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 think it feels it as I was headed for 5 Dizzy, will try again today.

I'm going to start it again too with my kids so we can all do Parkrun on a Saturday :) how old is your DD? Mine are 11 (dd) and 9 (ds)

Week 2 completed. I live in a town set on a pretty steep hill so it's hard for me to avoid the ups and downs, except one route I do that is across, mainly flat. Bit the bullet and did an uphill one today and it was punishing. Never so glad the runs were only 90 seconds. Back to a flat one on Wednesday I think for W3 although I am going to try and do uphill once a week if I can screw up the nerve

According to my dad I should be aiming to try fartlek training on the hills which I assume is interval training from the way he described it Think he has me setting off to do my first marathon in his head, bless him.

I have finally managed a week 4 run without having to stop after 3 minutes of running! Though I was this colour when I got home. How I'll ever complete 30 minutes of running is beyond me!

Felicia - I felt the same when I was at your stage. Now I am running 30 mins three times a week!

You will just build up to it. Its a great feeling when you can do it. I would never in a million years have imagined I could run 3 miles in 30 mins. You can do it too!

I need to keep telling myself that Bumpsadaisie!

I think it's because I had found the first 3 weeks pretty straightforward, not easy but manageable. I was starting to think I'd never manage a 5 minute run nevermind 30 minutes.

I should remember that several months ago I would have laughed at the thought of me running at all!

Great to hear he has faith in you Morrigu!

You will do it FeliciaHardy, we all had doubts!!

Felicia there are a few step jumps up as the weeks go on - I remember dreading having to run 5 mins without stopping. Also week 6 - you have to run 25 mins no walking - I really dreaded that but it was surprisingly fine! Just put a fun podcast on, like the News Quiz from radio 4 or sth, and just think all I need to do is plod along until this has finished.

I'm moving onto 5 to 10k now. Already dreading a couple of weeks time when it says "run 45 mins no walking" ...

Oh yous are putting the fear in me reading how many minutes of running there are in future weeks.

More like blind faith cinnamon. I don't think he gets how unfit I really am considering he would find 5k run a mere walk in the park at 60-odd yo

Bumpsadaisie have you started the 10k app now? How are you finding it? I might start tonight, I've had 2 days of really, really crap runs and I genuinely feel like giving up :( yesterday I managed 4k but had to walk for 30secs twice and I was sloooowww, felt like I was barely moving.

Still doing week 3 - fifth time today. The thing is my knees are still hurting afterwards, and I don't know if I should stop totally, do strengthening exercises, just keep going in the hope it works out, or what! I've always had very weak quads, tight calves and generally misaligned hips, so wonder if I'm really cut out for running!

I empathise herbaceous as my knees and joints in general aren't great and my knees are the reason I've stopped running before.

Are they hurting just after or continuing to hurt? I personally would play it safe and stop for a few days. If it's not continuous pain maybe try some gentle strengthening exercises or swimming but that's only my pov, you know your own body and level of pain it is. Is a physio an option? I know I wouldn't keep going as to me pain is there for a reason that something's not right.

Another thing I just thought of. I've been trying hard to get a good posture/running form as I know an incorrect one can impact on your knees. Maybe something to look at?

Hi Morrigu. They don't hurt during, unless I land awkwardly, but can still hurt a bit going up and down stairs, but only at a very particular angle. I'm investigating physios, but am wary of the price!

And yes - I'm sure my form is pretty poor, but not sure what I'm doing wrong. Googled chi running, but feel I might need an actual person to show me the ropes.

Sorry - meant that they can hurt on stairs for a couple of days afterwards.

herbaceous could you get a one-off session in a gym / with a trainer to have your running analysed? I presume you have proper shoes (apologies if it was you discussing it further up). Also: running on softer surfaces, even beaten earth in the park is supposed to be better than pavements and concrete. Slows you right down too , especially right now when it's so really soft underfoot. Might be better for your joints though?
Luckily I've never had probs with my 'style' yet...

As I said before my hips ached and ached for weeks after I first started, they were just not used to it. It did get better though, it was just general 'strain stiffness' type of pain. So far my knees have been okay though I found out that I have a dodgy knee that I have to be careful with when doing yoga.

Felicia that's sounding great - you CAN do it!! Take it at your pace. I found that some times the first weekly run I though 'oh I can do this it's okay' but then doing it again two days later was much much harder... Also you have good and bad days, it happens to all of us. Finally: eventualy it's all in your head that's where I'm struggling now. I CAN do the 5k uninterrupted. I just have to stick to it and not stop. After I have walked, even for just 4 steps, I feel so much worse and I get pains in my legs where there were none before! Oh and I'm still a lovely breathless shade of red when I get to the end. Comes with the territory.... I've been running for nearly 3 years now. After a lifetime of not being at all sporty.

herbaceous I had trouble with my knees after week 2. They started to hurt when running but I ignored it and one run later I was in a lot of pain. I stopped running and after 2 weeks the pain had gone but I hurt my toe just walking across a carpet so I actually didn't run for about a month. I started running again and took it gradually and they haven't hurt since. I put it down to a complete lack of exercise all my life then suddenly expecting my knees to oblige when I started running. I also read 'running well', recommended by people on here, and improved my style a bit. Might be worth a read?

Thanks all! I do have 'proper' shoes, yes - got them from Sweat Shop after having my gait analysed, insoles made, etc. I don't have many soft surfaces round here - well, not without driving somewhere, which defeats the object of it being easy to fit in to the daily routine.

I guess I am maybe expecting a bit much from my old body. I haven't done much exercise for years, except some sporadic 30-day-shredding, so should perhaps take it even easier than the c25K pace.

And I'm going to try putting orthotics in my shoes - I use them in everyday shoes, as my whole leg kind of rolls in, so maybe I need a bit more arch support while running too.

And I'll read 'running well'. All together, I'll be right as rain in a jiffy!

Hope your knees get sorted herbaceous. Would love to see a physio myself but far too expensive. Will have a read at running well as suggested. My posture is terrible even when sitting and I find it hard trying to remember everything about what way to hold my body when running. I am trying but I noticed today I have a tendency to lean a bit to one side. Bad habit from carrying a baby then toddler on my hip recently.

Did the first run of week 3 and am despairing at how unfit I am as three minutes was tough going. Felt like a real jump from the previous weeks.

Three minutes is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaages, isn't it. I dread to think what five minutes is going to feel like, which is next on the agenda.

Hi can I join. I started it yesterday, I went out after dark as was the only time I could go. I actually surprised myself that I really enjoyed it. I'm actually looking forwards to going again tomorrow or Friday. My legs are aching a little bit today but not much. I like that it tells you when to run and when to walk so you don't have to think about it. Also I like the encouragement and praise it gives you, makes me more motivated. I might not feel the same in a week or two though!

Hi all, My next run is week 5 day 3 and I'm a bit daunted to see that it jumps from 8 min intervals to "run 20 minutes without stopping". It seems like a huge jump! Might take a few tries ....

Morrigu I'm sure you'll be fine with three minutes - even if you need to do it a few more times before moving on to the next interval.

I've found the worst thing you can do is look at the timer count down on the app or it all starts to seem too hard.

I'm getting up at 5 am twice a week - DD (year 8) is a rower and training starts at at 6am, so I drop her off, do the couch to 5k around the park, go home & get 8 yo DD out of bed, take her to school, go to the office and drink a lot of coffee ... By 9pm I'm totally knackered! But otherwise feeling pretty good, and then I run again on Saturday and have a big sleep-in Sunday.

My question to everyone is - what are your best songs for running to? I've made a spotify running playlist for the iPhone -the app just talks over the top of it. So far my favourites are "Rocking the casbah" and "Rock'n'Roll High School".

I got right to 10k twice a week with shorter 3rd run 18 months ago. Then I fell down the stairs at home (sober!!) and I am just about to do week 1 2nd run (with a whopping extra 2 stone in tow!). I am actually dreading it as I feel a wally but I am forcing myself. But to those that are struggling it is doable and the achievements along the way are great. Prepare to find out how amazing you are!! Ps my dp was a marathon runner he says please run on the grass even if it's just a verge - he can now only do a mile due to his knee.

Ooh cuts what app do you have that runs over the top of music? I have an oldish iPod touch and wonder if I could do this?

stilllearnin jay go for it! Good luck! At least you already know what to expect.

cutsnake just do it! You'll be amazed! I know I was And I agree about not looking at the time. The NHS Mp3s are really good as she tells you all you need to know including plenty of encouragement just at the right moment. As for music I'venue been listening to Muse Resistance, the whole album for ages and ages, I think I took one or two tracks out and changed the order, but it fits really well starting with Uprising which is just about 5 mins for the warm up, then something rousing at about 25 mins running ('we are breaking through'...) and then the slower Exogenisis (?)ending for the walk home... Hmm still not bored of it though sometimes I really think I should upload something new!! I have a little mp3 player no smart phone.

Also agree about the early starts. Used to run between 6 and 7am twice a week, before my husband leaves the house. Hopefully I'll get myself back into that routine soon, it's a bit sporadic at the moment , droppeddropped it in Nov when it was all getting to much. And then I can do one run at the weekend, with option to make it longer as I don't have to be back for a given time...

Yes, that my thoughts on it that I can redo weeks and there's no rush. Ideally I would like to be running the 5k by May as I will have a lack of babysitters during the summer and 3 times a week will be impossible but if not that's life. Only stopped my horrible smoking habit 3 weeks ago so it'll take a while to get anywhere near fit I think.

I use my phone and the zenlabs one that lets you play your music and just tells you when to run and walk. Unfortunately there is no grass close to me you can run on as thanks to the dogwalkers who don't pick up after their dogs (I have a dog myself but those people give me rage) they have understandably closed off the likes of the pitches to the public.

I'm forever trying to seek out new running songs and have three different playlists :) Haven't listened to dance music in years but I like it to run to. Old school stuff like Insomnia (Faithless), Children (Robert Miles), Silence (Delirium), some Swedish House Mafia, Prodigy and Pendulum. Atm I'm liking Pharrell Williams's Happy, 'Till I collapse Eminem and Holding out for a Hero Bonnie Tyler