Starting C25K

[Sleeepdeprived]

I’ve attempted C25K before and never actually completed it so trying again. Hopefully by starting this thread it’ll give me some accountability!

I’ve bought some new trainers and just completed week 1 day 1. Anyone else thinking of starting C25K or have recently started?

I'm on week 4!

@MistyTrains well done! How are you finding it?

I’m embarrassingly sore after my first run but planning on going out for run 2 tonight.

Keep going!! I’m on week 7 however it has taken me about 10 weeks to get here as some weeks I only manage 1 run! I have a love hate relationship with running and until starting C25K hadn’t run at all for about 5 years.

once I have completed it I am going to join the local Park Run 🙂

I started it a few weeks ago and I'm amazed at how quickly you can improve with it! I used to run but haven't in years after an accident and I'm really really enjoying it!

I’ve just finished week 8 and am amazed how much I’m loving it. Totally committed to running now. But - I hurt myself and had to stop at w2d1 for a couple of weeks. Having never run in my 50+years of life I didn’t understand what sort of pace ‘slow’ was. I was/am fit but not a runner, and thought I was just jogging but it was still too fast for my body -knees and shins. So I would strongly advise you preemptively slow down. I’m still running faster than I should probably but not overdoing it too much and injuring myself anymore!

V hard in first week. But that is totally normal. I've not been doing them consistently as also training in the gym. I went with my running club and did my 3m runs back to back which was a BAD IDEA as even at this level you need to build up. Not running til next week now as my quads hurt (also went to a spin class). Looking forward to next step up which 5m running. There is a week where it suddenly leaps up in length but that is a while off. My goal is to get to my local park run when I know I can run 5km :)

I've just finished week 5! It really works, I am not a runner, never have been but the c25k programme is working wonders. How was run 2 @Sleeepdeprived?

Funny you should say that @Earbuddy, I’ve been running far too fast and getting absolutely exhausted by the end. I’m finding it hard to slow down because I’m so full of energy at the beginning but then can barley move my legs at the end!

Day 2 went well thank you! I tracked it on my Fitbit so I’m excited to see how my stats change over time. I’m hoping to go out for run 3 this evening!

How's it going? I've just done 2 x 8mins. The next one is a big leap up of 20mins running! I think I'm going to do the 2 x 8mins run one more time before stepping up.

I’ve started c25k more times than I care to remember. I completed it once in 2012 and could lollop for a full 40 minutes. I usually use the one that it sounds like all pp are using with a scary 20 minute run in week 5.

This time I’m doing it differently, I’m using garmin coach which alters the training plan compared to your progress. I’m also alternating between treadmill and outside. I’m think having the treadmill at home is making a difference and I think it will keep me going. With the garmin coach I can do 15 minutes on the treadmill (w4) outside there is some walking within the 15 minutes but it is working.

Sounds good @Billybagpuss

That's my next run too on Tuesday!

@dikwad Exciting!

Done another 8 mins x 2. How was it @dikwad ?

I missed these posts - I’m not getting notifications for some reason!

I’m on week 3 now, doing run 3 tomorrow hopefully. I’m actually really enjoying it, although running for 8 mins straight still sounds very scary. Well done @MistyTrains!!

Well done @Sleeepdeprived ! You'll smash 8 mins! Get a long track playing if you run to music.

I've chosen Denise Lewis as the narrator but to be honest I find her a bit annoying which in a wierd way is keeping me motivated to finish it 🤣

Super job @Sleeepdeprived

I did C25k back in 2016. I remember huffing and puffing through each new distance/time/week... Then my body got used to it, so the app would up it to the next level 🤣

I completed the app and ran 5k. Again. And again. And again. I still do, 7 years on, at least twice a week. I've run as far as 15k in one go, but I'm not a runner, just an exerciser.

Pre 2016 me is in awe of 2023 me. I really didn't think I could ever run 5k before I used that app. Be inspired. You can do this!

I’m finding it a very different experience doing the garmin coach rather than the set runs I’ve no idea what week I’m on. It starts off by 5 minutes and you do what you can and when you’ve got better it gives you an optional additional 5 minutes.

I’ve got to 15 minutes easy treadmill and with not very much walking outside and Sundays run will be 15 minutes with an optional extra 5 which I think if I do on the treadmill will be fairly comfortable. It does mean that there’s no looming scary run like the w5 r3 as you just up it when you’re ready.

I think it’s working better for me and mixing it up with the treadmill is working too.

Love that @Globules !

Sounds good @Billybagpuss ! I like to limit my choices, and get out clauses 🤣

@Globules that’s amazing, well done. And you definitely are a runner - you can run 15k!

I’ve just come back from run 3 of week 3 and ouch - my lower legs were really achy and a bit sore so I couldn’t get in to my stride and I found the whole thing a struggle. Really heavy. They didn’t hurt at all beforehand when walking, only when I started running. I was planning on starting week 4 on Sunday but think I need to rest over the weekend. Anyone else had this?

Also, to make matters worse, a car full of teenage boys drove past me madly honking their horn while I was doing my cool down walk, clearly taking the piss because I looked knackered!

I remember the aches at that point well.

Your friends are a massage gun and a foam muscle roller. Roll all parts of your leg over the roller post run and use the gun to target the particularly painful parts.

See how you feel about starting week 4 when your legs are feeling better than they currently are.

I think I got shin splints one time - the fronts of my lower legs hurt, that took a few weeks to go.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shin-splints/

Thanks both. I think it’s a mixture of mild shin splints and calf pain. I had an osteo massage this morning and he worked on my calves for a little while so they’re feeling slightly better. Will definitely not be running tomorrow though. It really made me feel like crap not being able to properly run and feeling clunky with it.

Can anyone tell me where I can see the nhs couch 2 5k in a written format? The nhs site only seems to direct to podcasts and I like to know what's coming. I've tried googling but there seems to be a million different versions!

@BlueBlubbaWhale I can’t work out how to copy and paste an image here but there’s an image of the c25k that I’ve been following (NHS app) through this link - http://www.thehyperhouse.com/2012/07/staying-active/