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!

I have started this today and really need all the help I can get to stay on track .

I seriously need to lose a lot of weight and this is going to be a part of that .

Will go back and read from the beginning of the thread to get inspired .

Thanks MadMonkeys I think you might be right. One of my knees really hurts when I move it today and DD accidentally knocked it and it really hurt. I might have a couple of days rest but if it's no better I will have to stop. It's good to hear that you were okay after a rest and started again with no problems. I hate giving up when I've got this far.

Wilbury, brilliant. Starting is the hardest bit! All the more if you need to lose weight as a lot of people put off starting exercise until some fictional time in the future when they've lost a good amount (not that they won't lose it, just sometimes you need to take your time ime). By starting now you'll have more fun and feel acer sooner!!

Thank you still , I have four stone to lose , I have to do this .

MissSmiley - no advice for you but sorry the dogs are putting you off - did you have a bad experience in the past?

I also have an embarrassing problem - I have a rectocele which hasn't been bothering me too much so decided not to go for surgery as it's so invasive. Since I started running thought it is decidedly worse… I want to stick with it but think I might have to switch to cycling after I master the 5k. Did W4R1 today and enjoyed it but had to stop halfway for a wee (I'm doing it on a treadmill though so not in the bushes!!)

wilbury - weight loss is my main motivator too - I haven't lost anything on the scales yet but I can feel my body starting to change already after three weeks so don't go by weight to begin with. Just start - Three weeks ago I couldn't have done today's run and, whilst I keep looking ahead on the plan thinking 'I will never run for 30 mins', I'm just sticking with the programme!

Injuries aren't good :( my suggestion to those suffering us rest,ice, elevation and ibruprofen.

My new trainers are ok but where there is more support (because I too pronate quite a lot) my inside arch bit was aching by the end. I've started by 10k training as I need something to keep me focused rather than just random running. It was 10 min run 1 min walk x4. I did my best 5k time yet which was weird as it included 3 minutes of walking and managed a total distance of 6.5k :)

Wilbury - good luck, I'm not sure what I weigh but I've definitely toned up

Hi everyone, petit donkey sorry not sure what a retrocele is but I did think you'd been for a week in a bush until you mentioned the treadmill! Hope you can get it sorted. I'm trying to give myself a stiff talking to about the dig thing. Has anyone actually been bitten whilst running? I will try my normal route tomorrow and see how I go. It's so rubbish as I'm loving the actual running.

I also haven't lost any weight. I am hoping to drop at least half a stone. I'm about 9st 11lbs and would like to be just over 9st. Or just under :-)

Rectocele is not nice, it's a type of prolapse of the wall between the vagina and the anus (sorry WAY TMI!!) I don't know what's best to do but should probably return to the doctor

Oh no petit that sounds awful. Has running aggravated it permanently or just while you actually are running? Hope you get something sorted with it.

I'm a bit scaredy of dogs too Smiley. I'm ok if they're on the lead or small but as soon as I see a big one off the lead I get really nervous (got chased by two german shephards one night that ignored their owners calls to come back for a few freaky moments). I have a big dog myself that wouldn't touch anyone off her lead too, in fact she doesn't care about anything other than the ball, so I should know better. I have been known to change route while out walking if I spy one in the distance. No advice sorry just sympathy.

My new trainers were hard to get used to as well Dharma as I overpronate quite badly and live in flat Doc Martens during the winter. Think it was a case of not being used to the support and using different parts of my foot that I wouldn't naturally.

kasterborous don't give up, just give yourself time to heal and then try again. If it happens again try gait analysis, that might help. Its worth reading "running well", it might give you some pointers to improve your technique to avoid injury.

Mud and obstacles does appeal to my inner child StartWhereYouStand, the hard work involved does not!

W7R2 done and I hated every minute of it Was not in the mood today at all. Dd not been well the last couple of days so I'm tired and extremely fed up and it's horrible and windy here. Yesterday my thigh was a bit tight on the inside, today was fine until I ran and now it's my knee giving me pain on that side. Must all run into together. I'll take some ibuprofen and leave it to Saturday if needs be. Really have to start some strengthening exercises for my legs.

My knee feels a lot better today, still hurts but only a bit. I'm going to try a different pair of trainers tonight. I used to run three miles almost three years ago with no joint problems. I stopped when I fell pregnant with DD. I'm doing it now as I haven't done any sort of running since she was born and want to get back into it. I'm going to try the old trainers I used to run in.

I'm due to do w2r1 tonight and it's so fecking windy, I'm actually dreading it. I can feel it hurting already.

Missed a run at the weekend but plan on going tomorrow when it should be W3R1 but as it will have been a week since the last run I may chicken out and just stick with W2R3 (again) and then do that again on Saturday. I am doing a 5k swim early on Sunday morning so I don't want to knacker myself out too much before then but I know I can do the W2 sessions

DD ran a mile at school today for Sport Relief and although she is battling a bit of cold said it wasn't too bad so maybe the training is having an effect on her too

Hi I did w7 r2 today and also found it quite hard. I did my normal route and only got mauled by one (friendly) doggy.
I admit I listened ahead to what is in store for week 8 and as I thought it's just slightly longer 28 mins I think.
I'll have to get up earlier as running for 30 mins and walking for 5 mins at each end won't fit in my usual slot.

I'm doing some research on what to do next. Found done interesting suggestions today on zen habits website.
Planning to start Jillian michaels 30 shred tomorrow now that the DVD has arrived. Wish me luck.

I did go out and managed it, but it killed my knee, not to mention there was a branch over the path that I didn't see and tripped over it and grazed my knees my knee just feels 'tight' now like there is pressure in it. It's not swollen but I will pay for it tomorrow. I'm going to have the rest of this week and all next week off.

When I've had one and half weeks off I'm not sure where to start from again. I've done two week four runs. I'm thinking of starting at the beginning of week three again, so it's not quite such a start on my knees.

I'm gutted that I've got to have a break, because I'm really enjoying it, I love the half hour of freedom it gives me, the challenge amd I am proud of myself that I've done it and I always feel mentally on top of the world after a run.

W5 r3 done. I was dreading this 20 min run but it was ok. Had to have a week off due to vomiting bug but back on track now. So please but I've just looked at the weeks ahead eek!

Hi all. It's taken me two days to read this thread! (Mostly at 1 or 4am during breastfeeds.) Now if I may I want to tell you my issues..!

I finished C25K three weeks ago and I feel amazed and proud of that achievement. I really didn't see myself finishing but as Laura says, just follow the programme and I did. Lovely. But all I wanted was to retain that smug new sense of self, and keep up the 30 mins every second day. No grand illusions of marathons, runner's high etc, just an efficient way to be healthier (and skinnier). I guess I'm lazy and want to rest on my laurels having earned my C25K badge.

Two things have brought me down... The realisation that I've only been doing 3.5km in the 30 mins. And the fact that three weeks down the line it's not feeling any easier! How can I be THAT slow?! I pushed myself hugely one run since and squeezed an extra 300m in. But god it was hard and I just want it to be fun/easy now.

Will I ever spontaneously find myself going further faster? Am I only going 3.5km because I'm 15 1/2 stone. (12lbs down since I started this thing!)

Or do I need to try the 10k one? Horror of horrors!

And why, even now, do I feel like I won't get through the first 2 minutes each and every run?

Sorry if this was long and dramatic.

Just about to start, have downloaded the podcasts and ordered some new trainers and a new sports bra. Went for a walk/jog with my DD on Monday and it was okay but made me realise I need some decent shoes. I am VERY unfit and about 3 stone overweight. I really want to improve my fitness as it has been mentioned recently both by my asthma nurse and by my doctor. Also I can't fit in any of my clothes. I do tend to get sore shins though but have read that wearing compression type things can help so will try that. Wish me luck - will start officially as soon as the new shoes arrive!

Good luck amypond! I found a great satisfaction in conquering each week, it's a great way to build up to the challenge. What sports bra did you invest in? I'm always on the hunt for something to tame the girls.

BrieMonster (love the NN!) I started c25k about 18 months ago at 14 stone and had to give it up so huge congratulations on getting to the end. I've been doing bootcamp twice a week since August to shed some of the weight (down to 11st 10) and get much stronger - I had really bad SPD after DS was born so I had a huge about of work to do to be physically able to run. I have no idea about getting "better" at running, but just wanted to say congratulations on what you've achieved.

Hope all the injuries are healing for people. I'm here whacking the table that I've avoided any so far.

I'm debating going out early tomorrow and getting it done or waiting til the kids go to bed. Might see how much DD is up tonight! I've an earlyish meeting and don't really want to go in beetroot red either.

To keep me motivated (I get bored very easily) I signed up for Hell and Back, a 12k mud-run/obstacle course, in June! I don't know what has come over me... Did someone mention something similar upthread? I'm on my phone so can't really see where it was (and sorry for typos, etc)

Are you sure you're doing 3.5k Brie? Have you used map my run or similar? I seem to remember longer strides will help with this, although I admit I'm not sure how to do that right now!

I need to remember proper stretching when I get home now. Also there is some yoga for runners vids on the doyogawithme.com site. It's free and no sugn up! I need a boot to get out and do w4r2 tomorrow as we had pizza tonight and I feel massive!!

Thanks fruit I am chuffed to have gotten to the end. Well done on all your achievements! I rate shock absorber bras by the way.

And thanks stilllearnin as well. It was a site like that which bore the bad news! Not sure which one from memory but have downloaded that app and will investigate further. Would be a nice mistake if I've in fact been doing 6km all along! Hope your pizza was yum!!

Oh and amy here's where I get all positive again and say well done for starting, you'll love it! I'm sick of not fitting clothes too... Started C25K and weightwatchers at New Years and have steadily lost a pound a week with zero regard for ww methods. It's all been the running. Good luck!

Sorry petit donkey - I meant to say my mum had one of those. She had a kind of internal patch put in although she was saying recently there's a better way that is less invasive. Anyway I know we're all different but the important thing is the op was only a few years ago, she's late 60s and she does loads of Zumba, keep fit etc (and i was wrong when I thought she meant an over 50s class!). So may be an idea to go back to the dr?

Amy. Totally trust in the program! Just start from the beginning and keep going. You will amaze yourself!

Lastly, Brie- please don't get disheartened by distance. have read that it's the time you spend that counts in terms of your fitness and weight loss - ie running for 30 mins. It's such a great achievement. Keep it up!