Couch to 5 K Its not about Speed (5!)

[addictedtosugar]

So, we seem to have filled up the 4th thread. Anyone want to join me here?

God, am mortified, I know speed isn't everything, but my neighbour who sees me out, asked if I was doing power walking Am gutted,and feel a bit embarrassed

Dismal that must have been crushing, but you know how hard you've worked and how far you've progressed. Shake it off, you can keep going for further than I can, I don't care what pace you're going at!

W6r3 today and was a bit of a wuss and had to walk for a minute after 18 mins but picked it up again. I cannot seem to get my pace under control, I know I start off too fast and I managed to get it to quite a nice comfortable pace at one stage but the roads are so hilly here I can never sustain it for long. I wish I could get out of the habit of stopping near the end. I'm hoping next week will be the week to sort that out going back to the same run all week.

Dismal please don't be too disheartened. You have come a long way and we know how hard it is, and we're all impressed. Your neighbour has no idea. Mine only ever see me walking (warm up and warm down) so who knows what they think!!
Is you neighbour fit and active? If not you can still feel all superiors for getting out there and off the sofa! [clutches at straws]

Aw, thanks, folks.

I just felt really crushed, and know I'm slow, and don't move like a gazelle, but really!!

However, undeterred by humiliation, I went out again this morning and did 5k in 40 minutes, so better than usual, maybe it has inspired me!

I went a flatter route and got the zombie app, quite fun.

I shall live to run another day and will show her bloody power walking

Good luck everyone else

I am dreaming of the day I can run 5k let alone 5k in 40min. Screw your neighbour. I have people mainly FIL who take the piss out of me running however he also make comments that I am overly skinny yet his daughter is overly fat so not entirely sure what he would prefer! I feel people judging me that I am running and walking and it does get me down but then I think what are they doing? Your neighbour is probably jealous... Carry on you should be so proud!

5k in 40 mins, dismal? You're not even trying to run slowly!!

I, on the other hand: run 3.5k in 40 mins; literally run slower than I walk (and I walk slowly!); have only ever overtaken one person - an old man. Walking. (But not using any kind of mobility aid, so go me!) AND I look like a weeble.

So I'm afraid you're going to work much harder to be truly dismal, dismal.

5K in 40 mins dismal? #impressed

Dismal congratulations on speeding up a bit, but I'd echo everyone else - you're consistently running 5k, which is amazing! Who cares what speed it's at? Your neighbour clearly has no idea - running is HARD. To do it at all is a success, let alone put in the distance as you do.

Bit of a mixed week from me - I woke up with a terrible sick headache on Thursday so couldn't manage w6r2 (didn't even try), and an event 7am-2am Friday made it impossible to fit in then, so I decided to skip it entirely and do Run 3 today instead. Didn't quite finish, as stopped 20 seconds early, but am counting it as a success nonetheless, as that 1 minute and 40 seconds longer than I've ever run before! Hopefully next week is a bit better and I can get all three runs sorted.

In terms of distances - is anyone using Runkeeper to track theirs? And if so, do you know if there's a way to get it to not count the warm-up/cooldown periods? Out of curiosity I'd like to keep an eye on my distances so the final getting-to-5k bit doesn't see me suddenly realising that I'm only managing 3k in 40 minutes and having to frantically speed up, but at the moment I can't find a way to exclude the walked bits without fiddling with the app just as I'm starting running.

Deianira- on the RunKeeper Start page, there is a button at the top that usually says Free run. You can click on that to change the workout and if you choose target distance or target time, you can include a 5 min warm up and cool down.

Hope that makes sense!

Hey all, well done on managing the runs, and 5k is 5k no matter how long it takes! Just done W6R2 today, I'm struggling to get someone to look after my Velcro baby so I can manage 3 times a week and am at twice most weeks now. I feel like I'm letting myself down but figure twice a week is better than not at all, right? All the rest of the runs from now on are long ones!

Well done to everyone who is progressing.

Zyla if you're managing that on two runs a week, you're not letting yourself down, surely you're pushing even harder if you have longer breaks in between. You're still going out there, my clingy dd was the excuse I made for taking so long to even start this so you're obviously determined.

I slipped in the bath (on the non-slip mat) yesterday morning and whacked the inside of my knee, I didn't think it was that bad but after spending yesterday up and down the ladder decorating ds's bedroom I seem to have made it worse. Really annoyed because I was determined to give myself no excuses this week, I'd made some of those power balls from the Get the Glow book to use as fuel before I went out this morning but my knee got too sore after 15 mins so I'm going to take tomorrow off and redo W5r3 on Wednesday, I've had too many failures since that run so going back to it in the hope of regaining some positive thinking.

I'm off to find the frozen peas.

My ten year old came out with me for my run yesterday. She's been gently smirking at me since I started for my ability to find everything to hard and exhausting! I told her that even if she ran as slowly as I did I thought she'd find it hard to run for 30 mins straight off as she hadn't done it before or built up to it.

Obviously she shot off like a hare then spent the rest of the time mostly walking, complaining her legs hurt, taking short cuts and lying down on benches at every opportunity. Meanwhile, I waddled slowly round with a big neon I told you so sign over my head, which I tactfully refrained from reading out.

Hi all good to hear everyone is trundling along despite sore bits and stupid comments from neighbours. :0)
Weasel that is so funny about your daughter. You have wisdom and smugness on your side! :0)
Teaspoons sounds like you are in the wars. My knee is a bit stiff at the front - I'm on week five too! Does your knee only bother you when you run or walking too? Could you do a walk instead?
I noticed my knee loosened off when I was walking today but is stiff when I am at home. Putting ice on it at the moment.
I redid week four because of the fear (of week five) then did run1 week 5 on Sunday and was fine. Hope I can do the second run tomorrow.
Does anyone do other types of exercise as well?
I think I might be eating too much, running makes me feel hungry. Hmm!
Makes holes in pavement!

Hi Rowing. I am trying to run on alternate days and also do some weights twice a week and swimming once per week. I get really bored of doing the same thing all the time.

The main thing i'm enjoying about running is just stepping out the door and doing it whenever i feel like it. I had my new playlist on yesterday and it felt amazing.

Thanks for the tip stardusty5 - I'll look into it!

Sorry to hear about your knee teaspoons - that sounds painful! Hope it recovers quickly.

Good job to everyone still going - and Zyla I agree that if you're progressing even on 2 runs a week then you must be working hard, which is definitely what matters most.

I managed W7R1 today - was quite worried after the shambles of W6 but it was actually fine, and very exciting to have completed it! A couple of weeks ago I'd spent a whole year failing to get to 20 mins continuous running, now with the help of this thread and the app commanding me onwards, I've run 25! Attempted the faff-about approach to Runkeeper (hadn't seen the tip above), and apparently did about 3.47KM, so suspect getting to 5 might be somewhat tricky, but that's a little way off yet. Hopefully repeating the same length of time will mean that I increase my distance naturally during this week. Will be interested to hear how it goes for you Don'tDoIt - as it seems like you're a little way ahead of where I'm at.

I did the last run on Sunday..whoooooo! So went out today all fast cocky and confident...ha ! What a fool, I nearly broke myself..back to slow and steady .
I got one of those electro pulse bands for my knees teaspoons..I'm not usually into that sort of thing, I usually think of them as quackery..I was astonished to find them in boots !..

Hi here i am, 5k duly completed 'abroad'. It was very muddy whcih was a bit of a novelty for me, and lots of roads to cross, plus harmless encounters with a yappy dog each way.

weasel I love your story! Good for you

dismal I hope you have recovered your confidence, I never saw your reference to 40minutes, that is pretty good, anyway, your neighbour needs glasses. especially if you have to negotiate obstacles like traffic lights or dogs as well. Softer surfaces like grass and earth slow you down too. It took me about 35 today, on unfamiliar paths etc, and I was not dawdling and just as knackered afterwards as usual.

Did wk8r1 today and stopped for a drink at about 15mins to go! Doing the 9 week one so nearly there. Also not sure how I will turn 4.3km including warm up and down into 5km?!? I have to run inside on a treadmill where I am still I've downloaded 5k to 10k and will keep going...

Started W8 today – 28 mins. The good news is, my ankle is not bothering me, and I’m managing the time OK. I wasn’t covering any more distance at the end of W7 than the start, it's varied a bit but pretty much the same.

I have to admit, I don’t really enjoy the running so much when I’m doing longer than 20 minutes. The end feels such a long way away! I don’t have a very interesting route to run as I’m trying to avoid steep hilly bits. Feeling a bit meh.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! Finished week 6 on wed and am starting week 7 tomorrow :). (I love that Laura said I'm officially a runner after managing the 25mins, even though I only did 3k on the running part of it. Oh well, I'm hoping I'll get faster when I'm fitter!)

cor flippin' eck! It's been hard work getting on here the past few days with all the password. I changed mine twice, gave up three times!
Glad to see all the runners are all jogging along! :O) Yay us!
Stardusty That sounds quite a programme you have there. Do you get tired doing all that? You must be super-fit.
I have started to do a bit of resistance band arm stuff, just copying some youtube videos. My bingo wings could have somebody's eye out, so hoping to improve the situation with the bands.
I am supposed to be going out in about 20 mins to do week5 run 3. Feeling very droopy right now so wish me luck.

I did it! I actually ran for 20 minutes, can't believe it.
I had a really strange raggedy visual effect, a bit like a pre-migrane, but not painful, just a wiggly line at the side of my vision, which diappeared.
What is that about?
It's OK now, but is it to do with blood pressure?
Odd.
Having a bit of a stretch and a bath now.
Night night!

Well done rowingboat Hope you had a good night. No idea about the vision thing tho.

Hi Rowing - it sounds like a visual migraine. I used to get them (more when I was on the pill). If it's that then they're pretty much always harmless, but if you get it again when exercising it might be an idea to run it past your GP just to be sure.

Um.... While I'm here I'd love to join the thread is that's ok?

I've been following a programme similar to C25K (it's an Endomondo Race 5k programme, although my goal for the end is a parkrun rather than a race!).

Yesterday I did my 20 minute run (followed by 5 mins walk then a 10 min run) so I think we are at an equivalent stage Rowing - it would be great to have somewhere to chat!

Phew I managed to get back on, several passwords later. Not fun on a clunky tablet on a hotel network....

So, I did my first run in days and days and it was hard! Kept going for my required 2.7kmkm on paved path but then willpower waned and I walked for a minute then back along the beach which was lovely but I did it about three runs with walking between!!

Well done rowing I certainly didn't do 20 min today