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?

I have today made a quite enormous effort to get into the city (with both children) in order to purchase a sports bra. Simple one might think.

Bravissimo is all upstairs with no lift and the one downstairs changing room was in use. Baby started scream so we had to go. Got to John Lewis and baby asleep. Started looking for sports bras and the 3yo decided to have epic tantrum which then woke the baby.

So we came home.

I might try again at the weekend or possibly risk buying online!

Oh nightmare! You could order a few online to try and you'd have them before the weekend - save a trip.
Ennell is brilliant if you're booby

Ok this is clearly meant to be as I was trying to gather the will power to start today and then I saw this thread. I've got the new trainers, I've downloaded the app, just need DH home from work to mind kids and semi darkness so no one sees me and then I too will join you all.....( wonders is there such a thing as a sports belly bra?)

About to go out and heavens have opened. Tell me to jfdi would you all please?

Jfdi!

Done it! Quite wet now but the cool water on my altogether puce face was v welcome. Realised just as I was leaving that I have no music on my phone so had to listen to my heavy breathing all the way around

Nice one oscar - It's not so bad in the rain once you give into it is it! Would still rather run in the dry ao hope the good weather will last a bit longer

coconutty you can do it with a stopwatch if you wanted to start before getting a new phone, just google couchto5k and you can get the programme there.

Go for it herladyshipssoap, hope you have a good first run!

Next run tomorrow, I need something to do on rest days so may look at the NHS stretching app someone linked to (sorry can't remember who mentioned it!?) Unless anyone has any suggestions of exercise that works for them?

Well, got home just in time for the heavens to open in biblical terms so it was well worth getting out there when I did. I don't mind running in the rain actually as my face always goes tomato red in seconds so it's nice to avoid heatstroke in a spot of British summer. Haven't been this red in the face since I had DD2 though. Poor DH

It wasn't too bad actually. 1 min on, 1.5 off x 8 seemed to be just the right level though I am embarrassingly red for what is in fact just 8 mins of running in total. Onwards and upwards

One top tip for you ladies which I am going to do later is to measure myself (rather than weighing). Waist, chest, hips, thighs, calves, upper arms and write it all down. I'm going to come back to it in 4 weeks and see what has changed. My experience of running (for me) is that I don't lose a pound for ages and then it all falls off. I actually put on weight (under the lard) as I build some muscle so it's deeply depressing. I did a bootcamp pre DC and the inch measurements were a brilliant indicator. One lady "only" lost 10 lbs but 18 inches off her hips....They had to find her a belt to keep her trousers up on going home day as we'd spent the week in what was by then manky tracksuit bottoms.

Off to make myself a virtuous cup of tea and check out the weather forecast for Wednesday.

I can give you a bootcamp circuits program Dotty if you want it? I've seen the Shred mentioned on here. Apparently it's on Youtube so I might have a gander and see if it can be done discreetly at home.

I'm waiting for a storm to pass before I go out. I was allfur running in the rain but I'll give lightning a miss

Well done everybody who went out today. I think running in the rain is probably something I am going to have to get used to, bearing in mind it's the UK and this summer(ish) weather can't last too much longer.

W2R1 tomorrow for me. Have a meeting in town and need to leave the house at 10:15 so will be doing an earlyish run. Just in time for rush-hour traffic and loads of buses with commuters staring out at me wondering why I can only manage to run for 90 seconds at a time and yet STILL have a purple face

Did it! Last 30 seconds seem to go much faster when walking for some reason . Dont know how I will ever run for more than one minute without dying. I didn't carry water with me - should I?

Wk1 finished

I have decided that running in the rain is much nicer than running in the heat and sun. The rain was keeping me nice and cool, I was even jumping over puddles

I might start wk2 tomorrow night because it's DP's birthday on Wed and we're getting pissed as farts going out on Friday so I need to jiggle about a bit. I'll see how I feel though.

HerLadyshipsSoap I didn't even think I could ever run for a minute at a time when I started but tonight was fine. I'm definitely in a much better state tonight than I was when I started. I don't carry water with me either, I have a drink before I go and then one when I get back. I think if I tried to walk and drink at the same time, I'll fall over

My face still looks as if I fell asleep in the sun one hour later

What a busy day on here! I have a silly question : does anyone else get a sore head after a run? I have tried to drink water in case it is dehydration but now I wonder if its not just my belly that wobbles but my brain too

Hooray! W1R1 done and I didn't die!!

Ok my face has never been so purple but I made it and was kind of impressed that I managed to do 8 intervals of 1 min runs... Not the most impressive 11 minute mile (ahem slowing to 14 for the last couple) but I finished it.

May not make it back off the sofa though now

Hi all, popping over from another c25k thread just to answer Tinwe question about Laura but with your own music! I asked the same Q a couple of months ago (just made week 9!!) and tried quite a few options. Best one was Get Running c25k app. Ticks all the boxes. Cost about £2 but worth every penny!

Good luck all of you. It's a wonderful programme. I could barely make the 60 seconds and lived for the walking bits and now loving running for half an hour (did I really just type that!!). Suffering with sore knees but think that's me not the c25k - it's truly brilliant programme and honestly 30 mins now is no harder than 60 seconds was 8 weeks ago!

Thanks tina for the encouragement - good to hear!

W2r1 done this morning, was tired by the end but it was definitely doable, good for exploring the city too

oscar - yes pls to the circuits! Will have a look at the shred on YouTube today too to see if it looks manageable as well as the c25k

Well done everyone who got out last night, I had such a hectic night after DP got home I didn't manage to get out, we don't live in the nicest area by night so didn't fancy being out alone at 9.30. I'm thinking of walking to town and having a run along the canal where it's much flatter, then I can attempt the hills round here on Thursday morning when my MIL comes to see DS.
I'll probably try a few workouts from YouTube on in between days, or remind myself of the gym membership that never gets used and start doing some more classes there. I'm scared of the Shred at the minute, I tried it a few years ago and only got to day 2 before giving up because I couldn't walk up the stairs to my office!
Does anyone have a goal in mind for once they've finished? I want to enter a local half marathon next year and do a full one in 2015, I'll be really proud if I can go from nothing to marathon in 2 years even if its with a rubbish time.

Oh and nice one maggie for doing your first run- I'm definitely looking at speed as being secondary to actually getting round!

Just back from W2R1. It was definitely harder but I made it and added an extra 0.25 of a mile to my distance. I too am not remotely caring about speed at this stage as I think building up stamina is much more important. Once I can actually run for a sustained time I can start to think about attempting more thah a weary shuffle.

workatemylife, that does sound like dehydration. are you drinking enough before you go out?

well done maggie! First one complete; it can only get easier from now

Off now for a little rest before I have to leave the house. Hope my purple face has settled down by then

I'll see if I can dig it out. Start looking for something you can tuck your feet under for situps.

This sentence below from TinaSurrey is possibly the single most inspirational thing I have read about the whole C25K malarkey. If that doesn't encourage us all to keep going, I don't know what will. Thank you!

honestly 30 mins now is no harder than 60 seconds was 8 weeks ago

Thanks lurking and dotty, just being able to run for a minute at a time feels like an achievement!

daydream my goal is to get a level where I just build regular walking and running into my daily routine. Be it walking the kids to school or little one to toddler group or going out myself in the evenings, whatever it is I'd like it to be part of my life rather than something I have to drag myself to do!

And ideally I'd like to get to the stage where I can walk briskly pushing the buggy for a few miles and not have to avoid people for the next hour til the sweat stops lashing off me, face is no longer purple, hair has turned into frizz! Not the biggest goals in the world but they'd do me.

lurkingfromhome totally agree tina's quote was absolutely what I needed to hear. Thanks Tinafromsurrey !

I just did W1R1 and it was so hard I didn't manage it all. I'm going to take an easier route with the aim to finish on Thursday.