Right, I am starting 'couch potato to 5k' again and I WILL finish

[giddykipper]

I WILL NOT nesh out again like I did last time.

DP has even bought me an iPod Shuffle to run with so that I don't have to lug my big iPod around (oh the inconvenience).

this is what I'm talking about and here's the podcasts I run to.

I'm not starting today though, got about 3 hours sleep last night.

oh no lexcat sorry you're injured hope you manage to get some decent rest in over the next few days.

and mwm sorry you didn't manage to get out. i've found i start climbing the walls if i miss a session, my family is beginning to learn they're not allowed to be ill

how did it go trillian?

hello batgirl the only thing you need to remember for r3 is slow down, you'll be fine.

Lexcat - hope your heels are feeling better.

Libras - yes week 4 is harder. I remember thinking that.

DrT - how did it go?

Brownsuga - well done on starting W7. I am also feeling utterly shattered at the moment and I think it is the duration of the runs.

Didn't go.

Gave blood this morning and I was too lazy weak from lack of blood.

Doing it tomorrow morning.

Hi all not been on for a while due to this work thing.
On Week 8 now and have done 2 x 28 minute runs so one more and then onto 5k.

I am finding the first 10- 15 minutes quite hard work and then once I get into it I could keep going for a bit longer. I prefer running at night so that no one can see my bright red face plus its cooler. Don't know what I will be like when summer gets here.

I have found our local park has a group which do 5k timed runs on a Sat morning. I need something to keep my motivation going so I am going to go with DC and see what the score is before I am brave enough to join in.

Well done everyone and for the new starters welcome and keep going. It is achievable and makes you feel so much better!

Why is this topic under 'fun and games'? It's not fun.

I am just not a runner. I hope you lot feel guilty for being the only thing making me keep doing this.

Week 4 is a bastard. 90secs-3mins --> 3mins-5mins is a big jump. And this is the first time the walking has been shorter than the running. My legs kept almost coming to a complete stop during the last run, as if I had no power over them. Even though I had been trying to do slow running all the way through.

Mileniwm - you're climbing the walls if you can't have your fix? That's impressive. I keep being told that running is addictive but it hasn't caught yet.

Thanks for the welcome!

I really will try to do r3 v v slowly - but am still dreading it. Up to now I haven't found it too hard - but I started running in Jan, doing a different programme to get to 5k. However it was quite boring compared to this - I switched into w4 after prob about 6 weeks of the other one & am finding it much more interesting. Hmm, will I still say that tomorrow??

I am sooo impressed by everyone on this thread - your committment & achievements are amazing!

sorry you're finding it tough trillian. how slow are you going? i've read advice that you should literally be running so slow you could almost walk faster. i think it takes a bit of practice to find that pace - i was convinced i wasn't going to make the 20 minutes, but knowing i had an almost impossible distance ahead was a really good motivator to rein it in.

fwiw i think the people who are showing real commitment are those who are getting out even though it's really hard to find the time (looks pointedly in gk's direction), those who have found it really tough at times (lexcat and pennies spring to mind), or those who aren't really enjoying it like you trillian. personally it's easy to get out, i have loads of nice routes, and i'm really enjoying it (except perhaps at the actual moment i'm doing it!), so there's no willpower involved at all. i could have predicted i'd get hooked pretty quickly, i have an embarrassingly addictive personality and i'm very easily swayed by chemicals - natural or otherwise - in my bloodstream

i've decided to ditch the podcasts after finding it so enjoyable to have my own music last time out. so for w6r1 tomorrow i'm planning a route according to distance, not time. it'll mean i won't be able to do my stats this week (i love sitting down afterwards and plotting it all out and seeing what pace i was doing, methinks a garmin might be in my future if i keep this up) and given how slow i'm going i'll prolly be running a bit longer than if i went by time, but it's only for this week and then it's straight runs after that.

hi, just popped in to say hello. I started like this last september, and did a half marahon last week! Never thought I could go beyong miles. Used to go up a local little lane puffing, in three goes. Starting up really is the hardest.
The thing that made the difference to me was running with a friend, cos we talk and distract ourselves. But it is always still really hard work, I don't very often enjoy it and feel ever so relaxed, you feel the same but go further!
I slowed right down, slower than slow, and that made a huge difference - got me much further.
I also eat a lot better now - loads of carbs before our big race. Drink more (the day before ) to hydrate. Good trainers and thicker socks.
If we struggle we play alphabet games a= apple etc! Gets us up hills too!
After miles it gets better. i never ran walked much, I just tried to increase the distance each time, cos I used to find it too hard to start again after a walk!
Good luck to you all xx

oops my number key not on! Meant to say I couldnt run beyond 2 miles! And after 4 miles it gets easier!

Hi everyone!

Just quickly checking in as I really should go sleep! I'm feeling quite proud of myself as a) I didn't 'nesh' out of the run this evening, b) I ran for about (didn't take my watch - quite liberating, actually!) 30 mins without stopping or walking. The route is just under 4k, so fairly slow but I don't mind slow - I did it!

Have decided I'm going to do 20 mins with buggy on Monday, 25 on Wednesday, then start measuring distance...

Best of luck to everyone out this weekend.

And wow! on the half-marathon mooseloose - you're an inspiration! Not that you'll ever catch me doing a half!

morning

lol @mooseloose feeling the same but going further.

well i have to say i enjoyed the actual running bit again today - having decent music really does make all the difference to me. i really love dancing and this feels like the closest i'm going to get these days (((mf's nonexistant social life)))

it was hard work cos i didn't go slow enough and i messed up the distances so instead of doing 1/2 mile + 3/4 mile + 1/2 mile i did 1/2 + 3/4 + 3/4, but i did it in just over the suggested times (i.e. i went too fast!) i think the going too fast is a lot to do with the proper runners being out in force cos it's saturday, it's soooo hard to not automatically speed up when they appear. so i was all tomato faced and out of puff by the end, but i'm starting to enjoy that feeling too! [hopeless addict]

but for those of you struggling with w4 i remember how enormous that jump felt from 3 to 5 minutes, and now the first 5 minutes genuinely feels easy. have faith and keep going, it really does work

I just ran for 20 mins - can't really believe it! Followed Mileniwmffalcon's advice & went very very slowly (thank you!) and whilst certainly not easy, it was comfortable - can't wait for W6 now!

(could not imagine it doing it whilst pushing a buggy, though - Sparklyprincees & other buggy users - that must be so much harder)

yay batgirl

Well done batgirl it such great feeling. I still don't quite believe I run that far a few weeks ago. Really hope W6 goes well for you. I'm not got their due to injury waiting on insoles for the shoes, fingers crossed they will do the job and I can start running again.

I'm keeping up with Davina and other home based exercise. Was surprised that Davina DVD seamed quite easy till the next day when I was quite sore. Mostly the thighs my bum killed . Hopeing by still doing something which keeping off my feet I can get back into the running quite easy.

go batgirl!

Lex, I hope you can start running again soon.

Friday was FREEZING and WINDY so I didn't go. We took DS out for a little bit instead and jumped on the ice and in the slush. The city is thawing, the vegetation is stonking, but at least we see grass these days, a bit of yellow green in the landscape. Spring has finally hit us.

W7R2 today. It was windy again and I almost didn't go. I forget that after a couple of minutes I warm up enough to not feel the cold. But I've been more cold than usual lately. It went well, I plodded around my course ok. I'm going to jump to Week 8 on Monday, I'm sure I can stretch the extra minutes.

Have a good weekend everyone, and happy running.

Hi guys

Managed to get out today for first time in a week due to various problems, illness and trips with ds to casualty to get chin glued back together etc. Anyway decided to try w2r3 again and it went well plus my new running buddy (my dog) was fab. Also dh suprised me with an early mother's day gift, a pair of 3/4 running tights! So chuffed but worried I'll look ridiculous in them in public.

Anyway week 3 next week!

Hi guys - the link at the beginning of this thread doesn`t seem to be working now . I need to download week 2 today .Has anyone got another link please ? x

Looks like the sites down...

I got it through Itunes, might still be available there, or try the podrunner ones

morning runners

well i did my last run/walk today (w6r2) it's straight shuffling running from here

paced myself okay for run/walk (10mm) but wouldn't be able to keep it up without a break. turns out i should be running to the stone roses next time, got me going at a much more sustainable pace.

this was the first time since i started that i wasn't particularly keen to go out, maybe cos i feel i don't have anyone holding my hand any more iyswim. still, i went, and obv once i was out there it was fine. it felt particularly good to go past the same bus queue twice in once stretch (i.e. right round the park without stopping) and still be feeling (and more to the point looking!) reasonably comfortable

Way! Mileniwmffalcon - no more walking!
That's a bit scary as I am only 1 run behind you (did w6r2 this morning)& I'm not sure I feel ready to part with my walk breaks.

Lexcat - I'm sure you will get back into the running with no problems, esp if you are exercising at home. I had to take a 2 week break between weeks 4 & 5 due to injury & although I did no excercise, I started where I left off with no difficulty

Here are the links blondie

Running plan

Oooh, something has happened to Rawbert's website! If you have week1 in your iTunes click on it and then look at the bottom of your iTunes window - there should be a button sayinbg 'subscribe'. Click it and hopefully all will be well.

I had a bad W4R2 today - shins hurting so stopped run3 early and run4 was very off-and-on. Think I'll try a W3 run next, if that goes well I'll come back to W4.

morning, well it'll be afternoon where you are now.

I skipped W7R3 and went staggered onto W8R1. I had to go to work for a late meeting so ran home from there, luckily we live close to the city! It was quite lovely running along admiring all the buildings, it was dusk and reminded me of when I use to stumble around Brisbane city and its river before work. I'd always run into this engineer who was on his way TO work at the crack of dawn. I almost started missing the heat, the smell of the Brisbane river and the bats flying overhead. Just as well we're heading into spring now.

I digress. I've bought on of those Nike + Ipod gadgets. It turns out I already had the trainers that the doohickey fits into. So I loaded up a Ministry of Sound CD into my Playlist and used that. You can set the time you want to run or the distance, and a chap will tell you, how many minutes you've done at various intervals. I think it's quite a good little unit. I didn't calibrate it, but checked it against mapmyrun and it was just about right. My 28mins plus a few minutes walk warmup/down was 5.2km.

It's sunny out, so I should get in the shower now, and head downtown to get the latest MoS CD.

Happy running everyone. It's great to read of your progress despite hurdles. Mad I hope your DS is ok, and DrT take care of those shins.

Hi all,

I was signposted to this thread by BrownSuga - would you mind if I join you?

I am a chubby former rower, and in my day, did a lot of running to maintain my fitness for rowing.

6 years, 2 children, and 4 stone on, things have changed a bit for me since.

I have been working hard to lose weight since Nov last year, and have lost 2 stone. I now have the energy and motivation to start running again. I did the Paris half marathon last year, but because I was quite heavy, (and later found out I was hypothyroid) it was a pretty hard slog.

I am ultimately hoping to do another half marathon later this year, but I am following the Guardian's 0 - 5k programme which is over 8 weeks. I am 2 weeks in.

I would really love some support and advice from all you runners.

oh dear looks like rawb's site's still kaput - hope you managed to find it on itunes blondie.

how are we getting on? is it me or has it gone a bit quiet round here lately?

gk are you still with us? ria?

how are the long runs going pennies? any less tired? i went swimming on monday (which involves an hour's brisk walk to/from the pool) as well as running in the morning and went to bed at half nine before i started this anything before midnight counted as an early night

trillian have you done your w3 run yet? any better? what is it you're finding the hardest with w4 - legs or lungs? i'm always playing catchup with my heartrate/breathing - i've never willingly done any hard aerobic exercise so its taking a while for that to match the distance my legs will go.

and libra - how's the w4 rerun going?

i did w6r3 (25min run) this morning. went for 26 minutes as i couldn't get the stone roses to co-operate the idea was they would slow me down a bit, but it didn't quite work out and i did 10.30mm, which took me almost 2.5miles/^almost^ 4k i surprised myself by managing to maintain the pace, although i was pretty by the second half. i got swanky new running kit in tkmaxx yesterday and just maybe that helped me keep going when i was getting a bit hot.

btw how rude - sorry yotc i meant to give you a wave too

not sure we can give much advice to a half marathoner [notworthyface] but we're pretty good on support

out of interest how does the guardian plan go? to me the c25k seems to start and end very gently but ramps up a bit suddenly in the middle.