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.

I did it! Yay! Wk6 here we come

kew that looks like a reasonable plan. I have got race for life on 15th July and I am bit worried that I am only on week 5 at the moment. Tomorrow will be run 3 and then I am going to try and do 4 runs a week. I have set a 6am alarm to make sure I get a run in tomorrow.

linzertorte you are so quick! I am impressed. How did you get your DP out runing with you?

Sorry to hear about all the injuries, have you tried swimming? Or something low impact like cycling?

Hello, I'm back! Sorry DH life got in the way a bit there for a while, but I am back with the programme.

I have barely exercised since i got back from Budapest so I havent felt entitled to post. However, I did Ripped L1 with Jillian Michaels on Thursday, went for a skivvy quick 2 miles last night after work, did Six Week 6 Pack with Jillian this morning and intend to go out for a hilly run tomorrow if it is dry enough, so I can post again.

Back several pages i ago I made reference to the running shoe man and runners' feet - i am not sure what he meant but long term runners do have manky boney feet, perhaps that is what he meant? Mine certainly are were fleshy.

Also, Thanksamillion my DCs are now teens so I didn't have my activities-for-little-ones radar on in Budapest so, and we did 'grown up stuff like just eating cake and drinking whilst watching the world go by and boring stuff like museums. We ran round Margrit Island though and as we were going round we did comment that it would be a great place to bring kids so I would second that. Also we went to 3 baths and would recommend The Szecheny (sp?) baths for the kids too. You'll have a ball

Just popping in to say hi.

I haven't been out for a few days. My running club wasn't on this week and the weather was terrible. Then today I have been feeling a bit ill most of the day. Back to it tomorrow though. Its only the second run Ive ever missed.

Thanks neils - but I hate swimming

BTW I feel pathetically proud of knowing who your nickname refers too

I have limited myself to two small glasses of wine this evening not an easy feat after not having had any alcohol all week so that I'm at my best for tomorrow's race. Am keeping my fingers crossed it won't be too hot; have just checked and it's forecast to be 21° at 9 am, which should be just about OK.

Glad you had a good time in Budapest jelli. I've just inspected my feet and they don't look at all bony, so I don't think I can call myself a proper runner yet.

Face I'm not really all that fast; it's just that DH isn't particularly quick - although he managed to keep up much better on our last run, so I'm sure it will only take one or two more runs before he overtakes me. I've been telling him for a while he should get some more exercise and have been extolling the virtues of running; he's really more of a cyclist, but says it's too dangerous on the roads and you can't go fast enough on the cycle paths

Oops, posted too soon... anyway, my powers of persuasion seem to have worked on DH. I'm enjoying having a running partner more than I thought I would - actually two, as I'm planning to carry on running with my neighbour once a week as well.

Neil Good to hear that the interval training has paid off. Now that I'm back up to running 5k, I think working on my speed will be my next challenge.

Well I'm back. I didn't do the hilly run I had planned as it is too wet underfoot and I can't bear cold, wet feet as it was raining. But I did do my other hilly run which is on road and under trees so a bit drier and my feet were warm and dry and the road is only a single track road. There wasn't a car on it today, hurrah! But as I was going down the long steepy bit a cycle race was beginning to come up the hill towards me. While they were grinding their way up, I loped along with a cheery "Hi!" for them! Well it made me feel better, at least until after I had crossed the bridge over the little river and I was grinding uphill and they whizzed past me downhill......

Well I can't stop to chat I'm taking the DCs out for lunch. Low carb, honest guv'nor.

Linzer I have missed what you are doing this morning but hope you did well and had fun and DH doesn't beat you. Look forward to hearing all about it later.

Hello all, I lost the thread for a while but am back now!

It's horribly hot here, so I have been Jillianing indoors instead of braving the streets. I ran on Friday night because it was pouring with rain and nice and cool, though there was steam rising off the streets once it stopped. And because I had sighed up for this 5 mile run this morning, and needed to get some practice in.

It was horribly hot, and I wasn't as fast as I could have been (partly because I had so many water stops I needed a loo stop as well ) but it was truly inspiring to run alongside wheelchair athletes/runners with prosthetic limbs/people with other disabilities. My elder son has an invisible disability - a chronic, debilitating and almost certainly life-shortening condition for which there is no cure [yet - they're working on it], and today was a good reminder for me that other parents are also struggling in different ways with other conditions (I'm part of a close-knit virtual community of parents of children with my son's condition, so I tend not to think too much about how it must be to have to live with other forms of disability).

I also found this morning that the Jillaining (mostly 6 week 6 pack) has helped with core strength when I needed it going uphill.

jelli - your run sounds idyllic!

Does anyone have any ideas what to do with long hair when it's hot? I have tried various combinations of pony tails, french plaits and pigtails with baseball caps and - today - a headscarf. None of them particularly comfortable or flattering [vain]. What do other mumsnetters do?

cut it off? [helpful emoticon]

Pony tail tucked through the hole in the baseball cap?

I've got a dreadful cough so haven't been running. Really hoping I will manage it tomorrow.

too tricky?

Simples.

Love it Kew . Sadly I'd have to get up before I went to bed if I went for that do.

Well, I survived my race yesterday and managed to knock 2.5 minutes off last year's time, but was a bit disappointed about my placing (8th out of 20). There were just too many other women in my age group. If I'd run this fast last year, I would have come 2nd. Ah well, I did improve my overall placing (51st out of 112 compared to 63rd out of 83 last year). Not that I'm obsessed with figures or anything. The DC ran in the children's races, but DH decided to wait until next year before entering because he thinks he's too slow at the moment. Bet he'll beat me quite easily next year.

jelli Well done on your hilly run. I think you did far better than the cyclists as, although they have to work hard cycling uphill, they get to cheat when they're going downhill whereas we still have to keep working our legs.

Shredded Well done to you too on your race. I don't envy you the heat (21° was hot enough for me yesterday, and I know I got off lightly) but it sounded like such a worthwhile run and the other athletes quite inspirational.

Re the hair - I really struggle with mine. It's long enough to flap about and annoy me when I'm running but not long enough to tie back properly. At the moment, I just put a couple of kirby grips in it; it really doesn't look great (I'm about to put some photos of yesterday's race on FB so you'll see what I mean) but it does the job. I need a more flattering solution. Not that I'm vain, I hasten to add.

Hi everyone.

I went out running yesterday. As it had been a while as I was a bit ill sat and not 100% yesterday I decided to do week 1, but the hilly route which always tires me out. Ive decided that sundays Im going to do this hilly route starting from the beginning of C25K, Tues do the other route but on week 7 and Thurs go to my running club. I am determined to get up them bloody hills

My hair is shoulder length and I just tie it back. Id prefer it to be longer so it will all stay up, I generally end up with bits coming out.

Well done on the races shredded and Linzer

Ouch! Hilly training ride didn't go so well yesterday when my handlebars and bike parted company due to metal fatigue... Thankfully it seems that falling off a bike is like falling off a log and once proper technique is learnt its not forgotten! So I have very fortunately gotten away with skinned knuckles, skinned knees and a few bruises.

Didn't get back in time to still do my planned run, but will be out tonight; suspect it will be closer to a shuffle than a run still I was planning to start tapering the training soon for the Buxton Triathlon in two weeks...

Linzer well done on the race - the thing with age group placings is that eventually you move group; next year I get to go up a group (and part company with most of the people who placed top 5 overall )

Good luck with your hilly route FB. I tend to avoid hills, which is quite easy here but virtually impossible when I'm back at my parents'.

Ouch, Neil - although it sounds like it could have been a lot worse. Must have been painful, though.

Sadly, I'm stuck in this age group for a while (I've been in W40-50 since I was 39 ). And there are too many fast women in W50-60 too. I really need to be in the over 60s group (I could have won that one!).

Ouch Neil, hope you're feeling OK today.

Linzer, I changed age groups with my last birthday. While it hasn't changed my placing, my age adjusted times have improved - apparently my time yesterday was 4 minutes faster after age adjustment

linzer well done on race!
neil hope you aren't too sore.

I did w5r3 yesterday and found it surprisingly ok. Really pleased I ran for 20min, I didn't think it was possible. I'm considering another run tonight as not stiff at all today. Not sure it's wise though.

Does anyone else find the first 5 min of a run the hardest?

I always fine the first 5-10 minutes the hardest.

I have been out on a school trip all day with 4/5/6 yr olds.

I am a shrivelled up husk of a woman. 5K is easier

I ran for 30 mins today I know my plan was to just do week 7, but I thought I wouldn't listen to Laura and take my watch. Last time I found it hard because I didnt have the foggiest how long I had gone, I knew which song to stop at, but didn't know where I was in relation to that. I found it much easier today as I knew how I was doing. Still going to continue my hilly route on sunday's though with W1 again this week. I figure I only need to go to week 4 so Im running 5 mins non-stop up hills as it wont take me 5 mins to run up any hill near me.

The first 10 mins are definately the worst. You know how far you still have to go.

I remembered I said I was going to add another run in there, but we have now got a dog so Im out everyday walking him for 40 mins (DH does the morning walk, I do the afternoon) every day so that is enough. Even when Ive been running I do my run then grab the dog and go back out again for a long walk.

Meant to ask about apps.

DH is getting an ipad so I am going to pinch his ipod touch off him. Is there an app I can use to train me to 10K when Im ready. Im sure I heard that there was and it runs along side your music. I thought I could download another running album (obv a different one to what I have anyway) and download this app so I could think about training for running longer (in a few weeks once I have my hills sorted of course). I can't use it for distance as the wifi wouldn't work all that way, but I could use it for music and apps can't I?

Are you thinking about runkeeper FB?

Hats off to you Kew!

Face - yes, the first 10 mins are the worst, getting into your stride and reorganising your breathing