The Couch to 5k 2011 thread :0)

[dobby2001]

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

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???

blue...i find it better on my own too. dc can come along,but on condition they are plugged into earphones and not to speak to me!!!

midtownwr...she was open mouthed like this and her hoddie mates were all whispering 'its your mum,quick,hide it'!!!.....i'm ignoring her smoking,she knows my feelings on it. and have cut her money....she seems to be less interested in it now its costing ££££

welcome blue!

Eeek Tiffany, this both takes me back to my younger days and fills me with dread about what is to come with my boys .

Hi all, just checking in but WARNING I'm on a high! I put the GPS on my phone and did the usual route so 28 mins w8r3.

When I got home and checked the stats in the 28mins I ran 4.4K. Anyway a bit of maths told me that i I ran for 30 mins I'd only be 150m off the 5k in 30mins despite the fact that the Eiger is on my route!!!

I'm astonished!

Well done on your runs ClenchedBottom, Dubai and Justaminute, keep at it.

Clenched - sometimes I've found running is like that, flat footed. I used to worry that I'd trip over my toes because I picked my toes up so little. Honestly, you'll get there, you will. Even now lovely Laura (of NHS podcast fame) keeps reminding me that getting through the distance is the important bit and not speed (or may I add, style!)
Speed and style will come once your body gets more used to what you're asking of it. I'm not saying I have either (yet!) but if you told me 8weeks ago that I could run for 28mins... ...

Midtowner - Sounds like a good run to me! You must have been going some once you realised you were dawdling!

Tiff - Clearly I'm not going to comment ! Sounds amusing. Sadly/happily? my little ones are too young to be mortified by the sight of me in my running gear. How's the shrinking going? Mine continues, I'm ditching chocolate and crisps for Lent to see what happens!

Gormers - Hope you feel rested enough to get out there soon.

Bluebump - Well done on getting out there!!!! I agree with Tiffany, I prefer to be out alone with the podcast.

W5D1 - was fine considering the first 5 minutes was up hill and into the wind. But I just can't see how I'll manage 8 minutes (twice) on Thursday or 20 minutes on Saturday. Feel very intimidated at the thought.

Very late to join this as I see many of you are well on your way be being fit! I haven't read the whole lot of comments but had never realised there were different versions of the podcasts around. I am onto week 4 with some American bloke but can't stand the music. can anyone recommend their favourite podcast to download? Thanks

Hi everyone, welcome IHateBadGrammar - I'm on the NHS 9 week programme with the Lovely Laura and am not sure that I could recommend the music, but am having to keep going with it anyway as I daren't change! Besides, sometimes I use the odd music to distract myself from the horror of not having finished yet......

MarniesMummy - thanks for your comments, I really appreciate them because I do worry that I'm staggering along!

Am cross that I've now got a horrid cold, feel horrid, but am trying to take it as a positive that I'm so cross about not being able to run tomorrow, unless I wake up radically better. If that makes any sense? Am frightened of our new member's hatred of bad grammar!!!!!

Well done marnies, whatan achievement!

W1D3 today - all went well. Again, I absolutely loved it!! Think I have my running buzz back!

Looking forward to the next day now....

marnie that's BRILLIANT! well done . Good luck with your lent abstemiousness (is that a word?)

molly - I think we all felt like you do - you'll be fine!

Ihatebadgrammar - I've got this podcast with my own music over the top.

I'll be out again tomorrow morning and thinking of y'all!

gormers - x post. Great to hear you've got your buzz back! And clenched, hope you feel better soon.

Welcome Blue and Ihatebadgrammer. Everyone else, runs seem to be going very well. Gormers - I'll bet once you get in your stride it won't take 9 weeks for you to be running 5k!

Marnie - a BIG well done! I am starting my phone app from when I start running but can't seem to get below 32 or 33 mins for 5k. Last night I did a 'there and back' route so knew roughly how far I had to go, but at 30 mins still had 0.3 mile to go... A friend of mine who is a distance runner is advising trying a few sprints from lampost to lampost to increace speed.

Molly - you will be fine - the 20 min run is a big boost.

ILT - saw a group of teens on my run last night and instantly thought of you! I bet they think you're quite cool deep down

Keep running everyone.

My grammar is probably the worst though!!!

Hello :) may I join in here?

I have started C25K and am on week 3 at the moment.
Run 3 is meant to be today but I have completely lost my mojo :(

I see people out running all the time, on the beaches, coastal paths etc and they make it look so effortless, I just don't think I can do it. I don't think I'll ever be able to run like that.

I am 33, 5'8" and 14st 3lbs, so carrying extra weight does'nt help me. I've signed up to do the Race for Life in May with my DD (10) so really need to get my motivation back. I've not lost any weight at all, infact I've gained 2lbs since starting and I'm just thinking 'why am I bothering?'

I was on a high last week as at the start I could'nt even do the 1min runs so could see progress, but argghh, it's gone.
Maybe it's hormonal as AF is due, does anyone else have times like this? how do I deal with it?

Sennen - you will get your mojo back. We all have bad days, and there are some runs where I've literally had to drag myself around every single inch. However, once the run is done - no matter how hard it is, you never regret doing it & the sense of achievement is greater when you've really had to work hard to get yourself out there. When I ran before I used to use the board as a sense of inspiration - I would post that I was due to do a run that day and there's almost a sense of obligation to post back later to say you've done it!! So get out for your run and then come back and let us know how it went! And for what it's worth, I went from not running for a minute to running a continual 10k in under an hour in less than 6 months - you will be able to do and in a few months time you will be one of those 'other runners' with people in the street wishing they could be you!!

Rest day for me, have a good run everybody.xx

Any more suggestions ofr a decent podcast to download?

morning all!

Just back from a really good run - not quite 5k but getting there - 4.8. Had I known I was so close I'd have kept going another minute or two to crack it! The sun was shining, I had some of my favourite guilty secret songs on which take me back to people and places I love and I managed to (briefly) forget about work and all the stuff I need to get done this week.

Welcome Sennen, I think we've all had bad days where you can't put one foot in front of the other. There was one point where I felt quite stuck and didn't seem to be making any progress but as gormers says, being part of this thread really helped me. I feel obliged to check in and see how people are doing, and that inspires me to keep going

Hope you come back and tell us how it went today

Same Midtowner! 4.8K. Soooo nearly there!

I have decided that when I run I have one of three different types of legs on.

1. Sturdy goat legs. These are a rare occurrence but when I run with these I have a spring in my step.

2. Lumpy legs. I had these on today. My legs felt lumpy and heavy and I was flat footed I fear.

3. Lettuce legs. Not having these so frequently fortunately but when I do my legs feel rather wobbly and feeble.

Can anyone relate to me, or am I just a loon??!!

Week9 Run2 completed. Woooohooooo!!

And also Midtowner - thank you for the Central Park running map we are def coming in the last three weeks of august. NY, Boston, Washington, cape cod. Cant wait!!

Welcome Sal and Sennen! Good to have you on board. 3st off is impressive. If you can do that you can definitely crack this running thing.

I still haven't been out as my tummy is not quite right. But definitely tomorrow. I had to have Xanadu today anyway as I had withdrawal symptoms.

Keep on running everyone.

Welcome sal. Kudos on the 3 stone weight loss!

Sybil, sorry to hear you are still not right.

Piste, I relate to the legs descriptions . I've got the post-run R2D2 robot legs that won't bend properly .

We'll be here for some of August, but back in the UK towards the end for my Dad's 70th and the boys' return to school. We'll have to have a celebratory run together if we're here at the same time!

Def kudos to Sal!

Lol Midtowner - I now have a vision of a little silver wheelie bin creaking round Manhatten!!

Piste, I so know what you mean about your legs. I have heavy legs most of the time and on the rare times I feel like a sprightly animal, I think how nice it would be to feel like this permanently and how fast I would be able to go. When I see people haring round as I plod, plod, plod I wonder what their legs feel like.

Tum still not right but I'm going out later anyway. Hurray!

As I took DD to guides last night I told her about my three types of runner and then we put all the runners we saw into my categories.

There were loads of goat legs! And a few lumpy legs. Interesting to look at running styles.

I think my abilities as such only extend to 5K. I think 10K is too ambitious for me [lumpy]

Sal with three stone off you have got to have some major willpower so I reckon 5k is well within your grasp. Sennen - think how good it will feel if your next post is - "I did it"...we are rooting for you!

Went out last night fully intending to do my final day of week 3, but the podcast had disappeared from my ipod!! Took the hint and cranked it up to week 4 - was hard - no doubt because I only did the previous week twice. I may do week 4 x 4 if it remains tough. Managed it tho!

I'm coming back to the UK on 9th April. Haven't been home at that time of year for some time - what do you think I'll need to run in? It's shorts and a T shirt at the mo but I suspect I'll need more coverage!!