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.

Well done shredded, thats fantastic! I bet dh and the kids were proud

Well done, Shredded - have just been admiring your pics.

No running here today, despite my good intentions - and it's pouring with rain and pitch black now. Must go out tomorrow. I need to put on some new nail polish too; the red OPI is already very chipped (not a patch on the China Glaze you sent me Nell, which lasted by far the longest of all the varnishes I've tried). I'll take it off tonight; haven't decided yet what to replace it with, but I may go for something a bit more subtle. Then again, I haven't had purple nails for ages...

Well done shredded!

So lovely that all your boys were there to cheer you on, love the pic!

< waves to everyone, happy running>

Well done Shredded, what an inspiration you are!

Well, I've just been out and beaten my PB distance in 30 mins, so feeling good about that today.

My nails are chipped though, that fast drying topcoat does dry fast and make them super glossy but doesn't offer much in the way of hardwearingness.

Where does one purchase these China Glaze polishes might I ask?

Well done, WhoKnows. No PBs here as I'm back to running 1 km - two more runs on Tuesday and Thursday hopefully (although snow is forecast for tomorrow) and then I'll up it to 1.5 km next week.

I'm sporting OPI I'm Not Really a Waitress today, which is a lovely colour spoilt only by a hole in the polish on my right index finger (really must find time to redo it!). I just can't get the Insta Dry to work for me; I did my nails in bed last night and they all looked fine. However, about 20 minutes later, I was trying to take the cover off my iPhone when one of my fingers slipped - hence the hole. I thought the Insta Dry was supposed to set the polish within 30 seconds? Maybe the layers are too thick, although I've been trying to keep them as thin as possible. And three nails are already chipped. Grr.

Well, it makes it touch dry but not absolutely rock hard, I usually put it on, read for 10 mins and go to sleep. Without the topcoat I tended to wake up with marks all over it from the bedclothes, with it they are fine, but that is only gentle sort of contact. I did paint them straight before a run a few weeks ans managed to gouge it when locking the front door, so I guess you still have to be fairly gentle. Not take the cover off your phone!

Well done Shredded! WOw! What a fantastic achievement.

Needless to say, I've not been out yet, but am going to try tomorrow morning. DS is unwell at the moment, so I'm not sleeping brilliantly, but will try to haul my bones round this week.

Well done to everyone and keep on running

Evening all, very quiet on here at the moment, hope to hear from a few more people again soon.

I was wondering if any of you C25K graduates had tried the bridge to 10 k programmes and could make any recommendations for apps? I think I need to up my game a bit this year.

Maybe everyone's out running? Not me, I'm ashamed to admit - I had lots of good intentions this morning and put my running gear on ready before the school run, but it was absolutely bucketing down with rain. I don't mind running in drizzle, but I got soaked just walking the few steps between the car and kindergarten so decided it wasn't worth it. It cleared up later on and was actually nice and sunny mid-morning, but the moment for running had passed.

Thanks for the top coat advice, WhoKnows - so it's not the miracle solution I was hoping for... I redid my nail last night and it still looked lovely this morning (as I didn't wrestle with any iPhone cases) but sadly it's fairly chipped again now. As are most of my nails, in fact; I don't think the varnish is going to last much longer than another day.

No help on bridge to 10k programmes I'm afraid; I can only dream of running even 5k at the moment.

You'll get back to it in no time Linzer and you will still be faster than me!

I don't know what the answer is to chipped nails, mine don't chip much but the edges wear away really fast and the tips of mine are very white (I know, shouldn't complain) but it means it really shows, even with nude colours. Never fancied having gels or anything put on.

Well, I just ran another 1k so it's a start. I definitely feel like I haven't got the stamina I used to though, and can't imagine running 5k atm. 1k is the perfect distance in many ways - it only takes about 20 minutes out of my day (with getting changed, warm-up and cool-down walks, stretches, etc.) and isn't too exhausting - but it's obviously not enough fitness-wise (and I'm only burning about 45 calories a run, which doesn't allow me to eat enough chocolate either!).

The only answer to chipped nails that I can see is to become a lady of leisure and not lift a finger. Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen. At least you have tips, WhoKnows; my nails are very short and stubby. In the rare event that they grow to about 1 mm without breaking, I end up cutting them to get rid of the chips.

My nail beds are very short and stubby though Linzer, probably only 1cm, I am very envious of those with longer nail beds. Although I find that bright or dark polishes look better and wear less when I keep the nails short. . Today I am wearing <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=1.bp.blogspot.com/_IAYtS6Vl5XA/TJZFtQlHJYI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/w5nUG07n0UE/s1600/DSC_8044.JPG&imgrefurl=thenailtress.blogspot.com/2010/09/notd-rimmel-green-with-envy.html&h=1225&w=1114&sz=263&tbnid=cCcfM6IQivlG_M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=82&prev=/search%3Fq%3Drimmel%2Bgreen%2Bwith%2Benvy%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=rimmel+green+with+envy&docid=csUMtaYhcYqo2M&sa=X&ei=f1ANT_rdG4iE8gPJnvjZBQ&ved=0CDQQ9QEwAg&dur=939" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Green with Envy

As for the running, I do think it will be fine and you will have kept a lot of your fitness. What you are doing is a lot better than nothing. Is your knee holding up ok?

That's a lovely colour WhoKnows, much less green than I thought it would be. Btw I don't remember your nail beds looking short at all; your nails looked very elegant and unchipped to me.

My knee seems to be OK atm, thanks. I'm still keeping up the speed (if anything, I'm running slightly faster than when I was doing 5k as I don't really have to pace myself), although I think I would probably collapse and die if I had to run 5k now. However, I'm hoping that by adding only an extra 0.5k per week it will be manageable at some point (and that my knee won't suddenly start playing up, of course).

Thanks Linzer - I have had it for a couple of years but only ever used it as a summer time toe colour before.

Just got back from my run, a bit short of Monday's distance but it felt like hard work this time. Off for a quick shower before school pick up.

I'm planning to go out later, after the school run. This will be my last 1k run, and then I'll up it 1.5k next week.

And I have bare fingernails.

Morning all!

I'm back from the UK and have done NO RUNNING all week

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesnt matter how fast or how far.
It doesnt matter if today is your first day or if you have been running for twenty years.
There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get.
You just run."
-John Bingham

My friend sent me that this morning
Still building up stamina, but have Dizzee on my playlist and it makes me smile!
X

Hey everyone, I had an idea this morning as I was making my way rather slowly back from my run, which was that I'm still not happy with my speed and there are a few people on here that are getting back to it after a break, why don't we all start the C25K again together?

Well done linzer, hope the knee holds out

I have run twice this week and im goimg to try the park run again tomorrow.

Hope the nice weather is tempting you out

Hello, I'm back.

I am afraid I haven't run much at all for the last month! I did quite well the week I was in Spain for Christmas but other than that I have been hopeless. A new leaf is in order.....

On the bright side I know I will get back to it and am just about to Jillian when I finish writing this and get out of bed. This time last year I was very unfit (although I was in denial) and some 20lbs heavier with a BMI that said I was overweight. Now I can still run 5k, it might just feel like a struggle, but I know I would finish. So all is well really. I just need to get out of bed and get on with it ......

who knows I am thinking of redoing c25k as I want to improve my times. I will keep you posted if I go ahead.

Sorry I meant to say well done to shredded on your last run. What a respectable time you made - fantastic well done you. I almost wish I'd joined you. Good luck for the big one although I am sure you won't need it

I have had a bad week for nails as I have four breakages and dd has lost moved my nail file. Grrrrr

Welcome back Jelli! Nice to hear from you! See what a difference a year makes!

WhoKnows, I'm thinking of starting again too. My knees aren't liking the longer runs I've been doing but I do want to keep running. I'm going to have to do a long run this weekend, and a couple of short ones this week as part of my final preparations for the half marathon, and then I will probably need a week off , but we could start again together at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb (if you can wait that long).

Hi everyone,

Kristina - hope the park run went well and you weren't frozen solid.

Jelli - hello, welcome back. Would be great if you started C35K again too.

Shredded - I don't mind starting at the beginning of Feb, I can keep going with my 30 min runs for another couple of weeks. Is your half next weekend?

Linzer - how about you, do you think your knee would like to start the C25K again?

Nell ??? go on, you know you want to...

Pistey - where are you at with your running?

Anyone else still lurking? Come and say hello if you are

Hi everyone, hope you are all out running. Or at least shredding

Park run was fine today, no frost. V busy with 400 runners, about 80 first timers. As it was my 5th im now an old hand

I took 45 secs off my PB so was well smug. Have had half a Bottle of cava and a choc desert to celebrate . Might explain wny im not losing any weight... ......

Well done Kristina, that's a lot to knock off your PB.

at your choc dessert and cava. I'm on my annual January "detox" - no alcohol, caffeine or chocolate until my birthday at the end of January. I make up for it the rest of the year though .