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!!!!

BearGrylisBra - I am in awe that you have managed to stick to three days a week for nine weeks I think that sounds like a bloody huge success. I wish I could be so strict with myself and DP. Oh and one pair of granny knickers please!

Supersalstrawberry - Well done 25 mins is awesome! Hoping your next run is more enjoyable.

CalamityKate - Your run in the park sounds wonderful. We run along the Prom at night so not much to see people to see us but on a Sunday evening we get all the sounds from the live music venues.

SluttyBear you are NOT a failure!!! Don't you dare think that!!

Much as I love running, I never go out in the morning. Mostly because I am Not A Morning Person but also because I'm often fairly stiff in the mornings, especially my poor old back, and I think I'd do myself a mischief if I tried to run before I'd had the day to loosen up.

Go this evening instead!

Supersal - when I started this, I naively assumed I'd just get fitter and stronger on a fairly even scale, iyswim. Not the case, evidently. Some runs feel AWFUL and it's really disheartening. Sometimes it seems you're going backwards, progress-wise, even to the extent that you have 2 or 3 bad runs on the trot, which is horrible.

But then suddenly you'll have a brilliant run and you realise that you ARE getting fitter and stronger. It's like when you're learning something - you don't always improve the same amount every time you practise, but then suddenly everything seems to click into place and you make a leap forward.

And if you're feeling under the weather for whatever reason (bit of a cold, period etc) it makes a huge difference to energy levels. Be kind to yourself and remember that you lose fitness FAR more slowly than you tend to think (I know I'm a novice but I have looked into this), so if you need to take a few days break you aren't going to be back to square one!

PS - I was reading on a runner's forum and it's reckoned that you'd have to stop running for about a month to notice a significant decline in your fitness.

did any of you start from a point of being v unfit and/or rather overweight? I have recently joined a gym and have done a bit of a jog on a treadmill but by god my back hurts now. wondering if it's worth trying to lose a few pounds first to ease the strain on my poor skeleton. I'm around 4/5 stone overweight

I'm 10st 13 and 5'7", which makes me not exactly slim, but within "normal" BMI.

However, I cannot tell you how unfit I was. On the first week of the programme, I was panting after 40 seconds of running and it took me a good couple of minutes to get my breath back ready for the next 60 second run. Those single minutes seemed like FOREVER.

Seriously, if I can do it, ANYONE can.

It might be worth getting your back checked out, just to make sure you don't have any underlying issues there, but assuming you haven't, then I'd say:

Start off as slooooowly as you need to. Even if your "jog" is barely out of walking pace, if it's enough to get your heart rate up and slightly out of breath, then it's going to be enough to get you fitter. As you do get fitter, you find that your speed picks up naturally. My "run" was pitifully slow to begin with, but gradually I was finding that I was less out of breath and in fact WANTED to push myself a little more so that I was working a little harder.

When I started, a slow jog made me out of puff, and I needed the walk breaks to get my breath back. Now, I'm running faster and if I need a break I just run slower for a minute.

I've suffered with my back for years, but it's better nowadays than it's ever been - running strengthens everything. Just go at your own pace and listen to your body, really.

Tigoeufeet

I'm proof that it can be done. I'm currently 13 st 12. I've lost 2 stone since starting c25k. I am still about 3 stone overweight. It has been tough but I can now run for 45 mins non stop and feel so much better. I've had to closely watch what I'm eating too. I'm doing my own thing but basically low carbs, no booze, no snacks. I think for weight loss it's about a third about exercise and two thirds about food but for maintaining your weight exercise becomes even more important and that is the ultimate goal. I have read it's about a minute a mile per stone overweight so I'm a lot slower than a lot of the other runners here but I'm now down to 13 minute miles. I don't run on a treadmill but when I started was easily over 15 minute miles when running. From what I've read it's ok to run slowly - in fact it's better to go really slow to start. Stick with c25k and you will lose weight and feel great. Guaranteed. :)

I am so in awe of you lot, I feel so behind. Anyway another 6am run means that now w1 is officially complete for me but as I plan to run every other day I'm going to do another w1 on Friday and then start w2 on Sunday. Feeling sort of happy with myself I've got this far though I know that sounds crap as it's only week 1 but I suppose it's something

Congratulations SirCharlie - doesn't sound crap, i think every week is an achievement.
Just done W2R2, not quite managing to run every other day unfortunately, need to stop finding excuses, it's only 30 minutes.
Tigoeufeet - the point about the couch to 5k plan is that it eases you in quite gently, so its worth giving it a try.

SirCharlieStinkySocks - you've been doing great and the weeks will fly by so you should be chuffed you got through. I found the first week the hardest.

mollycuddles, I'm also overweight so found it interesting you mentioned the speed/weight issue. I hadn't read that before.

I was feeling very low yesterday after an awful run. The wind and rain seemed to be in my face the whole time, I was stopped at every traffic light and my body would just not respond to the running. I wasn't in pain -although I did sit down on wet grass to stretch just as a bus passed by. My heart rate was fine as I really didn't over exert myself, so that wasn't the problem either. I was in a world of misery though. I walk/jogged most of the circuit but I've worked out I was just really tired and didn't have the energy. My body was just screaming "NO" at me. At least I hope that's it. I hope I haven't lost my running mojo.

Your post has cheered me up though CalamityKate, gives me hope I've still got it in me. Going to give it another go tomorrow if I get time away.

Well W2R2 over and done with, better than Monday, but I ran a bit slower so that's probably why. I have to say that this has shown up just how unfit I am but hoping that's turning around now.

Can I put my name down for the granny pants too, bra capacity just can not compete with the knickers.

I run in the evenings, also not a morning person, but I lucky enough to have a lake near by, so warm up walk down the road and then a couple to laps of the lake (it is a very small lake). I'm thinking about other possible route to run once I start to cover a bit more ground (if I start to cover more ground).

I really want to keep this going, even when I end up eating really late like tonight because DH was late home. Starting later did make it harder to go but I made it and didn't wimp out even though the thought did cross my mind.

Hello all - lots of progress being made. Every run counts!

Calamity is talking a lot of sense (again!). I looked in the mirror today and my legs suddenly seemed to have got thinner overnight, after weeks of plateauing.

I had a rubbish run this evening, hot and humid outside, time of the month for me too, and a late night last night.

PS bear, loving the new name and the lingerie concept!

I'm going to put myself down for a SluttyBear Runners' Bra I think! But would like pockets for keys, puffer, iPod, something to tackle the mad axe murderer, GPS, emergency chocolate and a water bottle.

I'm having to put my running on hold until probably Sunday. Ihave fully controlled asthma which in itself is not a problem, however I am such a prat because I have run out of prescription of one of my preventers. What an idiot I know. My lungs are feeling a bit less sturdy and a bit more congested, it's fine though and I'm getting the replacement tomorrow. So a couple of days and all will be well. I could have pushed for an emergency prescription but I am saving that for when I run out of reliever. ( not as infrequent as you may think) DH thinks I'm a bit cavalier

Just building some enthusiam for W3R2, I am normally a morning runner but started a new job today so i need to go now but am MNing as an avoidance tactic. I do need to go as I will be very and disappointed with myself if I don't....

hopefully will report back in 40 minutes saying it was a fab evening run between the showers and with the wind behind me all the way.....

you lot are mad. Quite mad. Not me though, oh no ...

and you've been a chatty wee bunch too! Am so pleased that you like the lingerie concept, and very pleased to be taking orders as well - I might venture into support stockings next. Have been away developing more pockets and hideyholes for various chattels and accoutrements and plan to go out tomorrow morning for W9R1 which is now W8R3 - the one that I bottled out of didn't make due to Undergarment Commitments on Wednesday.

You all made me feel much better though about not going so thank you all for your various lovely comments, you made me chuckle. I was intending honest to go in the evening CalamityKate but had to go and visit a friend in hospital (not running buddy, although her tendonitis is no better), so tomorrow it is. That information about fitness declining is really interesting and tis true, you do have bad and good days. Hello TigerOEUFeet and welcome - I could do with losing a few stone pounds, so if I can do it, anyone can. Lots of support to be found here. Molly I'm with you on the speed thing, am doing my own thing diet wise, pretty much like you really, and more interested in the fact I can keep going for 28 mins rather than the speed. I daresay that will come eventually. Keep going SirCharlie, Nimpy, sweetboy and rowrow, you're doing great! Thanks midtowner, hot and humid sounds horrid, especially this early in the year - am of your thin legs! Pisty, do you need a pocket for your preventor and your inhaler or can you squash them in together ? I've just been to get a couple of new ones - £7.40!

Well done supersal you little star, and thanks melody, I am quite proud of managing to do it as I was a real lazy cow before, and this has helped me to tone up and lose weight. What colour do you want your pants?

Will keep you posted on developments - am thinking nipple LED lights incorporated into the bra, a bit like headlamp sort of things for running in the dark .

Go JelliBelli go!

Am back!!!

Had to do 4x 3minute runs today. 1st set was fairly easy but the other three were hard work. Methinks I must have run too fast on that first run. Must try to remember....

There was no wind but i did get caught in a shower and I managed to swallow a couple of midgies whilst gasping my way round, eeek! Bleurgh! I wasn't that hungry.

BGB I don't usually have any acoutrements with me - have DH to carry any necessaries and for entertainment - but wondering if you could modify the undergarments with a jetpack/general propulsion gadget?

Well done JelliBelli!!!!!

Ooh nipple led lights would be fantastic. Can I place an order. Will be so versatile too for clubbing and caving. more flattering than those head lamp things.

I didn't run today as planned because i'm under the weather but am hoping to get out tomorrow. Well done everyone. Have a good weekend.

W2R3 done. I like these endorphins; I have so much more energy already.

I can't see who asked about being overweight - my BMI is 32ish (size 18) and whilst it's hard work, it's definitely getting easier already.

Forgot to share a tip with you that you may well find useless, but I'll share in case you don't. Before I ran the almost 10k on Sunday, I set my app on my phone to tell me after every mile run, not every kilometre. Psychologically it seemed to work for me because a mile was a third of my run, and after 2km I had only 1 mile until I reached the 5km. The kilometre setting seemed to dishearten me, as after 1 I had another 4 to go. Of course you might think this daft logic, but I do prefer it. Don't get me wrong, rocket fuel couldn't even have helped me last time I attempted a run!

Maybe we could add a can of rocket fuel to the Running Lingerie Collection, for emergency use only?

yy pistey, so when you need the "power song" you can set on the ipod/nike running thing (am still on 1st cup of coffee so can't think of the name), you get a literal boost as well.

Am going to lay low for a few days (am going back to UK).