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!

Well done @Happyface120 !

I've been running on and off for years. Running is great at burning calories - the issue is socialising attached to running, especially running clubs and parkrun, which tend to increase consumption of beer, wine, gin and cake

@randomsabreuse I'll be ok then as I don't like any of those

I finally did 5k!

OK it might be a crappy time but I ran the whole way

Well done justcallmegriffin~ amazing!

Well done @Happyface120 and @JustCallMeGriffin.

I've just attempted W3R3, after not running since 21st Oct. Obviously it was rubbish. I couldn't run the necessary intervals, and ended up cutting it short and going home.

I'm furious with myself, demoralised, despise myself for being so feeble, and am also fully aware how unhelpful all those feelings are.

At least it was dark, so noone could see me.

Sorry to hear that @Sonmi451. Given that there has been a break since your last run, is it worth doing say W2 again? Don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s not easy. I’m sure you’ll be able to do it if you get back on the programme at the right place.

I agree with talksunderwater, don’t give yourself a hard time sonmi , you went out and did exercise. Roll back to a section of the programme you can do and work back up. There is no reason you can’t take your own path through to the end.

@Sonmi451 don't let this knock you. There's no way I could have absorbed a 2 week break into the early part of the programme and still be able to follow to the letter.

I don't think many that C25K is aimed at could. Just look back through this thread. There are many stories just on here where people have taken a break for whatever reason and stepped back a week (sometimes more) to get back into it at a level their body can handle.

Step back to week 2 for your next run. Run as slowly as you need to and keep getting out there regularly so your muscles can build on what you're doing.

You are not feeble. You got out there and exercised. That's the important thing no matter how slow you went or how many times you had to walk.

Please keep going, you really can do this.

Gorgeous misty/sunny morning. Did W8R3 today and ran 3.3km in the 28 mins. I think the 30 min runs next week will be about 3.5km. So nowhere near 5K but I don’t mind - I’m just amazed I can run for that length of time. @Sonmi451 I found W3 really hard too and counted down the seconds in those 3 min runs. So I can’t believe I’m doing W9 next week. Please do take heart - just getting out there and started on this programme is positive, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. I’m definitely not going to be able to run 5K by the end of it but that will be my next challenge.

Thank you so much everyone, and I'm sorry about my pity party last night. I just so don't want to take a step backwards! But I'm going to go out again tonight, might go back a couple of sessions. It was a bit ridiculous to think I could go straight back to where I left off.

I just feel like I get myself into a routine, and another school holiday comes along and throws it all over the place again - the same is true of work, housework, lots of things. And then I tell myself to get a grip, because I'm lucky that we haven't had to go back into lockdown. (I'm on the Isle of Man, not many Covid cases here, and all contained in isolation.)

So I'll have another run tonight, with less stropping and whingeing Thanks again.

Ooh I hope it's ok if I hop on here? I've just come across the thread completely by chance and I attempted the first run last night.

So I'm 17.5 st at 5ft 6. Not an exercise person at all and haven't done any for a long long time. I've always fancied running. I stopped smoking during the last lockdown and decided I'd start c25k in this one.

So last night first attempt I got half way through the first run. Checked my HR on my fitbit and it was 178! Kind of felt like if I carried on I'd have a heart attack so I stopped at that point and finished with a brisk walk home.

I feel like I've been hit by a bus today too. Have an awful migraine which could be unrelated but I'm not sure.

So any tips for someone as unfit as me welcome! I actually oddly enjoyed it and will be attempting the first run again tomorrow. I'm determined I will do this!

Well done on starting @Doublechins - I didn't even attempt to start running at the stage you are at so you are braver and more impressive than I was.

I started from a point of being over 18.5 stone but didn't attempt to start running till I had got my weight below 14st from diet and daily walking with ankle weights - so I had built up my fitness before attempting
running.

The first week of c25k is supposed to be a half hour walk with 8 lots of running for 60 seconds so wind back from that and invent week zero, week minus-one and week minus-two. In week minus-two just go for a brisk 30 minute walk each day, potentially with ankle-weights on to boost the effort. In week minus-one do just the plain walking on alternate days but on 3 of the days just do 4 bursts of running for 20 seconds. Then in week zero do 6 bursts of running for 45 seconds, then come back to the normal week one hopefully feeling a bit more able to stay with it?

I have learned that it is really important not to go too fast - it is so much more enjoyable if you take it very slowly. Once you have completed the programme and can keep up a light, slow gentle jog for 30 minutes then is the time to work on speed a bit (I am not at that point yet myself)

Well done @schoolcook and @JustCallMeGriffin!

I went out today with a friend and did 5k in 32 min. I’m actually getting slower ! BUT I don’t care. This is still great for me and no pain in my bum today which I think might be be because I reduced the pace. Hoping to get out again on Tuesday.

@Doublechins you can do it!

Hi @Doublechins, well done on getting started! I found that actually telling DH I was going running, having never before shown any interest in it, was a massive deal. Once I'd done that, and been out for the first time, going out is much easier now. I think you did the right thing by reducing to a brisk walk. You don't want the experience to be life-threatening! Or, so awful that you never want to go out again.

That said, I was planning to go out last night, but didn't, so I definitely am today.

Hi everyone

Hoping I can join you guys, I am not a runner at all (can't run for the bus without feeling sick etc) but I really want to get into it.

I've downloaded the app and dusted off my trainers and planning to start tomorrow. I will be doing it on a treadmill at home since I have young kids and can't leave them!

Please send any success stories my way for some inspiration - anyone who hated running and now loves it??

Welcome @oneblacklab I'm one of those stories.
I've tried twice before and failed and I actually completed up to week 8 on a treadmill that doesn't incline so I was terrified running outdoors would be so much harder.
Three weeks later and I'm running 5K every other day in just a touch under 32 minutes outside and absolutely loving it
I'm 45 and this is the first time in my life I've ever run (jogged).
The only advice I followed was a PE teacher who said to me even when you feel like you're going to die just keep running.
I can't recommend the app enough.

Welcome @oneblacklab

I started C25K on 4th August with a BMI of 41, an ankle and hip that had me walking with a stick through last winter and begging Laura for the walking sections even though she was only asking me to run 90 seconds at a time.

My BMI is now 39, I can run non-stop for over 40 minutes, I feel better physically and emotionally.

I'd already started using the walking stick this time last year but touch wood my lower body is the best it's been in years. As the temperature drops I might end up on it again, but I'm already ahead of the curve compared with last year.

Trust the app and keep dragging the trainers on even with treacle legs. It is definitely worth it. Just don't worry about how fast your running, concentrate on how long you're running for.

And if you feel you need encouragement/support/a virtual kick up the backside jump on here. There's all sort of support available. It's genuinely helped me reading how others are doing and being cheered on.

Thank you both, it's so helpful hearing of people who have succeeded!

Welcome @oneblacklab.

When the running sections get really tough, I just try to think of something else. Today I was trying to think of animals for each letter of the alphabet. (I couldn't think of one for N though, but thankfully the woman told me to start walking.) Sometimes I count backwards. Sometimes I try to think of numbers in sequence - for example two digit numbers, the first digit going up and the second digit going down, so, 29, 38, 47 etc. Anything to distract me from "OMG I'm going to die, why am I doing this" etc.

My run today was so much better that my last effort - the weather was perfect - chilly, a bit damp but not actually raining, not windy, and I didn't swear at the C25K lady today.

Haha @Sonmi451 I remember practicing counting in German at those stages

@schoolcook That's a good one, I'll try that on my next run! I'm also not too hot on multiplication tables if I'm honest, prob ought to do those as well, especially as I'm trying to drill them into the kids at the moment

@Sonmi451 that's a good idea.
I ran 5K this morning a whole minute slower but I had really broken sleep last night so not worried about that.

Well done @schoolcook, I can't get my head around going out first thing, although it would be more convenient. I'd have to get up even earlier, but I can't seem to bring myself to go to bed any earlier, I feel like I'm giving up my evening. I know I need to though. I also had a rubbish night's sleep last night.

Just done wk4 r4 (I like to do each run 4 times so my weeks are 8 days rather than 7) which has been 3min+5min+3min+5min. I am curious to notice that the description for the next run wk5 r1 is 5min+5min+5min which is actually less running than in wk4. Does anyone know why this is? Normally I have been looking to the next week's challenge feeling a bit daunted so it seems odd not to be being stretched a bit further - or am I underestimating the effort?

I'm doing a different version of C25K but there are 2 ways of increasing difficulty - increasing run time and decreasing rest time. Short rests are getting closer to running continuously.

My version has a week where you do run 5 walk 5, then run 5 walk 3, then run 5 walk 1-3 (at choice). Run 5 walk 1 was so much tougher than walk 3,!