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

I can't imagine running with anyone else, either - I would be worried that I was going too slowly (I exhaust myself enough speeding up when I pass people walking so that they don't laugh at my slow pace!).

Well, I forced myself to go out into the rain (OK, drizzle) this morning - it was actually ideal running weather as it was so much cooler than it has been. I felt I was running faster today so was quite disappointed to find that I'd still taken over 30 minutes to run 5k, although it was just under 32 minutes so I'm getting there!

LinzerTorte - I so do the same, in fact I really really hate over taking walkers!!

I'm off to boxercise at 8pm, let's hope tonight I don't get tangled in my rope again

Pistey that sounds dangerous! Be careful out there!

DH due home soon so I am hoping to get out again tonight - with him. It's another 40 minuter so I hope the old legs are not too tired after yesterdays run. Hopefully I'll be back later to report a success!!!!

W9 r2 was hideous, legs and breathing fine but within a couple of minutes of running I got a strong urge to go to the toilet which got progressively worse. With two minutes to go I had to start walking, was so uncomfortable!

I was looking at hedges and evaluating them on density and accessibility. It was unpleasant but thankfully I did make it home.

Hello everyone, I composed a great long reply a couple of nights ago but it got eaten by the server when it shut down at 10.30 my time, 3.30 am in the UK. Anyway, all well here but too hot to go out - over 100 F for the last few days. We're off on our hols tomorrow for 2 weeks at the beach. I've packed running gear and hoping to get back in the swing of things. I have a reinforced crop-top bikini type thing for all the sporty things I'm going to do the next two weeks . I'm taking my laptop so hope to stay in touch

Have a good holiday, Sweaty, and keep in touch.

Had an argument with DH this am about our new kitchen, so flounced off for a run and it was good! I must argue with him more often. i managed to run further than last time with only a short break and I ran the long way round the park. I met 2 pals going off for the timed park run just as I was finishing and might even be able to join them in a couple of weeks.

Go Sybil !!

I'm also off, back next Sunday and I don't think there will be running opportunities, I'm taking my DC camping with our friends. But I will be back to it the following week. I'll be able to encourage everyone else though if I can get coverage on my phone.

Happy running. X

Oh have a fab holiday sweaty and Pistey, hope you have a lovely relaxing time with lots of breaks.

at 'capacious bra' being googled RedAmberGreen , that made me chuckle!

Thanks for the kick up the bahookie sybil and Pistey, I should've just got out there, I know. Next week I will.

Happy running everyone ;)

I have discovered hills - yikes!!

We dropped our car off at the garage on Thursday evening and ran home. There were hills. I have avoided hills by doing all my training so far on my disused railway line so they were a bit of a shock. When we got home I decided they weren't actually tooooo bad and have tackled my 4miler today by going along another road which has hills. I have survived - despite chatting during the run! I was a little slow but I am happy with that and I ran for the whole 45 minutes without stopping so I am wallowing in the PRSP - ahhhhhhhh!

Bear have you run yet?

RedAmberGreen how are you doing?

Sweaty and Pistey have a fab trip both of you, will think of you when I'm at work next week....

Hills are my nemesis Jelli, well done for tackling them, you deserve to be in PRSP, and no I've not been out yet ..... but .... I'm going in the morning. Definitely. Yes sirree, my stuff is ready to go:

capacious bra - check
running shoes - check
iPod - check
inhaler - check
motivation - check
enthusiasm - check
new songs - check

So I've got NO excuses. Will report back tomorrow.

Hope everyone ok, and RAG, hope you've managed to get out and about too.

What a lovely sunny day it has been today here :)

Today is my first year anniversary of starting C230mins! Hurray! How I remember that first plod round belair park, struggling to do a minute of running. Now I can do 30, although i still stop from time to time.

Yesterday was a disaster. I had been up with assorted children in the night and was so unfresh I should really not have gone. I managed about 1/2 miles before I came back. Everything hurt and my legs felt like lead. Not good. Still, have another go tomorrow.

Keep on running everyone.

Hurrah! Congratulations sybil! Shame about yesterday's run - but you have some days like that without midnight frolics, so I am very impressed you went at all - there's always tomorrow :)

Well I went this morning but bloody hell I am knackered now. I did W6R1 again and it was ok, lovely to be outside but leaden legs and puffing like Thomas the Tank at one point. My dodgy foot is giving me gyp now for the first time for ages.

Mind you I managed to run for the train I was just about to miss later on today without any effort and that was a nice feeling. :)

Hello all! Well I did it! This time last year we were on holiday with a super-fit friend, and I was the unfit slightly overweight mumsy person in the unflattering bathing suit. That, and a conversation with my BFF's husband about his running exploits, made me decide to get fit so that this year I could be the fit person running on the beach.

I'm still slightly overweight, but have a more flattering bikini and have been for a run along the beach. Only a mile and a half, but it was jolly hot and I was going straight into the wind on the way back. I feel fantastic!

Huge thanks to you all keeping me going through C25k and beyond.

Just completed my final run this evening. So delighted to have it completed.

I do believe this is just the beginning. Onwards and upwards to 10k!!!

Jelli...HELP!!!

Sweaty, many congrats! Isn't it FAB? Dh has been brill to be fair, really supportive this time around. He's normally somewhat passive aggressive about my training.

I literally cannot wait to get out tomorrow night, how insane is that?

Off to download C210k!!

well done enclogirl! Brilliant!

Right, I am back now without DS' looking over my shoulder and wanting to know why I mumsnet and why I'm sweaty....I tried explaining the Bear Grylls bra to DS1, since he has met the RL Bear, but he just looked a bit awkward at the mention of bras and walked away (pah, that's 14 year olds for you). DS2, however, thought it was quite entertaining (9 years old).

Anyhoo, pistey, I'm very impressed by the camping. DH and I haven't done it since DS1 came along - lots of happy memories from when we used to camp tho'. encyclo, well done for finishing, and bear, great that you got out, though I'm sorry to hear that ye olde dodgy foot is playing up again. Syb, happy anniversary! Would that be Belair Park in SW something - I spent more hours than I care to remember there and in Dulwich Park when DS's were small ? Jelli - sounds like you are going great guns, with or without hillls. Linzer, you sound very fast by my (aged crone) standards!

Hope I haven't missed anyone out

Well done sweaty and congratulations encyclogirl; it's a great feeling, isn't it? And a slightly belated happy anniversary to sybil.

Sorry to hear about your foot Bear; hope it's better soon. Yes, one of the advantages of C25k is that it makes short sprints for buses, trains, etc. feel like a breeze now.

Jelli Glad you survived the hills. There's a slight slope at the entrance to the park where I run, and even running up that exhausts me!

Well, I'm just back from a really rubbish run. I got up at 6 am so that I could go out before DH left for work, but feel like I needn't have bothered. I had quite a bad stitch within about 10 seconds of setting off so stopped and walked for a few minutes. However, the stitch reappeared as soon as I set off again - on both sides, this time - so I ran (or to be more accurate, jogged) at a snail's pace for the first few km. The stitch got more bearable after 1.5k but didn't disappear completely, so I decided I would focus on running for 30 minutes rather than for 5k (I had to be back by 7 am so that DH could leave for work).

Anyway, I managed to run 3.8k in just under 30 minutes, which is def. one of my slower runs but at least I did it; I was very tempted to give up completely in the first five minutes. I probably need to take my warm-up walk more seriously, which I know isn't as brisk as it should be. Oh well, Thursday's run (and I will go out on Thursday!) can only be better.

Buggeration! I wrote a big long post to you all with various congratulations and thank yous and it disappeared before my very eyes. Probably full of drivel anyway.

So congratulations sweaty, Linzer and encyclo, and thanks to all for the well wishes about my foot (tis better today).

And at MiniSweatyBoy meeting the RealBear - now that would perk me up!

Much better here, managed it in 38 m including a 5 min walk, which is crap but I only had 5 hrs sleep last night () so I am pleased.

How is everyone else? Linzer, 30m is still a good run so you should feel proud. We need Heather Small, really.

Right, must go and make my supper. Starving!

Well done sybil! And Linzer, your dedication to early rising is amazing. And Bear, arf at the thought of my hulking beast who can open the fridge and inhale the entire contents in one mouthful, and still be hungry as a MiniSweatyBoy . He's more of a HormonalSpottyBoy, though I'm told by DH that he'll turn back into a normal human being in the next ten years or so.

Glad to hear your foot is better Bear and that you managed your run sybil - I'm very impressed at you going out at all after only five hours' sleep. Have just had to google Heather Small, thinking I've been away from Britain for too long, but realised I do know who she is after all.
sweaty I'm in denial about the fact that my lovely cuddly just-turned-5-year old is going to be hormonal and spotty at some point - still have a while to go yet, though!

I've just downloaded some new running songs to my iPod (including Mr Blue Sky on this thread's recommendation ) - I keep forgetting that I now have a running playlist but am really looking forward to listening to it on Thursday! As for the dedication, it was either 6 am or nothing as DH is now away so I couldn't have gone out this evening - even in the unlikely event that I'd had the energy. The other disadvantage of running in the evening is that I might actually bump into someone I know rather than just dog walkers and gardeners in the park.

Happily I have had that problem before I am sorry to say i think it's my weak pelvic floor muscles. I have to remember to 'hold it all up' while I run otherwise I suffer for the rest of the evening - sorry if TMI .

Sybil congrats on being an exerciser for a whole year. I bet many are tempted to give up during that time. I know I will be tempted to be pretty a little flakey during the winter....

Bear Glad to hear your foot is better

Sweaty get you bikini girl!!!!

Encyclogirl huge congratulations on finishing C25K. Really think about and congratulate yourself on what you have achieved!

LinzerTorte I find that seeing people I know really makes me speed up and lift those knees!

I had a success tonight - I ran my 3 miles in ......... drum roll please........ 29.55 min - i did it! I ran 3 miles in less than 30 minutes (i did have to sprint at the end though!). I am such a 'goalpost mover' as a bit of me thought i had run much faster than that.... Anyway i've done it now, just have to try to keep to that sort of time next time........

Happy running everyone

Jelli - well done! You are superfast!

Just to be clear, I don't look particularly good in my bikini (and it's not a tiny one ), but running has given me the confidence to get myself back into one instead of my mumsy old beach attire that I've been wearing for the last few years .

Hi ladies, just completed my first bridge to 10k run. Managed 8k in 50 mins. My thighs are still juddering! Feel like a proper runner now though. Rest day tomorrow. How's everyone else doing?

Just checking in ladies, sounds like there has been some good progress.

Well done encyclo on a fab run and well done speedy jelli.

I finished c25k on sunday, going to spend a couple of weeks runnng 5ks (in however long it takes)then move onto bridge to 10k.

Played squash for the first time in ages this week and have a lot of acheyness, legs were like lead the next day.