Couch to 5k- We do run run run, we do run run!

[cinnamongreyhound]

A thread for anyone thinking of starting, doing or completed the c25k plan!

The last thread had so many new people starting and working through the plan it was lovely. As well as those who had finished and working towards faster times or greater distances. Everyone welcome no matter age, fitness or ability.

Join us for lots of support, advice and gentle butt kicking of required

Old Thread

good luck Tracey you'll be fine.

Have a lovely weekend hair - enjoy the fish and chips nom nom.

Judy I think I'm the opposite. I'm enjoying running to the time ; I think if I did distance, I'd push too much and get hung up excessively on the numbers. When I eventually start the 10 k app I downloaded, it still works to time, so really its a 60 minutes program. I'm looking forward to it but waiting till September to start.

EeTracey I was.in same boat a few days ago. First big chimp visit to me. find a really funny way to shut him in the box and it might lift you

Just cooling.down from w7r2. First visit to gym and a treadmill since I had a breakdown in 2009 immediately triggered by a trip to the gym, and with a lot of unhappy gym visits in the build up, though obviously not really gym's fault Not keen on them but another c25k'r who has unexpectedly conquered another hurdle (mixed metaphor alert). Thanks to that awful time u now have two beautiful dc and while running saw my dd in the playground outside (sitting under a tree having a sulk, but hey I love her )

Is anyone here up to entering for a half marathon on 6/10? World Child Cancer, the charity that Mumsnet's very own Woolly Huggers are supporting, are in desperate need of runners. They have four places which they need to fill - if they can't fill them, they will have to pay out for them.

Link here if you're interested!

Actually, I misunderstood them - they have 36 places that they need to fill!

I'm doing a half in November so could do it but I've just looked and there's no way I could raise £350 sponsorship :(

I've sent them a message asking if there's any latitude on that, cinnamon.

I'll sponsor you Cinnamon. but not £350! smp not quite generous enough for.that. Or at least I'm not

It's a lot, isn't it? I haven't had a reply from them, but if/when I do, I'll post it.

Having said that, when I set up my Just Giving page for the Woolly Hugs run (on behalf of World Child Cancer) I was amazed at how quickly the donations came in. I set my own target at £500 and within a few days had already got up to £150 - and donations came from some very unexpected sources. I posted the link on Twitter (I have 3 accounts), Facebook and Linked-In, as well as on a private e-group I belong to.

Those who have recently graduated or are about to - what are you going to do next? I'm not going to hit 5k in 30 mins, do I try to get faster to get there, or try to run for longer?

hi wem I'm consolidating for a month, repeating week 9; then moving on to a 10 k app that builds up to 60 minutes. I'm nowhere near 5 km but am disregarding speed as if I try to "compete " against myself or the clock I run a risk of being disillusioned

So I'm sticking to times only, getting longer bit by bit from September, I can't argue with my chimp over minutes

So, you're sticking to 30mins at first then? I guess you will start covering more distance as you go on. I'd like to get to 5k before I commit to training for a 10k.

wem I'm due to graduate in c two weeks. I am very keen to do the 10k app as well, with the idea I'd like to run a 10k before Christmas. Shorter term I plan to do our local park run (this seems to be the rite of passage!) which I last did in 2006 and to work up the courage to join a local running club. They have a great name (think along the lines of the Slow-coaches, though not actually that) which makes them more approachable.

Then I'd like to try some trail runs, and in 2014 to set myself a challenge like a triathlon. I would aim for a half marathon but think my knees might not go so far.

Had annual haircut today and hairdresser took up running two years ago, and struggled with a minute at a time: last October she ran the Dublin marathon, and this autumn will do the Royal Parks ultra marathon (50k)! What a story, eh?! Interestingly for longer distances you have to "learn" how to make yourself run slow ( or he did, I suspect that's the bit I would excel in!)

Marking place - doc prescribed 4 weeks off running and anti infamatories so maybe I'll be back running in 3.5 weeks. Will probably start c25k again and try and run faster... if foot is sorted

Hope it all works out then, jchochip. Weirdly, your post made me realise how upset I'd be if I was prescribed 4 weeks off running. I wouldn't have thought like that 10 weeks ago!

I didn't finish recently wem but when I did finish I jut carried on doing 30 mins 3x a week. I tried to push myself if it felt easier and did get further as I went on (had to add bits to my route). Finally braved a 5k nearly 4 months after finishing and did it in 34mins. Joined a club because I was bullied into it by ds1's teacher which helped a lot with speed and after another 3 months started upping my distance. I actually prefer longer distances :)

Did parkrun after my Friday eve run and missed my pb by 5 seconds :(

5 seconds! So but at least you know you are nearly at the top of your game...

I was a bit of a notice on the thread a while back (got to week 4) but I somehow hurt the back of my ankle (sort of the geek bit I think) in that it just got sore and achey. I stopped running but now its four weeks later and still achey. Any idea what I've done or the next step? I really miss learning to run. I was obese and unfit and worried I've injured myself, I so want to get back to it but I hobble in the mornings and don't want to make it worse!!

I'm thinking of going to the doctor but there's no one place I can prod and it always hurts if that makes any sense! I know where it often aches, and it feels one of the front muscles is stiff (compensating??). However I'm not exercising at all now and am not very strong.

Any ideas? Thanks. I'm so impressed at those who have made it through and going on to other things!

It's true jchocchip, after a long time of running with pain after my groin/leg/bum injury I know I'm back to where I was. I'm a bit at your gp, haven't you been resting for a while? What did your scan show? I had painful heel syndrome (which is different to plantar fasciitis) and was prescribed long term anti inflammatories. I don't like taking painkillers so I didn't. It caused pain first thing in the morning, couldn't put my heel down at all and when I'd been sitting for a while. I didn't seek any further advice but I was persuaded to start aerobics with a friend and lost weight through cutting down portion sizes and it went away. Whether it was being more active or losing the weight I don't know but the gp didn't suggest either, I just worry that anti inflammatories are the easy solution to a lot of gp's but they have their side effects and perhaps you could do something else that doesn't aggravate it or as other suggested have inserts in your trainers etc.

It's so difficult to say TwasBrillig, sounds like Achilles to me. I tend to push through things but I injured myself at Easter and it took a good two months to heal, no idea of it would have been longer if I'd rested or shorter. When I broke my foot last year I went against advice and was on it ASAP, was out of cast and boot and back to running 8 weeks after breaking it. My dh has broken lots of bones and had multiple back and neck injuries (party his genetics, he powerlifts and rides a motorcycle!) and believes in keeping moving and not stopping as then adhesions start forming. He's found an excellent physio who has similar ideas to him, who knows he will work hard at exercises so pushes him when she can and he recovers quickly. There seems to be so many conflicting opinions and it depends on who you see. When I broke my foot the dr I saw said there were conflicting opinions and he believed in rest but others would tell me to get moving and that suited me so that's what I did! My experience of gp's is that they will recommend rest but as soon as you start again it will flare up so push for physio or pay yourself to see a private one. Or alternatively look online for some stretches/exercises I found stretching in the water really helped my leg injury. And I do believe weightloss helps a lot of these things.

Sorry TwasBrillig, I'm not sure what you've done there - ask me again in 5 years when I've done my Podiatry degree! Is it your Achilles tendon that's sore?

I'm dead chuffed as I set off for w8r3 and decided to try to go a bit faster, and did 4.4km in 28 mins! Woohoo! 5k suddenly seems doable :) I'll look into local clubs, I'm sure there are a couple near me.

STOP PRESS!

World Child Cancer are prepared to reduce the £350 sponsorship limit. Each place costs them £95, so anything over and above that would be a real bonus to them.

If that makes any difference to anyone here, please contact them directly on this link

Morning ladies (well it's morning over here). I am managing to run here and there mainly on hotel treadmills, but I'm doing it. Don't have much spare time for mn at the moment but I just wanted to keep my spot in the thread.
Happy running everyone.

Gosh just seen where my predictive text has changed words! Oops. Teach me not to preview.

I think it could be Achilles tendon from googling, I'd quite like to start again but where I am big am nervous of the weight I'm putting on it if its not healed yet. I thought a month would sort most things!

Dr might not be too useful then? Should I look at paying a physio or podiatrist or something? Low income at the moment so don't want to spend if it won't sort it. I don't like feeling frail!

In the meantime I'm working on the eating and weight loss side of things.

Ah have googled obesity running and Achilles and it does look like Achilles tendonitis. It says treatment in the early stage is vital but I can't really see what the treatment is. I'm terrified of making it worse. I obviously need to lose weight (I'd hoped running would help!) but no idea how to proceed.

Do you have a good gym near you, Twas? Sometimes they have sports doctors there - my local David Lloyd gym does. You would have to pay, unfortunately, but you don't have to be a member of the gym to go and see them.

WEM I graduated just over a week ago, and since then have been bugged by bugs. Last weekend and now this weekend hais to run 1-2 times a week, aerobics class once per week and swim once per week, on shorter runs, building up speed til I;m at 10km/h rate, and then increasing distance til I can do 5km in 30 mins.ve been complete write offs - was supposed to be driving the kids back home today, but have spent most if the day in bed while boys looked after by good old Gran. HOWEVER the one run I did get out for, I went back to a shorter distance, and tried to go a bit faster - which I must of, because I used an earlier turning point marker, (about week 5, iirc - ie when I started this flat there and back route rather than my scenic hilly route!) and I must have sped up as it was my fastest time. So, my plan is to run 1-2 times a week, aerobics class once per week and swim once per week, on shorter distance til I can do 5km in 30 mins.
Fingers crossed I get well enough to attempt some of this grand plan before I loose all fitness!

Hair from Toon to Whitby, you've driven past my house :)