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!

Can I join please? I started doing c25k in late Jan this year, got to week 4 I think and then lockdown. I know that shouldn't have stopped me but it was all a bit too much.

I've decided to start again tonight. I've bought myself a new sports bra, husband is om bedtime duty, I've texted people to say I'm doing I. I so I'm accountable and I need to do it.

I think I'm going to start week 2 ish? I could maybe do better but I'm worried my lockdown diet will have made it much harder.

Welcome@schoolcook - Week 8 is amazing! Certainly not a cop out. You're running for 28minutes? That is an incredible achievement.
I don't take water out with me. I don't like carrying things, and I have nowhere really to stash stuff. I don't even take my phone as it's too big, I use the podcast on an old iPod shuffle clipped to my bra

All running is psychological, as far as I can see. But there will be a considerable difference in temperature running in/outdoors, and I find cold always affects my lungs. The ground will also feel far less uniform.

This year is the first time I've ever run outdoors (well, apart from athletics at school) and I've actually enjoyed the being outside in nature aspect (probably because of.lockdown, and making me appreciate my environment a bit more).

It is more of an effort to get up and go out now it's cold- 5° this morning!

Hi @GrumpySausage
Love your username
Starting at any week is brilliant- we'll all recognise your commitment

Thanks @IveSeenThings I think I'll just have to try it and see.

I never thought I'd be able to run 28 minutes so I am really pleased with myself 😁

Thank you Iveseenthings!

I did it! I decided to do week 2 run 2 but for some reason my app packed in half way around so in the end I just did my own combo.

I remember it doing this last time, I think my Spotify or strava messed it up. But I did 5k with a combination of running and walking and I feel better for it! (I mean, my body doesnt, my knees are killing and I'm already stiff but psychologically I do! 😁)

Thanks all. Good luck @Jujuball and hope your headache has gone.

Welcome @schoolcook and @GrumpySausage. I’m fairly new to the group too and very much appreciating the tips and encouragement.

I like running outdoors and agree @IveSeenThings that lockdown has made me appreciate the outdoors and being in nature more.

Can I join in please? No idea where to start but need to do something

Just heading out for w5r3
Eek! Not sure how I will achieve this but just planning on very slow but steady!

I’m back, managed an extra 5 minutes of running (mainly because I drove to a new route where there were no bastard hills!) and didn’t know how far it was! I was quite far away from my car when it was time to stop running so I carried on and then just walked when the app finished.
Felt okay, it’s really a mind game for me, I can do it really I’d just rather it was all over much sooner

I don't actually think I'm anywhere near 5K despite doing 28 minutes.
I run at 5mph on the treadmill so in my mind that's about 4K ish once I get to 30 minutes. Fitbit does show I'm getting marginally faster each time but I don't think I'll ever get to 5K.

Well done @TheChosenTwo ⭐️ It’s such a good feeling - and definitely a mind game at this stage.

Welcome @OntheWaves40. There are others in this group who will be able to advise you better but, I know for me that deciding to do something was the biggest step (I did absolutely no exercise).

@schoolcook 28 mins straight is fantastic! Looking forward to being able to do that myself...and at my speed there is no way it will be near 5K either. I figure 5K can be the next challenge after the end of the programme.

@Talksunderwater yes I think that's what I'm going to aim for. But on the treadmill I can't track how far I am going (console not working properly) and the Fitbit doesn't say how far as it knows I'm in one spot.
I think I need to just celebrate that I'm running and keep it up. I'm 45 and this is the first time in my life I've been able to run !

Do people use apps to time it or just stop watch?

I’ve got an Apple Watch so start a run workout as I leave the house. Since I did an update it also shows me a map of my route once I’ve completed it which i like looking back at and seeing how much further I’m running now. The route marked out is in 2 different colours for when it detects you walking or running. Good to see it’s mainly in the green now!
It also tells me my average steps per minute, elevation, heart rate, pace, calories etc. A bit geeky but I like the stats

This is a really useful resource for people starting out:
healthunlocked.com/couchto5k/posts/136914770/faq-post........how-to-run-c25k

@OntheWaves40 I use the One You Couch to 5K app on my phone. You can choose your “coach” (I have Sarah Millican) who counts down the time for each run/walk and gives encouragement. I just do what she tells me to do.

25 mins scheduled for tomorrow. Am toying with trying a morning run (before work). I usually run in the evening under the cover of darkness. Am definitely a natural night owl although I do manage 0900 gym classes.
Suspect I'll be pounding the pavement at 1900 but will see how I feel when the alarm goes off

I did W9R3 today! So officially graduated! I actually enjoyed it again today, lovely crisp Autumn morning and I did a really easy flat route. It was running from a sports venue where I’d dropped ds off so I literally ran for 2.5k then turned back on myself which made it feel easier than trying to think of a proper circuit type route that would cover the distance.

I’ve only ran twice this week and I know that I’m going to find it hard to keep up over winter but I am determined to try.

@OntheWaves40 I use the Couch to 5K app, also with Sarah Miilican as my “coach” , but I map my distance and pace using MapMyRun. The on,y thing I have noticed is that MapMyRun gives it’s own updates in time/distance/pace as you run which seems to pause the C25K app. This meant that I ended up running for longer once I started to use it. Now, although I like the C25K app, I stop running after MapMyRun tells me that I’ve done 5k, which for me is pretty much the 30min mark. If I had MapMyRun on but listened to Sarah I’d probably end up running for another 3minutes of so. There might be a way of stopping the updates from MapMyRun but still tracking your distance but I’ve not bothered to look for this.

Amazing @Ikeameatballs! Well done can't wait til I can comfortably run that far!

I've just finished W5R3, can't believe it! So glad I pushed myself to get out and do it this morning

Congratulations @Ikeameatballs! Awesome stuff What are you going to do next?

Well done @Jujuball feels good doesn't it?

I was too warm this morning- I'd put on a longsleeved top but it was actually 10° by the time I ran. Felt very odd to be honest- I can see I'm actually going to become one of those people that starts moaning when it's warm, never thought I'd see the day!

Brilliant work @Ikeameatballs and @Jujuball

I did W6R1 this morning and found it fine - now that I know I can do 20 mins straight, I found the run/walk intervals easier.

@Talksunderwater I found the intervals harder today on w6r1! I’m not good at getting going again once I’ve stopped. But I did it, it was an okay run, felt like I was hitting my stride towards the end but again it was a bloody hilly route.

I don't know how you folk with hills manage, luckily my local terrain is flat as a pancake.
Managed 25 mins last night (don't think I'll ever be a morning runner!) but it felt hard.
Once you're running the longer stretches how long did people find it took to build up stamina? I really don't think I could go any slower and my Fitbit says my HR was in peak zone 84% of the time (apparently peak zone is usually when you're sprinting and I'm certainly not doing that). I'm overweight which is probably contributing so am working hard to curb overeating too.
Have taken the plunge and downloaded Strava so I can see how far I'm actually managing in 25 mins, think I might be a bit shocked not in a good over achieving way

@IveSeenThings I think that all I can aim for at the moment is to try to keep going over winter! Maybe in the spring I’d think about longer distances.

@LakeFlyPie I choose flat routes if I can. I’d really struggle with hills.

Also a fan of the flat - I never realised so many "flat" bits round here are actually on a slight incline

W8R1 done today. We even managed to talk for the first half - we were cross about something so the temper powered us through!

How cross were you?
Were you MutteringDarkly or SlightlyGasping?