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.

Linzer we are in the same boat at the mo it would seem.

Pistey did it (running, that is) on a treadmill I think WhoKnows - you'll be able to quiz her about it when you go for your natter if she emerges from her pile of wool. Not long now you lot till you'll be comparing nail varnish and drinking .

I used to hide in bushes when I first started running when I saw anyone I knew coming along, twas quite comical if prickly at times.

Am wel jel of you countess and your half term, as we are back into a NINE week term. There's no need for that kind of torture is there? NINE weeks of packed lunches and the like. Grrrr.

Apologies. This has been the post of many emoticons. Here's another:

Oh I nearly forgot. Some motivation for us from my Pinterest board which I know I keep harping on about sorry, it's an addiction I tell you, an addiction.

I especially like the quote on the top left hand side and would do well to remember that when I finally get back out there.

Night all :)

Oh and at getting up at 0430 for a run.

No chance. Unless I was running away from a mad axe murrrderrerr who'd broken in.

nell you make me laugh!!

How old are your kids? I now make mine make their own packed lunches. I am telling myself that it teaches them independence and important life skills. I know that it because I am a lazy cow too!!
Mine also went back on Monday - it's a long time til Christmas, and they don't come off until Friday the 23rd!

Nell make 'em have school dinners.

Mine have given up even mentioning packed lunches to me.

Not happening!

Sometimes I get up at about 0430 for a pee........not quite the same......

I would be quite happy to make mine packed lunches if it meant they stayed at school over lunchtime - but no, school finishes before lunch here so I have them home by 12.45 pm at the latest (DD1 finishes at 11.50 am most days).

This year is the first year we've had half-term, although it's only because our school decided to close for three days round two bank holidays, so it's not actually an official half-term. We normally go straight through from the first week of September until Christmas (24th December is usually the first day of the Christmas holidays) - 16 weeks! Oh, and we had to vote at parents' evening whether we wanted half-term or not and about half of DD2's class voted against it.

And don't get me started on the nine weeks of summer holidays...

Woo, where do you all live? We've been moaning here (Hampshire) about a 7 week half term (off this week, finish on 16th).

Packed lunches here most of the time too, and for me. DS is a fussy eater and just no way would he eat school dinners. I suppose I could let the DCs try and make their own, but it's a lot less hassle for me to just do them when I do tea the night before.

Chucking it down with rain here again this morning

Babycham - yes, I was up at that time doing that last night. Didn't occur to me to pop out for a run while I was up, oh no.

It's pouring with rain here too - am quite glad I don't even have to think about whether to go for a run. It's a bank holiday here, but I'm still having to work as I'm freelance - and DH is off to Romania this afternoon, so it's not the greatest bank holiday we've ever had.

I'm in Austria (as you know, WhoKnows ) and miss UK school hours. I don't even get out of the packed lunch thing entirely as I pack a snack for all three DC every morning - probably less time-consuming than making a packed lunch, although quite a few children are sent in with filled rolls etc., which is a proper lunch to me.

Just a quickie from me this morning as I should be somewhere else. I need to turf DD out of bed first though!

No running as yet since Sunday but I have just 6W6Ped so am almost in PExerciseSP as really i should have run but it was dark outside! Damp, but not raining here and still which is good after all the wind we've been suffering.

Happy running everyone

WhoKnows you made me do a proper old lady belly chuckle

Just been out, thankfully in between showers, did 30 mins today, just for comparison purposes, I did end up walking the last few minutes due to a stitch and a crampy calf plus another stop at 20 minutes to give someone directions again, dratted tourists. Didn't get this running in the evenings when the tourist attraction is closed.

Anyway, overall speed was almost exactly the same as last time I did 30 mins, which is slightly disappointing but it is still a decided improvement on what I was doing before I restarted the programme. I think I made the same mistake as on Sunday of starting off too fast. That is definitely one drawback of running to music I think, you do alter your pace to suit the track you are listening to. My first track today was Bat out of Hell. Hmm.

Finally got out and did Wk6R1.
Found it hard going and the weather was alternating sun and rain.

But on the way home I was rewarded by one of the most perfect rainbows I've ever seen!

Been out. 4.2km. W5R1. was ok!!
Definitely in a PRSP right now, off for shower and then jammies!!

whoknows I am in Scotland, our holidays were the middle two weeks in October, but then we went back on the 16th August, doesn't really make any odds - we dpn't tend to get any summer to speak off anyway!

Well done Bafanga!

Enjoy PRSPP (Post Run Smug Phase in Pyjamas)

Ah, that explains the earliness Bafanga. I know what you mean about the weather, we holidayed in Scotland the week of the 16 Aug and got wet several times, although not as much as my parents did up there a fortnight before.....

I do think in general Scottish summer holidays are better timed than English though, the good weather (if any) normally finishes here about when our DCs break up from school.

Did w5r2 this morning, it was a lovely day. Ignored the instructions on the podcast and ran as much as i could. Managed 30:30 but didnt have to battle the wind for a change. I run v near a big wimd farm!

Not so scared of the 20 min run now,so will try on friday

Up and stretched and off out for week 2 run 3.

Hope your run went well, Prince.

Just back from my first run in over a fortnight; after realising I wouldn't be able to go out first thing either tomorrow or Saturday (and we're off to London on Sunday ), I forced myself to go. I really enjoyed the first minute and was thinking how much I missed running - and then it was back to normal and looking forward to being back home and the PRSP! Managed my second best ever time, which I was quite surprised about as I wasn't pushing myself to go particularly fast.

I've remembered the one thing I don't like about running, though: the way it turns my hair into a frizz. I was hoping it might be better today now that it's no longer hot, but no - it started drizzling halfway through so my hair stood no chance. I'm hoping that my lovely purple hat will help, but it's not quite cold enough for it yet - I would just get hot and sweaty (well, even hotter and sweatier) if I wore it now.

Well done on your run Kristina and good luck for the 20 min one (it will be worth it for the PRSP). Bet I could get DH to come out running with me if I ran near a wind park - he is obsessed with works with wind turbines and the like.

There seem to be more wind farms every year when we go to Scotland, the DCs like spotting them from the car. There is one with a visitor centre that we are going to go to one of these days.

Linzer - I've decided the only thing to do with my hair is to coincide washing it with running, I wash it every 2-3 days anyway, so just do it after my runs now.

Hi everyone,
Did my run. Move on to week three next.

Sorry I'm not contributing much, I don't know who everyone is. I'm sure I'll get there, but in the meantime it's good to have somewhere to put down that I've been and to track my progress.

Oh and I went out in my new running trousers today instead of tracksuit trousers. £9.99 from Aldi :)

Yes, wind farm, not wind park. They are called wind parks in German and I spend far too much time hearing about them in German. We even have a Lego one (just the one turbine, thank goodness - although I can see DH thinking a whole Lego wind farm would be a good idea ).

WhoKnows I can get away with only washing my hair every 4-5 days if I don't go running, but even if I rescue it with my BBH after a run, it still needs washing by the next day at the latest. I wouldn't mind if it didn't take long to wash and dry, but it's my own fault for wanting straight(ish) hair.

Prince Well done on your run. A lot of my running gear is from Aldi and Lidl, as sports gear is ridiculously expensive over here otherwise - I also stocked up when I was back in the UK as the sports/outdoor shops over there are far cheaper.

Hey everyone, well done on all the running.
Managed W5R3 on Tuesday. I wanted to stop and give up for the first 5 minutes - which I haven't really had before, but then it got better after that. So think it's as much of a mental battle for me really.
Hoping to do W6R1 tomorrow, but sooooo busy at the moment, that I think that it might all go to pot over the next couple of weeks.
Please someone shout at me to go running again if I disappear for a while!
There is no way I could get up and run at 4.30. My little one wakes at 6.30 which is early enough for me. Slightly worried that she might be waking at 5.30 next week after the clock changes...
Good luck on the 20minute run Kristina and hope week 5 is going well for you bafanga.
Good running everyone :)

Well done Maybe, that one is a big psychological barrier. I know exactly what you mean by it being a mental battle, I am my own worst enemy at times and give up far too easily (as happened yesterday).

But, big PRSP for me today, went out just now and did another 30 min run and beat my previous personal best distance by 0.45km. Woohoo! Was a perfect evening for a run, no rain, no tourists, no wind, just me and my Ipod and I managed a pretty steady pace from the start.

Well done WhoKnows; all your hard work is obviously paying off. Enjoy your PRSP!

My right leg has been a bit painful since my run today; my other leg is fine, so it's definitely more than just achy. I was really hoping that my knee would be OK after having had almost two weeks off - actually, I'm not even sure whether it's the same thing (ithe back of the knee hurts but also my thigh as well). I won't be able to run again until after half-term, which will give me at least a week to recover, so I'll have to see how it is then. I really hope it's just a temporary thing.