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, I'm still here, running 2 or 3 times a week, still toodling along on week 1 (no ambition here and too lazy to download another week and fight the Tesco pink matchbox technology). However, a couple of questions -

What is the first tune (for the 5 min walk) on W1? Can't make out the words of what is probably the title.

I run in the early morning through fields with longish wet grass and really dislike soggy socks so I run in my MuckBoots. There must be something better I should be wearing - suggestions please.

I think I shall need Laura for ever as if I don't have someone saying start and stop my head wanders off into its own thoughts.

Sounds like everybody has been busy here - well done all of you and welcome to newbies! I have been inundated with work and family stuff, but I have managed to fit in some runs - finished all 25 mins of week 6 R 3, and R 1 of week 7, so feeling very pleased with myself. The bit between 5 and 10 mins was a bit difficult, but the rest was fine. I was careful to chose a route that did not encounter any Big Hills, just a few gentle ups and downs. But I really feel it in my legs the next day.

peachy 10k, well, WOW. I have been experimenting with some music during the longer runs, tried some dance music, but overall what is working best for me (I haven't done many long runs yet, so this could change) is the old stuff I listened to in my teens - Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, the Doors, Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones, Nina Simone, Santana - seems to make me feel young enough again to get through the run - I don't think I am an aging hippy, so maybe this is the sign of a mid-life crisis looming?

NeilsB good luck for the triathlon! I am vaguely wondering about your name, btw, vaguely assuming it is Neil, but then what is it with the Boar?

melody I have had a problem with my arches all my life, they are too high and I get terrible pain across the middle of my foot if I put too much pressure on them. I have special insoles that I put in my running shoes. They were made in a podiatry clinic, with a gait analysis (I got a referral from my GP, but I had to wait for a few months weeks for the referral to come through). Could be worth asking your GP.

Sounds like some good running everyone!

Ishall did 5.5k after work this evening, and unlike the name sake (the answers are further up the thread another), I did it highly unscientifically and changed 2/3 things... I went back to running on the cinder running track and I did the shin splint exercises. The good news is that my shins were fine throughout - the bad news is I don't know whether any one thing actually made the difference; it could have been the exercises, it could have been the surface being flatter or it could have been me concentrating on technique.

By technique I mean keeping my weight forwards and making sure I don't land heavily or on my heels; when I'm on the road/park I get distracted by making sure I'm missing mud, crossing roads, avoiding big puddles, strange looking trees etc.. and the technique goes to pot.

Oh, and to continue in the PRSP vein... New Personal Best! 5.5k in 25 mins 11s (the 5k part took 22 mins!) WOOHOO! Sorry...

This may be my last post until after the triathlon now; planning a swim tomorrow plus commute to work then rest on Friday and Saturday.

Hi all. I've just read through the thread. I was part of this merry throng last year and started c25k last feb. I've been off mumsnet for a while. But I'm still running. I think of you all whenever I hear "Mr Blue Sky" which is on my running playlist. C25k is the best thing I ever did. I'm preparing for a half marathon at end of June. I've joined a running club. I'm still bloody slow though. Well done everyone and good luck with the triathlon Neilsboar.

W6r2 was completed last night, gawd it was difficult. I only completed it out of stubbornness, as I was determined not to have to repeat it

Good luck with the triathlon Neil, let us know how it goes.

Melody - have you tried 1,000 mile socks? They do stop blistering, although I don't know if they work when wet.

Ah, I see, Neils, thanks! I have looked back over the thread, and can deal with the scientific bit but the nod to Radio 4 was way too subtle for me in my week 7 stupor until Linzer pointed it out.

Hi molly what a lovely post - I hope I feel the same way about the C25K in a year's time! I bumped into a bunch of runners in the park the other day and found out they were my local running club, they seemed really friendly so I am thinking of joining them.

Any hayfever sufferers out there? Have you started feeling clogged up/itchy eyed/sniffy? I find my breathing is a bit more clogged up when running, which is usually a first sign for me. I got in my supply of tablets yesterday.

Ive got my running club tonight and it is absolutely peeing down here with no signs of stopping, so it will be first experience of running in the rain tonight. Oh well I wont melt

Week 4 run 2 and starting to get scared about week 5...
have discovered the best way to distract me from the pain in my achilles tendons (I have tendinopathy) - run with two huge blisters, it works a treat.

I should add that the blisters weren't caused by running but new shoes

I wear two pairs of socks - one thin cotton pair with normal sports socks over the top. That has always stopped blisters for me - not sure why I started it in when running in that cold snap in January as if my achilles aren't warm then I can't really walk much less run!

Thank you for the tips. Dh went to see his osteopath last night who had a good look and said to just take it slow and see what happens. Hopefully it was just one of those things.

Right 1000 mile socks shall look into them sounds good.

Good luck with Triathlon NeisBoar. I am in awe.

Molly well done with continuing to run. I hoping I'll be able to stick to it this time and making running a part of my life for a long while. Good luck with the half marathon.

Hi all, work crazy so haven't been here as much as I'd like to. Decided on Saturday to brave w5 and, I did it! Not brave enough to try the day 3 20 min run yet but have done day 2 with the 2 x 8 min runs 3 times now. May try day 3 on Saturday when I take Lupushound on our weekend run through the woods.

Good luck to all with the races and triathlons, feel rather inferior but guess I'll get there!

Well I'm only on week 4 so you're superior to me lupus!

I'm only on week 2 (well just finished it this evening) so an slightly in awe of people running 8 minutes even!

I think I may have injured a cow on my run this evening . I run along flood defence banks and it's a fairly narrow path. Someone was taking their cows home (I live in rural E Europe and everyone has a cow at home) and I slowed past the first one, but the lady said it was fine and to keep going so I did. As I passed the second one it kind of shied away and it's back legs went down the bank a bit. I thought it would be fine so kept on but when I walked back in the same direction about 5 minutes later they were still faffing around with it .

I may have to change my route!

Lol @ everyone has a cow at home. That really tickled me

Go for it Lupus. I was the same as you and couldn't understand how I could go from 2 x 8mins straight to 20mins, but I did. I remembered that someone else on here said the same thing and someone replied 'just do it, somehow you just manage it', and it's true.

Hi - can I please join you? Had a quick read through and lots of funny and inspiring posters here. (I'm neither funny nor inspiring so hopefully some of that will rub off )

I've just done wk3r3 and it was hard .

Is it normal to get slower? I seem to be going less distance every time I run.
Got to my usual turn around point tonight and was about to begin the final 3 min run - last 2 times I hit that point at about halfway through the podcast.

Not sure whether to start wk4 on Sat or do wk3 for a 4th time.

(oh - and I'm currently sporting a mucky 'orrible nail colour. Barry M 'grey' ... thought it looked a nice dusky blue. It's not).

My advice (from the heady heights of week 4 run 2) is if you succesfully completed a week then keep going. I would only redo if I hadn't managed it the week before.

I am so slow that old ladies with zimmer frames walk past me.

Well I am now a proper runner as I have just run in the rain

I am totally loving my running club which I have just come back from. I dont know how long I actually run for, but I know it was 2 miles at a walk/jog pace. I find it easier to keep running as other people are also running so it pushes me to run a bit more. I dont know if I mentioned that Ive joined a beginner group there so Im not just running with established runners.

WellBlowMe I only redid week 4 as I couldnt do it twice so I just ran to see how far I could get for my 3rd run and repeated it again this week, just one more run to do then the dreaded week 5.

As my last post has kind of found itself up the page now I hope you dont mind me asking again and I apologise if I seem to be pushing for an answer. Is it worth me listening to Laura on run 3 of week 5? Im tempted to just time myself the 20 mins with better music on though I would be clock-watching which can make it drag. Does Laura give good enough encouragement on run 3 to make it worth putting up with her cheesy music?

Hope everyone achieves their goals this week.

thanksamillion that is so funny! Knocking cows off the flood defense banks, shame on you. I spend a week or two most summers in rural E Europe and I know exactly what you mean about everybody having a cow at home, usually to be found pottering home at sunset led by an old granny in a headscarf. I wouldn't have the courage to jog there though, I would feel way too strange and self-conscious and I would probably have my distant cousins following me with their horse and cart in case I fell over and needed transporting back home.

wellblowme hello!

I too love the idea of a cow at home! Sounds like a great place to run though.

FB Well done on your rain run, I must confess to loving a run in the rain, it's the wind I hate.

Well my thanks to Iliketomoveit I took your advice this morning and tried to do w5r3 for 20 mins and I did it!!! Couldn't believe it and at first thought I'd never do it, I think it's the mental attitude that's the worst thing.

Anyway my fab little android app tells me that during my 20 min run I did 1.95 miles at a pace of 10.16, I just wish I knew if that was good as I tend to run solo apart from Lupushound on the weekend and I have nothing to compare it to.

Anyway Grand Prix this weekend to watch so I'm having a relaxing weekend before venturing onto w6r1 on Monday!!!

Happy running all and hello to anyone new who's joining us.

the cow has been spotted back up on the bank so at least it wasn't mortally wounded. I did avoid it last night when I re-ran w2r3 with DD1 and there was someone sitting with it maybe to protect it from strange foreigners!

Kewcumber you have answered a question I was coming to ask re when to move on to the next week. I was wondering whether people sometimes decided to stick with one for a bit longer. I think I'm going to keep on going and try week 3 next.

anothermadamebutterfly it's taken me a long time to pluck up courage to start running here and it is something of a whole village affair. Yesterday two ladies said to me that their husband/child/dog had laughed told them that I'd been spotted running. There are a couple of teenage girls who I've seen doing it too so it's not just me.

I am getting ready for week 7, run 3. After that I am going to paint my nails (cherry red) and then put on a layer of Jessica Quick Dry from my nice new shiny bottle which was delivered by Amazon this morning. And then I am going out! A proper evening out, at a party, without kids and without any pumpkin hour as my mum is here to look after the kids. Yippeee!!!

thanks I am glad to hear the cow is back to normal and now has its own individual bodyguard. I am also glad to hear that jogging has reached the rural outbacks of E Europe, I lived there (but in a capital city) for close on ten years, and jogging had only started to take off the year before we left (a few years ago now). I tried a few times but gave up quickly because of all the stray dogs which out of boredom would think it was fun to keep you company and lope alongside you, making you feel like a real twit.

When we go to visit now I see joggers all over the place in the city, but I have not yet met many in the countryside.

Have a lovely weekend everybody and keep up the running.

W6r3 completed I'm not sure if I am going onto w7 next week, or do 3 more 22 minute runs. My speed just seems to be getting slower and slower. I think because each run I have been doing for the past two weeks has taken me to my limit. Dh thinks I should mix it up and do some speed training as all of the training I have been doing is distance. I shall have a ponder ....

Well done Lupus Mental attitude plays a huge part in it doesn't it. Zoneing out and thinking about something else other than feeling bloody knackered makes everything a lot easier.

Welcome wellblowme, see my above paragraph about speed! this is the first time I have felt my speed has dipped and I'm not sure what to do about it.

Where are you thanksamillion? glad to hear the cow is ok. Do you have a cow?

Have a fab time being a proper adult tonight madameB

Let me know what you think about the Jessica quick dry, I think it's fab.

I would happily pit myself against a cow - I might some some chance of winning. Week 4 run 3 done today - so the dreaded week 5 to start on Monday

Not quite sure how I got this far!

This thread must be rubbing off on me as for some unaccountable reason I put nail varnish on my left hand today (making tea so right hand will have to wait).

Tell me week 5 isn't bad (lie if necessary)

I'm now getting really scared about week 5 even though I've got another 2 to do before I get there! Why is it so bad?

I'm in Moldova and no, I don't have a cow, but virtually all my neighbours do. And across the yard from my house is a dairy farm with 40 of them. We drink a lot of milk .

On the nail varnish front, we work with a very conservative church here so I'm not allowed nail varnish on my hands. I do sneak it on my feet though, although in summer it has to be very subtle. I have a whole drawer full of very pale slightly opaque or slightly sparkly different ones.