Couch to 5k 2011 Part Four: Post even if you haven't run!

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Yet more space for us to talk about our progress on the Couch to 5K programme, the stuff we wear, the music we listen to, the gadgets we use and our nail varnish.

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!

Some of us are on our second time round now, so don't worry that you will be behind, just jump in whatever stage you are at.

Thank you for responding so quickly WhoKnows.I googled it,measured it,and wished I hadn't....I was 89 which was well into the 'poor' category for my age range.STUPID body fat machine.STUPID heart rate chart.

On a serious note though,when I was much younger and significantly fitter,I had a fast heart rate so perhaps it's just the way I'm made....I suppose the important part is lowering it.

Don't panic Babycham, try and measure it in the morning, before you have got out of bed, that is the only time it is truly resting apparently. Just make sure you haven't suddenly been woken up by the alarm clock or it might be racing a bit.

Mine has always been on the high side too, I think it just is for some people.

Yes I suppose I did do my run,1 hours Pilates class,a 20 min walk and cook tea for DD's before I sat down to do it,so not strictly resting.....

There you go then!

83 now I've had a can of Red Stripe and I've moved into the below average category

Another can and I'll be as fit as a fiddle.....

Thanks for the welcome everyone, linzer good to see you again, I did post a reply yesterday but it seems to have disappeared into cyberspace! Non-stranded life is very good, we've all settled in well. Mind you, I've never been so busy! I think after 20 months languishing on a small island, where it was basically too hot to do anything, I am using every chance I get to do things again! Good to hear you're running too, did you complete the couch to 5k in April and now starting again? When I think of you running, I think of you going up and down huge mountains!
It's good that there are a few of us at the same stage - will be interested how you get on with the 20 min run babycham (and equally interested to hear you are drinking Red Stripe - is there a jamaican connection there?)...I won't do the final run of week 5 until Sunday so have a couple of days to mentally prepare for it .....

I am mentally coping with the thought of a 20 mins run by telling myself that its no big deal. If i can run, great. If i cant i will just walk for a bit. Just like ive been doing so far. Its just a wee voice on my phone, i dont have to do what it says if its too hard. Im in charge, not it. If its too much for me i will just do the last run again.thats whty its taken me about 8 weeks to get to week 5. I have soem back problems so i am takijg it really easy

If i teel myself its going to be really hard i will must avoid going out .

The town where we live is very flat so I don't have to run up and down any mountains, thank goodness stranded - there's one teeny tiny hill (more of a slope, really) on my usual route and it takes me about five minutes to recover from that! I started C25k in April but didn't join the thread until I was near the end of the programme, which I finished in July. I've stayed on the thread since then for the chat as I find it really motivates me to post that I'm going out for a run, as I have to do it then. And it's just nice to be able to chat about running and a variety of other things.

Have never heard of Red Stripe - is it anything like Red Bull?

Welcome stranded! I nearly finished C25k (was up to W8R3) earlier this year then picked up an injury and lapsed. Then started again from about W5 then became a lazy cow. Am hoping to start from scratch again soon promise, as I loved it when I did it. But I still hang around in here blethering on and getting kicks up the bahookie from time to time. Tis motivational.

I know I keep going on and on and on about nail varnish mainly but you CAN all do the 20min run and you WILL. And you will feel so smugtastic afterwards. You will probably like it better than the stopping and starting - I did, which totally surprised me. But mainly what surprised me was that I could do it after a lifetime of slothfulness, and I really felt I had achieved something marvellisimo!

You are all doing BRILLIANTLY - good luck with W5R3!

Our town is in a valley, staying level is quite tricky, in fact impossible, but you can minimise it, just means a very limited choices of routes up and down the bottom of the valley. My basic route has two very steep but short slopes in the first couple of minutes, even if I walk up those it doesn't affect my speeds too much because they are so short. Whereas the longer ones do because you are slowed down for longer.

I'm planning W5R2 today and W5R3 on Sunday. I managed them both OK first time round, about 6 months ago, so hoping they will be OK. I am impressed by how much my distances over the same intervals have improved since the first time I did this (I try and start from the same spot and there is a bin that I used to pass at exactly 5 minutes, on Weds I got considerably further than the bin by 5 minutes). I'm another one who would have given up ages ago without this thread, so it pays to post!

W5R2 done, not quite as fast as I had hoped in the first interval, but OK.

Well done everyone with your wk5's!

In answer to questions,Red Stripe is a Jamaican lager - no connection except I like it!!

I didn't manage to get out for W5R3 today as planned as ended up getting carried away moving around all the furniture in the front room.It was such a state I couldn't abandon DH with it ,and the kids!!Definately getting out tomorrow pm though so will report in.Looking forward to it (I think)

Linzer,do you like Red Bull?I can't even bear the smell of it - if DH has left an empty can in the car it makes me heave!!

Stranded I know I'm being nosy - where were you living?I'm intrigued!

Kristina it sounds like you're doing the right thing with your back.I'm curious to see how I'll do with my 20 min run tomorrow as I'm asthmatic and the biggest struggle I've been having is with my breathing.I'm very determined but I may just find I'm forced to ease off a bit.

Nell what you said about the stopping and starting rings true - I enjoyed the 8 mins runs from the point of view that I felt I didn't need my eyes glued to my watch!!

WhoKnows I forgot to do my proper resting pulse (straight off the starting block for my cup of coffee!).Well done on R2 and even more well done that you even think about how fast you're going.

Night all!!

Your routes sounds like the ones where my parents live WhoKnows, apart from the fact that they're on top of a hill rather than in valley - it's virtually impossible to avoid hills there as well. I have the feeling I'd still be stuck at 32-33 minutes if we lived there.

babycham I've never tried Red Bull (despite the fact that it's Austrian), but can't imagine I'd like it as I only drink tea, coffee and wine - not necessarily in that order - and water when I force myself (not often enough).

Was thinking last night about how much I'm missing the running, but only one more week until work is out of the way. And then we're off to London.

Hello - can I join you? I am starting week 2 this morning. When I get out if bed.

I have tried running before, but have always pushed myself too hard and injured myself.

Hoping this way will make me feel less sore!

Welcome princerogersnelson
shiny new thread :)
I'm blooming sick again. I thought running would make me healthy. Grrr
Started with a cold about an hour after I did scary circuits with my new running club. The circuits were great but between my wonky pelvic floor and non existent abs they weren't very successful! The club leader was chatting to me and said runners often neglect their core which is why they do intervals every week. Eeek. He meant me - I'm a runner now!
Haven't checked a proper resting pulse in ages but was 85+ when I started. Will check it once I'm well and report back.
It's hilly round here no matter what direction you go so I'm resigned to hills. I didn't notice said hills when I just drove around but some are quite evil. Parkrun though is flat and another reason why I enjoy it so much. I've embraced hills by regular running in local country park that is quite tough. It still hurts but it means lesser hills are more do-able and it's a gorgeous place to run which distracts me.
Have a great weekend. Hope I can get out tomorrow if cold naffs off.

Welcome prince RN

Molly hope you are feelimg better

Countess -good luck with w5r3 today. ,i struggle with my breathig and my astmna is completely asymptomatic just now! When im runnig my legs dont get sore but i get out of breath.i know you are supposed to be able to have a conversation when you are running . But that s ine of the reasons i started running, because i realised tbat although i am quite stong i have no stamina

The other was that i need to do soem weight bearing exercise for my bones, as im......ahem.....of a certain age

I havent lost much weight so far, only 5lbs. Which is a bit disappointing. But i tell myself i am achieving my first two objectives which are mmore important for my health. When im 70 i wont care what dress size i was 20 years ago

countessbabycham I used to live in St Lucia, but previous to that (with a couple of other countries, including the UK, in between) I was in Jamaica - hence me asking about Red Stripe . I used to like Red Stripe light, not sure you can get it here though.
No running for me today, will be going for the 20 mins tomorrow. I'm also seriously thinking of re-joining weightwatchers just for the run up to Christmas, see if I can lose the half stone I seem to have gained in the last year or so. I'm really hoping if I can keep up the running I won't have to spend the rest of my life dieting. But at the moment I don't seem to be shifting the weight....

Well I did it and it was quite good getting it done first thing.

Thanks for the welcome :)

stranded.....WOW! (desperately curious now....)

Hi Prince and well done!

I may run to the garden centre so I can combine fitness with a little retail therapy later.....

Well done prince. I did a body pump class at the gym first thing so i will run tomorrow if the weather improves a bit [big girls blouse emoticon]

GET IN!!!

I did it.20 mins! SO chuffed!

For those of you yet to do it,I can tell you it really wasn't as hard as I'd built it up to be.In fact,because you know you don't need to look at your watch every 10 secs,it's kind of more relaxing because you can observe things more and let your mind wander.

(and I bought a couple of plants as a reward )

Happy Running everyone!

Hurrah! Well done countess! See, what did I tell you?! You'll be in PRSP now for ages.

Welcome PrinceRogersNelson to our merry little band!

Hope you're feeling better today molly.

We've just come back from a walk in a country park, it was beautiful and when no-one was looking I ran along the path for a bit. Just like to see if I could still do it you know. But was hampered by my bright green wellies.