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

Cricket schmicket. Go running, Dotty!

Yay! Well done Moosey & Chameleon!

Hello, apologies for being absent recently. I seem to have lost my running mojo . I got to the end of c25k about 4 weeks ago. I've been going out for 30 min runs 2 or 3 times a week since then but I can't see any improvement. I still struggle to get to the end without stopping and I'm still very slow. I'm supposed to be doing a half marathon in March and I'm really worried that I'm going to be nowhere near able to do it

I'm also at least 2 stone overweight and just can't stick to a diet. I'm sure running would be much easier without the excess weight. Can anyone lend me some willpower please (and a kick up the backside)? Thanks!

Aww Watto you've done brilliantly - you've made it through and sod the speed - you can do it! March is ages away so maybe you need a plan for each month to run slightly further through the year? Or the 10k app to take you to the next stage? I feel the same about carrying a load of extra weight - I'm sure it would be much easier without all the bulk I'm carrying - but all we can do is keep trying and hope some of it starts to shift! I'm drinking more water and eating less crap, although not following any particular diet.

Keep going - keep going for runs, even if they're not very fast or very far - you can definitely do it if you've got this far

watto I felt exactly the same as you when I finished the programme - still slow, still struggled a lot towards the end of 5k runs and made no improvement on my times and tbh, I still feel like that occasionally now. What I find has helped re-motivate myself is signing up for a 10k run to give me something to aim for, doing different kinds of runs rather than 5k runs every single times (hill training, different routes etc) and not running 3 times a week so doing different exercise instead once a week.

I also think that it would be easier if I wasn't so heavy carrying 14.5 stone around takes a lot of effort. I would run like Mo Farah if I was 3 stone lighter

Have those of you looking to loose weight tried my fitness pal?

I started using the app on the 1st of June, same time as I started running. Have stuck to 1200 (ish) calories a day and have gone from 12st 4lb to 11st 2lb which I am pretty please with. I haven't seen a '10' on the scales in my adult life and I am nearly there!

Really recommend it as you don't have to deny yourself anything so it doesn't feel like a diet as such.

lidl I tried mfp but it just didn't work for me. It said I needed 1900 calories per day, I was eating 1400 but then because I had 500 free calories I would scoff junk at night. I find the only woe that I actually lose weight on is low carb but I find it really hard to maintain.

I do the 5:2 diet but it isn't working

I am ok(ish) on the fast days but I know I overcompensate on my non-fast days which defeats the object. However, I stick with it as fasting does seem to regulate my appetite (I had got to the point where I was so scared of feeling hungry that I had to snack constantly whereas I now realise that feeling hungry is ok and nothing to be scared of which is a huge step for me) . I enjoy the fast days as it feels 'cleansing' plus I can eat pretty much what I want on non-fast days and not put weight on which is quite liberating.

I know what I need to do but just can't seem to focus enough

No diets!! They don't work... Running more + eating less crap must be the answer?! I'm really hoping exercise, water and eating less works more wonders than anything I've tried previously - which is everything you can think of!

The only thing that is working for me is when I get hungry, I go for a glass of water first (tho I was seriously under hydrated - I was getting about 1L a day). If I'm still looking for something after that, I try to go for fruit (easier in the summer with all the lovely berries), but still do sometimes go back for junk.

Running does seem to have moderated my appetite a bit tho - I have gone from slowly gaining to slowly loosing (like 1 stone over the year since I started C25K).

I agree with spooky - mix it up a bit, some shorter, faster runs, some longer slower ones, and something different. I've also been doing hills with some others, but I HATE HATE HATE them, but they do work!

watto i can give you details of a hill training plan that I am using if you want? One 'cycle' takes 16 minutes so you can do 2 of them or tag it on to a short run before. Like addicted, I hate hills but this is doable and wasn't actually that bad. I jogged for 15 minutes to the hill, did the hill routine then walked back and felt like I had had a good workout. Once I get this 10k out of the way next week, I am going to aim to do it once a week and slowly build it up.

Oh I live on a hill- could this be for me??! I am reading nourishing wisdom by Marc david. It's no quick fix and it's taking me ages to get through but making me think about approach to eating, body image and all sorts. But yes I'm lugging round extra too- at least I have bigger muscles with which to do it!

Hi everyone

Couple of questions:

1. You're all saying your speed as X kph but all my phone tells me is how many minutes per kilometre. What apps are you all using?

2. Why are you supposed to have a rest day? I quite like running each day but is that bad?

moosey I calculate my speed by dividing 60 minutes by my average time to run 1 kilometre (so for me I average 7.5 minutes to do 1k) so 60/7.5 = 8 so my speed is 8kph on average

In terms of rest days, they are very important as this is when the muscles repair themselves and get stronger and if you don't rest, they can't do this. Plus you need rest so you don't fatigue yourself. I am not an expert but I am sure I read somewhere that marathon training involves not running for a few days before to ensure you and your muscles are not fatigued on the day.

Moosey
I get mins / km too. I converted it for the treadmill runners!
If you divide 60 by the mins / km, you will get km/h (ie 6 mins / km -> 60/6 = 10 km/h)

Rest days are good to let your muscles recover. What about doing a different form of excerise on the other days?

Still our hills version is: walk then jog to bottom of hill. Run up hill, aiming to be sprinting at the top. Turn round. I walk back down, the superfit are jogging back down, in order to recover. Aim to do this for 15 mins to start with, and build up to about 20 mins. Then walk / jog home as a cool down.

snap, great minds, spooky!

BOOM 30mins done!

BOOM indeed, Minstrels Congratulations!!

W7R1 for me tonight - first of the blocks of runs so I'd better get used to it...

Watto I was In exactly the same position as you when I finished it. I think a big part of it with me was I didn't have anything to aim for. I'd had it in my head for so long that I was going to run for 30mins that when I finally did I didn't have a goal. What I do know is try and run for longer time wise and the distance I do is the distance I do. I ran for 50mins last week. That wasn't something I could have done when I'd just finished the programme. Maybe try to increase how long you can run for and the distance will come in time.

Dotty that's fantastic your first 25 min run and outside as well. That's the one when Laura tells you that you are a runner now. Which you are

My 'speed' is around 8kph (5mph). I cannot run any faster than that. What I can do now is run further and for longer periods of time.

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone. I think it is the lack of a short/medium term goal that is the problem.

I'd like to try a 10k programme but I was scared to start while I was still struggling to do 30 mins. Also, I do nowhere near 5k in 30 mins! More like 3-3.5.

Hi all

Just started on week 2. Feel knackered but good (it's a pretty warm day).

If anyone shops at Lidl they have lots of running goodies on sale from 24.07

I've just done a 6.75K (4.2 mile) run in 50 mins I could hardly walk when I finished!