Any Couch25K new starters?

[ASecretLemonadeDrinker]

I got abit fitter a while back (had a trainer), he moved away and I kept it up and jumped in at about week 4 or 5, but that was months ago now I really need to get fit for a job and lose at least 1 stone (ideally about 4!) Anyone want to start with me? Or are all the newbies jumping straight onto the massive thread? :)

Argg, typed a long message and lost it!

Well done Mjanatee, you did it! Woohooo! (I am assuming you did run on Sat, if not then I retract my congratulations

I am not doing so well - I haven't run for 3 days, had my sister and cousins come for a girlie weekend, so lots of late nights and lazy mornings. And now DH is working abroad for 2 weeks, so I can't run til he's back (no-one to watch DDs).

I did hope to run at lunchtimes whilst DDs are in preschool, but as work is really busy at the moment, that's not going to happen.

I'm not feeling particularly motivated after finding W7R1 and W7R2 so tough.

I fear I need a serious kick up the backside.

Come on Vanimal!! You can do it- you have come this far so get out there and run TODAY!!!!
I timed myself on Saturday and managed 5k in 33mins again so I'm not getting faster but not getting slower either and it is feeling slightly easier (only slightly!!)
I'm off for another run this evening and I have already shredded this morning (polishes halo)

Oh I see no childcare whilst running- can anyone pop over for 35mins while you run? Its hard with littlies isn't it- mine are 4 and 2!

VANIMAL! Don't give up!

FWIW I found w7 tough: the jump from 20 to 25 mins is quite a big change, whereas 25 to 28 or 28 to 30 is much less of a big deal.

Can someone pop over and watch your littlies while you run, like febes suggested?

Even if not, don't give up. You can always go back a stage, and do w6 again, or repeat w7 when your DH is back again, or something. Or just stay at W6 or W7 until it's comfortable. After all, you've come this far, so you know that over time it does get easier. But you're so close, don't give up!

Oh and I did complete my Saturday run, so I have actually finished the C25K now Still can't believe I did it. I looked on mapmyrun.com, and I'm currently running 4.9k in 30 mins. My target is 5K in

Well done mantinee!!! Great time too!
I did another 5k last night- it was really hard and I was saying to myself the whole way round that it was ok and I could take a short cut home, I could walk it wouldn't matter etc etc but my brain must have passed out at some point as I made all 5k. Its hard though isn't it. Its probably because I shredded as well but you've got to keep upping the intensity so I keep going and hope it gets slowly better.

Wow febes, shredding AND running on the same day! Not sure I'd be up for that

Did another 30-minute run this morning - my plan is just to stick to the w9 schedule for now, as I've got a busy few weeks coming up and it'll be an achievement if I get through without letting my schedule slip, let alone raising the intensity. My legs felt like lead, and I was slower than my W9R3 run by about 100m over 30 minutes; I wonder if it's because I'm due to get my period and just not really feeling like bounding gazelle-like across South London.

Still, even if I can't bound like a gazelle I'll carry on lumbering like a buffalo and hope it gets easier

Hello ladies! Thank you for the kick up the bum :)

Although I haven't managed to run yet, I will do tomorrow. No early start like I usually do, I am going to run at lunchtime at my local park, for change of scene. Hopefully with it being a little later in the morning I'll be a little more warmed up etc and can manage the run. The park is also flat, compared to the roads where I live, so I am hoping that will help too.

I am going to do W7R1 again, and see how it goes. I haven't run for a week, and already my jeans are feeling tight, and I ate a big slab of cake today, so I feel bleeurgh.

Wish me luck ladies, I really need your help to get past this wall.

febes, I also have a 2yo and 4yo - they are fabulous, but yes, quite hard work!

mjanatee well done! I am also going to tone down my half-marathon plans and go with maintaining the runs over winter.

(I hope I manage the run now, I do feel like I need it)

Vanimal! There you are. Was worried you'd lost your mojo there, v glad to see you here again.

Flat route later in the day is a great idea - hope it goes well for you! I think you're wise to repeat w7 as well (I think I did too ) rather than get discouraged.

Go Vanimal!

Thanks for the mexican wave Mjanatee and febes, I did it!

Ran in a nice flat park, and listened to my own music for 25 mins. Everytime I was flagging I concentrated on singing along to the song instead, and, I managed the whole 25 mins.

I was tired, and it was difficult, and I was definitely relieved when I stopped running, but I didn't feel so utterly exhausted like I did the last 2 times I have tried this run.

I was going to repeat W7, but as this was officially W7R3, I might just move onto W8. Knowing you two have finished makes me think that somewhere, somehow, I can do the same. It's definitely getting tougher for me now.

Thank you - I was seriously considering quitting at this point yesterday.

Well done! You know you can do it! It's all in the mind, and you're waaay too close to give up now.

Now that you've found your mojo again there's no harm in tending it carefully rather than stomping it out again by going too fast - don't force yourself, repeat W7 if you want to. I did and it definitely made the last couple of weeks less intimidating as it gave me a bit more time to adjust to the sudden bump up in run length.

Awesome Vanimal!! I think thats the only difference I have noticed that my recovery time has lessened as the time has gone. I still find the runs hard and still try to talk myself into stopping but I do it and notice afterwards that I feel fine (after a few mintues of feeling like I want to collapse on the side of the road). My favourite running song at the moment is the dog days are over by florence and the machine. I also like Warrick avenue bu duffy. Any favs of yours I can add to my shuffle?

I listen to uniformly trashy Ministry of Sound type dance music when I'm running. If you like that sort of crap the 'Running Trax' compilations are good value. But I have an iPod Shuffle so never know what any of the tunes are called

febes - thank you for posting that. I hate the actual runs, and want to stop the whole way through, so somewhere in the back of my mind I am thinking this running business is not really for me. But it's really reassuring to know I am not the only one who hates the run but loves the post-run smugness!

I have enjoyed the runs up till now as I have found them getting easier, I now feel much more positive about W7 after today.

I have also noticed my recovery times being so much quicker - in fact I remember doing W1R1 in this park and huffing and puffing after 60 secs of running. So to do 25mins here felt great.

mjanatee - I think you are right. I will repeat W7. It's much easier with my own songs to sing along too, but I need to get more comfortable with doing 25 mins before I move on. I can't believe I am only 5 mins away from a 30 run though :)

My song list is shameful . I don't have an ipod, I was doing the podcasts from my HTC phone. Last night I loaded up some 80's songs on there (Michael Jackson, mostly), and sang along to those. Nothing as trendy as the Ministry of Sound. But I will get some decent songs on there now I have seen what a difference it made.

How know when 25 mins is up whilst listening to an ipod shuffle? Do you use a customisable podcast (add your own music), or do you just wear a watch?

Re timing and iPod shuffle, I have one of those round the neck stopwatches that scary PE teachers use. I could use my iPhone I suppose but when I put it in the zip pocket on the back of my running capris it felt like it was pulling my trousers down

Plus I'd rather be mugged for a £10 stopwatch than a £500 iPhone ...though hopefully not much chance of that, my bit of sarf London is reasonably naice and in any case I reckon muggers are too lazy to be up at 7am, hence why they're muggers.

Anyhoo. Glad you're persevering, vanimal - I reckon you'll enjoy rerunning w7 more than you expect. It's always hell to start with, but I've found lookin back at my week on week progress is v encouraging. And the other day I found i'd run halfway up a hill I used to hate, and had barely started puffing yet though the time after that it was fuckin horrible cos I was tired and PMTish.

Off again tomorrow morning. Frost forecast tonight. Wish me luck!

Ooh and the talking into stopping thing: I run a kind of figure 8 route, and every time when I get to the bit where the loops cross my subconscious always, without fail, suggests to me that if I just went this way rather than that I'd get there so much quicker.

Each time that happens I have this little conversation with my brain, where it suggests a shortcut and I remind it yet again that taking a shortcut would be missing the whole point of going running. But it still suggests it

I like the mugger philosophy - they are lazy biggers aren't they? :)

I would probably be an easy target, I have been listening to music v loud, so wouldn't here them come up behind me. But at least I can jog away from them at a slow but consistent pace now :o

I do that talking to myself thing too - 'can't run down that way, it's too far' 'umm, its 25 mins of running in any direction, you fool' 'oh yes...'

But I also have the 'what shall I post on MN about my run' conversation in my head all the time during my run shame I never think of anything interesting to say though.

Enjoy your run tomorrowmjanatee, hope you kick some running ass!

Haha I'm sitting here lmao at the thought of your slow but consistent escape from the muggers!!
Yes the brain does do strange things while running doesn't it. I have practise conversations with people and I always says really interesting, witty things (in my pretend running convos but not in real life ) .
Re timing- I used the NHS pod casts the whole time while doing the programme. Now I listen to my own music I just go round a 5k route I planned out on mapmyrun.com it takes about 33mins plus a bit of walking time so about 40min altogether. I have taken a pe teacher style round the neck stop watch with me to time my 5k a couple of times.

Survived my run - got a decent sleep last night, thank God, so it didn't feel too painful. Pace was about average, and I reckon I could've pushed a fair bit faster and harder, but I don't care: life is so manic at the moment that my runs are getting to be really precious destressing-and-thinking-time so all I want right now is to keep up 30 mins 3 times a week, with no excuses.

Praps I should do what you do febes and just run a 5K course against the clock...I reckon my 5k time is probably about the same as yours at the moment.

Am also pmsl vanimal at the idea of a slow but consistent escape from potential muggers

Hope you ladies are well!

Going for a lunchtime run today, W7R1 again. I am going to repeat W7 runs this week and try to re-motivate myself.

Last weeks 25 mins was great, my DH is back from working abroad so I have a sitter, and work has also calmed down, so I have no excuses left not to go running.

Hopefully this utter lack of motivation is temporary, I think I have gone down a notch of my belt, if that stays like that I'll be sooo happy.

Glad your 25 minutes went well - it's so much easier to get motivated if the last memory is of something fun rather than just pure torture, isn't it? Hope your lunchtime run went well today, too.

My brain is trying to persuade me that I'm too knackered and periodical to go for my 7am run tomorrow, but I keep telling myself that pounding the pavement for 30 minutes will help me destress. Am damn well going to do it.

The weight loss is noticeable too. It happens veeery slowly, but definitely is happening. My jeans have got quite a bit roomier over the last 3 months, and I've rediscovered my long-lost waistline

Keep going!

Mjanatee, did my lunchtime run today instead, and it was great! I got into a good pace early on, and although it was tiring, not as bad as last few times I have run it.

I could have carried on and gone to 28 mins, but I took your advice about nor overdoing it, and decided to stick at 25 mins for 2 more runs, and then go onto W8 next week. Feeling fitter is a great boost though, I must be fitter than last week if 25 mins running is more achievable now.

Good on you for your determination to run tomorrow am.

Agree about the slooooooow weight loss, jeans are a teeny tiny bit roomier, but its all heading in the right direction at least. Yay!

Woohoo! Well done, vanimal

I just about survived my run today, but it was Not Fun. I had period pains and (sorry if tmi) spent the whole run feeling as though I was flooding everywhere, plus it was pissing with rain and by the end my legs just. felt. like. lead. Ugh. Can only hope that next time is more enjoyable.

On the plus side, though, I've started upping the tempo by adding in a few mini-sprints, running fast for 10-30 seconds before dropping back to my regular running tempo. My hope is that if I start building this up over a few weeks I'll gradually increase my ability to run steadily at a faster pace than my regular 'only effective if escaping from really lazy muggers' pace.

Huge congrats for keeping it up, especially as you were so down on the whole thing a couple of weeks ago. I remember feeling a really weird sort of reluctance to finish in the last few weeks, as though I just wanted to stay in W8 indefinitely and never finish the course - I wonder if it was some kind of self-sabotage? Anyway, I'm really chuffed you're back on track. I'm going to have to do a little dance on both our behalves when you finish the course in 3 weeks or so!

Mjanatee whats wrong with lazy muggers pace? I can't go any faster than that. Although the adrenaline might push me up to catching-my-toddler-before-she-draws-on-the-walls pace.

Seriously though, well done on doing the run whilst on your period and whilst it was raining, I really would have given that run a miss for sure.

Upping tempo sounds like a great idea for increasing fitness without actually running for longer - the 25-30 min runs now feel more doa-able for me again, but I wouldn't want to be running for any longer at the moment.

Managing yesterday's run has definitely put me on a high, it did feel easier, and my legs don't ache as much as they have been doing after a run. I also recovered really quickly, so it is all making a difference.

The self-sabotage thing is wierd isn't it? It's just a feeling of having had enough, and wanting a little self-pity party. It might be worry from what on earth to do once the program has finished and we have to go it alone.

But I am looking forward to doing the victory dance with you in 3 weeks time - I feel like the lonely straggler on this board at the moment, so thank you for holding my hand :)

at catching-hooligan-toddlers pace. If you keep the running up, in a year or so you'll be able to put said small child on a bicycle and chase it round the park for half an hour at a decent clip, thus boosting your own aerobic fitness and increasing your chances of knackering the child and hence getting some peace and quiet in one fell swoop. What's not to like?

I'm all set to run again tomorrow. I'm aiming for 3 30-second sprints over the whole steady run. I reckon if I survived Tuesday then tomorrow can't be too bad, as the period pains have gone and I feel almost human again. Providing Mr OTH doesn't crawl in late after burning the midnight oil over whichever ghastly report work is making him write at the moment, and then keeping me up all night chatting cos he's too wound up to sleep.

Every run brings you closer to victory dance! When's your next? Tomorrow?