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?

Lots of congratulations all round. workate for actually doing what we've all signed up for and running 5k, dotty for becoming a "Proper Runner" and lurking for completing another week. We're all doing amazingly well considering where we were a only a month or so ago!

lurking I actually think I prefer the way your app builds it up. Don't know why mine gets me all geared up to run 20 minutes straight and then next run takes me back down to nothing longer than 8 minutes, seems a step backwards. Am quite looking forward to finishing W6 so that it's getting back to one long run and then just pushing it a bit longer each time.

Although most of all I'm just looking forward to getting out there again - funny how easily it becomes a habit. Bring on Saturday (and not just 'cos DH will be home then!). Just hope what everyone else has said is right and a week off doesn't affect things too much. at all of you cracking on through the plan - I'm going to be last...

Tinwe, thanks so much for the tip about the MapmyRun app. I've just finished my 2 week of runs with c25k and with the MapmyRun I found out I burned 480 calories! Also, all the stats about time and pace etc were really interesting.

Thanks everyone. Onto week 3.

Well done Lurking! You're 2/3 of the way to the 30 minute run (and end of your programme or is there a week 9) now then!

You shouldn't underestimate the wind resistance either

Glad to be of service Harry! Well done on completing week 2, this is when it gets really interesting. I think most of us agree that less starting and stopping actually feels easier, although adding the extra running to that doesn't make it feel any easier overall!

Well done Workate! ?? You jumped 3 weeks of the plan!!!! Are you going to go back now or just consider yourself graduated?

Dotty- good point re the British weather. My mum pointed out that I'll have long periods in winter when I won't be able to run because of ice. That seems strange now I've got used to it

Lurking - been meaning to say well done your SIL for getting up again during her race! Very impressive (and the running of course)

I was due to run again today but for the first time I broke the plan with an extra rest day. I'd already booked a Pilates class and didn't want to do that AND a run while I'm still recovering. My foot/ankle is still sore when I put pressure through it (stairs, tip toes etc) and my back is pretty much better but I can still feel it at times. Should be ok to run tomorrow.

Feeling bad that I've slacked off, especially since I really want to finish the 9 weeks programme by a week on Friday (before DH goes off on a stag do and I have no child care while I run). I know it was the sensible choice though

Well done harry! Yep, looking back, I think week 3 is when it begins to get interesting, and it's definitely easier in some ways to just keep running rather than have to start running several times in the course of the 30 mins. Remember we want stats, though

tinwe - quite right to take an extra rest day. Your ankle will thank you for it and one more day won't hurt. How amazing that you're thinking ahead to graduating in less than two weeks. Any idea what you'll do after that?

I just calculated that if I keep running every other day I'll be graduating on my 46th birthday. How cool is that? Goodness, I can't believe I'm going to be 46; it looks very old written down when I feel a good two decades younger. Good thing I'm keeping myself svelte and youthful with all this running, eh?

And yes, was thinking that this running into the wind/in the rain etc is sadly going to be the norm for the next six months, most probably, so I'd better get used to it. I'm already a bit aghast at the thought of not being able to run because the pavements are too frosty. It was coold yesterday when I was out and I felt really chilly until I started running. I think I may have to invest in some winter running gear.

At the end of my plan, there are three separate 30-minute runs, a 45-minuter, a 60-minuter and a custom distance run (you choose the distance and the app tells you when you've got that far). I think I'll do the 30-minuters for a week then will find a 5k improver app to try to get my speed up.

Who's going out today? We need some stats to pore over.

tinwe Hope the ankle really is better today. And you're absolutely not slacking off by having a rest day - I think the NHS plan is for three runs each week, so there must be a two day break somewhere. I've not always taken it, and I think you've been doing the same, but a decent gap between runs might help your ankle heal. How was the Pilates? I did a class a while back (for new mums, so quite gentle) but I never practiced at home. It was nice 'me time' though.

No stats from me today lurking. I should be out again tomorrow though, and Tinwe might have some figures for you later!

tinwe I'm not classing myself as a 'graduate' yet. I did one run yesterday that lasted about 90 seconds longer than the run in the C25K plan, but I don't think that really counts as finishing it. In theory I still have the best part of two weeks to do - this week doing week 8 and next week doing week 9. The big decision is whether to think about a Park Run after that. A family member laughed out loud earlier in the year at the idea of me running anything more than a bath - and they usually do the Park Run with DH on the last Saturday of the month. I would love to turn up casually in a pair of trainers and put in a sub-30 time to prove the point. But maybe that can wait till October. I'll see how the next week or so goes.

Good luck to all of you who are out today. We're putting in some good distances now, however daunting the plans seem.

Two things, today:

(1) I wore jeans I haven't worn for several months. They are definitely looser.

(2) I registered to do a proper 5K in December. Since I am rubbish at sticking to things inless I have a goal, I thought I'd better get one in place for after the programme ends, just to make sure I don't give up. By that time, of course, a 5K should be a breeze

Lurking - your plan goes 30mins, 30 mins, 30 mins, 45 mins, 60 mins! Those are big jumps! Is the 60 second run the one you graduate on your birthday on? You won't have much energy left to party!

Well done on the jeans, maybe you'll need to get new (smaller) ones for your birthday

Lurking - exciting re your real 5k. Is it for charity?

Working - pilates is great. Tried it once before and didn't like it but this time I think it really compliments the running as it's kind of relaxing but also makes muscles sore the next day

Good to have you carrying on, it's good to have a run buddy/pace maker

Working - I understand about proving something to someone with the running. My mum is still in shock that I'm doing this! The main motivating event for me at the moment though is a wedding in October with guests who won't have seen me in the last 18 long, child birth and rearing years

W8R1 done Foot/ankle still sore but back fine. I was very tired though as I went out and very unmotivated!

I measured the stats differently today following Working's impressive last run. Instead of letting the app measure the whole session, I just did the running bit so that I wasn't guessing at my speeds for each respective part. Stats below:

28 mins, 4.65km, average speed 6mins/km

Ha ha tinwe, no I'm not planning on doing the 60-minute run at all! The programme stops after Week 8, at which point I should be able to run for 30 mins, all going well. After that, though, they've just tacked a few spare runs on the end that I guess are meant to be optional extras. I'll do the 3 x 30 minute ones to try to get to the point when I can do the 5K in the 30, then I think I'll leave it at that and move on to another programme.

Well done on your first W8 run - what a fantastic speed. Two more minutes and you'll be there

workate I would love it if you casually turned up to a Parkrun, all nonchalant about it, and then proceeded to run it in less than 30, possibly with a victory lap at the end

I'm off out for W6R1 later on. Run 8, Walk 3, Run 8 - that sounds fairly manageable, although I didn't get to bed until 1 and have been awake since before 6, thanks mainly to snoring husband. Am feeling quite exhausted but hoping I perk up a bit in a few hours. Will report back.

lurking great news all round. I can't say I've noticed a lot of weight loss (I eat too much!!) but I do feel a bit more toned at least after all this work. But needing smaller trousers is a nice outcome from the plan. It would be great to finish on your birthday I'm sure, but leave time and space for and ! Wow - entering a 5K as well. That's a commitment made and something to look forward to.

tinwe that sounds like a cracking effort yesterday. 28 minutes of Proper Running albeit with an injury, great speed and distance too! Imagine, you only have to run less than the distance round a running track and you've done (go on - it will happen) 5K in half an hour (or less!). Wooohooooo

I did week 8 run 2 today, and just stuck to the plan. No heroic chasing towards the line. No stats to present though, because the MapMyRun app seemed to go nuts on me again. It claimed I ran 3.4 miles, but since I was trotting around the Park Run course and didn't make it to the end, I know that's not the case. The speed is also wrong as a result. I'll just tick the mental box to say w8r2 done and leave it at that I think.

I started my 3rd week this morning and I found it really really hard. I had to walk a bit of one of the runs. First time I've to do that. I just couldn't stretch to 3 mins. I'll have to repeat that workout I think. The tops of my feet were killing me.

harry, I seem to remember Week 3 being really tough. I think it's because Weeks 1 and 2 are really like an extended warm-up (although they don't feel that way at the time!) to get you used to the programme and then Week 3 seems to get suddenly harder. I remember just aching that week.

No shame at all in having to walk for a bit. The next run will be better, promise

I'm just back from W6R1. This was quite a short one (my app is weird and seems to alternate between shorter and longer runs) but manageable apart from the last five minutes when it was a bit challenging. A good blast of Stevie Wonder carried me through to the end, though

Distance: 3.94 km - 2.45 miles
Average speed: 7.24 mins/km - 11.55 mins/mile
Running speed: 6.26 mins/km - 10.21 mins/mile

Well done, workate - another one under your belt. Sorry your app seems to be having a mind of its own. I had to stop carrying my phone in the little pocket in my running leggings as I finally figured out that's what was causing the app to freeze. I expect it couldn't cope with being so close to my overheated body. Any chance it's something similar with yours that's causing a malfunction? Mind you, you're so close to the finishing line that it probably doesn't matter too much now!

Oh, and I cannot say that I actually need jeans in a smaller size now. It's more that they feel a tiny bit looser but, alas, not so much so that I need to keep them up with a belt

Lurking- well done! Another one checked off and good times too despite it being "challenging"

Never heard of an app malfunctioning due to the user being hot stuff before!

Harry - well done on another run completed, don't be so hard on yourself that you had to slow down for a bit though! Everyone has bad runs at times and (according to my long term runner DH) it's part of becoming "a runner" that you become more confident in your skills overall and that future runs will be better. Since all the runs in week 3 are the same I'd continue through the week and do any repeats you think necessary at the end. You might find that you feel ready to progress after doing the same run three times but if you're still struggling with week 3 you can repeat until you've mastered it, you won't be the first!

Hi all quick comment on the GPS - could it be that in a leggings pocket there is no clear view of the sky (needed for GPS to work) whereas on the arm there always is. Although I like the hot stuff idea too!

W6r1 tomo morning here I come...

Well done Workate! W8R2... only 4 more runs left

Good luck Dotty for tomorrow

To add to the evidence, I carry my phone in a pack on my arm and that seems to work