Couch to 5k - it's not about speed (thread number 4)

[CruCru]

Would you all like to join me here?

I take my dogs out for a couple of hours walk most days, I havebeen running as a seperate thing but do you think it would be ok to do the c25k bit then walk the rest of the walk, it would really save me time.

Can I join please?

Just finished week 6, although I've been running podcast once then restarting to run 5k in intervals (if that makes sense) I usually get through a full podcast and a little bit when I start again.

Yesterday I ran my full 5k! Was supposed to be doing w6r3 so 25 mins of running but it finished at the top of the hill leading down to my house so I just kept going :)

Did it in 35 mins :)

It's amazing how far I've come in 6 weeks. I was fairly fit to start with as I went to the gym quite a bit but I was shocking at running.

I'm a novice dita but I don't see why you shouldnt do it on your dog walk. I was tempted to but my old boy is really slow and enjoys pottering so I haven't. I agree, it would really help time wise to combine the two things.

How did the 5:30 start go apple?
I got out for a run, my mum nicely babysat my littlest so I could get out. Boiling hot here. Am pleased to have improved my time again, 34 mins 24 seconds today.
Not sure how motivated I'll feel when my time starts getting static. Think I'll have to do parkrun or something to keep the motivation.

Hi all, am planning on starting couch to 5k this week- can I ask a question? Where do you run? May sound daft but the most convenient time for me to run will be mid morning however I feel really self concious about running where I live (private estate know lots of people, bound to see someone I know). I think once I'm hopefully a bit fitter then I'll feel less self concious but the thought of people I know seeing game red faced and puffing initially is bothering me. I had thought about running in the evenings but I just don't have the time/motivation then.

Did you feel self concious to start? How did you overcome that- I just need to put my big girl pants on don't I just go for it.

Just finished W2R1. It was good.

McButton I feel really self conscious too; I'm lucky enough to have a big garden to run around, but even then I wait until my neighbour who would be able to see me goes out . I'm planning to hit the outside world by Week 4 and it becomes more boring just running round the garden. Could you drive to a nearby park to start with?

bowlers actually I am contemplating that, wish I had a big enough garden!

Those on wk 2 I'm on week 2 too. I started off running round the garden too but got bored with that so I've bitten the bullet and run on a flat cycle trail/bridleway. It's not so hideous once you get out there and do it. I'm past caring who sees me. I do look a right hot sweaty mess too. Think I'm going to have to stay on level 2 for a couple of weeks, I'm shockingly bad at running

Just go for it and sod what others think!

Hi, I'm thinking of starting tomorrow (have downloaded an app - not the NHS one, but the first one that came up when I searched free Couch25k app). Can I run for 3 consecutive days, or is that frowned upon? I wanted to run Tues, Wed and Thurs because the dog needs to be exercised before work on those days and I thought it would give me the kick I need to get out. Then I would rest the other days. Would that work? I'm not very fit and I haven't run since I was about 15 apart from brief attempts that I didn't stick to for longer than a week. I'm half a stone overweight and chase a toddler and a crawling baby for exercise.

I live in rural obscurity - I'm going to run up the road then climb over a stile into a track and run down that. The dog is going to have to get all his sniffing over with during the warm-up! And get a bit better at hurdling the stile. It's that or go down a v steep hill and back up it, which I really don't want to do.

I live in the suburbs so I just ran along the road and down side streets. I didn't feel too self-conscious because lots of people were out running on Sunday, but to fit in properly I should have been wearing tight black jogging pants instead of bootleg blue jeans over my trainers I have a half-plan to try getting the bus and go running in a different place at the weekend - seafront, park, riverside, that kind of thing. But as I've only done my first run yesterday and I'm having a break day today I'll have to see if I manage to keep going for the rest of the week first!

mamapants ... It was great! I really enjoyed it. The sun was just coming up and it felt like I was the only person in the world, so uplifting on a clear morning! I really struggled w w1r1 so this time I ran more slowly and walked a bit faster, managed about 3k in the time and felt v comfortable so I am thrilled and can't wait for the next one on thurs!! It's lovely to be able to talk about it here!

Tooextra- they advise a day between runs, to help your muscles, tendons etc to recover and grow. I've found I really needed the rest days as I've ached like mad.

Thanks all- there's a park not far from where I live. I've decided to go for it tomorrow morning eek!

OK, IDo, I'll take it sensibly. Dog is not in his first flush of youth either so he needs easing in gently too! I can't find my sports bra now for the morning. Grr, I think it's in baby DS' room. I am not risking waking him up!

Did w2r1 this morning, found it fairly ok, I felt like I could have run for longer but don't want to overdo it, I have to resist the temptation to run fast when I go past people to make them think I'm a proper runner! Those who are worried about the embarrassment factor, this was the worst thing for me last week when I started, now I just put my head down and ignore people!

Wish I could combine it with the dog walk but he's too much of a sniffer and I quite like just focussing on me actually!

TooExtra , could you do runs on Tues and Thurs - to combine dog walking - and then the third on sat or sun? It would space the runs out but 2 out of 3 are done in conjunction with the dog walk.

McButton that sounds like a good plan - I run to my nearest decent-sized park (used to go round a local green but outgrew that once the runs increased), which is 2k, a further 1k round the park then 2k back. Today was my second 5k run and did it in just under 33 mins, which I'm quite pleased with. Am building up the courage to go for a parkrun (maybe week after next...?) then am signing up for a 5k Race for Life at the end of June. Eeek!

I was thinking of you today McButton - hope it went well! I did my second Week 1 run, I felt more tired than doing the first one on Sunday. Mixture of, a slightly different route with more uphill; much hotter weather; more traffic and pedestrians so I had to stop and start more; and I think I was a bit stiff from the first run. I’m glad I left a day in between because I didn’t feel so sore yesterday as I did before I ran today, so I might have overdone it if I'd run yesterday. But I did it!

Thanks zinnia and don't. Unfortunately I woke up with my first ever case of vertigo this morning, barely able to move off the sofa let alone run anywhere .

Will start when I'm feeling better, hopefully next week, fingers crossed.

Sorry about the vertigo McButton hope you're back on your feet again soon.

just got back from w4 r2, it was really hard today I think it must be the heat. I normally go iin the park but there was something on and loads of people about so I drove out to the woods for a bit more privacy and shade. I have only been doing 2 of each week but I think I will do the schedule properly now as I found today really tough ging.

Just done W2R2, I found it hard today as well dita, hardest I've found it yet, I feel knackered even at my newbie, easy stage which isn't exactly arduous. I'm still excited about getting through the programme though and actually being able to run for 30 mins is a very exciting prospect seeing as I have never done it before. Next run on Saturday.

I have just run W1r2, to be honest it should have been run 3 but I redid run 1 so dd1(14) could join me. Today dd2(12) came as well. I can't believe how much I am enjoying myself.
I am very lucky in that there is kind of park/walkway a few minutes away. It used to be a railway line a long time ago so is fairly flat. It is a great place to learn to run. I was able to run at my own pace and just looped round it waving to dd1&2 as we passed each other.

Great running everyone. I found wk2 difficult too but have just started wk3 and am finding I am almost enjoying it. I'm finding it a real sense of achievement and am proud of my very small progress. Can't believe I will ever be able to comfortably run 5k though
I've got some new Nike trainers which have helped loads.

Hello everyone, can I join too? I have just done W2r3, which I found quite challenging tonight. Some days are definitely harder than others!
I have had a horrid cough and sore throat for the last 10 days though, so hadn't done it for a while. Finding it difficult to believe I will ever be able to run continuously for more than a couple of minutes. I am 51 and pretty unfit though.