C25k - just did my first run!!!

[flossyfloo]

I can't believe I managed to do it! I am very unfit and about 3 stone overweight. But I did it

Just wanted to share with someone as I'm very proud of myself at the moment

Well done Hunter and Thistle! It's amazing how quickly you progress, isn't it? Weeks 3, 4 and 5 you seem to go from non-runner to a real runner.

Thistle, have you tried Jog.fm for your music? I find that matching music to my desired pace, at least for the first few songs, really helps me to find my rhythm. I know some people don't like it, I'm a musician so maybe that's why. I don't think I could run without music!

I'm doing my first Parkrun next Saturday, there's a brand new one starting near me. I'm not sure what the course is like, I think it's quite flat but mostly off-road so I don't know how easy it will be.

Just wanted to add another voice to recommend Parkrun! It is fabulous, I have done 19 in total and meet some lovely people, it really does give you the ongoing motivation once you can do the 5K. Enjoy!

That jog.fm website looks great EauRouge, thanks for the tip!

No problem :)

I just did W9R2, bit slower than the last one but I was deliberately taking it easy after a rather busy weekend. I managed to run for the whole 30 mins and did 4.76k in the end so not bad! I can taste graduation now

Hello all :)

W4R1 this morning. My legs ache now!! Although I worked out the time spent actually running has basically doubled since last week so I think that's fair enough...

I really really wanted to stop during the last five minutes and I was running so slowly. Eventually I did stop as it seemed to have been a very long five minutes and when I looked at my phone the C25K app was well into the cool down walk. So somehow I missed the voice telling me to stop. I think I must have run 7+ minutes!

I am particularly pleased that all this extra running means I can now complete a circular route from my house. Much better than going back on myself, it feels like a bigger achievement.

Anyone know any good leg and back stretches? Going downstairs is a killer :o

Me too!

Very unfit, exercise-phobic. Lost 3 stone after 2nd child, put it back in with 3rd (now 18 months-can't keep referring to her as 'baby weight'!).

Have just got back from my first run using a couch to 5k app.

Can't say it wasn't tough at times but no where near as hard as I thought, certainly manageable even with my poor physical fitness.

Feeling very chuffed.

Just do it x

Woohoo! Well done lucamom

Hunter, that's pretty good going! Do you feel better now about the longer runs? I often feel like the first 5 minutes are the toughest, once you get into the rhythm it's just as easy to keep going as it is to stop.

There are some stretches on the NHS website here. Also if you're on Pinterest there are some really good running boards with stretches, yoga exercises etc.

Just wanted to add that I got a great pair of running leggings from sainsbury's for £12- feel like they're supporting my middle/core area, legs comfy and even has an MP3 pouch.

Thanks Eau. I am on Pinterest, will have a look it will make a change from all the kitchen and bathroom porn I usually repin.

I do feel better about longer runs, although very achey after yesterday's efforts so a bit nervous about w4r2 tomorrow. I will just go steady I think!

Hello Lucamom and welcome. I've got some running leggings but they are Capri length and its been too ruddy cold to wear them so far! Still running in hat and gloves here... Still, £12, bargain :o

W1R2 this morning, so far so good. Still feeling enthusiastic (I know it's very early days!), and physically feeling good. I have suffered with a bad back/sciatica & SPD off and on for the last 6 years, so I'm very glad that so far the running hasn't caused a problem.

Onwards and upwards!

Quick question: If I do my 'run' every other day, can I go for a long walk on the in between days, or should I not do any exercise other than general moving around as I usually would?

Thanks!

Finally managed to finish week 1!! Knees feel ok now.

Hi lucamom. It's fine to do other types of exercise on your non-running days. In fact, cross-training is recommended as it will help with the running. It's just the actual running that you need gaps from to let the muscles repair and grow. Good luck with run three.

Well done meebles on completing week one. Glad your knee is better.

I've finished wk six now. I did my 25 minute run last night. It was a real effort as I was tires and had had an active day. Apparently I'm a runner now . Definitely a plodder last night. However the previous run was brilliant and I felt full of energy and ran five minutes more than I was supposed to, so I'm clinging to that memory .

It's all non- stop runs from here on in. Yikes! Only nine to go to graduate.

Yes, doing other exercise is a good idea. I was doing yoga and weights but life has got in the way and I haven't kept it up.

Well done on finishing week 6 Snow, you are almost there! If you can do 25 minutes then you can do 30. Don't worry about speed, I don't think many people manage to get to 5k in 30 minutes until a while after they graduate.

Speaking of which, I've done it! Graduated I mean, not run 5k. I did W9R3 yesterday. Doing my first Parkrun tomorrow and I've signed up for a 5 mile race in July. Am I a real runner yet? Still doesn't feel like it

Glad your knees are better meebles, did the exercises help?

well done Eau!

Yes I think the exercises did help, and it just emphasised the importance of stretches overall as well.

Definitely a runner Eau :)

Me...not so much. I missed my run this morning. We are all full of cold and my day started at 2am with a coughing baby. Spent the morning at the doctors with him instead of doing my run.

However, I usually have Sat/Sun free from running (I run Mon, Weds, Fri mornings) so I can catch up tomorrow. The silver lining I suppose is an extra day for my legs to recover!

So, I must run tomorrow. Make me! I am worried I will fall of the rails a bit now.

And send sleepy thoughts to this baby please because I can't keep going on 4 hours sleep a night for much longer...

Don't worry if you fall off the rails, it happens to everyone! It took me 6 months to get through C25K in the end. I know it says it takes 9 weeks to complete but it should say 9 weeks if you don't have children If you have to take a week off, repeat a week or even go back you are still going to get closer and graduate even if it takes a little longer than you expected.

Well, I went for my run, followed by half an hour buggy pushing to get ds2 off to sleep. I should go in for a mummy triathlon... Third event: nappy change relay!

Week 4 done :)

Brilliant, you're doing so well! I did my first parkrun this morning and saw someone doing it pushing a buggy. Not sure how they did, the course was mostly off-road and was so muddy towards the end that I've been out shopping for a pair of trail shoes (no luck today).

Anyway, it was all fine and flat until the last km where there was a really awful hill followed by a bog. But I still managed to reach my goal of under 35 mins, just! 34.17, pretty pleased with that. And I met some lovely people too. I highly recommend signing up to Parkrun if there's one near you.

Well done Eau - that sounds like a good time for a tough course.

I haven't managed to get out running much this week so only did the end of week 6 yesterday - 22 mins run.

I felt quite a lot better than the end of week five- I was almost comfortable! Although I did pick a route that has quite a steep hill to get up about 1 k in, but it is mostly down hill from then on. I felt that I was going at a fairly easy pace but according to MapMyRun was doing just over 6 mins per km.

I managed to give myself a rather artificial confidence boost to start with though- I started the MapMyRun app when I was in my house, but then put it on pause for the 5min warm up and pressed resume when I started running. I didn't realise that this would pause the recording of the time but not the recording of distance. I thought I was doing exceptionally well when the app told me after the first 7 mins that I was running at a pace of 4 mins 31 seconds per km! It took me about another km to work out that that was somewhat inaccurate and the reason for it- but by that time I had got to the top of the steep hill whilst thinking that I was a pretty decent runner!

I'm still happy with just over 6 mins per km. Hopefully I will be on track for a 30 min 5k with a couple more weeks improvement.

Can I join this thread? Did my first C25k run today, 5 months post DS2 and want so badly to feel fit!

I was starting by trying to build up my fitness because I don't know if I'm fit enough to even do w1r1 but I've decided to just take the plunge and go for it. Even if I have to repeat it, I will get there!! I will be doing w1r1 this evening after I put my dinner in the oven (best time I found). I'm excited/scared... May need oxygen on standby xXx

Good luck to both of you, Ellie and Yoni. You don't need a high fitness level to start out, if you feel like you need to repeat a week then it's OK to do that.

I'd love to join this thread too .... need some encouragement as really struggled this morning w4r2 ... Not sure why, as I found w4r1 ok ... Could it be the warmer weather??! I was rather over-dressed as have been used to the cold weather and feel self conscious if my bottom area isn't covered!

I started as I am approaching the big 40 this year and have noticed my fitness decline a lot since having children, more so since I returned to work 2 years ago when my youngest started school. I am focussing on my fitness but would like to lose a stone along the way too. I have registered for 5k in June which feels achievable at the moment ... As long as I stick with it! Have never run before (not since school days) I used to go to the gym, classes etc before dc but as my dh works shifts I can never commit to a regular 'slot' and the running fits in perfectly round our lives.

Will run again on Tuesday - keep going everyone you're doing brilliantly!

Hi

I've just done my first run on C25K! Have not run for at least 20 years, so feeling quite proud.

I'd love to join the thread for company, advice and motivation as I see myself as a very 'unsporty' person. I honestly felt so weird in Lycra it was like fancy dress..

I'm mid 40s, borderline underweight but my energy levels are poor and I want to feel fit. I also have endo which may be partly causing tiredness but I want to do everything I can to feel good. I have gradually improved my diet over years so have run out of ideas there.

I've signed up for a beginners running class starting soon, which is 12 lessons ending with a 5k, so I thought I'd start the C25k to find out how fit I am. I usually walk the dog for 1hr a day on hills, so was surprised that I found the first run quite challenging-was actually out of breath and sweaty.

My dd runs 10k easily, so I now have a newfound respect for her!

Well done to everyone who is sticking with the programme.

ellie and yoni

we are at the same stage. At least we have all these experienced week 4/5/6 ers to follow. Good luck Ellie with your run later.