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Original poster

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

972 replies

cinnamongreyhound · 18/07/2013 16:24

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 Wink

Old Thread

OP posts:
MsVestibule · 01/09/2013 19:46

I've done Day 1 of Week 1!!! Got a bit of a stitch but managed OK apart from that. Had my gait analysed and spent a total of £80 on running shoes, socks and an iPhone holder so that's a good incentive to continue.

For the first time in my life, I'm starting a fitness programme purely to increase my fitness, not just to lose weight and I have to admit, I'm feeling quite chuffed Smile.

SunshineMMum · 01/09/2013 20:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

watchingout · 01/09/2013 21:11

Congratulations on taking the first step Ms V Smile

and good luck for tomorrow LizzieV Flowers

MaireadnotMermaid · 01/09/2013 21:25

Well done Ms V
Good luck Lizzie

iloveaglassofwine · 01/09/2013 22:10

Hello. Have popped in here from another c25k thread in the hope I can get some advice from those of you who may have been there too.

Before I started this I did virtually no exercise and so I am pretty unfit to say the least. I'm on week 4 have repeated week 3 as I just didn't feel my fitness was up to progressing to week 4. Today I ran w4r3 and managed to run all the bits I was meant to. However, I've discovered that I much prefer "nailing" a week before moving on to the next week.

I suspect it's a confidence thing as much as a comfort thing so I'm wondering whether to repeat week 4 and become more comfortable with the 5 minute runs. At the moment I still count the seconds to the end of the run and I can not imagine that I'll be able to run for 20 minutes come the end of this week.

Any advice from you graduates or those of you who are further on in the program?

Thanks

Iwearblack · 01/09/2013 22:20

I love reading all your success stories here - so inspiring!

MsV I completed my w1r2 today so we are at a similar point. I am sat here now with sore thighs - not looking forward to the stairs tomorrow! I have never been a runner but would like to get fit. If I can run for 30 min by Christmas I will be amazed - the 8 x 1 min runs have been a challenge (should have read the program script properly before I began as I thought it was run 60 s, walk 5 min and repeat three times!)
Hope I can get out on Tuesday to complete week 1 ....

MsVestibule · 01/09/2013 22:54

Thanks for the encouragement everybody Smile. Iwearblack maybe we need to keep each other going!

Are all C25K programmes exactly the same, or do the walk/run intervals differ on each one? I tried to download the NHS podcast, but need Adobe Flash Player which isn't compatible with my iPhone. So I just downloaded a free app which was walk 5 mins, then very short walk/run intervals, e.g. approximatelt 1 minute running, 1.5 minutes walking, then 7 minutes walking at the end. Does it really matter which programme I use?

Sorry if this has been discussed to death before now Blush.

DramaAlpaca · 01/09/2013 23:15

iloveaglassofwine if you feel you'd like to repeat a week then that's fine, lots of people do. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to complete C25K. If repeating a week gives you the confidence to move on, then that's a good thing.

But you may well surprise yourself & find that you can do W5 without a problem. The first run of W5 is three lots of five minutes, so you've done that already. The program up to now has been preparing you for that 20 minute milestone, and you are almost certainly more ready than you think. I think everyone is worried about that run (I know I was) and is pleasantly surprised when they succeed.

Best of luck with W5, whatever you decide to do.

watchingout · 02/09/2013 07:50

Iloveaglassofwine - my advice would be to ignore what's coming up! You know you're going to need 30-40 mins of free time but just plug your earphones in and listen to the program as you do it.,ie no pre preparation.

My biggest wobble was the night before one milestone run which was the only time I had a hint of what was coming up by reading too much on here for me, my mind was my biggest handicap. Ignorance is bliss Grin

Your body is definitely capable of accepting the program, with no repeats. I too had done no exercise for years (BMI 28) but I completed the program in the nine weeks Grin

Go for it (or JFDI Wink)

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 02/09/2013 09:41

Glad to hear you got back out there FoundAChopinLizt and that you enjoyed it :)

Welcome SunshineMMum! I only had knee pain when I injured something else and I think I was running strangely. Good trainers should help with knee pain but also some other pilates style exercises. The motion with running pushes you knee inwards and then there's a little muscle in your hip that pulls it back out, strengthening this can help with knee pain. I am training for a half marathon at the moment and I'm finding my knee hurts on my longer runs so going to get my trainers checked out when I get a moment!

Welcome and well done MsVestibule, that's the toughest run done :). The plans are very similar but do have little differences.

Well done Iwearblack!

Move on iloveaglassofwine! You've completed all runs so you're ready for the next step. Trust the program and yourself. If by some chance you don't manage all of the next run then you can repeat that one until you've done it all. So much of running is mental and you need the confidence in yourself to move on, you WILL do it!

OP posts:
Iwearblack · 02/09/2013 10:09

Thanks all! Yes msV I'll check in with you on weds and see if the thighs make it - they feel better today so hopeful they will work on Tuesday!
Don't know how anyone managed to run in the heat - this autumnal weather suits me ....

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2013 10:52

Thanks everyone for the encouragement & information about setting up a park run. That was really interesting. Unfortunately at the moment I don't have the time, energy or confidence to do it - I work full time & am always on the road with teenagers. It's hard enough to find time to fit in my own runs! Also, I'm not in the UK & the park run concept wouldn't be known here, so that would be another hurdle to get over. That & there not being a suitable park in the vicinity - where I run is literally a track around the rugby pitches!

Thanks anyway - it's something I might be able to give thought to sometime in the future when I'm a better runner.

Happy running everyone!

FoundAChopinLizt · 02/09/2013 16:41

Welcome Sunshine and mrsV-good to see new people on here. Remember to just think about the run you're on, the next one will take care of itself and you will soon be amazing yourself!

I had a lot of aches and pains when I started, they have all settled as I got used to running. Now I'm stiff if I don't run for a few days!

Also good trainers are important, especially if you're running on hard or uneven surfaces. I pronate a lot and that can hurt your knees if not corrected with supportive trainers.

originalpiratematerial · 02/09/2013 16:46

Hello, can I join please? I did C25K last year and then did a 5 - 10K programme which I completed in June. However, the weather got hot then and I found it quite difficult to keep up the running in the heat - and then along came the summer holidays and got completely in the way!

ATM I'm really struggling with both stamina and speed. I am very slow anyway (my PB for 5k is 31 mins 30 seconds) and at the moment I can only run without stopping for about 15 minutes, then I have to drop down to walking for a few seconds. I ran (with some walking breaks) 4.7 km yesterday in 33 minutes which is obviously quite a lot slower than my PB.

SO - I am wondering now whether I should go back to the beginning of C25K and build up my stamina again? Any thoughts?

SunshineMMum · 02/09/2013 18:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nextphase · 02/09/2013 18:09

what about starting at week 4 or 5 that has slightly longer runs than starting at week1, but is still below your best allowing you to think about speed.

FWIW, I'm still only doing 4.5 km in 30 mins, on the stepping stones (so paced) runs, having graduated a few weeks ago. It looks to me that only those who were quite fit before starting regularly run 30min 5k by week 9 (unless lots contradict me!)

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2013 21:50

I've been thinking about going back to the podcasts now I've graduated and doing C25K again - but this time alternating jogging & running quickly instead of walking & running slowly, with the aim of increasing my speed.

So I had my first go at re-doing W1R1 at speed today, on the treadmill so I could see how fast I was going. It was interesting. I remember doing W1R1 originally & finding it a struggle, and I realised today just how much fitter I am now. I kept up the jog/run quickly routine all the way through the podcast & although I found it quite hard work I got to the end successfully.

I think I will try re-doing the podcasts for speed once a week, and take myself off outdoors for a 30 minute run a couple of times a week and see how I go. I don't feel I'm ready for the C25K+ podcasts just yet, so this will be a stepping stone towards that.

Feeling a bit Envy tonight. I got home from work today & DS1 who's 19, was looking very pleased with himself. He's a keen cyclist, but has never shown much interest in running. This afternoon he decided to go for a run on the treadmill because he was bored. He gleefully told me he'd just done W9 of C25K - and he ran 5K in 28 minutes having never tried it before!!!

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 02/09/2013 22:08

The joys of youth DramaAlpaca!! A few have done similar with podcasts.

I had 8 weeks off last year when I broke my foot originalpiratematerial and I just slowly increased time back up again to what my foot could do mainly. But I you feel you'd like the structure of the plan again I would go for week 4 or 5 as a minimum. Good luck!

OP posts:
FoundAChopinLizt · 02/09/2013 22:11

Drama, I have a superspeedy dd, who does a hilly10k in 45mins.
I am proud but it does make me feel old

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2013 22:23

Wow Chopin that's impressive!

The joys of youth indeed!

FoundAChopinLizt · 03/09/2013 09:42

Drama, I'm also trying to increase my speed. I went out with dd this am and we decided to speed up to a near sprint whenever a vehicle passed us, until it was out of sight. It's a long straight country road, so there aren't many cars, but when they do come they take a while to disappear into the distance. It was all going fine until the slow tractor cameShock

We were also talking about remembering to check our form, eg relaxed upper body, shoulders down, long stride whenever we saw litter on the road, but dd said horse, cow and sheep dung would be more useful because there's more of itGrin

My aim is to do a 10k in December in a good time.

DramaAlpaca · 03/09/2013 10:22

It must be fun to run with your DD Chopin - how old is she? My DS is happy to walk the dogs with me, but wouldn't want to be seen running with his old mum.

I'd like to do a 10K, but don't think I'll be doing one for a while. I don't want to come last Grin. There's an annual Pink Ribbon 10K in our village next June, so hopefully I'll be able to manage it by then!

FoundAChopinLizt · 03/09/2013 10:26

Drama

She's 15, and fine about running with me-although walking up the high street when there's people from school around is a different matterGrin

Yes, I won't run a 10k until I can reliably do it in less than 1hr in training, but December is a long way away.

Dawndonnaagain · 03/09/2013 10:42

Hello.
Lurking suggested I come over here. I start my first C25k this afternoon. I am a hefty size 20. Wish me luck!

DramaAlpaca · 03/09/2013 10:48

Chopin DS3 is just turning 16 & won't be seen out with me in public Grin. DS2 (18) and DS1 (19) have outgrown the embarrassment now, I'm pleased to say.