Just started C25K

[Alohamora]

I did my first C25K training 'run' last night and it nearly killed me . My knees objected strongly but I ploughed on...sort of.

2nd run tomorrow - how do I survive it?

I run on the streets around my house (and a tiny stretch along the main road) but I go at 7am so that it is quiet, hopefully by the end of the programme I will have the confidence to go during the day! I think there is some sort of app you can download that your DP/DH/Friend/Mum or whoever can also download so that they can track you as you run, I think it might also send them and alert if you stop moving.

Moo that sounds frightening. Hope you can find another route which is as nice.

Sky that's a huge jump from 8 mins to 20. The App I'm using goes up in much smaller increments (still a killer but it sort of sneaks up on you). It's the Fitness 22 5k app - yellow background with black trainer on it. Might be worth a look?

I've just done w5d1 and it was hard. Up to a 6 min run in the middle of 2x5 min runs. I really struggled and guess it didn't help that it was 25 deg outside with the sun beating down. My min thought was 'I cannot do this, I just can't. How can I get back to a.positive frame of mind? Don't want to quit at the 5w stage .... might repeat today,on Thursday before moving on to d2 on Friday. Groan.

I think the Map My Run app might do that Twunting.

I completed w1r2 this evening, I can't say it was any easier than the first workout but no harder.

Will there come a time when my muscles don't ache afterwards? Both times I've felt ok during the workout but when I come home and sit down my legs really ache when I get up especially my shins.

Had a very frustrating session today. Needed to do week 2 day 1 today and have been psyching myself up for the last day. I tried logging in to the change4life app but it wouldn't let me (I think it's an old version). So downloaded the bbc app with Jo Wiley.

Got into my first run and the music cut out. Then my screen locked and I missed the beginning of the second run as the audio never came back. SO frustrating.

I eventually downloaded the zen app but really missed the encouragement the bbc apps have. Does anyone use a better one?? Or know how to fix the bbc app?

Hello all am going to jump in if thats o.kay?!

I have signed myself up to a charity 5k in October and have started doing a few 'practice' runs. I am really very unfit and actually thought I would pass out on the last one I can run for approx 5 mins without stopping now though

Do you vary the times you run? And do you find you run better at certain times of the day? TIA

fluffy you can add music to the zen app, I'm not sure how though because I haven't got any music on my phone, I've heard that Zombies run, 5k is really good too, it's a story that you train to and you get chased by zombies, it's a paid one but only about £1.80.
girliefriend I've just read an article about how early evenings are the best times to run, apparently we're less likely to sustain injury, our bodies burn more calories and it promotes better sleep.

This is the article
www.purewow.com/wellness/best-time-of-day-to-run?utm_source=keywee&utm_medium=social&kwp_0=182452&kwp_4=733241&kwp_1=369657

Thanks dogs. I managed to get the music working, just really missed the encouragement the bbc app has "you've made it this far..." etc.

Girlie, I prefer between 11 and 1, just before lunch. I'm more of a morning person though and my energy levels peak around lunchtime.

Thanks for the replies, my mum has been instilling in me that the mornings are the best time to run before breakfast but my friend said later in the day is better am going to try a quick run tonight to see if I notice any difference!

I completed w1r3 this evening and felt noticeably fitter, I even did an extra two minutes running and noticed that I did an extra 20 steps per run so must be faster, I never expected my fitness to improve so quickly, I'm convinced my stomach feels flatter already.

I know I'm only meant to do 3 a week but am really into it and so doing 4 this week, I'm assuming it won't do me any harm although it means 2 of them are consecutive days but I don't feel in any pain afterwards now and my muscles only feel slightly used.

Thanks for article link Dogs. This is completely the opposite of what I'm doing. I run alone and know that I will easily talk myself out of going if I leave it until early evening and not sure how it could work once school starts again. Need to think about reworking my run times.

Running anytime is better than not at all, I only do evenings because I have 2 young dd's and have to wait until dh is home and they're in bed.

Does anyone have a fitbit?
I'm thinking if getting one but not sure which one to go for, I'd decided on the Charge HR but have just read they're releasing the Charge 2 soon which has more features and don't know whether to wait, there's no official date yet but rumours are the end of November.

It has smartphone notifications and I'm not sure if it's something worth waiting for or a gimmick I'll never really use, I also worry a bit I could spend £100 today on something that will be worth much less when it's replaced in 2 months but on the other hand I'll have (hopefully) completed c25k by then and I could do with the motivation right now.

I've had a migrane for two days so missed my run today - boo!

Dogsmum - I got a Garmin Vivosmart HR which is what got me started on this running lark! I like it and it does motivate me. Do a search on Mumsnet and there are quite a few 'which tracker' threads which are worth a read. I link mine to My Fitness Pal but since discovered there is another diet app (can't recall the name just now) - you pay a fee but it looks really good, better than MFP but will only sync with FitBit.

Just completed w2r1, I can definitely tell I'm doing an extra 30 seconds run but it's doable I kept getting stitch which didn't help.

I also had an app failure, I'm using c25k pro and the first 3 runs/walks were fine but run 4 felt short as did the walk so I watched the seconds count down on the 5th run and it was only about 30 seconds in before it stopped.
I then started using the stopwatch on my phone and redid it all from run 4 to make sure I got them all in.

It still seems impossible that I'll ever run 5k.

I've finally got back out after a week being a wuss, and I did W1R3 again, as I couldn't finish it last time due to the stalker I picked up.

I found it easier than I was expecting, I'm actually looking forward to ramping it up a bit.

Anyone else have achielles tendinitis? I've had it years, it flares up when running, and I've had physio for it with no joy so far.

Well done you two. I'm now a week without a run - headaches, weather and family have got in the way. Am going to take a deep breath and get back tomorrow, I hope. Last run was w5d1 but think I should go and do w4d3 - both are 16 mins actual running but one is 3/5/5/3 and the other 5/6/5 ... the first seems more doable after a break. Need a boot in the bum now to get me moving!

moopoint stalker? Please tell us more!

Well done everyone for getting back into it.

I've just got back from w2r2 and it was easier than w2r1 so I do think my stamina is increasing, I even did an extra two separate 1 min runs in the cool down.
While I was out I passed my friend who started c25k in January, she had run from her house to the country park where I go then all the way around and was running back, it's over 12k!

Wow Dogsmum, your friend is amazing! You did well yesterday!

I finally got back today after an 8 day break. Bit the bullet and re-did w5r1. It was fine. Well .... when I say fine, I was a purple faced sweaty mess at the end but I did it - the first 5 min run was probably a bit easier than last week so I also feel that my stamina is improving.

Right, a question. At the moment I'm running on grass. That's fine whilst it's not too wet but a run of poor weather means I'll have to move to the road. What's it like running on tarmac as opposed to grass - will I find that I have to go back in the programme because it will be harder work? Or, simply just harder on the knees/ankles but shouldn't effect my distances much? Not looking forward to that as I have a lovely area to run in just now.

Rachie a man saw me running and actually pushed his way through bushes to get to me, then followed me for ages so I tried to run too fast, hurt my legs and abandoned my run. I've started running somewhere else now.

Moo that's so scary, did you report it?

Polly I run on tarmac and gravel through a county park and found it easier than grass, I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting better overall or because it's nice and flat, it's my hips that I get problems with and they were worse after the grass run, I assumed it was because of the slight differences with how your feet land on uneven ground.

Tonight was meant to be w2r3 but I decided to do a lap of the local country park which I know is 5k and have a go at running as far as I could to see how many minutes I could manage.

I only went and ran the whole way around!! 5k!
It took me 43 minutes so not fast and I did have a 30 second walk in the middle when my hip started to hurt but other than that I completed it, couch to 5k in 11 days

Dogsmum - wow! . Well done, that is amazing. I couldn't do that, not a chance! So what's next? Will you continue with the programme or just keep working on the 5k? Regardless, fantastic!

Thanks Polly, I'm going to continue with the programme and try to improve my time, ideally I'd like to be able to do it in 30 minutes.

It wasn't as bad as I expected, it's definitely more psychological than physical, before I did it I was adamant it was impossible for me and the whole programme seemed a bit pointless but I'd read a post on fb from someone who'd said that when they found it hard they realised that it was in their head and that in fact their breathing was ok and their legs got to a certain point of aching but no worse.

I realised it was the same for me, when I thought about stopping I checked my breathing which was ok and yes my outer thighs ached but not so much that I couldn't do another minute.
It was more boring than anything so I'm going to get some music or an audio book on my phone.

In a way it's easier to do it in one than walk/run/walk/run because you get into a steady pace so your muscles don't keep having to go through the pain barrier.

I'm thinking about starting this when the schools go back. Even though running doesn't really appeal to me in the slightest!

I have a question which I hope is OK to ask here - I can jog for 15-20 minutes. Do I need to start at the beginning? Or could I go from, say, W5?