C25k get your encouragement here.

[StripyHorse]

As the last thread has been going so well, with graduates aplenty, here's a new thread for encouragement. Everyone is welcome!

Congratulations @JustHereWithMyPopcorn!

@Murmurur - you're doing the right thing. The run will wait for you to be ready for it.

W8 R3 today and no stitch for once! I can't believe I've only got 3 more to go.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn don't feel bad. Congratulations on your graduation!

@BlusteryShowers well done, hope those pesky shin splints stay away.

Thanks all, I should be running tomorrow (just continuing onwards) but I’m going to give my leg a rest for an extra day again. It’s not worth risking it getting worse by pushing the running too much. I really shouldn’t have done the 30mins but I’m also a stubborn mare and wanted to hit the target. No targets now so maybe my mind will let me be kinder to my body!

Those of you with shin splints, have you tried insoles? They really seemed to help with mine at the beginning.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn well done!

@Murmurur definitely wise to listen to your body, I know I need to be careful carrying extra weight too a lot in my case, at least 5 stone too much. The terrible irony of needing to exercise to lose weight but the weight stopping you from exercise!

@Ikeameatballs well done. I know you can do W6R3. Just keep steady and you'll feel incredible on your cool down knowing what you've achieved.

@BlusteryShowers hope you can get the shin pain sorted. Well done on getting to the 12 minute runs.

W8R1 done! 3.1 km in 28 minutes. I also managed to do the whole thing with an inside out top today. Thank goodness it was dark for most of it.

Here's this morning's sunrise as a great big good morning to you all from me

Well done @Ikeameatballs @JustHereWithMyPopcorn @BlusteryShowers and @JustCallMeGriffin (and thank you for the sunrise).

@Murmurur hope your shins are sorted soon.

No running for me today, but yesterday I caught up with where I had got to before I started repeating runs so hopefully I am back on track. I just need to take it steady.

Congratulations JustHereWithMyPopcorn!
So may of you within 2-3 weeks of graduation too.

I was away for the weekend and had a jog on the beach, I didn't take Laura but jogged until I was knackered and then walked a few times. Managed to get into a rhythm on the last couple of intervals, was running behind a very lithe looking runner and matched her footfall with my micro paces until she disappeared into the distance

I did W3R1 today and manage the 3 min stints by keeping to my snails pace. I have joined a running club which meets once a week to keep you on the C25K programme and have got into the habit of doing the 1st run of the week the day before club so I have the positive psychology of knowing I can do it. I think the runs start to differ later in the programme but will cross that bridge when I come to it. The leaders tend to push the speed on the last interval which I find really difficult, I also seem to be the slowest so if they start to leave me behind on the runs in future weeks I may have to go it alone but am determined to stick to the programme and most importantly enjoy it. On a very positive note my Fitbit recognised today's effort as a run which was a bonus

@LakeFlyPie I think psychology is a HUGE part of running for me. My worst runs wee where I just couldn't get myself in a positive place for running and then every steps was such hard work. The running club sounds great except perhaps the pushing to increase speed if you're not ready for it. The app constantly tells you to slow down if you need to.
Glad your fitbit is on your side!

I am so gutted. I did week 4 run 1 yesterday
and was so pleased I managed it as 5 mins felt such a jump! I struggled with 1 min when I started and really feel progress Last night I tripped over the coffee table and have cut my toe / badly damaged my nail. I've hobbled around work today..just. but no way I can run..probably not this week. Dont know how far it will set me back as I've been religiously 3 times a week. Any tips?

Well I’ve also crashed and burned with a back to work cold (darn kids and their ferocious germ spreading!), I haven’t been for a run in my new trainers yet. It’s all I can do to get out of bed and go to work, I feel dreadful.
Worried that the little progress I had made will all be undone and keen to get back to it but at the same time I’m listening to my body and it’s telling me to sleep in the morning, not get up at 5am and go running! Hopefully will be over the worst of it in a few days.

Ouch @Maxtry! Don't worry too much about getting back on track - take the time you need and then just start where you left off. You won't lose fitness that quickly if you need a bit of a break, but just maybe go a bit slower to start with.

I'm in awe of all your 5am-ers @TheChosenTwo Every night before I go to sleep I think "I might just get my run done first thing tomorrow", but I never do!

I'm taking a week off (again). My abs over where my appendix was are very grumpy about running or walking up hills, even little town hills, so I'm going to do a week of glute and abs strengthening then reassess by repeating the run I didn't complete on Sunday. Very frustrated! I need out of the house solo exercise for mental space!

@sleepyhead I have all my stuff laid out next to my bed including my headphones and my key in my little pocket already. Plus, may be a bit (a lot) minging but I don’t even brush my teeth before I go - I did it once and then never ended up going for a run as it just ends up a delaying tactic for me. So as disgusting as it is, I just go with bed breath! I don’t see anyone or talk to anyone and I certainly don’t eat before I go, I shower and brush teeth immediately upon my return!

I bet you feel brilliant when you get back. I want the feeling-virtuous-and-brilliant-and-ready-to-face-the-day feeling, but also to stay in bed until the very last possible minute so I can be at my desk by 8.30

Ouch MaxTry!
You could try minute blocks of sit to stand (as many minutes on / off as you can manage) which shouldn't aggravate your toe as your feet stay in the same position but is definitely a cardio / quad work out.

Ouch @Maxtry, that sounds horrid.
@LakeFlyPie, just be careful that the running club feels like a positive thing, you are achieving something regardless of your pace, but great that your Fitbit is now recognising your running.

I really didn’t want to go this evening but I forced myself and it was good. I feel so good when I complete a run but almost every time I feel like I’m forcing myself to actually go, it’s like my brain can’t believe that I’ll feel better afterwards? Hoping that goes away over time.

Any way I Did W6R3 today. For other runs I’ve started MapMyRun as I’ve left the house so I’ve included the warm up and cool down in my distance and time. Today I started it just before, like max 10sec, the start of the run and ended when Sarah Millican told me it was 25 min. BUT, because MapMyRun pauses the C25K app each time it tells you your distance and pace etc by the “end” I’d actually ran for 28min and covered 4.48km!

Also I need new trainers, I was going to get them as a graduation present to myself but I think I need them now, the ones I’m in are v old and tired. Any recommendations? Bonus points if I can get them from the “juniors” range as I’m a size 4.

Foot shape is key. I have wide toes and narrow heels and like Saucony Kinvara and Mizuno Wave Riders and Kizunas. Other people with different feet like things like Brooks, Under Armour, Adidas, Asics, Innov8.

I would think about what surface you run on, do you just do tarmac or are you considering venturing off road - in which case look for something with a few teeth for grip, even on a road shoe.

I have a bit of a shoe collection - mud shoes (Karrimor), light trails (Salomon), road but ok to cross a flat field (Mizuno), tarmac only because they trap bits of gravel from loose surfaces (Saucony) and dry road only (also Karrimor) which are lethal in damp weather and were a "stopgap" purchase after I put on weight and found the drop and insole in my Innov8 road shoes (also ok on mild trails) not supportive enough (still not back in them!).

@randomsabreuse that sounds very complicated!!

These are my feet!

Slim feet, so I suspect what suits me won't suit you!

Hello I went AWOL! Really put myself off with falling over! So I need to get on it. Thinking Thursday morning. I was on week 9 but might just see how it goes.

I was just reading back a bit and agree completely with @stripyhorse and others. If I ‘graduate’ this week i risk stopping as it’s just not a habit yet.

W8R2 done...but it was horrible. Felt like I was running through treacle the whole time and my hip that I was convinced would play up as part of W1R1 is finally telling me it isn't amused. Only 5 out of 10 on the pain scale (it's always a 2 or 3) but I felt it the whole way round.

My hip won't improve in terms of pain until the warmer weather (20 years of dealing with it tells me that), so I just have to see how the next few days go. Despite having half a leg held together by metal, my hip is the real problem with my lower body and what I've been worried about the whole programme.

Surprisingly gutted that the running may need to stop until the warmer weather again.

@Ikeameatballs well done on conquering W6R3 in style!

Great that you are back @StillDumDeDumming. I totally hear you on it not being a habit yet. The real test for me is now that the weather has turned. Looking ahead to Thurs when I’d next hope to go out and the forecast is 9C and rain. Yuk.

@JustCallMeGriffin well done on W8R2. Hope that your hip lets you graduate but listen to your body.

I managed to dodge the rain and I went back to week 7 - 25 minutes. It felt ok but hard. I am beginning to accept that only a slow trot is possible while my dropfoot is this bad. I’m still hopeful it might improve. I’m still getting out of breath so I’m thinking my CV system is getting something out of it plus I am getting outside for 30 odd minutes. Keep going is all I can say!

W9 R2! I can't believe there's only one more to go

Following the programme has definitely kept me focussed and I'm a bit apprehensive about keeping going without the podcasts, but I don't think I really want to run much further than 5K - being out for 30-40 minutes feels enough for me and I've got a bad habit at getting bored of exercise and giving up, while I'm not finding it too hard to fit these runs into my day at the moment.

Dh & I treated ourselves to a shared Garmin watch to celebrate both becoming runners and I took it out on it's maiden run this afternoon and my heart sank at how much slower I was running than I had previously thought (yep, it was set to mph not km.)

StillDumDeDumming Well done for keeping going! I can't imagine ever getting to a place where 25 minutes won't feel hard, but I'm not sure that it actually feels all that much harder from 25-30. I feel like the real effort for me is mostly in the middle bit and then the end's in sight.

sleepyhead that's what I'm doing. 5K - well a bit under i think - twice a week. And it's enough, I can't wait to get home! And I work full time so finding the time (I am certainly not a get up and run before work person).

Wondering if I can keep it up now it's getting colder......

Hello!

I did W1R1 today. This is a Big Deal for me Although I'm very unfit and on the larger side, I managed ok but my throat was BURNING so much I had to walk the last run. I was in such pain, I could've cried!

So OH suggested a honey and lemon throat lozenge for next time and I read online that nose breathing on the inhale will help, but I have really congested sinuses so while I'll do my best I can't rely on it. Apparently a loose gaitor will help to warm and moisturise the air so I'll try that, but would love any advice or experience based success stories!

Also, do they make leggings that kind of hold the chonk and prevent it wobbling around whilst running?