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

[lizardqueenie]

Hello ladies- wondering if I might join or ask your advice at least. I am quite fat in fact very fat about 7st overweight. I haven't done much exercise for the last few months but before that I would go to the gym despite my size. I have no other health problems. Would c25k be ok for me or do I need to loose some lbs first?

[Dawndonnaagain]

lizard I have said many a time, I'm a hefty size 20 and I'm doing it! I'm about five stone overweight and am on week three!

[lizardqueenie]

Cheers Dawn! That's made me feel a lot better. Are you enjoying it? I've gone from a tight 22 to a 20 recently so I would now like to do some exercise & think c25k could be good. Does anyone do it in the gym or do u all do it in the (whispers!) outdoors?

[LizzieVereker]

Hello all -thanks for the new thread Cinnamon, sorry you are feeling rubbish. Don't worry Lizard I am o/w and finished the programme last week, it's doable! I think I've lost weight (don't weigh myself) but all my clothes are too big and have gone down a shoe size

Since going back to work, I have been doing 3k runs v early in the morning 3 days a week, and am v pleased with my increasing pace! I'm going to try and repeat my 5k tomorrow when I'll have more time.

To those just starting, before I took this up, I did NO sport at all, ever. It's been life changing. The nicest thing is being able to join in with conversations about exercise at work, without being the funny fat one saying "oh I'm rubbish at sport, I prefer cake"!

(still love and eat cake though )

[nextphase]

Lizard a number of people have done treadmill C25K for a variety of reasons. I think most of us have done it outside, but it is by no means essential!

reiltin I'm in awe of you doing it with buggy! Any chance you can go out once or twice sans buggy, just to see how much harder your making it for yourself? I've just started on the C25K+ podcasts, and the advice to make sure your arms are going forward and back, and not across your body has made a big difference to required effort. No arms at all will make it much harder.

[jchocchip]

Ooooo marking place on thread. Did parkrun again today although more of a walk again. Jury is still out on the foot, it is much much better than 2 months ago, but still a bit achey. Will try and do more low impact work this week and see how it goes next Saturday. May go back to the podcasts to work on speed...

[Reiltin]

Nextphase, where did you find the podcasts? The arms thing is interesting advice. I'd love to listen to one on breathing.

I know I'm making it harder, though i like being able to justify not doing all the minute runs fully - it's cos of the buggy, nothing to do with my fitness level

Mentioned to some friends that I've started it and they've both done it - I didn't even know. Both really enjoyed it. Gave me real confidence

[watchingout]

Hi Lizard! Even though you're overweight, you've still done gym exercise so I guess the trainers think you are fit enough. The programme takes you in very gently, and builds stamina. It's designed to progress weekly, but if you find you are getting problems, you can do weeks/runs again. There is no minimum speed limit thank goodness

Put a call out for Cinnamon the weight loss guru !

I didn't lose anything over the course of the programme. Except my self- consciousness but this morning showed -2.2 lbs on the scales

I have just come back from my run with dog, who kept up well despite his age. Embarrassingly well. Beautiful spot with interesting houses to nosey at bordering the open forest. Think I'll be going back cos I can stretch that route farther and farther. And there are loads of blackberries for sustenance.

[nextphase]

I used the couch to 5k from the NHS website. Loads of advice there.
Others have used zen labs, and a number of other systems - depends on your player, and if you want encouragement and fixed music, or if you want to run to your new music.

watching sounds like doggy runs are the way to go. Would (s)he encourage you out of bed in the mornings?

[cinnamongreyhound]

Sounds good EeTraceyLuv and Dawndonnaagain!

I used mfp to lose weight, running 5k alone doesn't burn enough calories to make huge difference. I burned more when I started as I was heavier but now burn roughly 100calories per 10 mins.

Definitely tougher with pushie Reiltin! I got podcasts iTunes in podcast section from the app on my phone, just search 'nhs couch'

Parkrun went well today apart from a slight misunderstanding which left me seeming a bit rude to a volunteer as someone had opened his email offering to help so I hadn't seen it and had no idea he'd turned up to help . Processed results totally on my own, yay!

Dh doesn't want me to do a full 10miles tomorrow after my cold so I may do a two lap route so I can see how it goes.

[Reiltin]

The NHS website is so awesome! I'm Irish but started using it when I was pregnant. Every time i googled something, there was good NHS advice that I trusted. And the c25k stuff is great - thanks for pointing me to it

[lizardqueenie]

Lovely, thank you all for your advice. I;m in 2 minds about starting at gym or just to get out there and do it. The thing about the gym is it would be easy for me to go before work, shower at the gym and be on my way to work/ on commute. Although the thing about doing it outside is that you can just go and do it whenever is convenient in your day Really enjoying reading about all of your runs. Park run is definitely something I would like to progress towards once i am fitter.

[BelaLug0si]

Just dropping to encourage all the new starters and those doing the C25K programme to stick with it .
After reading the threads on here it prompted me to give it go in March, no running since school. Graduated in May, since then I've run two 5k races, joined a running club and regularly run 8 miles, and have got up to 10 miles. Wouldn't have believed it was possible - but it is and it's thanks to the programme and being inspired by reading others doing it do.

DH started on it recently and did R1W4 today.

Keep it up!

[lizardqueenie]

Thanks for your encouragement! Right, think I've found an app I like the look of- looks like it's 3x runs a week- so I have one more question if no-one minds? If I do my runs at the gym then they will mostly need to be on consecutive days (ie before work on my way to work) does that matter or is it better to spread them out? Thank you

[nextphase]

Lizard they recommend a days break between each run to allow your muscles to recover and rest. Could you do Mon, wed, fri in the gym? Or one day at the weekend outside, and then 2, non consecutive, work days?
As far as I can tell, they are all 3 runs a week, over 8-9 weeks.

[lizardqueenie]

Thanks next. Maybe I could do Tue & Thursday at gym in the morning & then one day at the weekend/ Friday evening either at the gym or outside.

[Reiltin]

Did it! W1R2 finished, sans buggy. Did it all. Wasn't as hard as I was anticipating. Turns out the buggy makes it harder than I thought! Oh well, c'est la vie. Off to get changed for a church BBQ. Will pop back later to read how everyone else is doing. Happy Sunday

[BIWI]

Yay! Well done.

[originalpiratematerial]

Week 3, Run 2 this morning, I ran 2.5 km without slowing to a walk and did 1 km in 5.51 mins which is only 6 seconds slower than my (feeble) PB of 5.45 mins.

[scarecrow22]

We'll done and welcome to chocolate, little, reiltin, ripping and lizard I used to run with buggy after dd, reiltin and found it massively easier the odd time I ranalone. Also try pushing with one arm.and using the other to pump, and keep swapping: I definitely found that easier.

original great times :)

BIWI thanks for advice in spending more.money ;)

Afm, I'm the proud owner of a Garmin GPS watch so about to go from lowest tech to highest tech runner possible. The downside is ad of today I'm 43. Luckily DC v young so need to ignore that and pretend im ten years younger. Hope to christen my watch.later

[BIWI]

Sorry scarecrow!

[DramaAlpaca]

Hi again everyone & welcome to all you runners who've just joined the thread. Reiltin I'm in Ireland too.

I'm still fighting off my chesty cough, but I went out for a run on Friday evening. I found the legs were willing but the lungs were weak, and it took me about 20 minutes to get my breathing sorted out. I really enjoyed my run, even though I needed a couple of walking breaks, and I'll go again this evening & hope I don't get caught with another coughing fit! cinnamon I hope you are feeling better now too.

Despite the bug I've had I've noticed such a difference since I started C25K - my mood is better, I've more energy, and my clothes are much looser. People have started noticing as well, so I'm basking in the compliments I'm getting !

[watchingout]

Happy birthday Scarecrow!!

[BIWI]

Oh yes - happy birthday

[lizardqueenie]

Thanks for the welcome scarecrow & happy birthday!

Well I did it! R1W1! I hadn't planned to go today but was spurred on my a shopping trip for some new jeans & catching a glance of my backside in one of those surround mirrors they now have in the fitting rooms! Also DH had taken Dd out for a bit so a perfect time to go. Feel good for getting started, legs felt a bit heavy & tired but hopefully things will get easier as time goes