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Original poster

Couch to 5k- fantastic plan that works for all!

995 replies

cinnamongreyhound · 04/02/2014 12:57

Come and join us for support, advice and a gentle butt kicked when needed!

From starting out to those of us who started 2 years ago, and everyone in between!

OP posts:
cutsnake · 03/03/2014 05:13

Hmm I didn't do so well with the 20 minutes non-stop - I was thwarted by technical difficulties (app kept defaulting to week 6 run 1, so I lost track). Anyway, we press on, about to leave work and dash around the park before retrieving the kids from Mum's - despite previous smugness the early morning defeated me today! I might take a leaf from anja's book and stomp around to "Another One Bites the Dust".

Commiserations to the injured and crisis-ridden.

MadMonkeys · 03/03/2014 07:59

cutsnake i bet your next run will be better. Weirdly my leg hardly hurts at all this morning, i cant believe it after how much it hurt yesterday. I'm not going to push it though. Might have a walk instead of my next run to see how it feels. How is your ankle herb?

HalleLouja · 03/03/2014 08:16

I have a horrid cough so didn't go out yesterday. I was ok running on Friday but when I stopped I couldn't stop coughing and wasn't well on Sat. Am hopefully well enough to do the hiit class tonight though.

anja1cam · 03/03/2014 12:29

cutsnake ah well, there's always another day! Sometimes it just doesn't work out. It was definitely Queen that got me round at 6.30 today Smile. Let's see if I can do it again on weds.

chaosmonkey · 03/03/2014 14:15

Can I join is too? Have just finished W1 R2 - I really really enjoyed having achey legs for the first 30 mins of the day after - then I got bored...

lets see how badly they hurt tomorrow!

Kasterborous it sounds like we're about at the same stage - although I'm not sure that I'm coping so well so am not convinced that I'll get there in the requisite time - have the worrying feeling that I may end up doing w1 for the first 4 weeks or something. Blush

Kasterborous · 03/03/2014 14:36

Hi Chaos I finished my third week one run on Saturday, I'm starting week two tomorrow. My legs ached after the first and second runs, but not even a slight ache after the third one, so it does get better. I found the second run harder than the first one, then the third one was better than the second. I'm a bit apprehensive about starting the second week, but I'm going to try it, if I find it too hard to start any new week one, I will do the previous week again. I'm determined to do it and surprised myself that I actually enjoy it, so far!

herbaceous · 03/03/2014 14:39

Ankle is getting much better. Hardly swollen at all now, but some pretty crazy bruising coming out. It only hurts if I do something at particular angles, which I guess means it's not ready for running yet!

Other unrelated muscles are aching with having to compensate for the gammy ankle!

FeliciaHardy · 03/03/2014 14:54

Well after taking 3 weeks to manage run 1 of week 4 I've not been able to run for the past week with a bad cold and sickness. Better now though so will be out again tomorrow.

Sorry to hear some of you have injuries, I got a calf injury on my first attempt at c25k, had to limp half a mile back home, tried again 2 weeks later and it went again. Took me ages to get out again after that which is why I'm till at week 4!

I run after taking kids to school, it is quieter and I run down a busy road as it is the flattest place around here. I work 3 evening s a week and when I'm not working I just want to put my feet up so I get everything done in the mornings. I'm trying to get myself to go out on a saturday morning, there's loads run on sat and sun so I've always avoided it but I'm only managing 2 mornings during the week with one thing and another getting in the way. Plus it's the only day I don't have to be up early and out the door. I'd also have to get used to it if I pluck up the courage to do a parkrun.

Morrigu · 03/03/2014 16:28

Glad the ankle's feeling better Herb.

My legs only ached for the first two runs then they settled down chaos. I think because it's a case of building up slowly.

Just finished W4R1. The last couple of minutes of the last run I was thinking just put one foot in front of the other and don't think about it, listen to the music. I honestly don't know how the hell I'm going to run 20 minutes by the end of next week.

Right ankle feeling a bit jippy too. Had taken out my insoles as the right one felt really uncomfortable and they are brooks support shoes anyway but now the pad feels a bit battered without it. Might take a quick nip up to our local up and running on Saturday and enquire. Hope to goodness it's not a case of another pair of trainers!

stilllearnin · 03/03/2014 17:27

Oh Cutsnake! It took me ages to realise that I could only have one c25k podcast on my ipod at a time - otherwise it just jumped between them and it is so frustrating. You could try taking all the other ones off (just in that series - not all your podcasts!) I have an ipod touch.

StartWhereYouStand · 03/03/2014 23:02

Hey Morrigu I am at the same point as you. Did W4R1 today and do not know how I managed the final 5min run. I am sure I could walk faster than I was 'running' for that last run.

It really helped that I had a friend with me so I didn't want to lose face and stop.

I have the GetRunning app and the electronic prompt voice was brilliant because just as I felt like giving up it said you have 1 minute to go and I could feel my head tell my legs to just keep going for that minute. I am amazed that I managed it though - seems such a big jump from 8 mins total split over 1.5 and 3 min runs to suddenly 16mins. There must be logic to it but it sounds so daunting.

Anyway i feel good now and I am actually looking forward to my next run (now there is a sentence that i NEVER thought I would utter!!!!) though wierdly I always seem to find the second run harder than the first.

Good luck to all you newbies - if I can get this far honestly anyone can do it.

chaosmonkey · 04/03/2014 07:50

oooh you're all correct! My legs are nowhere near as bad today! How cool is that...

Although maybe if I actually managed to get my app to work properly then it would be harder...

Thanks for the encouragement. Hopefully having spent a stupid amount of money on trainers will encourage me through the difficult first few weeks...

stilllearnin · 04/03/2014 11:55

I have no idea if this will suit anyone but I use the headspace program for meditating. I was just on the website and the guy that runs it has written about running and meditation and has recorded a podcast to help you be mindful while running and also sticking to an exercise routine. If you aren't drawn to meditation it may mean nothing to you. I hope this is the link www.getsomeheadspace.com/News/headspace-blog/exercise-workout-routines--why-the-mind-matters.aspx

Andy Puddicombe was a gymnast by the way.

FeliciaHardy · 04/03/2014 12:12

W4R2 done and found it much easier this time. Wasn't helped by my phone playing up today, my music went off just as my first run started, meaning I did the first 3 minutes to silence, I didn't like it. Managed to get some music on before second run only for my runkeeper app to stop working and no one telling me to stop running. I ran an extra minute today.

Really feeling it in my legs now. Week 4 definitely feels like a big jump from week 3.

chaosmonkey · 04/03/2014 12:23

thanks stilllearnin - I've bookmarked that page to read when I'm not meant to be working (maybe I should do more mindfulness work!)

felicia - that stuff keeps happening to me too (well, in the 2 runs that I've managed so far) I am hoping my IT fails get less annoying. But I think I wont listen to the person who told me to put my bag under my t-shirt - I have to wait till there's no-one around before I can extract my phone and fiddle with it!

Kasterborous · 04/03/2014 13:23

I've just done the first run of week two that extra 30 seconds running seemed to take a lot longer! I'm a lovely shade of red now, but proud of myself that I didn't give up, though I can't see me running for 30 mins in nine weeks time. I'll just keep at it.

Dharmalovesdraco · 04/03/2014 17:24

Hope all the injuries are on the mend, it's so frustrating when it happens, plus I panic and think a week off will undo everything even though I know it actually won't.

I managed another 5k yesterday after a week of struggling to do 4, I really could have given up altogether last week :( I also think I want to join a running club just for company, but it seems seriously daunting. I saw someone asking on a local FB page and someone replied with 'we have one but we run 10k in under an hour and we run 5 in under half, when you're up to speed let us know' I just thought how bloody unfriendly and up themselves that sounded and wouldn't join out of principle. I then wondered if all clubs have this standard?

Anyway I'm rambling, hope you all have a good week whichever one you're on :)

Morrigu · 04/03/2014 18:38

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to find it tough StartWhereYouStand. Hoping the second run will be a touch easier now we know what to expect.

I agree Felicia it does seem like a big jump. I keep forgetting to put my phone on flight and forgetting that when someone rings it pauses the app and you have to resume. Hence me running away and the timer isn't even going.

Thanks for the link stillearning. I practised a bit of that mindfulness when stopping smoking against cravings. Will get a proper look at the link when the dc are in bed.

Well done Kasterborous

They sound, erm, delightful Dharma Grin

HalleLouja · 04/03/2014 21:50

Dharma have a look on Run England there are some beginners groups on there. That group seems mean. My local one you need to run 11 minute miles which I can do now. But do other group exercise things so like running alone some.

Kaster its sounds very cheesy but you need to believe in the plan. It does work.

Morrigu · 05/03/2014 13:27

You made me have a look at my local running group Dharma and they have a couch to 5k group going too. Wish I'd knew that but they are just ahead of me.

R2 of week 4 and it didn't get any easier than the first one, in fact it I went at a slower pace it was harder. Feeling a bit despondent about it for some reason. Hoping it was because I had a family emergency last night so didn't get much sleep. I'll rest up and schedule the third one for a night run which I enjoy the most. If it's still difficult I'll stick with week 4 for a while longer.

TheDrugsDontWork · 05/03/2014 16:42

Hi, can I join?
Been lurking for a while, I'll be starting week 7 tomorrow so thought it time I posted as I have been using your posts for motivation!

I'm not sure I can go as far as saying I'm enjoying the runs but I do feel great afterwards and am looking forward to seeing how far I can get. I'm still at the stage of just trying to make it to the end without stopping!

GerundTheBehemoth · 05/03/2014 20:25

Hello newbies and oldbies and everyone. Sending speedy healing vibes to those with injuries, I have been there and know how horribly frustrating it is to have to rest an injury, especially when you feel you're really getting into the swing of it.

I'm starting week 4 tomorrow, looking forward to it (no, really). Was on holiday last week and felt very motivated to run, having a pretty coastal road to plod along was a big help. Now I'm back home, I'm having to psyche myself up a lot more.

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 05/03/2014 22:02

No, no, no, no, no DharmaLovesDraco, they don't!!!!!! My club is friendly and welcomes everyone of all abilities. At training you go at your own pace and on a group run there's always someone at the back with the slowest and fastest run back if they get too far ahead :)

I've been absent recently, hope everyone is still doing well and feeling positive. It's our parkruns birthday thus Saturday so lots of organising! Also ran my second half marathon Sunday so been busy :)

OP posts:
Finlaggan · 06/03/2014 06:51

w5r1 last night it was ok but I am dreading r3 of this week I just cant see how I can run 20 mins continuously! Does anyone have any tips?

Dharmalovesdraco · 06/03/2014 07:12

I created a new playlist of songs that I really liked to run to that lasted for that length of time and didn't shuffle them so I knew roughly how long I had to go, so just Queen and Rihanna left type thing. And just keep going, you can do it, all previous runs have built you up for this. Good luck!!