The Couch to 5k 2011 Thread continued : Let's Keep on Running :0)

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

More space for us to talk about our progress on the C25K programme, the highs, the lows, the hills, the rain, our pelvic floors and our choice of running music!

All are welcome on this international thread, stay with us and enjoy success

< Piste passes out celebratory glasses of wine to all runners >

Everyone got one?
Cheers!!!!

Pisty - what's with the new name?

Kate - sorry to hear your op was postponed - but you can keep running a bit longer. Like the sound of matching shoes and leggings!

Spam - it DOES get easier

Sybil and Slutty - well done

I did 25 mins around the park this evening after work - I went for speed rather than distance. It was lovely and green.

It was a joke on another thread, but I forgot to change it back!! Running later as long as there are no thunderstorms!

Good! Was worried you were feeling unloved! Have a good run and stay out of the rain. I got caught the other day and as my running gear is the same kind of material as a swimsuit I was soaked in seconds.

Thanks midtowner - yes, it was only a joke, I am feeling the love again!

We are up early because it is our school's regatta (for DD) Very kindly I signed DH up for an early slot to help - 6am - 9am I am doing 9 -12, but DD has to be there at 8.30.

Sigh

I need a spreadsheet!

It gets easier! I have found nothing as hard as my first 5 minuter. Getting from nothing to 5 minutes was massively harder than getting up to 45 minutes from 20 has been. I'm now starting the get quicker to without really trying.
Was planning to do a timed 5k via parkrun this am but dd1 was sick yesterday so can't leave her. Will just do my 45 minute course round the block instead (with its evil hill)

Spammy - it SO gets easier!!

Seriously - nobody was more unfit than me. I was a real "taxi to the kerb" type of girl and hated exercise.

I well remember W1.... I was out of breath at the 30 second mark, absolutely gasping at 45 and almost on my knees by the end of the minute and I am NOT exaggerating.

What Mollycuddles said is spot on (at least it was for me) - I remember thinking I'd NEVER manage 5 minutes, then 8 and so on.... then there's a huge leap from 8 minutes to 20 and I was dreading that but actually it was easier than my first 8 minuter.

I'm on my 2nd or 3rd week of doing 30 minutes, and I'm starting to feel as if I could do more without too much effort.

The only thing I would say (and loads of even experienced runners seem to say the same) is that however fit you are, the first 10 minutes or so are the hardest. It's like your body's going "Huh?? What? We're doing WHAT?" but once your legs are warmed up and your lungs realise you're running, and open up, you feel like you could run forever

Oh yes. The first 5 to 10 minutes of every run I feel frankly nauseated and my brain is shouting - WTF are you doing?????? Go back to the couch. But then suddenly it feels great. Honestly. By the end when I'm doing 45 minutes I am desperate for the end though. But I am getting quicker and stronger so eventually 45 mins will be ok and then I'll try 60 mins.

It's amazing how your perception of time changes. At the beginning, I'd check my watch, convinced I'd done at least 5 minutes and I'd turn out to have done 90 seconds

On my last run, I looked at my watch expecting to have done a minute or so, and I'd done nearly 6! The time starts to fly by as you get fitter.

Thanks everyone. I'm glad it's not just me! It really was a shock to discover how unfit I am and how little stamina I've got.

W1R3 later today and I'll think about what you've all said as I stagger along huffing and puffing

FriedSpam I echo everyone else's thoughts re not being able to do it. I am constantly surprised that I can, as I was a lazy cow averse to exercise and very unfit prior to c25k. You will be able to do it, you wait and see, and then you'll be going around with a constantly surprised face just like me!

But disaster has struck! My running buddy has just been to the doc to be told she has tendonitis (she is gutted) and not to run for a week so I will have to go it ALONE from Monday . Am scared ..... will people and cows and horses and whitevanmen and wee fluffy rabbits be jeering and chuckling at me along the way? Tis much easier running with a pal and blanking it all out!

Have a good weekend everyone :)

Finally got round to doing W1R3, with a bit of a hangover, I swear I was sweating pure Sauvignon. It wasn't too bad though, even though I had to push the buggy as my DH has disappeared for the day. Feeling good now and looking forward to week 2.

May I join you? I decided today to go out at 6 am for w1 r1 as I finally decided to stop making excuses as I've had the app on my phone for ages and always seem to find a reason not to start. But, I want to do race for life in July plus a holiday in south of France at end of July and I'm determined to get fit by then.

Run was ok but managed to knock the app off halfway so had to time myself after that, legs quite wobbly now, but so glad I went and I figure joining here might help me keep at it.

I'm ashamed to say that having conquered week 9 last month I haven't run since . I had a week's holiday and just haven't got back into the routine of running.

I've just had a quick catch up of the thread (nice to see so many more discovering the joy of running) that I'm reinvigorated to go out tonight but what do I do? Do I just set off running and hope for the best or should I try and follow the lovely Laura on one of the earlier podcasts, say week 6? Hmmm. Any advice appreciated.

Justaminute - similar here, although I have only stopped for a week and a half, I did week 9 twice and went away and been too busy / no childcare ever since I got back. I am thinking i might go for week 8 and then if it is going well I will push for the last couple of minutes and do week 9. Depends just how long it is since you last ran?

I'd maybe go back about a week for every 2 weeks you've missed. The great thing about c25k is having a goal but when it ends you have to set new ones yourself or it's easy to stop running. My goals at the moment are to get a bit faster but I'm planning to do bridge to 10k after my summer holiday and do a 10k at the end of September. I've also signed up to do a parkrun 5k in 2 weeks. Working next Saturday but would have done it today except dd1 is sick.

I'm back and still breathing
Thanks for the advice whoKnows and molly. I considered it and then ignored it. I decided I'd rather attempt week 9 and have to stop than do week 7 and feel that I could have run further. I know that as soon as I'm told to stop I do. Amazingly I managed to keep running (albeit a bit slowly at times) for the full 30 minutes.
I may live to regret it in the morning but right now I'm feeling very chuffed and exhausted.

Well done, I haven't run today but will aim to do so tomorrow and actually think your idea is better, aim high and stop if you have to rather than aim low. I will also pace myself. As I have been running the same circuit I know exactly where I get to at each 5 mins.

Thanks whoknows. I hope you manage to get your run in tomorrow, it feels good to be back to it, I just need to keep it up now.

Well done justamin! I know what you mean about stopping when told to!

Dh and I are going to go running together later on. I've told him that he should go at his own pace and not slow down to stay with me . We're going to try to do the whole of the park, which is 6 miles/10k - I've done it once before, he does it fairly regularly.

Going back to spammy's point about it getting easier, the thing I've also noticed is that my recovery times are getting faster - I get to the end and am well out of breath, but it doesn't take long to bounce back again.

W2R1 done. Loving this.

I did W4R1 today it was such an achievement

When I did W1R1 my legs were sore, and a minute felt like 10

I splashed out on some new trainers (made ALL the difference!)
and changed to running indoors on my treadmill (no hills or uneven surface!)

So today when I ran 3 mins 5 mins 3 mins 5 mins I was so proud, I'd thought I'd be stuck on W1 for ever as i'm so unfit and very fat cuddly!

So all you newcomers just keep going, follow the instructions and YOU (yes YOU) will be running much easier soon.

So now I'm looking forward to W4R2 its bloody tiring but you feel SO good!

Done W2R1 and really enjoyed it too

Good luck Midtowner at running the park circuit with your DH. I'm still running solo and am not ready for company just yet! Am low carbing at the mo so it was a bit weird as I had v little energy. I had sloth legs today

Just wanted to say a quick hello and thank you.

I had managed to get to start of w3 when my knee just gave in. I was in agony with it for over 2 weeks but seems to be wearing off now. I will give my knee another week to recover and then may start again (with proper running shoes).

I want to thank everyone for the support they gave me whilst I was trying to do couch to 5k. It so spurred me on.

Thanks again and keep on running.

Tuggy - great to hear you are doing so well! Hope the knee holds out letsgetloud.

Thank you pistey - running "with" is stretching it a bit - we walked to the park together, and set off together, and dh soon disappeared into the distance. He was waiting for me with a big smile at the end . Unfortunately, the combination of my snail pace, numerous water stops and a wee stop he'd been waiting 20 minutes.

So he did 10k in 56 minutes (his usual time), and I took 76