Anyone fancy starting Couch to 5K on Monday 5th Aug?

[workatemylife]

I have not run for YEARS. In the last 18 months I have lost a lot of weight through diet and exercise (walking), and, it would appear, breastfeeding. But I'm back at work, LO isn't drinking me dry any more, my diet is not all that it could be, and the weight is sneaking back on. I don't have the opportunity for long buggy walks with a gurgling baby to toddler groups and playparks, but I do try to cycle to work to get a bit of exercise, although probably not enough. A couple of friends do Park Run eack weekend and I'd love to join them, but at the moment I suspect it would be Park Huff and Puff before Collapsing rather than actually a RUN .

I'm planning to start a C25K plan on Monday next week, and would love some (virtual) run buddies until I feel brave / fit enough to run with real people as well. I've seen some positive comments about the plan on here, although I think I'm still a little about whether it is possible to progress like that through the weeks and actually get as far as a 5K. Still nothing ventured nothing gained.

I have running shoes somewhere at the back of the wardrobe, but might need to invest in some suitable clothing, and have a weekend of overindulgence lined up. So Monday is the day I think. First Monday of the month, and counting. I'll put a big ring around a late Sept Park Run on the calendar and start counting.....

Anyone care to join me?

We wouldn't desert you Lurking! You'll be following us onto the 5k+ thread we'll be setting up soon anyway

Sorry Dotty! Just noticed my post to Ellie this morning was meant for you ??

Completed W7R1 tonight. New music too (don't recommend "Under pressure" by Queen and Bowie btw). Bettered my time and distance but felt a bit sick in places (had a huge, late lunch).

New experience tonight that I ended up behind another jogger who was going much slower believe it or not . I had to decide whether to overtake but risk ending up in a race/looking like I'm showing off (I vaguely know her) or stay behind and slow right down... I chose the latter

Stats for your interest/comparison for stat addicts Lurking and Workate from another stats addict ??

Warm up/cool down about 7 mins/km
Average running speed 6.1 mins per km
Or in metric
Mile 1: 10.57 mins/mile
Mile 2: 9.52
Mile 3: 10.39 (behind other runner)

Total distance 5.15km / 3.2 miles
Total time 34.41mins

Nb, mile 1 included walking warm up

Great stuff, tinwe. Not only running but running faster than someone else! I too would definitely have stayed behind the slower runner just in case I managed to overtake in a fit of enthusiasm only to find the effort of it all forced me to have to slow to a walking pace 50 metres later

Going out for W4R3 once my breakfast has gone down. Will report back later (with stats, of course!). Really looking forward to progressing on to W5 on Thursday (the longest run of which is only 5 mins, as opposed to 6 on W4; it's quite strange).

More later. Good luck to anyone going out today!

Well done tinwe. Great times and it must feel nice to be able to run like a 'proper runner' and choose your speed.

It does look as if I've jumped ahead of you, but only by a few hours . I did the final run in week 6 (25 mins on my plan) and decided to go out yesterday while I had the chance. So I think we both did week 7 run 1 on the same day. Running buddies .

When do you plan to try w7r2? I have it pencilled in for Wednesday, trying to keep to the recommendation to take a day off in between each session. I didn't feel too bad yesterday after the run and a shower, and nothing aches this morning, but I do feel a bit lethargic, so I might be kind to myself. W7r2 is just the same again isn't it? 'Just'? It may be rash to use 'just' in relation to a 25 minute run!!

I'm going nowhere lurking. Coming on here and reading all your stories has been keeping me going.

Great idea to have a 5K+ thread tinwe. I'm not sure that I'll be joining the 'plus' bit though. My plan at the moment is to get to the point - and stay at the point - where I can run Parkrun in less than 30 minutes. It probably won't happen instantly at the end of the C25K plan, and I probably won't do it every week, but I intend to keep up with the training enough that it is possible. Reading other posts on the main thread though, it seems that upping the distance can help with speed, so even if I don't actively aim for a 10K it might be useful to build in some longer runs. Anyway, I need to finish Project 5K before I start the next one

tinwe what was wrong with 'Under Pressure'? The words or the beat / pace? I read somewhere that music with 150bpm is good for 10 minute miles and jog FM has some downloads / suggestions, but I've not tried them yet. I don't know if I run in time to the music or not.

Back from W4R3. Hurrah! Another week over.

I thought I was struggling a bit with that one but my stats have shown me that I went a little further and a little faster again.

3.62 km (or 2.25 miles)
duration 29 mins
average pace: 8:01 mins/km (12:54 mins/mile)
running pace: 6:5 mins/km (11.13 mins/mile)

So I'm still painfully slow but getting a tiny bit faster. No longer ache at all after running so I think my fitness levels must be improving a bit. Still have the lovely stringy hair and runny nose, though, and I keep bumping into Buff Young Neighbour as I'm coming home.

Next week is run 5 walk 2 run 4 walk 2 run 5 walk 2 run 4, so I'm going to push myself to go a bit faster since the running segments look manageable ...

I think it might be time to change my playlist too and try to get music at the correct bpm to spur me on to go a bit faster. If anyone has any recommendations, please shout!

Wow, lots of posts since I cast caught up! Won't reply to everyone as that would be one mammoth post, but thanks for all the encouragement and you're all doing a fab job. And special shout out to our pacemakers tinwe and workate for showing up it is possible!

So I did W5R2 yesterday which went pretty well. If anything I wanted to keep going after the first run - found it much harder to get going again after my walk. But am strangely excited about the 20 minutes tomorrow and seeing if I can actually do it. There's clearly something wrong with me - I'm looking forward to running

And quick stat attack (loving our inner geeks!) my first 8 minutes was at 8.36 per mile and the second one about 9.30-ish. In total I covered 2.91 miles if you include the warm up and cool down. So probably a bit too fast but I just don't seem to be able to run slowly - my legs won't do it! Although that may be different when I'm doing a full 20 minutes - aargh!

Lurking - well done! Another week ticked off.

My thoughts exactly re: overtaking, although I was worried I'd overtake and then throw up as I felt quite sickly yesterday.

I've just realised my muscles don't ache and I'm not as stiff the next day too! An unexpected but welcome bonus

Thanks for the encouragement Workate, although I think you were speedier than me

Planning to do W7R2 tomorrow as well, as per the plan. I think it's easier for me to keep up momentum when I don't have a long break. I'll be going after work though as I found my last early run really tough. Good luck to you for tomorrow!

Workate - have you read many 5k+ plans? They seem to involve inclines and at least 4 runs a week my main worry is about finding the time to do longer runs, especially on dark nights...

Good luck Slev with tomorrow's run. The 20 minuter is a big mental hurdle but it sounds like you have the right mindset

Regarding music choices- the soundtrack has made a HUGE difference to my physical feelings while running. Slower tracks really made me feel like I was dragging my body around, whereas tunes with a regular beat helped me develop a rhythm. I hated "under pressure" as the rhythm changes a lot, there's quieter bits so I can hear my panting which makes me more aware of the hard work I'm doing and it isn't very uplifting. Not to mention the lyrics! Bad choice there

My favourite tracks to run to, which are actually nowhere near my favourite tunes normally, are Jamiroquai - Little L and Canned Heat, Maroon 5 - This Love and Wings - Live and Let Die! All of them I got from friends along the way, rather than my own albums IYKWIM

That's some speed slev to start with. How great if you manage to keep it up!

Good luck with evening tinwe. I did the second run of the week today in a boringly consistent 9 mins 40 per mile pace. Like slev I seem to have just one speed too, but a rather slower one

I didn't feel too bad at the end, in fact possibly a bit better than on Monday. I still can't claim that running is fun, but finishing a run is a great feeling. Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all!

Thanks for the music advice tinwe. Maybe I could bump up the speed with some slightly 'faster' tracks. I suppose if the NHS podcasts are aiming for 5K / 30 mins, then they may well be encouraging taking about 9mins 40 per mile. Or, probably more true, that's the fastest I can run.

Workate - that speed is great compared to mine!

Just done W7R2 and it was a bad run :( Started off already exhausted after not sleeping well last night (baby issues), then just as I was getting into it someone stopped me for directions and I panicked trying to stop all the apps I had going (minor I know but it threw me off), then I went over on my ankle which was already a bit sore for some unknown reason from the last run (seriously considered giving up at this point but pushed on) and then started feeling like I'd be sick again! Pushed through at a crawl so technically finished the run but it was a hollow victory.

Second run in a row I've wanted to throw up :( It was my own fault as I was so hungry when I got home from work that I ate a yogurt before I went out running. Not sure how to get over that problem, I have more energy if I run later in the day but seem to get sickly if I've eaten...

Stats:

3.28 miles at 10.5 mins per mile in total, actual running bits 9.8 mins per mile

Or in metric
5.28km at 6.2 mins per km in total, actual running bits 6.1mins/km

I did it! I ran for a whole 20 minutes! It wasn't fast - 10.02 minutes per mile (which is quite annoying as I would probably have managed 2 miles if I hadn't had to wait to cross the road, as it is I did 1.99 miles - grr!) but that's not the point. Am feeling a bit like Superwoman now.

And a huge thank you to everyone on the thread because it really kept me going. Not just knowing other people had done it so I should be able to as well, but also thinking just how embarrassing it would be to have to come on and say I'd failed. You're all great - have some and a - although not sure that should be on an exercise thread

Well done Slev! ?? for you, put your feet up and enjoy a well deserved ?

Can't beat the feeling of completing your first 20 minuter, can you? Remember you can officially call yourself superwoman a runner now according to my app

Glad to see you found a slower pace at last too, that should be sustainable as you build your time up rather than burning you out early on. 3 miles is 4.8km too so you're not far off your 5k already!

My ankle is getting more tender and red...

Thanks tinwe . Yep, it's a great feeling - sounds pathetic when it's just running for 20 minutes but it's such a psychological step up from the 8 minutes I'd done previously - now I just feel like I'll be able to do any length (within reason!).

And yes, the pace thing was interesting - I definitely started faster, slowed in the middle and then got my second wind towards the end. So not too concerned as it means I should be able to do 5k in 30 minutes by the end which is all I was aiming for.

That's bad news about your ankle though - have you iced it and bandaged it somehow? Sounds as though you've twisted it so hopefully just needs a rest - although I know how frustrating that would be. Fingers crossed it's better in the morning. I think it's part of the problem with running at night - I didn't realise quite how bad the lighting round here was until I started running and couldn't actually see the potholes pavement.

slev, what a hero!! That makes you another Proper Runner. Well done indeed!! I may be lagging behind you three by a couple of weeks but hearing these stories of how you've managed to break through the 20 minute barrier is really inspiring!

workate, you're doing really well with the 9 mins 40/mile. I really must try to go a little bit faster.

tinwe, you poor thing. What a catalogue of disasters. Does it make you feel any better to know that on your supposedly terrible run, with a bad ankle, feeling sick and limping to the finish line, you still ran considerably faster than I do on a good day?

As the self-proclaimed Running Injury Expert in our little team, get yourself some Deep Freeze cold gel for your ankle and ice it for 15-20 minutes several times a day. I bought a cuff thing with a gel pack. The cuff wraps round your leg and fastens with velcro so you can go about your business with the icy gel on your leg, rather than having to sit with a bag of frozen peas on it. Let us know how you're feeling today.

Going out later for W5R1. Week 5! So pleased I've made it this far. Not sure I would have without this thread to spur me on

Go for it Lurking! This is the exciting bit now for you, the bit where you become a proper runner over the next few runs and really believe you can do it! Glad we're inspiring you , you ploughing through injury is an inspiration too

Ankle not too bad today, I can walk on it and it doesn't look too bad but its throbbing a little bit and is sore to touch. Really hope I can go out again tomorrow to finish week 7

Well, am back from W5R1. It was a mixed bag of a run.

The disastrous bits were that I planned my route completely wrongly and ended up with a huge hill to climb in the final run. Decided against doing that and went on a mad detour, running round various streets, getting progressively more and more lost (honestly, this is only about a mile from my house and I had no idea where I was, thanks to my legendary non-existent sense of direction) and going farther and farther away from the direction I was meant to be taking. Aargh.

Ended up with a bit of a hill to climb in the last run and just could not do the last 30 seconds. Once I got to cool down I kept running for 30 seconds, though, so it should have evened out. Had ended up so far away from my house that I had a 20-minute cooldown walk to take me home (stopped the app after 5, though) and honestly thought I might faint the whole way home. The only thing that kept me going was that I felt worse when I stopped walking and my heart didn't seem to be racing, so I thought I probably wouldn't have a heart attack in the middle of a quiet leafy suburb. Which would have been embarrassing.

Anyway, the good news is [drum roll] that I covered 4.47 km/2.78 miles today.

Average pace 7:37 mins/km, 12:16 mins/mile
Running pace 7:01 mins/km, 11:18 mins/mile

Still horribly slow (I am like a snail compared to all of you) but at least I got closer to the elusive 5K. Next time I am going to plot a route that has not the slightest incline. Or will perhaps get DH to drive me to the top of a hill so that I can run all the way down and double my speed

Forgot to say that I do feel great, though, now I know I'm not going to expire.