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 just come back from week 5 run 3 and I didn't do it :( I went out all positive telling myself I could do it and actually looking forward to it. So felt a bit pants about it and started to have a nice walk in the country for a bit instead. After 10 mins of a nice stroll I told my self to have another go at running to see how long I could go for so I upped my stroll to a brisk walk pace to warm up again and I managed to run for 10 mins before giving in again. Then I walked home. It took me 25 mins to get home after that, but it gave me a lot of time to reflect. I decided I went wrong as I had too many layers on (After running in the rain the other night I bought a hi-viz running coat which is a bit bigger than my tops so hides my wobbly belly better so I feel more comfortable in it), I was listening to my own tracks (I think I missed Laura as its like having someone there with me especially since I talk back to her) and I went a different route (as I was walking home I realised just how hilly that route was) So Im thinking about trying again on Tues, but this time going my favourite route, listen to Laura and not have too many layers on. The first time I slowed down was to take off my coat and because I was going up a hill

At one point while I was out, I just thought Im never going to do it, but now after reflecting on my walk home I know I will.

So all in all I had a bad run today, but in all fairness its my first bad run and my 20th time out. Im still feeling positive now Im back and going to have another go on Tues. Ive decided once Im running 25+ mins non-stop Im going to run twice a week on a flatter route and once a week using the podcasts from week 1 on the hilly route.

AGGGGHHHHH my strikeout didnt work. What I meant to say was:

especially since I talk back to her ) and I went a different route (as I was walking home I realised just how hilly that route was) So Im thinking about trying again on Tues, but this time going my favourite route, listen to Laura and not have too many layers on. The first time I slowed down was to take off my coat and because I was going up a hill

Hey Shredded good to see you! You And DH did well in your half, but i found it difficult to navigate the webpages so I couldn't try to find you you may be relieved to know. Running in the warm just saps it out of me. Good job I live where I live!

I did L1 for six days a week for three weeks then L2 for six days a week for three weeks, but it was before I started c25k so it was all I was trying to do, IYSWIM. Lots of advise and enthusiasm on this thread if you want to join us.

Well done on the half marathon shredded - I still can't imagine running that far (or for that long!)

FB I'm sure you'll get there with W5R3 - is there anywhere flatter you can run to start with? Hills and headwinds can really sap your motivation very quickly...

I went out and did 35k on the bike out in Marple to get some practice done on hills (thinking of doing the Buxton triathlon next and that seems to have 1 or 2 little hills in it...) Got back and went straight out to do 5k, but 2.9k in my calf went :( I stopped straight away and walked home; doesn't feel as bad as when I first did it, which is something. I'm ice-ing it now...

The worrying thing is that it just went suddenly with no warning, so its not like the shin splints which I seemed to be able to 'manage'. Will take another few days off and then maybe go back to building up C25K again; frustrating though...

Bad news about the calf Neil, fingers crossed it's just a strain that needs to be rested. Lots of hot/cold and stretching.

FB I know you can do it, it was probably just one of those days. I think we all get them. I know I have had runs where I have just stopped because I know it's not going to happen, or a run where my clothes feel like they belong to someone else and everything feels like bloody hard work. I write them off and it makes me more determined to complete it next time.

Congratulations on the half marathon shredded, wow what an achievement. I also lol'd at the fatter arse than yours comment

jelli "but I did get Ripped with Jillian" - what are you talking about?

Sounds like everybody is doing really well this week.

Shredded well done, that is amazing!

Did three 30 mins runs this week, distance ranging from 5.50 km to 5.75 km. Neils, thanks for being so positive about the possible effects of calibration, but so far I am very happy with the uncalibrated results and would hate to spoil things!

I have deleted the lovely Laura from my iPod. She does have a nicer voice than the robotic voice of Ms Fitness Nike+, but my playlists are definitely better.

NeilsB what a shame that school put you off sports, so many people seem to experience that. I was quite sporty, but I still disliked a lot of school sport, I think it is the way they teach it. I remember one horrendous year at a school that made us go out in the freezing cold and rain to play hockey all winter, and we had to wear shorts and T-shirts, felt like pure sadism, I had just moved to South Wales from a nice warm non-hockey playing country and hated hockey, the cold, the rain, the PE teacher, and a girl from my year who was my sworn enemy and would try to hit me across the shins when nobody was looking....

Luckily my parents kept moving, and after that year we moved again and my next school had a much more civilised approach to sports.

Lupus and jelli I have always found treadmills a bit off-putting, but I guess they have their function.

FB Don't feel too bad about it - everybody has those days, I had one day the week before last when I got stitch and just couldn't be bothered and stopped after about 5 minutes and just walked home. I pretended to DH that I had done the whole run though :-).
I find sometimes my clothes just feel uncomfortable and I spend a lot of time re-arranging them.

Neils sorry to hear about the calf - hope it gets better soon.

well my news of my 20 min run is....

I didn;t do it

I have a bad cold and conjunctivitis so I wimped out! Am hoping to do it tomorrow morning providing my calf beared up.

Neils - I popped a calf muscle (I think the technical term is "tear" but it definitely felt like a "pop" to me). It took didn't do it running just walking along dropping DS off at school but the theory is that my achilles tendinopathy puts more strain on my calves anyway. I was off running for 12 weeks so I can sympathise with the pain - I was barely walking for the first 2 weeks and was threatened with crutches!

Fingers crossed I'll get my first long(ish) run under my belt tomorrow. Its a big psychological hurdle isn't it?

Hi everyone, I've had a frustrating week with visitors and DH away so not been able to do any runs . He's away again all week this week but I'm hoping to bribe a local teenager to come and babysit for me so I can resume.

I wanted to ask a question though - in week2 Laura talks about breathing and says you should breathe in for four paces and out for four. Do you do this? I've really struggled but I'm quite 'puffy' so I think it's probably something I need to work on.

It certainly is a big psychological hurdle. It wasn't until I started running that I realised how much of it is a battle of mind over matter. Also it was so long since I really exerted myself that I didn't know how much I really could push myself without doing myself a mischief.

I've not listened to the podcast thanks, but I would say that my breathing was all over the place for the first few weeks. It wasn't until I was doing stretches of continuous running that my breathing seemed to regulate. Partly due to increased fitness and also finding a rythmn I think.

20 minutes. 20 minutes.

My breathing was/is fine but I couldn't follow the Laura breathing. I gave up and breathe my normal way.

yey Kewcumber well done. That will be me tomorrow, honest.

I don't follow Laura's breathing either, I got out of breath waiting till I can breath out again.

Feeling a bit de-motivated today (not that its a running day anyway) and a bit fed up. I think Im just lacking in excitment in my life ATM, but I have just applied for a job which I fit the specification for so hopefully that will give me a bit of a boost (if I get it that is)

I find that as soon as I start to think about my breathing, clothes, pace, running style etc, it all turns to rat shit. I try to think about things other than what I am doing.

I was very slow FB. Was paranoid about not being able to finish so wen even slower than I had been (didn't think that was possible). Peculiarly found the second 10 mins easier than the first.

Thanks Ilike

Im going to do a bit of housework now with some cheer-me-up songs on, hopefully I'll feel better soon.

Can I mark my place? Just finished week one, and lurked on this thread for aaaaages before putting my trainers on to get some motivation. Now for week two....

Hello formerdiva you can join me firmly in the beginners corner! I'm waiting for my teen babysitter so I can go but I can't find my MP3 player so I think I'm going to have to go without Laura and without music

Well done Kew - and your comment about enjoying the second 10 mins more rings true. It always takes me at least that long to get into my stride.

FB - good luck with your job application.

Just dropping in to say hello and keep up the good work everyone. I'm really missing my running but nice to see you all chatting away. It's lovely to see so many new people coming on the thread, it went very quiet around Christmas and I wondered if it had had it's day but obviously not!

Anyway, when I am running, I'm another one who finds things get easier after about 10-15 mins, I seem to get a second wind, but could quite easily give up between the 10 and 15 minute intervals, if I can make it through that I can generally meet my targets. I agree that that first 20 minute run is a huge psychological barrier.

I did w3r2 no problem! I was really pleased as I hadn't been out for a week and thought it might be awful. Roll on run3!

Who was cow woman (too lazy to scroll back)? I need to know how the cow is faring.

It was me! Last night the cow had been replaced by a horse. I will look later and see if the cow is around

'the cow woman', alias thanks, don't tell us you chased the poor horse down the bank too?

I have found a new running friend - a great big massive fluffy bear-dog that joins me and lopes alongside me in the park, with its owner running after us shouting 'heel, boy, heel boy...'. Dog ignores him and ignores all my attempts to persuade it to return to owner, just looks at me with big sad eyes and carries on running. I am not a dog person, but I can see myself bonding with this one.

hi diva; kew well done on the 10 minutes. Re. breathing - I try sometimes to do the Laura breathing but it confuses me and makes me feel even more out of breath, but I find that after 15-20 mins of running my breathing starts to self-regulate and settled into a rhythm.