Couch to 5k...it's not about speed (thread no 2)

[spookyskeleton]

Thought I would start a new thread for us to continue our chat

Spooky I don't think I'll be ready by August 9th - am thinking September later in August..?!

Cycled in to work today - 5 miles and it went OK - haven't done that for over a year so am pretty chuffed (although thinking about getting the train home with the bike... )

It's my birthday today and I got a GPS watch and heart rate monitor I can't wait to go out for my run tonight to try them out . I never would have thought of myself saying that before February and the C25K.

Happy birthday!!

Happybirthday Kaster. So does your GPS measure how far you've gone? I could get proper obsessed!!

I want a fitbit... but then I can find a reason to spend money in every area of my life, so there's no change there

Yes it should measure how far I've gone and my route and time per mile and heart rate. As well as all the averages and slowest and fastest heart rate, miles ect. I've been using an app on my phone but the GPS was useless it said I'd run nine miles in 30 mins once and done a mile in 34 seconds!

It was a lovely surprise. DH bought me it, he said he got it from ALDI in the special buys, but i suspect it was still quite expensive. You can plug it in to the computer to track all your progress and plan routes, so you can measure out the distance you have done more accurately.

oooh - Aldi..??! We've got one down the road - must go and have a look!

Happy Birthday!

Not keen on Aldi though!

Hi all, can I join in? I have decided to start running but today discovered that I can't do more than two minutes without stopping (so this week I am doing 2 mins running then 2 walking then 2 running etc). My aim is to be able to run 15 minutes without stopping.

crucru i am a brand newie too. Have you heard of the couch to 5k podcasts? They build you up gradually and tell you when to start walking and start running. Week one is 5 min walk warm up then 1 min run and 90 sec walk for 20 mins then 5 min walk cool down. Then you go on to week 2 etc until you can run for 30 mins. Good luck!

Hi CruCru I can recommend the podcasts too. They really work and build you up gradually so you can do it without becoming disheartened and giving up. They do all the timings for you so you don't have to think about it too much.

Hi tortoise welcome to the c25k. This is a really good thread and has people at all points of the c25k in it.

I used my new GPS watch tonight it was really good. It measured my heart rate (very high)! My total distance, my average pace, and showed where I had been. You can upload it onto the computer and it shows exactly where you have been on a map. I ran 2.5 miles in 30 mins, average pace was 12.38 secs a mile and I did do a ten minute mile (must have been the downhill bit).

Hi Crucru and tortoise - yes can definitely recommend the NHS change for life C25K app. and it's definitely do-able - go for it!

ooh Kaster sounds fab! Out of interest, what does your heart rate go up to? I find I'm managing when mine is around 150 but I start to feel panicky if it goes over about 157 - so I tend to slow down. I've got no idea though what's good/not so good heart rate wise.

Didn't get to Aldi today - must try and have a look tomorrow - and it's W6R2 for me tomorrow - 2 x 10 minute runs....

Dotty It goes up to 168, on average. It seemed to go up to that then level off, and not go any higher, mind that's high enough!

that's interesting - maybe I'm not working hard enough! But I start to feel panicky and stressed out when mine's in the high 150's and I've got a bit of a funny heartbeat anyway, so I'll probably try and keep it steady...

I like the sound of that watch

Just been out for a run - did over 6.5k which is the furthest I have run without any stopping or someone running with me so feeling very chuffed. It took me 47 minutes.

Just got another 3k to find in 12 days

Yours sound healthier Dotty! It said that it was 96% of my maximum heart rate. It goes on your weight, gender and age. My resting heart rate has come down quite a lot since doing the c25k. From about 75-80 to 55-60. So it had done some good.

That's brilliant spooky and really fast. I only managed 2.5 miles tonight in 30mins. You go for it.

Is it ok to join? Feeling inspired by you all. I'm on week 7, run 3 tomorrow with a race for life due in a fortnight. Have never, ever, ever run before, so amazed that I've made it this far. My joints are playing up a bit - any ideas on what I can do?

I'm in. Just read all your very inspirational posts. Dusted off running machine tonight (very hilly where we are and roads aren't all that safe) and managed W1r1. I also swim (we are lucky enough to have a swimming pond) and really enjoying exercising even though hugely overweight. Will definitely be repeating weeks but small steps and all that.

Ah cool thanks, I'll look it up.

Was that before or after the birthday cake kaster?!

Ickes, am downloading the podcasts now.

Anyone else find they can run much further when with others? I can just about manage 5k when out with running group or doing a parkrun but when I go out on my own I often stuggle to do more than 2 miles and seem to need to do more walking sections that I dont do when with group!