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

[cinnamongreyhound]

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!

oh pants MadMonkeys I can't help but look if I'm namechecked.

Whoop well done, you did it!!! Did you have a big grin on your face when you finished? I'm ok about R3 bar the odd wibble about it. I'll attempt it and if I can't finish it, it's still a damn sight more than I could do 5 weeks ago.

I've been looking for tights with a media pocket as mine only have the key one in the back so I carry my phone. Not many sports shops here and I hate ordering over the internet with clothes as I'm an inbetweeny size and need to try them on. Heard the armband ones have a habit of sliding down so I like the sort of one Gerund has linked to.

On a side note what is with all the pink and womens running gear?? So hard to get something here that doesn't have pink in it somewhere. I know it's coming up to race for life but it seems to be all the shops have in.

Well done MadMonkeys the sense of achievement is huge isn't it?

I braved daylight road running today, I'm so paranoid that people are laughing at me and judging me, which I know they probably aren't (and how up my own arse do I sound!!) but it's been a massive hurdle for me, and one I have to get over given the lighter evenings. I'm still struggling though, only managed 4.5k before I just gave up, and then I'm disappointed in myself.

I take my phone as I need it for music and MapMyRun, I shove it in the back zip pocket which I think is only meant for keys but you can wedge it in if you try hard enough

I'm not keen on the pink either, could always try men's I suppose :)

Madmonkeys brilliant!! Enjoy your rest now. Yes I always make sure my running tights/shorts etc have a:a pocket at the back with a zip for key and music and b:a tie string!! Once had to run with keys in my hand as pants threatened to fall down (shiny new RonHill ones too ) -must find a solution as they are really nice otherwise.

Morrigu could not agree more about the pink. Esp the shoes too! At least I have managed non-pink tops and my tights have red or purple if not all black. But my two jackets are deep pink and grey with pink... My own fault for buying cheap, then there's no colour choice

Dharma agree about people seeing me, but really, if you are doing 4.5k you're pretty good and they will all be impressed! Really. I used to be paranoid but whenever someone mentioned it to me later, (I rarely noticed them esp not at the beginning when needing to focus on just putting one foot in front of the other), then they were all very impressed and positive about it. I found out that other people go running, we exchanged tips about local routes... If you're worried about eye contact then you could always wear sunglasses. Everyone around here has seen me now, even the school teachers and my colleagues , school janitor at 6am, the milkman on a regular basis... but really, be proud, you are achieving great things and getting really fit in the process!

Morrigu forgot to say I made a point of wearing bright green when I did R4L so it would be easier for my kids to spot me! Might enrol this year, skipped last.

Monkeys well done! I think once you've got that run out of the way you sort of feel like you're starting to run 'properly', and that 30 minutes is achievable! I know before that it felt a long way off!

Morrigu I actively avoid pink on principle, I have one sports bra and one long sleeve top in pink but everything else is a mix so the pink is just one of many colours. Nike have everything in lots of different colours/patterns. My trainers are grey and orange.

Dharma I feel similar and am always conscious that I'm breathing quite loudly but I think you just have to keep going out until it feels normal and no big deal.

I just got back from a week 7 run, 4.2km in 26 mins which felt ok but towards the end I just get SO red! I'm not normally someone that goes red exercising or when embarrassed etc but running is a different matter. Hoping it might get better as I get fitter please God

W2R2 completed this evening. DD went on her bike so enjoyed racing on ahead!

I went a bit further than I usually do before I turned around (after Run4 instead of Walk3) so ended up having to add another 8 minute walk onto the end after the sets finished to get home. Ooops!

We had a 3k walk up and around Uffington White Horse this morning so my legs felt really heavy but I managed to last the whole 90 secs of each run even if I was dreadfully slow!

Does speed/distance matter or should I just be concentrating on lasting the length of the run sets? I wonder that as I am so unfit and overweight that even after the 8 weeks, 5k in 30mins is just a pipedream . Do I just keep on with the programme as is instead of repeating weeks until I can complete them comfortably, faster and covering a greater distance ?

dizzy great, well done and nice that your dd gets enjoyment out of it too!

Please, speed and distance do NOT matter. Are you using the NHS podcasts, have a look at their web site (sorry no link handy) that's got loads of advice too. And repeat a given week or run if you like till you feel good about moving on. It's all about getting your cardiac capacity up first. I'm sure it took me longer than the minimum time and then I followed the last run for ages and ages, noticing that slowly I was improving my distance in the given time, and only then did I start Madison or timing as I got a GPS watch for Christmas. Right now, and I have been doing this on and off for about 3 years, with winter breaks mostly, I am still only just managing my 5k in the 30 minutes. That's not to say others have trained for and run marathons in the time but this is what feels right for me.

Take your time and don't force it. The fact that you are following the programme is the main thing. And do try to keep to running every couple of days or the next time will be much harder again.

Hello all,

I have spent the last two weeks following the c25k and was feeling bloody pleased with myself (so out of shape) but on Saturday I seem to have jarred my neck and I am in real discomfort. Do you think I did it whilst running? (on a treadmill)

Am goin to a physic this morning but really want to be running again tomorrow otherwise I feel like I am losing my mojo!!

Braved the early morning rush hour and school runs and completed W5R2. Could put my cap on as the sun's out so don't feel as conspicuous. Feeling a little bit pleased with myself. I was dreading it as dd didn't sleep well last night so I was shattered and expecting a horrendous run. Strangely once I got past the 5 minutes I seemed to find my own pace and it got easier. Discovered another bites the dust is an ace song to run to

Glad to see I'm not the only one that avoids pink. When I went to buy shoes that was the one thing I said to the girl was not to bring out pink ones. I actually did try on some men's tights but they sat funny.

dizzy I honestly wouldn't worry about distance and pace. I'm going by if I can do the time allotted more than anything, the rest can be worked on after. I do record mine but only because I love lists and tables and working things out on my calculator. Yes I'm an odd-ball. I'm going to treat myself to Garmin or something similar but only after I finish the 9 weeks.

petit you could have done it anywhere I suppose or running as afaik there's a nerve bundle there. I gave myself whiplash once doing the stupidest thing - pushing the centre console thingy down in the car. I do get a sore neck frequently and really should be doing exercises to try and strengthen it. I make a point of stretching the muscles around there before and after a run and making sure I'm not tensing up when running. I would honestly wait and see what your physio says. As someone who had to try and sleep upright in agony for three weeks you don't want to make it worse.

Just started week 3 so feel like I'm making progress. cannot wait to get to week 5 run 2. Well done you lot!!

I'm afraid you just have to ignore the fact that you're running in FULL VIEW!! You are taking responsibility for your health and that is no small thing. I once had my then 10 year old behind me. I actually thought he was having some kind of seizure...when he could finally speak it was in fact the hilarious wobbling of my bottom that had set him into hysterics!! I did the old running with a top around my waist for a while.

I use an old cheap armband (karrimor thing) and it works fine (i have quite fat arms though so maybe that holds it up better!) (oh what a pretty picture I paint).

If there are any lapsed runners lurking, I thought I'd add I'm really glad I started again from the beginning. I had made two other false starts trying to begin at week 3 I think. It's not that it was too hard exactly but its really comforting to just follow the program.

Well done everyone for making such good progress. Am with those of you re the not wanting to be seen while out running - I always try to face the same direction as traffic so I don't feel conspicuous with drivers in traffic queues staring directly at me (though now I realise that means those poor drivers have my wobbly bottom view instead )

I did W5R1 today. Before i did it I was really wondering how I would manage .....but it was actually ok! Probably helped that I was running round a lovely park in beautiful sunshine and also my friend (who is a better runner than me) came with me and chatted to me all the way (I can only dream of being able to have a conversation and run at the same time - breathing in and out is hard enough). Each time when the voice said you have done 2 and half minutes I actually thought 'that half went fast' whereas last week the 5 min runs felt horrendous and I was thinking 'how can I possibly keep going for another 2 and a half mins'. So that is progress indeed, but I have 8 min runs next time - eeek!!!

Can't remember who asked but I carry my phone and keys in a waist bag/pocket thing. I got it cheap from SportsDirect and it does the job and is surprisingly comfortable.

Can I join? Week6 for me tomorrow.

Can't believe how far I've come. Couldn't run for a minute during week 1 and now I can run for 20.

I pushed it a bit far after my twenty minute run. I tried to do thirty minutes and managed 2.6 miles which was a struggle. Back to the plan I go.

Was also going to ask those of you who are near the end - did your breathing magically improve as you got fitter? MadMonkeys description of sounding like a wounded buffalo completely summed it up that is me huffing and puffing to the end.

I sound awful on the 5 min runs, especially the first one. It does get slightly better with the second/third run but still I feel it is my lungs not my legs that are hindering me.

I have tried concentrating on breathing with my stride but I just feel like I am struggling for breath all the time. Any tips?

Thanks Anja and Morrigu I shall just keep on as per the programme and only repeat any runs where I fail to last the full length of the running phases. I seem to be doing OK at present on the 90sec runs but I think 3 mins is next so that will be a test! I am consistently covering a total distance of about 3.5k in 35 mins which is something to build upon

Well done everyone!! I find this thread so inspirational :)

As for breathing I still don't think I'm doing it right but I do find singing helps believe it or not (as recommended by someone on this thread) not out loud though, I'd look a proper loon!!

I went to the Physio yesterday who sorted me out and said I could have done it at any time so I am off to run now. Really cross that I am short a day on week two so have to move it to today (does that make sense???!)

My neck and back are still sore so I will try to take it easy but am hoping a run will help.

Re breathing - I had a personal trainer several years ago and he taught me the following - when its getting hard breath in through your nose really nosily for a count of four then blow it out REALLY hard (again, you will make a noise) - do that three times and you will have put a bit of air back into your lungs. It works for me.

Love this thread.

petit Glad to hear the neck is better! I have this thing where half way into a run, so about 10 to 20 min in, my neck sort of clicks and I notice that one tendon had been trapped all along and is released. Sometimes I notice it earlier and moving my neck side to side helps to release it. Always the same one so I'm obviously lopsided in some way. Shows that you do use more than your legs for running though!

dharma I had a thought about you giving up just before the end: are you aiming for a landmark or something? Do you always stop at the same corner for example? I had this and what I do now is for the warm up walk I just go some way in the opposite direction so if I give up at the turn-of to home I will still have improved my distance.

Well done Madmonkeys! I used to have an armband but as I shrunk it got too big and I ended up with it in the zip pocket in my leggings.

I used to worry about what I looked like but really most people are just impressed you're out doing something they wouldn't but I did do the c25k jan-march mostly in evenings but I did run at weekends during the day.

So nice to see new people joining the thread, I recommend the plan to loads of people wherever I go! I haven't posted much as I do quite a few miles now and I'm not really sure how relevant it is to you all!

It's funny really, when I go to training all the men are yellow and the women pink. I'm not girly at all but I'm happy to have bright pink running stuff but most of mine is black. Once you start doing races you'll get lots of freebie tops to choose from!

OK - I just started this.

Once upon a time I was a very good long distance runner but now I am a lardy almost 44 year old who just did her first day of couch to 5k. I feel great but know I will need encouragement to get this done three times a week.

Going to read back but can people please hit me with their 'I was rubbish at the start but now do 30+ minutes without stopping and it's easy' stories?

I did 2 miles in the half hour (Walking and running) today.

Waves hello to everyone, glad to hear you are all going well. I've just finished my 1st week 3 run today and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I enjoy the half hour to myself in my own world as much as anything. Also the sense of achievement when I've done it. I said hello to a couple of other people out running tonight.

Anja I run a loop, I have 2 routes that I can vary the distance on but they are both door to door. It's all in my mind, I know I'm physically capable but my mind lets the 'god I want to walk' beat the 'come on you can do it' side of the argument. And my stopping points vary. I did go round the loop the other way which was better as the last bit is along a main road and I'd rather people see me running than stopping !

I have found a running club for beginners though, it happens to be on the worst day of the week for me but I'm going to try regardless. Their aim is to get you to running for an hour so you can join the big group.

I'd like to say it gets easier Fabulous ... Kidding, it does and with the c25k it enables you to build it up and increase your times gradually. I couldn't run at all until I started this, what 12 weeks ago? When I'm not having mind over matter arguments with myself I run 3-4 times a week all between 4-5k. Keep going you'll be fab x

Thanks Dharma, that's encouraging. I basically ran in circles around a rugby pitch today, telling myself 'you can do it' and willing myself to keep going until I was supposed to walk. I didn't have music, does it help?

Glad you got your neck sorted petit. Is that rhythmic breathing? I read about it somewhere - you breathe in for 4 then push out the air really hard for 2?

Can't say easy or 30mins but I'm at the end of week 5 Fabulous and am amazed at the difference in such a short time. Considering I haven't really done any running since many many moons ago in school and smoked until 5 weeks ago. It's a brilliant programme and I've recommended it to a couple of my friends already.