Starting out on c25k - New Year, new start [title meddled with by MNHQ]

[CeliaLytton]

For me, just starting? Anyone else?

Thanks soontobe and knitknack I probably didn't stretch my muscles last time I tried it. I just relied on the NHS 5 minute warm up of brisk walking before I started.

Hopefully the playing fields won't be too waterlogged for us all to run on tonight, and I'll make sure we all warm up properly.

Hope everyone else gets on well with their runs this week.

Can any one recommend an app that let's you play your own music?

3rd run of week 3 done! (Stopping here at week 3 for a bit I think!!!)

Hi all, did w1r2 yesterday. Back to school for me too today but am feeling very up for it too, not all miserable like last term!

V jealous of size 10 jeans, I am currently a 16 going on 18 and dying to get back to a 14.

Will aim to do w1r3 on weds as I am out tomorrow (cricket nets so kind of sporty but not exercise-y!)

knitknack - I use the Zenlabs one which I believe you can play your own music through though I don't as too busy gabbing with friends :)

I did w1r2 today and still feeling good - going to a stretch class thing on Wednesday so next run planned for Thursday.

Bleugh, run 3 of week 1. The worst of them all.

Please tell me that week 2 is all about sitting in front of the TV.

I think I have to give week 1 a run 4 as I couldn't complete it today. It was torture.

Hi. I am just back from w1r1 tonight. It wasnt as bad as i expected it to be.

I have never ran before so right now 5k seems like the impossible to me but I am determined to do it and if I can lose a few pounds that would be a bonus.

I am using the c25k Zenlabs app. It lets you play your own music and cuts in when it needs to.

week 1 run 1 done. Nearly didn't do it as the weather was so bad, but when I got to tour meet up place, it had cleared up, so I was glad I made the effort.

Well done Thomas!

Ran for a total of 13 minutes tonight - in bursts of 2 or 3 mins. Then hit a pothole (first run in the dark) and went down like a one legged donkey. I even had puddle water in my MOUTH! it's a bridle way road so I was black from head to foot :)

Praying I haven't done too much damage and can still run tomorrow - I took the shock on my arm and should've is now complaining. We're less bouncy at forty!!

Found a brilliant running playlist on spotiffy which I downloaded... It definitely helps!
hope everyone else has had more success than me! :D

W2r1 done tonight, running in the dark is crap though! During the day i run down a footpath into the country but too much of a wimp to do that at night, so ran around the streets... Hardly any street lighting where I am so unable to see curbs/potholes/dog shit, kept hitting the pavement all wrong as it was really uneven, had to stop a few times for cars when crossing roads, all in all a shit run.

Still did it though

Well done all of us for keeping it up, still have loads to do but determined to go to bed soon rather than slobbing in front of the tv eating leftover Christmas chocolate

Tomas I am very overweight too and am worried about doing myself an injury, I am not finding the recovery too bad and am panting a lot less while running if you can call the speed I go at running but during the runs my calves are burning. Am stretching and warming up so guess it is to do with the fact that exercise is coming as quite a shock to my body! Congratulations on completing the first run

Knit hope you are feeling ok tomorrow, don't know how I am going to get on with running in the dark but really really don't want to just do weekends...

Chicksy stick with it (she says, but do as I say not as I do!) well done!

I (stupidly) decided to start the C25k programme with my 9yr old DD.

How hard could it be to run for 1 minute walk for 1.5 minutes 8 times? Ruddy hard I say!! But I am having to cart about 2 average sized people so it serves me right I suppose!

DD was a superstar and I really couldn't have done it without her. I downloaded the podcast onto her ipod so she gave the running (see what I did there?) commentary of what we had to do accompanied with chants of "You can do it", "You are a Champion" etc .

I must admit bizarrely run 8 was easier than run 1 but I am as stiff as a board now. Heaven knows what I will be like in the morning

Woohoo ! Wk 2 r1 done and dusted

I am cheating a bit by doing it in the gym but I just cant face running outside yet .

I enjoyed it , feeling really pleased that I have got of my bum .

I managed to fit w2r2 in this morning. I'm feeling particularly good about it because I soaked up some sunshine and the sky has now turned dark and looks like rain may be falling soon.

I'm having a technical quandary. At the moment I'm running using the nhs C2 5K app on my iPod and mapmyrun on my android phone. I find the nhs app very dull and want to use a different app and was thinking of using the get running app. Does anyone use this app on a very old android phone, my phone struggles with storage space, although has plenty of space on the card. Basically my question is what is everyone else using and are you happy with it?

Thanks starlight hope you've got your trainer situation sorted.

Knitknack so sorry but a did laugh a little at the mouth full of puddle - hope you are OK though. What's the running playlist called that you've found on spotify? Is it the running low tempo one for a 7 minute km laughs hysterically at the thought of running a 7min km

Also had calf burn today on w1r2 Celia I'm also worried I might have put my body into shock

'Hardly any street lighting where I am so unable to see curbs'

I so read that as 'unable to see the carbs'. I guess that is because I am running at night deliberately so people don't get to see my belly wobble up and down.

Is it exactly the same programme on all of the apps?

Thanks for recommending the zen labs app - it's perfect!

Tomasz - it WAS funny. Plus I got to spend the 20 mins that year were silently doing a practice exam question picking gravel out of my hand!

thankfully I think I can still run tonight... :)

The spotify list I'm using is called 'dance music for running' - I need a fast beat!

I did it! Got over my fear of puddles and did a week 3 session again! That's two days of teaching then running... I'm starting to believe that maybe one CAN work and exercise (something I've never managed to quite work out how to do...)

Hope everyone else is going well?

Year ELEVEN were doing practice questions - my typing!!

I prefer the zen,abs app because I can use my own music. I do like the NHS one though, although I think the music would be better suited to sunnier days... I need a fast walking pace to warm me up at the start!!

I've looked at loads of apps now and they're all pretty much the same programme, although often on different orders. So I've done week 3 on 3 now - NHS, the C25K one and now the zen labs (my fav). They're all basically 90 secs or 2 mins twice over and then 3 mins twice over...

Much of a muchness I think - and will get us all to the same place...

Another one who did W2R1 tonight. Feeling good and proud of myself. I wasn't sure I could do it but I bloody well will do it.

I also find that music helps in terms of getting me walking briskly / running.

I quite like running in the dark to be honest, perhaps I am just odd. I feel less conspicuous.

Sounds like we are all doing well. Loving the 'you can do it' and 'you are a champion' chants for encouragement. :)

Knit, do you use a phone or iPod?

I use tend to use my (i)phone, but I have downloaded the podcasts onto my ipod also...

I started on a c25k last year and can just about manage 5k now (up to 3 times a week, depending on how enthusiastic I am / the weather). Enjoying a temporary hiatus, despite the guilt

I have tried a couple of the apps and although I also like the Zen labs one, I would recommend Runkeeper. They offer a few free programs and you can track your activities (gps) or manually enter them (if you've been on a treadmill for example).

Easiest way is to register & set up your training program on the website, it will synch with your phone app when you log in. You can then run and track with your phone, it will let you play your own music, and you can have / not have the voice telling you your distance/time/pace etc. along with your music. If the gps drops out, stats go haywire but you can correct the map online afterwards to adjust & calculate your times and routes etc (for those of us who are particularly anal keen on keeping track of our mileage).

I use the totalC25K app but have a windows phone. It's free and a voice interrupts the music to state run/walk or halfway. It's fine.

Just checking in! Tonight's run was really good - didn't want to stop! We're going to move up to week 4 tomorrow... (eek)