More Couch to 5k encouragement!

[PrincessWatermelon]

I hope it's ok starting a new thread. I found the last one so encouraging and didn't want it to stop!!

Also, have to share I've just done W6R3 - my first 25 min run. Wasn't sure I was going to make it to the end, but kept moving (as Jo Whiley told me to) and did it!!

How are others getting on?

@UnaOfStormhold congratulations- that’s fantastic and inspiring - the 5kms in 30mins can be done during the 9 weeks.
What are you planning now?

Finished yesterday - a 35 minute run with 5 mins walking to start and 5 min cool down. It was surprisingly ok but I was very slow I think as I was worried about not making it

For me, it was better to just run and not keep stopping and starting. Hadn't run since I was at school over 30 years ago so quite happy.

Now, I'm wondering whether to continue to run for 35 mins every other day until I go back to work last week of August - I'm not going to be getting up early to go running before work, I'm not that dedicated. Will need to be a weekend thing, or evening perhaps?

Still haven't worked out how long it will take me to do the 5km as my app doesn't seem to do that as I have 5 mins walking before I run.

Muchtoomuch I was lucky to start with good baseline fitness which definitely helped. And I definitely wasn't at a comfortable conversation pace yesterday as I had to really push my limits to get to 5k in the time. My plan now is to keep running 5ks but taking it much more steadily for the next 3 weeks to consolidate, while doing James Dunne's 30 day challenge to build up strength and flexibility. After that there's a training plan on the healthunlocked forum that builds up to 10k so I might give that a try if I am feeling adventurous! Good luck for your graduation run.

Mizu if your app shows you your kilometre split times from the running section you can just multiply by 5 to get your likely 5k time. Now I'm on solid runs I tend to just record the running section. A third option is that some apps allow you to crop the run, so you can just show the running section.

W8r1 today. Covered 3.33km in 30 minutes which is 9.01 per km. This is for the jog only . Vast improvement from Wednesday as far as time goes. If I can get past the first five minutes then I seem to be ok so I went for 30 rather than 28 minutes. Seems to work out about 45 minutes for 5k . I can live with that being 44! 😀

Eventful W7R2 today... I went out just after 7am, just me & the dog. I often run along a straight drag near our house as I know how far along 2.5km is & I can track my progress of how much further I get each time I go out.

I was running along where the pavement gets narrow so waited for a flatbed truck to drive past & then ran across the road. The truck pulled onto the pavement in front of me, blocking me so that I would have had to run between the front of the truck and the hedge - so I ran back into the road, around the back of the truck and carried on. A few metres later, the truck did the same thing again! So I crossed back to the other side of the road for a bit before crossing back to the wider path. Then, the truck did it for a THIRD time - pulling into a farm track just in front of me.

At this point I was so annoyed that I had to abandon my run, turn around and walk back home again. Surprise, surprise - when I turned around, the truck pulled off, turned around in a side road & pulled onto the grass verge ahead of me. Of course, the likelihood is that this was somebody with absolutely no awareness beyond the end of their own nose rather than the kidnapper or dog thief that I had convinced myself of. Nonetheless, I was so frustrated that they had ruined for me something that I had been working so hard at.

When I got home my husband dashed out in the car to see if he could get a number plate (or to make me feel better that they were actually doing some work along that stretch of road) but they were nowhere to be seen.

I dropped the baby off at nursery & dug deep for some motivation - my anger must have spurred me on because I did my fastest 25 minute run of the 3 so far. Managed around 3k in the time which I think puts me on track for a 38 minute 5k which is my target at the moment (average pace for my age, apparently). I was pleased with that seeing as I’d already done part of the run an hour or so previously.

Really hope this doesn’t dent my confidence about getting out there again in the next few days. Will make an extra effort to try to get a couple more under my belt ASAP to override the memory of this morning.

Thanks una I'll do that

@SymphonieFantastique that sounds really scary. I am massively impressed that you got straight back out there. Angry is good.

Ran this morning and was quite excited to do it without the app. Used a walking app just to tell me how far I ran in 35 mins and here are the results:

34.30 mins running ( no idea why I didn't do 35 mins, just got back home and stopped )
4.42 km distance
7:58 pace
297 calories ( have never counted calories so don't really know what this means)

Which I think puts me in the slow bracket! But that's ok cos you know what? I quite enjoyed it! Although I did have my can't be bothered to keep running moments still. I'm lazy at heart.

So I think I'll do what someone suggested on here, add a couple of minutes every few runs and see how I get on. Won't be doing so much when I'm back at work anyway.

Thanks all for the support and general chat, I've really enjoyed reading all of this thread.

Ran for 36 minutes!! Never thought I’d be able to do that. Did 4.5k.

If I keep a steady pace of around 8 minutes a km I find it quite easy and I don’t want to give up. I went out too quick on my last run and really struggled at the end. Really had to push to make the full 30 whereas today I did an extra 6 minutes no bother.

Has anyone had shin splints? Week 8 here and wondering whether I need to take a break to let them heal?

@Snowdrop30 I had them at the start, ordered some shin splints supports that I now wear on every run and I haven't been bothered with them since 😊 I rested for 2 days then carried on, good luck!

I just completed my week8run1 yesterday and managed the 3 minutes ok, even thought it was boiling 😂

@SymphonieFantastique That sounds scary! Good on you for carrying on though.

Well, I managed w9r1 attempt two this morning. However, this time I had a run in with a dog and its owner. I’m starting to wonder whether something is trying to tell me that week 8 is my limit, and I shouldn’t keep trying week 9?!

Haven’t run since Monday as we were away for a few nights. So got back to it this morning and have now finished week 8. Trying to decide when to run to finish week 9 when I’ve got a good amount of time so can finish it on a 5k. I did about 4.2k in 28 minutes this morning so ought to be able to do 5k in less than 35 minutes but will see..

Oof, first consolidation run was really tough - probably should have given my legs another day to recover after Thursday's graduation run. But didn't want to lose momentum so decided to go for a slowish run.

The weather was drizzly and a bit muggy, and generally everything was grey and dark, so I avoided my usual tracks to spend more time on lit pavements, which I don't enjoy as much. It felt odd to be out there without the app for the first time, and even odder when my headphones' battery died so I didn't have music either. And shortly after that Nike run club stopped showing my my distance covered and I couldn't work out how to get it back on the hoof.

Overall, this felt very far from the "I could go forever" pace I was aiming for, more of a slog on tired legs, but about the point I was thinking I had probably done enough and shouldn't push further, I finally got the alert that I'd completed my third 5k. I think I need to give myself an extra rest day or two before my next run as I've been working my body very hard. But not too many days off, don't want to get out of the running habit!

@Snowdrop30 yes I've had shin splints. Horrible and annoying. I gave myself a few days rest and slowed my pace right down once I started again.

Thanks @OceanPacific @Lottiepink !

Back home from my holidays. I had completed week 6 on a treadmill and have had a week off (although did 30 mins swimming a day).

So... should I repeat week 6 outside or redo it on my treadmill? I usually spend two weeks on a week, running the first week in the treadmill and the second week outside. Or... do I just throw caution to the wind and move onto week 7?

I’d give week 7 a go.

@Sexnotgender

I’d give week 7 a go.

Argh - i was hoping you wouldn't say that!!

Raining cats and dogs with thunder as well for extra LOLs so I'll go on the treadmill today and see how I get on.

W8r2 completed. Same as previous run in that I ran for 30mins again. Only covering 3.32 in this time. I’m 44 years young but don’t seem to have any more speed in me to get closer to 5km. Any suggestions in adding speed? I’ve looked at going from x to y and speeding up slightly for that short duration, but just don’t seem to have anything in me.

I’m pleased I can do this for 30 minutes but would like to get faster. Does this come with time after I’ve got a few 30 min runs under my belt? Couldn’t run another minute today.

Feel proud to be pushing on but I’m not sure how your body works in gaining more speed . If anyone could enlighten me that would be great. I’m hoping that after a few 30 min runs my body will adapt to that and I can push more easily. Also after graduating do you all still do the five minutes warm up and warm down?

I think speed is a mix of many things - especially muscle power, stride efficiency and overall ability to fuel/oxygenate your muscles. Strength building exercises and high intensity running (like hill work) helps with the first; practice, coaching and flexibility drills support the second; and lots of running (ideally at conversation pace) builds the third. I am trying to work on all of them but it's a slow process!

I completed week8run2, I felt ok so carried on a bit to get to 2.5 miles, then thought to myself you can make it to the 3 miles mark (5k) so I did! It took me 40 minutes though, but it's a start 😊

This app is literally amazing, I never for one minute thought I would be able to do that 😱😱

Happy Monday everyone!

Well done @Lottiepink!!

From looking at the last couple of pages it looks like everyone on here is much further on than me so I'll use you to inspire me!

I'm only on W3R2 (doing 3 later today) but I've not run any distance for about 30 years so I'm amazed at my progress already compared to W1R1 when I was absolutely shattered.

I'm also trying to lose some weight so using MFP to calorie count and I noticed that I was absolutely ravenous all day after my run on Saturday. It was an odd one in that I planned the route to get me up to the garage to collect my car and then had a couple of errands to do so I didn't take time for a snack - just couldn't seem to catch up on my hunger after that. I'm planning a protein/carby snack after this one today to see if it helps.

Well done everyone who's graduated - or much further on than me!

Can I ask what trainers you are running in?

Announced my 5K (ish) achievement to my sister on the weekend and she asked if I had proper running shoes. She's a runner

I said I had nike trainers ( didn't tell her they are DD1's old school ones ) and she said no, no I need proper running shoes.

I have googled and Nike do running shoes but I don't think mine are for running.

Any suggestions for inexpensive running shoes??

PS can't believe I'm looking for running shoes!