it was only once!

Tomorrow is my big day - week 9, and the full 5k. I'm really excited. Fingers crossed everyone.

Good to hear everyone is keeping on running.

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 20:46

I feel obliged - honour-bound, really - to point out that I had relayed DH's comments about the 3hr marathon rate purely in response to happypotter's explanation of the running programme she's following, which aims to get you to 10k within 40 minutes.
I'm on w3 of the NHS's programme, and panicking about how on earth I'm ever going to be able to run for more than 3 minutes......

hmm, name changing - Cornerbottom, BottomWithCorners, still pondering....... may just go for WillIEverBeAbleToRunForMoreThan3Minutes....

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 20:48

Ooooooh cubscout how exciting! Good luck for tomorrow....

cubscout · 25/02/2011 20:56

Thanks clenched.And you will be running 5k in just a few short weeks. Keep going!

ClenchedBottom · 25/02/2011 21:04

Ahh thank you. Make sure you post here tomorrow to let us know how you get on!

midtowner · 25/02/2011 21:35

cubscout, good luck tomorrow. I'll be out in the morning as well.

MarniesMummy · 25/02/2011 22:03

Good luck CubScout, I'm looking forward to reading your post tomorrow.

Lovely that we're still getting people to join us on the thread, and that all being well we'll have our first graduate tommorrow Grin.

w7r2 for me tomorrow but probably not until the evening.

happypotter · 25/02/2011 22:04

Ooh I'm having a bit of a panic now!!!!!! I only chose that podcast as it got one of my non-runner friends back home able to run 10K (not sure about the 40 mins though) I actually hadn't really considered the difference between the to 5K/10K programs as sort of rushed into it without much research.
I think I'll just carry on and even if I get as far as running for 40mins without stopping, at my speed it's highly unlikely I will have covered 10K anyway. I do think though that the longer sessions allow my body to get used to moving for a prolonged period of time as I was a total non-runner to start.

Out of curiosity, what are the 5K programs like? How many weeks do they cover? Those of you that are doing the 25/28 minute runs, what week are you on?

(Wanders off to check out 5K podcasts instead.....)

MarniesMummy · 25/02/2011 23:13

Thanks for the links Happy and Midtowner, I'm currently downloading podcasts for use on bog standard mp3 players, I'll post a link shortly.

I've opted for bridge Happy as I don't think I could go back to running for 1 min and then walking for 4mins.
C25k has different intervals, it isn't a simple build from 1 to 2 to 3 minutes of running. The times you do run for feel challenging but by about w4 it begins to register that it's a bigger mental than physical challenge in some respects.
The longer runs start around week 7, though there is a 20 minute run on r2w6.

Link to follow.

MarniesMummy · 25/02/2011 23:17

The Bridge to 10K on Facebook

the free mp3 podcasts are under the Discussion tab.

CalamityKate · 25/02/2011 23:59

Oooh well that went rather well!

OK, I'm only on W1r3, BUT BUT BUT the first run was really difficult. Not so much being out of breath but even after a minute running my legs felt tired and heavy. By the end of the session they felt REALLY tired and heavy and I doubt I'd have been able to do more.

Today, they didn't feel too bad at all, even at the end! And we both recovered faster. Running for 90 seconds next week and I don't reckon it will be too bad at all. Really pleased with progress and pleasantly surprised how quickly we seem to be getting fitter/stronger - after all we're only on run 3!

For those of you who are further along, and were quite unfit to start with - did you find that your improvement was fairly steady? For instance, today I'm feeling like 90 seconds is fairly do-able; will I be feeling the same when I'm about to do 5 mins running and so on?

If it gets too difficult I'm liable to give up, you see, and I don't want to....

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