Couch to 5k...it's not about speed (thread number 3).

[CruCru]

Hi all

Here is the new home for our chat. Hope to see you all soon.

Love

Cru

Laughing don't be so naughty! You need to rest and get better - I know that feeling of trying to run and not being able to catch your breath - feels very panicky and horrible...

Talking of horrible - I am completely stuck on 43 minutes at the gym doing 5K - I just can't do it any faster and seem to need to walk for a couple of minutes in the middle of it - I get to about 18/19 minutes and just need to slow down . I feel quite de-motivated because all through the C25K I was progressing and now I'm stuck. Glad I can actually run 5K but I thought by now I'd be super speedy...

Anyway, we've got our first parkrun a week on Saturday so am hoping that will inspire me to keep going and accept my snail-like pace - better than going back to the couch, right..?!

Just went out for our first run where we were going for distance rather than time. Walked for 8 minutes after running for 30, but then ran again and made it to 5.2km. Ridiculously pleased with myself. Now to work on the non-stop 5k.

Laughing - REST! Chest infections are horrid.

Wasting - I have decided that I'm just as much a runner as the skinny minnie whizzing around the lanes, so I just smile and nod through my veil of sweat and carry on.

Dotty - my sister said she had a similar block with swimming. Someone just told her that that week she was going to get through that block...and she did. Maybe your OH could give you a talking to?

dotty it is so much better than doing nothing - it doesn't even compare! Could you try running outside or with someone else? I seriously could not do half an hour on a treadmill. But if you keep this up you are only going to get fitter anyway and that is a really good goal surely? Try not to get disheartened

I'm going for increasing my distance today- I've decided on baby steps so 5.5k today and I'm not going to worry about time. I'm going to do the speed podcast once a week too as that is pretty knackering so it should improve my fitness.

I am due to do my third run of week 1 today but have a stinking cold so will delay it until the weekend, but I am planning to do a 6k walk instead.

Oh yes my OH gave me a stern talking to last night - she said having persuaded her to take up running I can't now up and leave her to it..! Easy for her to say - she's running 5K in just over 30 minutes...

DH out again last night so no run for me

So I've bought a treadmill on ebay

I thought about hiring one to see how I get on, but this one on ebay (high spec model, only used twice so pretty much perfect, AND really local to me) was not much more than a month's rental, and I figured that I could always sell it on if I don't get on with it.

I WILL DO COUCH TO 5K

Wahoo! I pinged out of bed at 6am and ran for 30 minutes. I am so much better first thing in a morning and the weather is hot in an afternoon. It's quite chilly first thing (lots of mists around at the moment) but I soon break into a sweat and warm up

I wear one of these for early misty starts. I'm running on country roads so need to be seen. I don't think the reflective patches on my running gear quite cut the mustard and I don't want to be run over!

No running for me today as DH is out and I'm feeling rotten (baby DD woke up last night and puked everywhere and I may have caught her virus).

Thanks addicted, dotty and chameleon

I am doing better at taking it easy today and I have made myself promise not to run till at least sunday and not even then if I still sound like a 90-a day smoker! I think I just really wanted to press on as I got to week 7 in July, then went away for most of August and had just got back to the same point again!!

Well done Ladyflip, thinking about running that early makes me wince a bit!

Dotty, it's sooooo the distance that counts - running 5k is amazing, however long it takes! But I am sure you will gradually get a bit faster, if that's what you want to do .

Well done to all the runners, get well soon to all of you who are illing and yes this is long haul not a print to the finish.

I managed 5 minutes running on the treadmill today which I was shocked with, I eased the knees with some bike riding and they feel OK, I need to get a gait analysis but I reckon a couple more weeks and I will be back on track with week 4.

Job interview tomorrow.

Good luck with the interview Five.

Good luck Tomorrow Five. I did 5.5k today- I'm building my distance gradually! While I was at it I gave your frustration some more thought dotty I have no experience bit I was thinking athletes (that includes us lot) only shave tiny times off their PBs so you are looking for tiny improvements if you really want to get faster. Also you could ask a trainer at the gym for some tips. My dp ran marathons and i don't know his times but I know he ran sub 3 hours. He says if you get tired, run faster. If you want to run faster, take bigger strides. I do manage the first one and it peps me up when I get tired. The second tip is harder I find. However, that is what he says to me. Seriously, I have just asked him for advice on how you can get faster- he has said why would she want to run faster - that time is fine, she should just carry on (unhelpful I know)

dotty my best advice for improving your times is to do some shorter sessions with either hills or speed intervals (or both). So maybe 20 minutes sessions with short bursts of effort (speed or hill). This will improve your 5k speed fairly quickly

five good luck tomorrow

Aww - thanks both - I really do love this thread for all the support we all get!

Yes, will keep going - the running faster when you're tired is going to be tricky though! For me it's definitely a mental as well as physical challenge - all the time I have to tell myself I can do it, as all I want to do is stop because I don't think I can do it...

Next run for me will be on Sunday - out tonight and at a wedding tomorrow.

Week 2 run 2 done

How was your interview Five?

W9R2 done. I was a bit crap at running, think I'm still under the weather.

How did it go five?

Just done the week 5 run 3. Wooo, I managed it despite having a sniffle.
Last 5 minutes were tough but it was more managing my breathing than my legs aching.

I feel really proud of myself and am having a medicinal/celebratory scotch to toast joining the 20 minuters.

Cheers everyone! tinkly bottoms up.

more flasheart woof!

Was hoping to complete w2r2 today but was thwarted! Had to go to a Class Rep meeting (and eat cake) and then, had to collect dd from school ill - she wasn't particularly! Grrr!

Anyway, may try to go tomorrow in between dropping ds to school to show around prospective parents (enough to put everyone off!), haircuts, homework, buying new school shoes, etc....

Five, hope your interview went well and hope all those who are poorly are starting to recover.

Well done Science, how was it?

stilllearnin, I tried your DP's tip of taking longer strides, and it worked ! I seemed to have some sort of mental block about running faster, but thinking 'longer strides' as I ran made me run faster. I'm so pleased!

I just did W8R3, so it's a 30 minute run next time .

Good luck everyone, it's great to read about all of your progress.

Thanks for asking, didn't set the world on fire but I didn't cock it up. Have to wait until next week. Love my current job but it i am being pushed and pulled a bit/lot and don't know if I want to wait until October when I find my fate.

Going to try first half of W4R1 tomorrow

Well done Wasting

Thanks Five , I should add that I'm
still pretty slow. It's horrible waiting to hear about jobs - good luck, and remember that it's all good experience no matter what the outcome.

Daftmaul, it was fine, and actually a huge relief after the last one. I even managed an extra 90 second run!

Does anyone else run to music? I'm finding that certain songs keep me going, particularly if they match my running pace though I am loathe to say what they are in case you all fall around in laughter at how incredibly slow I am.

five will keep my fingers crossed for you

enormouse woohoo, well done and welcome to the 20-minute club. It feels good doesn't it?

science if I am running by myself, I listen to music. I don't run to the pace generally but I have noticed that when Wake Me Up Before You Gogo is on, my feet match the rhythm perfectly you have to share yours now.

Just did a nice gentle 5k run tonight.