Couch to 5k- Cage your inner chimp and get started!

[cinnamongreyhound]

A thread for those thinking of starting, just starting, making good progress or finish the c25k. For all abilities and stages, come and join us for support and advice, we're a lovely bunch!

Old thread

Week 7 run 3 done.

I went a different route and still only managed 3.7kms. 5kms in 30 minutes is looking a very long way off

I aspire to getting over 3 km! Just done week 6 run 3 (NHS - 25 min run) did it (woohoo) but only 2.4 km.... I was running honest!

4 k seems so near but so far - those extra 300m are still out of reach for me yet.

Iwearblack. I have no idea how far I ran on my first 25 minute run. It would have been a lot less as my focus was on completing the task rather than achieving a specific distance.

Now there's only 2 weeks left of the plan for me, I know that I really need to up my pace if I'm going to make it to 5k but I don't know if my fitness level will be good enough in time for me to manage that.

We'll see.........

I honestly don't think many people get to 5k at the end of the 9 weeks but running for 30mins is an achievement! Try not to worry about distance.

So for those who are thinking about it I ran parkrun with both dogs today :) some people looked terrified at the start! It seems running with both is better than with one they seemed to keep each other going. We've got 6 juniors now with their 10 T-Shirts

I agree with cinnamon - to start with it's best to just focus on the 30 minutes.

If you then carry on running for 30 minutes, you'll find that you do get faster each time.

I've stopped using my GetRunning (C25K) app, and use MapMyRun instead, and use that to tell me how far I've run. Regardless of the time, I run for 5K. Apart from one run, where I was running somewhere different and much hillier, and one run where I wasn't really feeling great, my times have improved with each run.

I've finally broken through the 30 minute mark (best run was 29 minutes and 52 seconds), but that was some time after I'd completed the C25K programme.

Hi all. W7R2 done. My knees are not happy!

With regard to distance I have no clue how far I'm running at the moment. Keep meaning to put MapMyRun on to see. Although I may wait till I can do the 30 mins first. I'm thinking of doing Wk 9 and then moving on to the C25k+ runs to help build up speed/distance. I suspect it will take me some time to reach the 5k. Quite possibly another 9 weeks!

W1R3 done. I went a lot further today! Clearly I should always run while pissed off with DP

I went a bit mad today and ran 5 km without stopping, in 34 minutes. I'm really pleased as that's the first "proper" (as in, absolutely no stopping or walking) 5 km I've done since June.

Any advice. I've increased my walking to 4kmph. Anything else feels too slow. However, running at 5.4kmph is just a faster walk, but 5.8 is too much. What do I do. I read on one of the c25k sites that if you could slow it down, you were going too fast!

Dawndonna I'd stop getting as hung up on the numbers! As your getting fitter, your going fast (and hence further). Your doing so amazingly well from being sat on the couch 2 months ago. Stick with it, and go at a speed your comfortable with. If your getting through to the end of the running sessions at the speed, its not too slow. What about trying the last few mins of running of each exercise session (ie not the end of every run if your on a 3-4 runs in a session) at a faster speed. I've been running outside, but if I've got the energy when they say last few mins, I speed up. And if I can do that, I try the next week slightly faster (like WOW, thats one lamp post further down the road by 5 mins).
I'm certain I was running slower than I was walking at some points - but the action was running iyswim?

I agree with everyone who says it's best not to get hung up on the numbers. It is a really big achievement to run for 30 minutes without stopping, or dropping down to a walk - focus on that!

And, for anyone who wants to lose weight, it's worth bearing in mind that running is running is running - running 5 km in 35 minutes will burn the same number of calories as running 5 km in 30 minutes!

So tomorrow is my Big Fun Run for Woolly Hugs! It isn't a race, and it isn't even a timed run, but for some reason I feel very nervous about it. We're running at Crystal Palace which is, I believe, quite hilly, so it will be more difficult for me as I usually run on a flat route.

Oh good luck, BIWI - hope it goes really well!

Thank you! I'm not worried about the running now, because I know I can do that. But - from an ego point of view - I'd like the time to be a good one, even though I know it's not being recorded. That seems daft, doesn't it?! I'll use my phone to do the MapMyRun anyway. Just out of interest.

It doesn't seem daft at all! I was really peeved tonight when I got home and looked at my times because I thought I ran quite fast for a bit, but in fact I hadn't at all - now that IS sad .

Good luck for tomorrow BIWI :)

Thank you!

Thank you folks!
Good luck BIWI

Good luck tomorrow! X

Thanks. My main concern is the weather. Forecast is for rain. I don't like running in the rain!

It's horrible here, postponed my long run until later! Even the dogs ran in the garden did what they had to and ran back in!

Well I've finished! Goodness what a horrible day. We were soaked through before we even started! Once I got running it was OK. The course wasn't too hilly, although the start of it was a long incline which was hard the second time around, and I did have to walk a bit at that point. I have a bit of a cold and I realised I couldn't breathe through my nose, so I walked until I could retrieve my hanky and blow my nose, and my heart rate had calmed down a little! I reckon I did it in around 34 minutes, which I'm quite pleased about. (It wasn't a timed run, and I didn't bother using Map my Run today - just wanted to get round).

More importantly, I'm delighted that I've raised over £700 for Woolly Hugs/World Child Cancer

Well done, BIWI!

That's fantastic BIWI!!!!