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.

Not sure shredded I would like some sort of podcast or app to tell me to stop and start running when I do a longer training plan or am I just better off timing myself. I dont like having my watch on me, but I like to have an idea of how well Im doing. Shame the NHS dont do a further podcast.

I don't think I really got round to using a plan for 10k. Central Park is 6 miles/10 k all the way around and DH was running it regularly. I went to the Park one day and everything was feeling good so I just decided to see how far I could go. I told myself I could walk if i needed to and somehow got round. I may have walked a bit (I honestly can't remember now), but once I'd done it the first time I knew I could do it again.

I am doing a 10k on Sunday morning. It is the third of the five borough races - they all used to be half marathons, but this year Queens is a 10k and Bronx is 10 miles.

First 33 minute run today went OK. Plan to do two at 33 mins, two at 36 mins and two at 39 mins and if I have time to fit in will do a little speed training. I think I could take 45 mins for the 5K!

Was discussing the idea of doing a 10K with my running partner this morning Haven't actually got the 5K under my belt and we would certainly need to work on our speed but.....

Im impressed with your determination kew. Go for the 10k.
Did w6r1 today, found it hard. Don't think the muggy weather helped. Still, I did it!

Go for it Kew!

Well done Face for going out.

DH and I are running a 10k tomorrow. It's been really hot here, and I am not looking forward to it or getting up at 6.15.

Good luck with the 10k today. Let us know how you get on.

I've done w6r3 so onto week 7. 25 min was hard!

Thank you FaceCrack, well, we finished the run but it was really hard work.

My time was 1.14, which was longer than I needed to be out in the heat this morning. (The winner ran it it less than 30 mins, or double the 5k speed we are all aiming for on this thread!). My first mile was fast (9 mins or so), but I'd over hydrated and had to stop for a loo break (despite one before the start) so my second mile was 13 mins by the time I'd stood in line. I lost the will to live in miles 3 and 4 - jogged slowly and stopped at every water point - and gave myself a good talking to on the way to mile 5. Once I was on the last mile I decided to just go as fast as I could to the finish to get it over with. I was amazed to find some speed lurking in my legs, and according to DH, who was waiting at the finish, I was looking "good" at the end.

I'm glad I did it, and even more glad that it was a 10k and not a half marathon (as it used to be) - there's no way I could have managed to do it twice today!

Well done, Shredded. I just can't imagine running 10k in the heat - I only just about coped with my 3.3k - so am very impressed (actually, I'm impressed by anyone who can run 10k, whatever the temperature).

Far too hot here (mid-thirties all week) so no running going on.

Managed a short run on Friday. 2 8mins runs with a 4 min walk in between. Fitness still there but foot was a tiny bit sore. So I am leaving it for another few days.

Hi. I started this a few weeks ago. Can I ask for some advice? I'm starting on week 5 - are you meant to progress from route 1 to route 2 to route 3, or do you choose which you do? The thought of a 20 minute run is bringing me out in a cold sweat!

Back from holiday. Am attempting my first run for 2 weeks later on tonight. I am aiming for 20 minutes.

Wish me luck.

Will catch up later

You go from Run one, to run 2 to run 3. Will catch up later.

Hi all, no running last week as was hosting a team from the UK and running a holiday club, but I did w6r1 last night but didn't finish it . I think I was just too tired and it was too hot. Will try again tomorrow but it's mid 30s here too.

Good to see the thread has woken up again. I'm travelling to the UK for a few days this week and am idly considering a ParkRun on Saturday morning although that means taking running gear with me and I'm not sure if I CBA

thanks I don't know how you run in the heat. It must be so hard.

I did w8r1 today, it went well. I decided to push a bit further and so managed 4k in jut over 30min. I'm so pleased with this as race for Life is in 10days. I really want to do it in under 40min.

How's everyone else getting on? It's gone quiet.

Well done Face. You might find that you go a bit faster when you are doing the race for life as there will be lots of other runners around you.

Thanks shredded I hope so. My fit mates all tell me it's such a short distance, should do it under 30min...

I'm sure you will, Face. My normal running pace is just under 6 min/km, but I managed to run the 3.3k at about 5.5 min/km as I was spurred on by all the other runners and wanting to beat them.

If I really put my mind to it I can do a mile in less than 10 minutes, but I can't sustain the pace and usually end up with an average of between 11 and 12 minutes because I pootle among in my own little world instead of pushing myself.

I think it's partly because i scared myself last year - I had a great fast and long run, and was really pleased with myself until I was violently sick when I got home (because I'd over done it and not taken any food or drink on board). I really took it easy the next few times, and got stuck in the habit.

I remember you telling us about that run, Shredded. I felt quite sick during the race I did last month, which I think was a combination of nerves and of pushing myself hard. The fact that my legs really ached the next day made me realise I'd been running much faster than normal.

FB Late answer to your question, but I've only just found the answer by pressing the wrong thing on my Runkeeper app. I use GPS input, but just changed it to Manual Entry by mistake, which is "for activities where you are either indoors, using gym equipment, or unable to receive a GPS signal, and want to enter your activity information manually." You could use it in conjunction with the Bupa 10k beginner plan, for example (they also have intermediate and advanced 10k programmes).

I've started using runkeeper too, on GPS setting. It's brilliant, although the first 2km seem to go so slow.
Did 4km in 30min this morning, shaved a minute off my time 2 days ago.

Really pissed off here. Working up to doing 10k and last night on a poxy 2.5k run my achilles went spang again. Bloodly snakes and ladders this running lark. Gimme my bike!

Been out for my last long run before Race a week Sunday so just a couple of short runs next week.

Very happy because I hit my target of 5K for the first time ever (walking first 5 mins but running the rest) in about 45 mins so not exactly speedy gonzales! I can't quite beleive that about 10 week ago I was running for 60 seconds and this morning I ran for 40 minutes and was confident that I would manage to run 5K next week.

Do you think I should send the lovely Laura flowers?

Been for a short 20 min run in advance of Sundays race. Felt very odd to be running such a short distance. Having g a big problem with my left hip though. Taking it easy rest of the week to try to get it as good as possible by Sunday.

Blue and Kew - hope you both feel better soon and get over those injuries.