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

Emmi, just download the app and start running! I think many of us struggled with the 60s jog at the outset. You need to get your trainers on, then you are on your way. I wear a beanie hat so I am more anonymous, but frankly I don't care if people see me as I am at least out there doing something rather than on the sofa.

I started a few weeks back and yesterday ran for 20m non stop. It was hard and I was jolly tired by the end but I made it. I struggled with the early weeks too. Just think, by Christmas you could be nearly at the end if you start now. There's nothing to lose, and a great deal to gain .

Iggi, 5.5k is awesome. Well done. How long have you been running?

I am afraid I failed to go this morning as I only had about 3 hours sleep but am looking forward to running later in the week.

Hi Emmie, your description of yourself, I think, would cover the majority of us on this thread - except that you are quite a few years younger than me! Yes, just go for it and keep us all up to date with how you get on. Proper shoes are the most important, I think. Good luck!

I had my first run attempt today after giving myself half term off after my knee injury. I covered nearly 6k but mostly walked, did a couple of 8min (ish) runs just to test. The knee seemed ok and I could have pushed myself to do more but thought I would be gentle on myself his week and then see how things are next week.

Unsurprisingly, I didn't start any of the 30 day challenges!

I'm amazed and proud of myself, I was dreading wk3r1 mainly because it's three minutes of running and ive not run properly in nearly two weeks.
Well I only bloody did it! I didn't realise the cool down was only three mins and finished the cool down when I was about 5min from the car so casually threw in another 90s run.
Feeling good, partly because it's cooler so I'm not as hot and sweaty. It seemed to go really quick too.

I'm still here! Idid w4r1 today. Still haven't got the hang of estimating how far ill go, so got home too early.
And I really struggle at the beginning of each run cos it's uphill at that point. But I ran twice for 5 minutes which would never have been possible 4 weeks ago!

I can't remember who on this thread signposted me to the couch to 5k plus podcasts, but could they please give me idiotproof instructions on how to download them onto my iPod? I can't find them in the App Store

Hi Science, if you search 'c25k plus' on google, they come up on the NHS website. I assume those are the ones talked about.

Or you can search in iTunes for NHS couch to 5k+

Science I have an iPod touch. I do it all straight from iTunes rather than use an app

iTunes! Of course. Why was I looking in the App Store?!

Thank you!

Good evening all. Looking for some advice.

I finished c25k about 4 weeks ago, had done a couple of runs after but then stopped - partly half term got in the way, partly I was too depressed, and the last week-10 days I've been ill with a horrid chesty cough. In total I've not run for 3weeks.
prior to that I had just hit 5km in a session which consisted of 5min walk 38 min run 5min walk. But I don't feel that I was an established runner. So I'm not sure how far my break will have set me back, but I'm hoping to run tomorrow. A friend said just see how far you get but if I do that I know I won't get passed the 5minute torture barrier.

I'm thinking I might try the 25min run from week 7 (?) What do you think? Do you think that will still be too much. I need to set myself a target but it needs to be achievable.

I did think about doing 3 lots of 10min runs with 3 min walks in between but that would be a pain cos I would have to time that myself and would have no Laura.

P.s. I've now lost 15% of my body weight since April and am in size 16 jeans for the first time in 18m and it is just through running. No change to diet at all. :)

Edwinia, sounds like you have had a tough few weeks but great to hear you now focused on the positives like your amazing weight loss and your determination to get back into running.

In your place, I think I would be tempted to try week 6 run 2, which is the two 10 minute runs with a three minute walk in between. If you feel strong at the end of the second run, you could always keep going!

Hmm...that was what I suggested to DP then he suggested the 3 lots of 10mins.
My chest isn't quite right yet so I think that may be a sensible plan and then aim to do week7 (25mins) and then week 9 runs (30mins) on my next two outings?

Edwinias I agree with science- your bad chest will make it harder but it's really positive to get going again. Also I think you'll be able to get back up to where you were pretty quickly so no need to worry there. I think the big thing is to get back out there and also be really kind to yourself.

Ran on a treadmill for the first time today - it's very different! Hard to tell if I was running faster or slower than outside.

It is VERY cold here in South London. I have donned an extra t shirt and a woolly hat and am off out for R1 of W6. It can't be worse than 20m on the spin, I hope.

Good luck to all running today

Ooh, where in south London are you Montserrat? I'm here too, very close to the famous swedish store

Edwinia I had a month off with cough / cold / childcare issues.
Its taken me 4-5 runs to get back into reasonable times. I was very slow to start with, and did need some walking breaks. I think the 2x10 mins sounds like a good plan. If its too easy, you can make it harder next time! Just get your trainers back on.

Science, I am a bit further in, on the S Circular. I live near lots of very good parks (Dulwich, Brockwell, Ruskin etc) and so I have the pick of where to run. This morning was a Dulwich day, jogging past the people in their 4x4s dropping the children at school. I have 3 t shirts on and the only bit of me which was cold was my fingers. Hurray.

Edwina, I would try to for 10m and then if there is still something in your tank at the end, try for the next lamppost / tree, then the next until you are spent

should've been week3 run2 today but silly fecker here managed to fall down the stairs this morning, I'm incredibly accident prone and tend to injure easily.
Luckily I think it's just bruising and aches but the only part I didn't hurt was my head.
I'll not be running for a few days again. I'm really angry at myself, I've been traversing stairs alone for 30 years you'd think I'd've got the hang of it by now!

Edwinia, great news that you are feeling back on track and able to give running a go again. I agree with Science's excellent suggestion of the two 10min runs. You can rewind the app to time another 10min run if you feel up to it at the end.

Spidey, poor you! Hope the bruises subside quickly.

I ran w6r2 again today, just to test my knees again. I'm not sure if they would be up to 25mins of the next run but might try a 20min one next which I know is going backwards on the app but I don't want to push too far.

Well I went out.

I did 10mins run 3 mins walk 15mins run.

overall was easier than I expected but enough. If it hadn't been for an accumulation of rubbish on my chest that I couldn't clear I would have perhaps done a bit further. I actually quite enjoyed it, probably cos I wasnt 'doing the same old'. In fact the hardest part was starting again after my 3minute walk.

Take some rest spidey. I've had 37 years practice at the stairs and I still haven't mastered it. I've fallen down 3 times in the last 2years. Twice I broke bones (finger and coccyx) and the third - possibly the most painful I thought I'd broken something in my foot/ankle but fortunately just soft tissue damage.

Oh and my time was actually quite reasonable - 4.1km in 40mins total. Average pace of 9.56mins per km which is about what I was doing on my week 6/7runs anyway. Happy with that.

I'm going to do the bare minimum housework today while I'm hurting most then tomorrow I'll do proper housework and hopefully be ok to run Friday, I'm really annoyed that it's yet another week down the pan.
Btw- aldi have reduced all their running gear by 50%

Spidey you are still doing more housework than me but i am gearing up to a declutter v soon!

Do not worry about how many weeks pass - you will get there and when you are a fully fledged runner, this part will be seem like the blink of an eye.

Thanks daftmaul and stilllearnin. I managed to get hold of the podcasts and did the stepping stones one this evening. Much to my surprise, the running speed was quite slow, and I easily managed the 30 minutes. A good confidence boost