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

They had some of rose in Aldi today CadiM

Rose? Yum

Right. Off to do week2 run2. Wait with baited breath for my whinge on return........

May I join?

Am heading to 40, teetering on the overweight and totally exercise phobic. However have also volunteered to run the jane T in august in support of a friend Am hoping that not letting her down will be a better motivation than any so far.

Doing the zombies run! Couch to 5k which is more amusing than the NHS one. Anyone else? This morning, up at 7, did workout, now back to DH and kids having breakfast in bed. This is v good for me but I tend to start well and then lose it. So am taking all options to publicise my intentions and make it ultra embarrassing to fail

Side benefit may be that to my amazement, ASD DS (7) came running with me last night and it dealt with his foul mood. He's been demanding to be taken on a park run, I may take him seriously

Hi poodoctor,

How do you run with someone else? When you have earphones in etc.?

Well there is no whinging from me today. I did w2r2 and the second from last 90secs run went totally unnoticed whilst I composed an email, instead of the usual 'feck, make it stop!'

That's good right.

Also, I have to be careful and will probably change my mind, but I think I might even be enjoying running in the dark silent streets, with just me, the reflection of the street lights, the starts and the crisp air.

Starlight see it does get easier. I am not sure what I think about when running. Love, life, the universe wondering when the fuck I can walk again.

Starlight how did it go?

Well, I've gone and got myself a sickness bug, been up all night throwing up (sorry tmi). Both my heels are killing me and so I'm gonna have to take a couple more rest days.]

I'll be back when I'm ready for my next run to get some advice on which one to do next.

Keep up the good work everyone [smile

Lookout poor you. DH has had D&V. We were supposed to go to the theatre together today but now need to take my brother instead.

Welcome Thepoodoctor! What is the jane T run? I've heard of the zombies run but I did the nhs one.

Oh no rubbish lookout, get well soon.

That's great StarlightMcKingsThree! Glad it wasn't as hideous as you expected. I also see where you coming from with exercise being something you have to do like brushing your teeth but if you really hate it eventually you will stop I think. I believe that there's something for everyone and perhaps you should try something else. Swimming, biking, Zumba, boxercise. Perhaps you need someone to go with? It took me a good few months to enjoy running but now I love it and I'm a much happier person with it. Dh will say to me know you're in a bad mood go for a run!

I think about everything while running, usually play scenarios in my head or sort out what I need to do in the coming days or sometimes just get lost in my head. It's very therapeutic that way.

Managed 25 mins today but got nipped by a dog which shook me up a lot. A couple were out on the road I was jogging down, no one around, and one gapped a lot and the other bit me -didn't draw blood but hurt and has out me off using that route.

Can I join...

Deep breath...

I used to run - got to a 10k then fell out of the habit but then had a neurological issue and had to learn to walk again...

I have been well for over a year and passed to run but I am a little nervous as I was a falls risk for a long time.

Have decided to do the C25K plan and all set to do - I know the dos and don't a but I need my hand holding as I am a bit scared...

Anyone been through similar?

Well I finally managed a 5k in 30.17mins today which I was pretty pleased with . It was supposed to be wk7r3 but tbh I've pretty much given up with that and doing my own thing as I'm finding that I can (reasonably easily) do more than the programme - that's something I never thought I'd say a couple of months ago. I'm going to try an app (think someone recommended it up thread) called 5k forever to try and improve speed/ability to do it without going bright red and panting and then I might actually try getting to 10k but that needs more time commitment so not sure I'll manage that.

I've agreed to do a parkrun with a friend on Saturday so hoping I can manage that - and that it's not too cold/wet/muddy.

good luck to everyone just starting - it really does get easier if you stick with the programme

So sorry to hear that ShineyBlackShoes! I was bitten earlier this year having never been afraid of dogs in my life, I cried a lot :(

Welcome dayshiftdoris! It sounds like you've been through a lot but if you've been cleared for running then you need to feel a bit more confident. You will be fine, the plan is great!!

Well done littleoaktree, was going to say have you considered a parkrun until I read further. You will manage it no probs, we have people doing ours in 40mins.

I have set up my deezer account with some running music so today am going to do my 30 / 35 minutes with Runkeeper telling me how long I have been running for.

Yesterday I did week 2 run 1. I found it surprisingly easy, I didn't really notice I was running for 30 seconds longer then previously. I stopped running a few seconds due to a dog following me while their owner ignored it and as my dog was attacked near where I was running I panicked slightly.

dayshiftdoris gosh, that sounds as if it must have been really scary. Have you made a full recovery now? I had the experience of getting to 10k, then kind of losing the running mojo in the summer when it was hot, so I did the Guardian beginner runner podcasts in September and October and that got me going again. No neurological issues though. If you're cleared as fit to exercise again, go for it! I liked the Guardian podcasts as the music was not bad.

I had the most miserable run yesterday - managed 7 km but my legs felt very heavy and I couldn't get any pace going at all. I have been doing quite a lot over the last few weeks so I took the day off today and haven't done any exercise at all.

Well, feet are finally better and have just about got over the sickness bug. Planning on running tomorrow if I can manage an early night tonight.

I will have had 6 days off, plus a bug and bad feet, so am thinking of re-doing week 5 (was due to do week 6 run 3 next). What does anyone think?

lookout I had a couple of breaks of similar length during the programme, what I decided was to try the next run as normal but that if it was hard then I'd go back to the previous one. Each time I managed the next one up even with a little break, but it depends how you feel really! :)

Did anyone else completely lose their running mojo after finishing the programme? I've only managed two runs since finishing and they've both been disastrous. Even 10 minutes seems hard work let alone 30. I'm sure it's all in my mind but I have no idea how to get over it. I think part of the problem is the lack of direction now I've finished the programme, plus the realisation that I have to carry on exercising forever I had been planning to start my 5K forever programme but it says you just be comfortable running for 30 minutes and at the mo that seems impossible. Might give it a to next time anyway.

Runrunruby what is the 5k forever programme?

I think once I finish the C25K I need to work on speed then distance.

Only two more runs to go....

Thanks RunRunRuby I found w6r1 pretty hard, and r3 is 25m continuous, so not sure if I could get straight on with that tbh! May try week6 from the beginning rather than going so far back, though would repeating a week really be that bad? I am so indecisive

I went back a week previously when I had a big break from illness lookout.

I agree with runrunbaby, lookout! It's not so bad to repeat a week at all but I think you can almost always do more than you expect so I advise trying.

That's rubbish originalpiratematerial :( the next one will be amazing

Yes me RunRunBaby!!!! I got to where I had to talk myself into 15mins and then really beat myself to get to 20 if I got that far all the time going, you know you can do it you've done it before but I couldn't! I think for me I just decided that I wanted to run 30mins 3x a week and distance and speed didn't matter so that's what I did. Once there was no internal pressure I ran and enjoyed how I felt afterwards. I attempted a 5k for the first time nearly 4 months after is finished the c25k and that felt fab! I was bullied into joining a club by ds1's teacher and wanted to join their Saturday morning run so I started increasing distance and pace came from going to training. Did my first 10k 4 months after my first 5k and truly love running now, not just the feeling afterwards but the actual run and I'm training for my second half marathon at the moment. I think you need to find why you're struggling and deal that, for me it was trying to find a purpose to it and not having one. Once I decided that the purpose was just to do it I was fine :)

Thank you cinnamon that sounds like a good idea, just to try and run for the sake of it. I will have another go tomorrow and see how it goes.

hallelouja 5K Forever is an app I downloaded a while back as it was free it's a sort of extension of C25K, to help you improve your speed once you can run for 30 minutes. The runs are a mix of running, faster running and walking. I don't know if it's any good but thought I'd try it once I've got into the habit of running for 30 mins :)

I plan to do one of those kind of apps too when I've finished. Decided to do week 6 from the beginning, so did w6r1 today and surprised myself by managing with not too much bother. I know this is pretty gross but I've been wearing the same fleece with a t-shirt underneath since I started and although I do wash it it the sweat smell won't come out now. Sorry, id did say it was gross!! What's the best thing to wear in this weather that's not gonna go the same way in stinkiness?

Now you're on week 6 you only have one more of intervals and it's constant running from now on. I find that a long sleeve running top is warm enough, I have got a very lightweight jacket for when it's super cold but it usually ends up tied round my waist. How about a sweatshirt type material, rather than fleecy?