The Couch to 5k 2011 - Part 3 : Keep Holding My Hand So We Don’t get Separated!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Yet more space for us to talk about our progress on the Couch to 5K programme, the stuff we wear and the music we listen to! New runners are warmly welcomed - come and give it a whirl, you know you want to! There has been a lot of success on this thread, both in the UK and internationally, moral support is abundant, and there is always a kick up the arse for anyone who needs one!

If we stick together we will enjoy success, I thought song lyrics were appropriate so in the words of Gwen Stefani..

Run, running all the time
Running to the future
With you right by my side
Me, I'm the one you chose
Out of all the people
You wanted me the most

Running, running, as fast as we can
As fast as we can
Do you think you'll make it?
Do you think we'll make it?
We're running, keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

Be, be the one I need
Be the one I trust most
Don't stop inspiring me...

Good luck everyone x

Jelli - I keep toying with the Shred, but don't really want to do jumping up and down of any description, my floorboards can't take it (I'm not that heavy, it's an old house with crappy floorboards under the carpets), is there a lot of that in it? I really want to keep my feet on the floor in this house.

I've been thinking about doing the Shred for a while Jelli - maybe I'll order the DVD while I'm here as the postage will be cheaper and it gives me the excuse to place another Amazon order. Not that I ever need much of an excuse. I also indulged in some retail therapy this afternoon, when I discovered that there's a Sports Direct shop here with lots of things in the sale.

Well, I've just cancelled our hotel - the woman on the hotel booking line told me I had another day to decide but advised me to cancel as "you just never know", and DH wasn't keen on going either. He also thinks that we'd be able to rebook for the weekend if we do change our minds about going.

That's a shame Linzer, but don't blame you. DH has cancelled his planned night out in London tomorrow, which is a shame, he only meets his friends once or twice a year.

Whoknows if you don't want to jump you might be better off with No More Trouble Zones or even Six Week Six Pack.

I think NMTZ works well with the cardio workouts we get from the running, it also has the bonus of being 7 circuits of 6 minutes. You can do the whole workout or pick the circuits which are easiest you think you need or have time for that day. I think there may be some star jumps in the warm up but they are easily swapped for a boxing move for example.

6W6P is in a different format. There is Level 1 and Level 2, each of 35mins (i think). You work through 17 mins of exercises then repeat them once. I think level 1 is harder on the abs, level 2 has more cardio in it (which we runners don't necessarily need ). Lots of lying on the floor groundwork on the abs in level 1, the only jumps are in level2 (i think) and as part of burpees are easily left out.

For those not avoiding jumping I still think shred is a great compact workout.

Linzer I am sorry you have had to cancel but I would do the same. I wouldn't enjoy myself anyway this week just worrying about it.

I think London was much quieter last night. Perhaps the 16,000 police on the streeets made a difference. I am going to brave taking my son to nursery. I think it'll be OK to collect him.

Linzer, I am so sorry you had to cancel. Will you be able to rearrange it to another weekend soon?

I went and ran, managed one of my 2 hills and saw a very attractive man who ran past twice. What a shame I was scarlet, pouring with sweat and doing the Slow Mum Jog! Oh well, I am sure I will see him again.

Thanks for all the support yesterday. Happy running everyone and stay safe.

It was certainly quiet where we are Sybil. Having heard that our part of town was on high alert, shops shutting at 2, and all those sirens we heard at about 6ish, it all came to nothing. As you say maybe the extra police deterred them, but trouble seems to have extended away from London it seems.

Shame Linzer that you had to cancel your London trip, but you never know it could have all been long over by the weekend, and you could come at the last minute. And also shame for your Dh WhoKnows.. I'm supposed to be going to a party on Sat with friends in an area that has been affected, we have booked a hotel for the night too, and at the mo they don't know what to do, whether to postpone or go for it.

Shame that Women's Running mag doesn't give out free nail varnish... They are missing a trick there...

Sweaty - how was running shoe shopping? Lovely purple by the way, I had something similar last time I'm so looking forward to meeting up with you, I have a fond vision of me going up to all the women in that bar and saying " Hello, are you Sweaty...?"

Jelli I am Shred Curious, is Jillian Michaels scary? I would have to only do it when the DC are out, and I'd have to shut the blinds so no one can see me! Maybe I should try it?

Bear - hope you have been running or at least are contemplating your trainers.... Go on, get going.....

My legs are so stiff today, not really had that before, its the bit directly above my knees

Good Running everyone
very gleeful to be on a day off

Yay! Managed a full 30 mins without any walking at all! First time for at least a month. Only 3.5k, but it felt good. i did extra calf stretches, and although they got tired there was none of the total stiffness that I had been getting. That is the one resl criticism I have of the C25k, no mention of str,etches, must dash need to shower and pick up the DCs, off for school shoe shopping this afternoon, wish me luck.

WhoKnows.... Fab! Well done

Morning all!

Back at work and a real shock to the system. I haven't managed to get out of work yet to buy the new shoes, which is a shame as last night would have been perfect for a run. Unfortunately I had a pre-going-back-to-work sleepless night on Sunday, and a post-going-back-to-work sleepless night on Monday, so was too shattered to even think about shoe-shopping. And had to get up at 5.30 today to catch the 7am train down to Washington for a meeting so today will be out too.

Glad to hear that you Londoners are staying safe - I hadn't realised how bad things were until I started to look at the BBC website and the East Dulwich forum (where we used to live - sybil I think you are around there too. Well done on your hill by the way!).

Jelli and Whoknows - well done both of you!

Linzer - sorry you had to cancel your London trip - hope you get another chance to visit soon.

pistey - looking forward to next week. at your opening line

Jings sah help mah boab, you lot can blether! I'm going to read it all now .....

Pistey - well done you on the 30mins! Don't think you'll pull with that chat-up line in NYC .... and at Shred-Curious and at the pic of BorisBearsLovechild .

Linzer - have just bought Womens Running magazine sans nail varnish and I'm going to sit down and put my feet up and eat DairyMilk read it in a bit. So sorry to hear about your trip being cancelled but think it's for the best sadly, you must be sooooo disappointed. But just think of the money you will save!

Jelli - 31:10 is great! Wish I could do that! I went out today and did 1.6k in 13 mins , then walked for 5min then another 10 mins, which was rubbish. Had a crampy pain all down the outside of one calf and fitted carpet lungs towards the end. But I will get there. I will. I WILL. This Shred sounds good but I am really bad at coordination rubbish at following instructions, and don't have the patience to learn. It's a shame as I think it would do me the world of good. Like pistey, I'd have to have the house in lockdown mode so no-one could see me attempt it. Would I need a lot of room reinforced floors?

sybil - well done on going on your run and managing the hills. Horrible things. And the attractive man was a bit of a bonus. Was it Boris? Glad things have quietened down there, I was very worried for you Londoners.

WhoKnows - Hurrah! that is fab! Well done :) Hopefully I will be there in a few weeks. It's just so gutting to think that I was nearly there (28mins), then buggered it all up with my stupid foot. But slow and steady wins the race or so I keep telling myself. School shoe shopping? Make sure you've got some chilled for when you get back. Thank God my lot choose their own crappy footwear nowadays.

Oh sweaty I can so relate to the pre-going-back-to-work sleepless night on Sunday. Awful. I never sleep well on a Sunday night, and Monday is a running day for me so by the end of the day I am fit to drop.

Right must go and DO something. I am getting The MN Look from the teenagers - ie. are you on MN again?

Happy running :)

PS My offspring courtesy of Pistey

Jelli - thanks for all the advice re exercise DVDs, I am going to have a good old browse on Amazon later.

Boris - thank you. Shoe shopping was reasonably painless, apart from cost-wise, at least it is done now.

I know that look only too well, Bear... although I usually get it from DH rather than the DC, who just complain about me "working" if I spend too long on the computer. Well, I do work on the computer as well and it's easier than explaining what MNing is plus I don't want them telling DH what I've been up to all day.

sweaty Sorry to hear about the sleepless nights and early start to your day; good idea to leave the shoe shopping until you can really enjoy it.

WhoKnows Great news on the run; did you do the stretches afterwards?
Well done on the shoe shopping too; must be good to have it out of the way. I wanted to buy shoes for the DC while I'm here as I'm not very impressed with the way that children's shoes are fitted in Austria (they don't really fit them at all, and there are no width fittings either), but all I could get for the DDs were black school shoes, trainers or white sparkly shoes, often with heels. It seems impossible to find nice, normal, non-uniform shoes once they get to size 13, so I've had to admit defeat.

Pistey Glad to hear that things are quiet where you are. You're probably right about everything having calmed down by the weekend and I was wondering this morning whether we should rebook, but DH still isn't keen on going and has booked his train ticket to my parents' now, so our weekend trip is definitely off.

sybil Now that sounds like an incentive to go out running more regularly. And the more often you go, the less sweaty and red-faced you will be - it's a win-win situation.

Jelli The Shred does sound good (if slightly scary) so I've just ordered the DVD from Amazon (along with a couple of books; it seemed a bit of a waste to order only one item ).

Thanks for all the sympathy re our London trip. I'm disappointed but am well aware that many more people have been far more badly affected, so I don't feel I can complain too much. We'll just have to try and go another time, but are flying back home next weekend and probably won't be back in the UK until after Christmas (apart from a flying visit to the NW for a christening in September), so it's unlikely to be before 2012.

Linzer I hope you like her and the DVD.

Shred Curious Pistey Jillian isn't really scarey - she's just a bit emphatic. But remember she's on Team Pistey so she really wants to help you.

In January, following MN recommendations I decided to commit to the 30 days and see how I got on, after all I must be able to find 20 minutes each day. It was fab! I was sooooo unfit and Jillian got me sorted and on my way to my new lifestyle. I had done 30 Day Shred and 6W6P before I started my C25K programme (another MN 'find'). I did the 30 days in 31 days (I had to take a day off as it was an early start with heavy garden labour) and I lost 2 inches off my bust and hips and more than 3 inches off my waist in the 30 days.

By the time I'd finished 6W6P I was in the 'normal' BMI range and had lost more cms from my measurements, my pulse had dropped and I felt brave enough to start running. Honestly, it has changed my life. I know I am a bit of a 'refomed smoker' about it now but starting Shredding was, as I say, lifechanging.

DH is a bit hopeless when it comes to being co-ordinated and he does the DVDs so there is hope for everyone. I shut the curtains on the window overlooking the road too . You don't need much room (need to be able to do star jumps and have enough room to lie on the floor) but you'll need some handweights. I started with soup tins as that was all i could manage to start with. I think Tesco/Argos have some (weights not soup - and no, packet soup doesn't count!). NMTZ/6W6P if you have dodgy floorboards!!

Sorry for long hopefully persuasive rambling about Jillian - she's great!

PS I ached like buggery for 3 days.....

Jelli I think you've talked me into it ..... mainly because of the impressive inch loss stats! I need to reduce my humungous norkage before it knocks me out while I am running .

But what does it actually entail? I am a complete Exercise Video Virgin. How can it be humanly possible to watch it, and DO it at the same time? And being totally unco-ordinated and hopeless, not to mention lazy, will I be able to do it? When I used to go to Step classes in the 1980's when legwarmers were in fashion and Irene Cara danced on top of cars, I could do arms OR legs but NEVER both at the same time. So many questions Jelli.

I should just order the bloody thing and try it when the DC go back to school/college/uni, shouldn't I?

Is this the evil machination that you speak of?

BBLC - where did the new name come from?!

I am quite tempted by the shred thingie too. And you sound better than me at step classes. Shall we link arms and procrastinate do it together in September?

Bear that's it. clip from YouTube shows you the warm up and the beginning of the workout. for you to give you an idea of what you have to do.

Reducing my norkage was my main driver for body-shape-change. I have been somewhat successful so far.

I was a exercise DVD virgin too. You just need to spend a few seconds watching what they do for each move on the first day and then you can just continue the move whilst listening to Jillian you'll be grateful for the delay in starting each exercise anyway.

Don't be put off by the exercises there is always an easier option to take I still can't do more than a couple of proper press-ups.

Oh I meant to say I couldn't manage to do legs and arms for step either and aerobics blew my brains at times but I know what I am trying to get my body to do for Jillian (sometimes it just can't do it!!)

Well I just attractively snorted my tea over My phone at BorisBearsLoveChild . Marvellous!!!

Wow Jelli. You sell it well.... I have never done a DVD exercise thingy at home, it has never appealed. Plus the derisive laughter of my DC ringing in my ears makes me nervous!! I am sort of tempted I'd have to go into lock down mode....I also haven't got enough Norkage to lose any, but I'd love to tone everywhere else Are any of you Shred Virgins really going to try this??!!

Boxercise for me later but I've woken up not only with fitted carpets but flock wall paper, so I'm hoping it will improve. It usually does.

Have a good run if you are out. Tis rainy here so hope it's better where you all are x

sweaty BBLC was because I revealed to Pistey that Boris Johnson was my Weird Crush and she sent me that picture . Actually it's not such a weird crush is it? He's quite cute.

Yy to Shred Buddies sweaty, good plan, let's DO IT in September and see how long it takes me to fall off the wagon we get on. Let me know if you need me to post you a copy if you can't get it there. Eeeek. Am a bit excited but also a lot nervous about it in case I am crap aerobically challenged.

Thanks for the info Jelli - the change is norkage size is a BIG plus for me too, and it's comforting to know that I'm not the only virgin on this thread , and that there's someone else who can't do arms AND legs!

As I was typing this I noticed another post from Pistey had snuck in - right that's it, we'll ALL do it now! We have no excuses left in the Excuse Stable, we will just give it a go and motiviate each other (running sounds like it will be a piece of cake compared to the Jillian wifie). 30 days hath September and all that. Twas made for us.

I must stop namechanging as the fancy takes me on this thread, but I do like BBLC

Jelli, will go and have a look at the clips now, many thanks for trying to kill me.

Tis rainy here too, no running for me today, tis a run/Shred free zone ChezBear thank God. Lungs like this today despite inhaler.

Enjoy your day everyone :)

Okayyyyyyy - are we really going to try this? I see Linzer has already bravely ordered.... I will need team motivation. I'm going to look at the clips first!

I fondly imagine us as looking like this I've been meaning to do something about my facial hair problem for yonks ... That is Sweaty, Linzer and Me, and Here is Bear ready to Shred Aw.....

well... I can wave my arms