C25K

[Otistheowl]

I'm a complete beginnen, starting tomorrow, anyone want to join me?
The goal is fitness, although weight loss would be an added bonus.
I've a young family so time and motivation are my biggest obstacles but am determined.
Join me!

Have just been for a 3k run. Much nicer in slightly cooler weather. Was aiming to do it in under 18 minutes and I did. Just

6 weeks ago I started C25K. I just about managed to run for the full minute 8 times. I didn't think there was any way I could possibly do the 90 second runs of week 2. I'm just back from run 3 of week 6. 25 minutes in one go, except I didn't. I ran for 25 minutes and still felt in top condition so carried on through the warm down (Which I still did after) and did a total of 30 minutes.

The C25K programme rocks!

I was running on the local Parkrun route and think I was about 7 or 8 minutes short of doing the full 5K. Should I give it a go on Saturday or finish the full C25K?

Great going Goldenbug! That's exactly how I did C25K - if I felt ok I just kept going. This week I've run 70-75 minutes (10K distance) at a constant running rate 3 days in a row so far, following the same 'if I feel ok I'll carry on' principle.

Should I give it a go on Saturday or finish the full C25K?

I would be inclined to do as you did today. Run the route with W7R1 (which is a 25 min run again) and then if you feel ok keep going. If you don't, then don't beat yourself up about it because it's also fine to "just" do your C25K run.

6 hours later and it appears I hurt my everything. Routine (but severe) aches and a blister that I should have been more careful to avoid, but I'll be fine by tomorrow.

I'll do week 7 and if I feel good I'll do a "bonus 5".

I just did 7.5k, (albeit very slowly, in an hour and 5 minutes) just because I fancied it and it was beautiful outside. It is no exaggeration to say that C25K has changed my life. I feel quite emotional!

Don't let the aches put you off Goldenbug, it's just you getting fitter.

The blister though, that is avoidable and it's not to do with how far you run. Do your shoes fit properly? Did you tie them well? Are you wearing sports socks that hold moisture away from the skin?

Oscha, awesome. I'm thinking if going out later and doing a bonus 5K tonight while the game is on. I do like the football and am wanting to watch the game, but I don't deal with the stress and pressure of it all. If I feel it's getting too much for me to watch, I'd rather go got a run to clear my head.

I started c25k today and feel so bloody good about it. Thought I wouldn't ever run again after breaking my knee and I can. It's easier than doing lunges or squats. Towards the end of the first day, I ended up running for 3 and a half minutes in one go.

Trying to persuade my partner to join me too. Think he is gonna

Well done Barbaro fantastic that you're able to do it after that injury - sounds nasty!
Ive completed w4r3 which was a bit tougher than r2 and I'm not sure why. Just felt out of breath from the beginning.

I've been at this point before - week 5 was my downfall - so I'm trying to stay positive. I can do this!

Thanks dropzoneone it didn't hurt breaking it for some reason, it's just been sore after that.

Good luck with your training.

Phew - w5r2 done and it was fine. I even kept going on my way home so ran for 12 minutes rather than 8 (admittedly downhill).

But I have w3r3 to do next and this is what scuppered me last time. I just couldn't manage more than 12 minutes, my legs were jelly and my heart was pounding. So those who have made it through- give me all your tips!! I really want to do this!

Finished first week .. ran in the rain .. lovely !

...I have w3r3 to do next....

DropZoneOne, I am so excited for you. W5R3 is literally The Best Run! The feeling when you've finished is immense. I cried actual, proper tears upon finishing the run. In fact I started crying about 5 minutes to the end on the run when it occurred to me I was actually going to do this.

No feeling will match it, it's amazing. Even the feeling on graduating and finishing W9R3 wasn't as good. When I first ran 5k non stop, when I first ran 10k, when I first ran 10k non-stop - none of these feelings of euphoria come close to the feeling upon finishing the W5R3 20 minute run.

It really is The Run - it's when you realise I can do this, I'm a proper runner.

Tips:

TRUST THE PLAN!! You can do it. The plan works.

You are going into this knowing it's a long run, so set your pace accordingly. Go slow, slower than you think you need, from the outset. Start slow and stay slow. The most important thing is that you finish the run. It does not matter one bit how fast you go or how far you go.

If you keep your pace low, the only thing stopping you from finishing your run is your mind. Your body can without any doubt physically jog (slowly) for 20 minutes plus. You're legs can do it easily, they really can. If you're heart is pounding or your breathing laboured, you are either going too fast or your brain is telling you to do this due to mental factors, not physical ones.

An experienced runner has mantras like "take control of your breathing" during a run. It's an acknowledgment that panting and heavy, chaotic breathing is a mental thing as well as a physical one. You can focus and control it.

So go slow, know that you can do this and try to relax. The heart pounding is you telling yourself that you can't do this. Change your inner voice to I can do this and you will find your body physically relaxing during the run. Keep repeating it to yourself:

My running is making me fitter
My running is making me stronger
I can do this
I am going to do this
I am fit and strong and will forward this.

I am fit and strong and will finish this

@FATEdestiny

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement, it really helped me through. W5R3 NAILED IT!

I was slower than a hedgehog, I swear I can walk quicker, but I ran NON STOP for 20 minutes!! I have never managed that before in my life, not even as a child (I was always the last in sports day).

The first 8 minutes were fine, I knew how far that would take me, the next 2 minutes were a bit of an unknown so I picked a spot in the distance and hoped I would get to that point, which I did just as the half way bell sounded. It was starting to get a bit harder at that point, and I kept saying to myself "I am fit, I am strong, I can do this" (and out loud a couple of times too).

The only bit where I thought uh-oh was at 17 minutes when my left knee twinged. I twisted it a few years ago in a zumba class, and for most of my runs last year it hurt and I had it strapped up. But none of my runs this year have hurt at all, this was the first niggle. I slowed down even more and thought, I will have hit 20 minutes by the end of this song, so I can just keep going gently and it will be fine. And it was!

The GPS on my phone keeps cutting out though (linking it to Fitbit), so I've used Google Maps and I reckon it was around 2.6 miles from start to finish.

Well done! Fate is pretty inspiring .

Add in your warm up and cool down walks and you may have travelled 5k (3.1 Miles)

My phone goes through phases of shutting down half way. Thanks, Apple! Frustrating but doesn’t change the achievements.

Congratulations

Yeah, you nailed it DropZoneOne, well done!

My fitbit GPS is temperamental too. Do you just use the app for tracking or your watch? I have the Charge 2 and it's supposed to GPS trachea from the watch as long as you carry your phone. But I find it best to have the fitbit app tracking on my phone as well as my watch. I can then see at a glance of my watch if GPS is dropping out and sort it quickly (it usually just needs location services switching off and back on again). Mega annoying, especially when it's an important run.

When I finished C25K, I found I was covering about 5k if you included the 5 minute warm up walk and cool down walks, so about 4k for the 30 minute run.

But honestly, distance and speed at this stage do not matter. I can't reiterate that enough. Finishing and completing every section of the run is what's important, not how far or fast you go.

A word of caution for week 6. It's not uncommon to struggle in week 6 due to a bit of overconfidence. Going back down to 5 minute splits may seem like a backward step but it's not, you need it to build up your stamina. It's very easy to go out too fast in week 6 and so struggle to complete the sections. Go slow. Alow down and pace yourself from the beginning - you can always speed up towards the end if you feel you can. But make sure you start slow.

Fate I just use the app, I only have an Alta so no inbuilt gps. I know it doesn't like being paused, but it also seems to not like being in my leg pocket so will try a waist belt instead.

I'm not too fussed about the distance, just would be nice to record that I'm making it a bit further each week. I do like a graph

I've managed the w6 runs 1 and 2 this week. 1 was hard - was on Sunday only an hour after dinner because it was getting dark, so I think I hadn't left enough time. Run 2 was yesterday, before dinner and before the rain hit!

So run 3 next - 25 minutes!

Is anyone else still doing this? I'm a bit conscious I'm posting a lot It's accountability as much as having a bit of support.

Anyhow, a wet W6R3 - 25 mins and I did it! And it wasn't even that bad. When I think back to the wheezing mess I'd be after 90 seconds, and I just ran for 25 minutes.

I am still the slowest thing out there, but I can keep going. The wind and rain were horrid, I had bits of twig landing in my hair, but I did it 😁

Week 7 and proper running, here I come!

Keep posting DropZoneOne. I'm here and I bet you there are a load of lurkers looking to you for inspiration that it is possible to do this.

Well done! You're definitely a 'proper runner' now. Such amazing progress. The last 3 weeks shouldn't be too difficult for you, then only challenge is making sure you get your trainers on and start the run. Once you're going, you'll nail it now - since you are now a real, proper runner

The wind and rain were horrid

Oh I'm the opposite. Definitely a cold weather runner. Give me rain, wind and low temperatures any day over hot, sweaty sunburnt runs. It was cooler yesterday for my run and I loved it. Then this morning it was not only cooler and overcast, but also raining so even better! Been able to take my dog with me these last two days. She's not been able to run with me for the last few weeks because of the heat so that was nice.

Good luck for Week 7!

Finished week 2 ! Onward to week 3 tomorrow .. loved running in the rain today .. lovely and cool

My 11yr old and I started today! I couldn't manage the whole time. We did 5 min brisk walk and then 10 minutes walking/running. Sweating like anything!

Has anyone else had to start at less than the whole time?

Started today too...quite surprised I made it although it was more shuffling hippo than running ...plus some halts when dog decided to poo! Sore ankles and shins tho -any suggestions?

Welcome cedar and petra

Cedar - it sounds like you were running too fast on the 60 second runs. It's a light jog, not a sprint, possibly not actually going much faster than a brisk walk. But the jogging movement is what you are getting your body used to. Go slow, but keep going!

Petra - shuffling hippo is fine! Well done for W1R1, keep going . There's info on the nhs website about running pains here:
www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/knee-pain-and-other-running-injuries

Thanks for that dropzone - will bear that in mind on our next run and see how we get on!