Couch to 5k 2011: Part 5 - Polished and Ready to Run

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Yet more space for us to talk about our progress on the Couch to 5K programme, the clothes 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! Although this thread has been going for a year now some of us are re-doing the Couch to 5K, some of us are relatively new, some are doing half marathons already, we are a good mix and would love to hear from anyone who would like to run with us. Just jump in whatever stage you are at.

Well done Lupus! I am about to start week 5 so you are inspiring me. I think the VLM might be beyond me for a few years yet though.

I wouldn't worry about weight if your clothes feel looser. Looking good is the goal really (as well as being healthy on the inside, but we can't see that alas).

I am going to try to run tomorrow. Fingers crossed the rain holds off. Got soaked last night in my trusty north face, and it was jolly hot.

Good that you've found somewhere to run 2ombie - you might want to see if there are canals near you too as tow paths are usually well maintained.

Linzer and Ilike, my hair is too short to worry about styling, what's left of it! I do wear a buff as it keeps sweat out of my eyes.

Have ended up doing W6R2 and W6R3 on consecutive days - today's W6R3 I did on the road (pavement) and with a hill!!

Have also succumbed to the temptation of getting another bike... Planning on building it up from parts and have bought a frame off ebay for £67...

Linzer, - thanks for the bra advice, I had a look around the internet and the shock absorbers look really good - see if I can nip out to the shops during my lunch break and get one.

Lupus/Sybilfaulty - good luck for the 20 min run in week 5. I did it yesterday, sort of by mistake, and it was much much easier than expected. I was planning to start week 5 R1, but for some reason the W5 R1 and R2 podcasts wouldn't work but W5 R3 would, and I couldn't face going back to week 4, so I did the full 20 mins and it was fine, even though I was a bit red-faced and out of breath when I picked the kids up from their gymnastics class (I run while they are doing their class). Now I am wondering whether I should just repeat W5 R3 three times or go back and download again the podcasts for R1 and R2 again and do them all in reverse order which doesn't make much sense.

Overall, I found the hardest weeks were the first ones (week 1 left me unable to walk up the stairs and had all the family in fits laughing at me staggering around).

Lupus - I put on a few kgs during the first few weeks of the program, which was strange because I didn't notice any change in clothes feeling tighter and everybody was telling me how good I was looking. I am not trying to lose weight, but I don't really want to put any on either! But I am back to my previous weight now. Just one of those strange things. Somebody told me it was because muscle is heavy, but I sort of find it hard to believe that I was building up that much muscle.

Enjoy your running everybody!

Just finished week3 and this third run was the easiest. I think its partly to do with a change of scenery or partly because when I finished my first 3 min run I had just finished running up a hill so I was feeling pretty chuffed with that as I had previously been running on flat. Looking forward to sunday when I will start week 4, though still a little bit nervous about running for 5 mins. I know I still need to get my gait checked and was saving up, but our sky box broke so had to fork out money for that so back to the beginning. Although Im not in any pain anywhere so Im not going to stress about it prepares for flaming

Talking about weight, even though I could do with losing a few pounds Im not overly bothered as I am a size 14 (my running top is a size 12 though, but is stretchy) so not completely overweight. I believe the best thing for weight loss is diet and I like my cake too much Im using the running to get me fit and build stamina. If I lose a bit of weight then thats a bonus. I have put on a couple of pounds, but Im putting it down to the muscles in my legs not the biscuits and cakes I am eating

I had a pedicure on Wed morn so my toes are a nice blue colour ATM. Would like to get my hands done too, but until I start work they will have to wait. Although what I would really like is a back shoulder and neck massage, a facial, a manicure and pedicure. Would need a small lottery win first though.

Morning all (well it is here!). Just popping on to say hello and well done to all the runners this week I should not really be here as I'm supposed to be writing an assignment for my OU course

I did get to run on Weds on my trip - it was nice to have a change of scene but my word, the hills were horrible!

I have signed up for this tomorrow. It is the same route as last week's disaster. I am going to start very slowly and try to finish fast and beat my awful time

2ombie - glad that you have discovered a new running spot, and like the sound of the toes. You have reminded me that DH bought me a spa day for Christmas which I haven't used yet

can I gatecrash for a bit?

I started out on the January thread, did week 1 and 2 then tore a calf muscle quite badly (not running!) and was off for about 12 weeks.

Just got back to it and have redone week 1 and 2 and am due to start week 3.

Very scared of week 3 as I can't imagine running for 3 minutes

Evening all, I've been in the thread before but not for a couple of weeks because work had been mental!

Still running though - got out once during the week and did a straight 30 min run which was fab. Swam for 30 mins yesterday (30 lengths) & was most impressed with self today as ran for 30 mins again in the absolute pouring, lashing rain AND with a mild hangover!

Totally cleared my head & I loved running in the rain - felt amazing! Then ruined it by eating a flake tonight so going to get up at 6am & go again before work. Come on Monday, give us all you've got !

Nails are a hot, tropical pink. A new Essie colour called Watermelon. love it!

Have a good running week!

And Kew, I started this running malarkey about 2 months ago & hadn't run for about 30 years! Am now doing 30 without too much pain. You'll get there & there's no such thing as 'bad'!

Welcome & enjoy!

Hi,

I am on this thread, just fancied a namechange.

Kew Ive just finished week 3 and I felt the same now Im wondering how I will manage week 4 and the constant 5 min runs which I have to start tomorrow.

I have joined a running club now. Not sure if I should be doing both or just one or the other, but I dont really know anybody in the area so thought it might be a way to get to know some new people. Plus I really fancy doing a parkrun, but the nearest one is 45 min drive away and to drive an hour and a half round trip for a 30 min run is a bit of a faff TBH. So this seemed like the next best thing.

The club where they meet is actually an outdoors club and they do things like climbing, caving, canoeing, ski-ing, fell walking and other outdoor persuits. I really fancy it. Ive done similar things in my teens and really enjoyed it then. But due to not being that fit and having a young family and no money to partake in such activities Im thinking of joining in 5 years or so.

Anyway my first meet up is on Thurs night and they are only going to be walking a mile or so as this one is all about warm ups, cool downs, stretches and seeing what its all about so I will still do my 3 runs plus this. I will then work out my runs around the club - assuming I like it of course.

Evening all,

Well, I finally got out again today after a week+ off running. My back is much better now, but I've got yet another cold, grrr. I waited till there was a bit of a gap between downpours and headed out for half an hour. It did start raining again straight away though, and unlike Shandy I hated every minute of it and have no intention of doing it again. Fair weather only for me.

Kewcumber - hello, good luck for Week 3, I'm sure it will be fine. It does seem like a big increase, just slow down a little if it seems hard.

Finger Nails are bright blue Rebel Blue

Toe nails are L'oreal Shocking Pink (dayglo!) but I can't find a link for that one.

Hello all and welcome Kew (and welcome back IFAS). FB, your club sounds fun.

I did my 4 miler today and the stern talking to myself paid off: I finished over 4 minutes faster, and am back to 10:29 miles. And no hangover .

Fingernails are bare, and toes are OPI Big Apple Red. I love the name of the blog too.

I ran another 3 x 5mins last night. I didn't think I was going to complete it because I had only eaten an hour previously. I will not be doing that again.

The club sounds great FB, let us know how it goes.

Welcome Kew, ouch at the torn calf muscle, that sounds horrible. You'll be fine with week 3

I need to put more music on my Nano, I am getting bored with the same old same old.

Hi everybody, first of all congrats to anybody here who lives in the UK and braved the wind and rain to go out for a run yesterday! I opted out. I just about made the 2 minute walk to the supermarket, all huddled up, and passed three runners on the way, which filled me with admiration. I have never tried the running in the rain bit, I am a bit of a cat myself and tend to avoid the rain as much as possible! But maybe it is worth giving it a try?

Kew good luck with the 3 mins. Laura is quite good at keeping you going in those runs. Your injury sounds horrible, hope it is all OK now.

A question to all of you with nail polish: Whenever I try it on my fingers nails it always always chips immediately. How do you all manage? Or do you just have to redo it or top it up all the time? It is fine on my toenails (or maybe my eyes are too far away from my toes to notice the chipped edges).

Iliketomoveitmoveit what music are you using? I am looking forward to finishing week 6 (I am on week 5 now) as then I am going to ditch the c25k and start making my own playlists.

Well I managed week 3 run1 OK - was out of breath but certainly manageable. And not a twinge in the calf so yes it is well and truly healed. I couldn't walk on it in February!

5 min runs in week 4? "Lalalalalalalalala" Can't hear you.

Well Ive just done week4 run1 and I couldnt do it Its the first time I have not managed to run all the times when Laura told me to. I did OK though and will perservere with it this week though. I might end up repeating this week once though, but will see.

Where I stopped was at the start of the first 5 min run I came to the bottom of a long steep hill so I paused the ipod until I got to the top. I ran for a bit, got to 2 and half mins and was still running then I walked for 10 secs or so before running again and completed till the end of the 5 mins. I did this again for the second run, but instead of just walking I paused the ipod and walked for 20 secs or so then started it again and ran till the end. So I didnt do too bad and I would have managed fine if it wasn't for those pesky hills getting in my way . At the end Laura told me I had ran for 16 mins and even though I probably managed at least 15 its still a rise from last week.

I have only just started running on the hills so Im not used to it. I was wondering if I should do week 3 again to get me used to the hills, but I have decided to stick with week 4. Im going to take a different route on Wed in the hope that its not as hilly.

I plan to download a running album for the final weeks. I am waiting for some Itunes vouchers to be delivered (through the surveys I do online) and going to treat myself to one. Once you are running 20+ minutes non-stop do you really need Laura telling you to stop and start running?

I did w5r1 last night (in a gap in the rain) and it was HARD - I had to have a 30 second breather half way through the second 5 mins, but the last was was almost fun. I might need to repeat the week though.

"just slow down a little if it seems hard" Ha ha ha haaa! Then I'd have to call it "walking"

Sorry Kewcumber! I run slowly so I can sympathise with that. I have two speeds, slow and very slow.

MadameB - re the nail varnish, I keep my nails very short, about 2mm of white tip and use Seche Vite topcoat, which dries very quickly and gives a very glossy finish. It still only lasts about 4 days max before chipping (sometimes only 1 or 2, then I do a bit of re-touching) but it makes the whole thing quick and easy, so I don't mind that it only lasts a few days. IYSWIM. I wear OPI Nail Envy basecoat all the time to protect my nails, and usually do colour once a week. My toenails last weeks though, like yours.

Regarding the music, I bought this 101 Running songs from Amazon, has a lot of good tracks on it.

FartBlossom - Once I finished the C25k I started using an app on my phone called Runkeeper, which tracks all your routes and distances, also has a little voice that tells you time intervals, speed, whatever. If I am trying to improve my speed I like to use it, but at the moment I am coasting a bit (had a series of colds, bad back, pelvic floor problem) so I am taking it easy and not bothering with any of it at all. It feels quite liberating running without any music and timings, I seem to just relax and get on with it.

After yesterday's rather pathetic effort, which ended up with more walking than running, I thought I'd better make the most of today's weather and go out again this evening. I had a lovely run, went on a new route, which has a very big hill at the beginning, so I had to take it easy, but managed 35 minutes without stopping and it was very enjoyable, lots of lovely gardens to peer into. Last time I ventured up this hill on foot, over a year ago, I was walking and got all hot and bothered, so to be able to run up it felt like a big achievement. Went to Pilates class this morning too, so a good exercise day all round.

Well done WhoKnows, marvellous progress!

That sounds like a good App whoknows, problem for me is I dont have any gadgets that would support anything like that. I can have the podcasts on my classic ipod, but thats as far as technology goes for me. My mobile isn't very up to date at all, but as I hardly use it Im not really that bothered. I am registered to map my run which is good, but have to stick to Laura telling me when to start and stop running for now.

I was the same FartB, I only had an old Ipod shuffle when I first did the C25k, so I had to put up with Laura and her music, I got the phone about the same time so switched over then. I used to use Map my run as well. There was one song of Laura's that still gets into my head and annoys me a year on!

I have the Runkeeper app, but the past two times it's gone bonkers on me, ad thinks I'm doing 15 km at .02km/h, then settles down into brisk walk/slow plod timings . Haven't changed any settings, so no idea what's happened to it.

I am afraid I just use Laura and her enthusiastic banter to keep me going. I did Rawbert last time but found him too annoying ("i'm a 42 y old guy in N California and on my birthday I decided to start running again....." ad infinitum).

I am going out for week 5 r 2 in a minute and feel quite excited. Surely this can't be right???!

Hi All - When the weather's like this just getting out is an achievement; so well done all!

I use Endomondo on my phone which is much like runkeeper/mapmyrun; I was using a local 400m running track until W6R2 when I braved the roads (and hills!!)

And my progress is... did 23k on the bike on Sunday (in the hail and rain - bleurgh) and then swapped shoes and did W7R1 and managed to improve my mins per mile by 30s over Thursday morning; obviously I need a serious warm up to run well...

Yesterday, with bright blue skies and sunshine, I'd scheduled a swim inside; but I did it anyway and had my first swim in the triathlon suit (trying not to worry how silly I looked in the local swimming pool) and then got straight on the bike afterwards - it was a little 'fresh', but I dried quickly enough! Today I did 25k on the bike in 3 different stints (meeting in the city) and then got home and did W7R2.

If anyone told me a year ago that I'd be running 4k in 20 mins without stopping (either through exhaustion or crippling shin splints) I'd have been incredulous; but actually [whisper] I'm quite enjoying this running lark [/whisper].