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.

Thank you for your welcomes everybody!!!

when back from my first W3 run, I collapsed onto the sofa afterwards but managed to do a few stretches to help my aching legs. I'm really looking forward to getting better, this thread is an inspiration.

Violet - are you anywhere near Maidstone? There is a good running shop at Newham Court Garden Centre. They put you in a pair of trainers and get you to run on the treadmill. As this was the first run I had done for many years it was a tad embarrssing but the trainers I got were good so worth it.

Welcome to Vulgar, Chinwag & Violet - this thread is so supportive & inspiring I hope it helps you as much as seems to have the rest of us.

Trillian - I joined this thread because I was so scared of W5R3 - and I will repeat the advice that I think Milleniwmffalcon gave me - go very very slowly & you will be fine & it's true, you will be! I think all the "proper" runners that I know say that the first 10 mins of any run are the hardest as it takes that long to settle in - so if you can go for just 2 mins longer than your previous 8 mins then you should be fine. Recently when I haven't felt like running I have told myself that I will do 10 mins minimum & once I get that far I'm happy to keep going. Good luck, anyway!

That sounds like good advice Batgirl. I shall keep it in mind when despondancy strikes!

thanks everyone, I now feel accountable to you all .
Vulgar I'm actually the other side of Kent, so Maidstone is a bit of a trek (I had to be in Gillingham yesterday which is how I made it to Bluewater, although has anyone used She Runs He Runs there?) - anyone have any recommended running shops in the Surrey/Kent borders area? Croydon is doable as well, possibly. Do any of the running websites have a list of recommended places?
I think i@m going ot just have to bite the bullet and fork out the money as I think I over-pronate (get me with the jargon already ) and trainers for that seem to be more expensive anyway. Oh well...

Hi Violet!

yes, get yourself some good trainers. I "over - pronate" too but I was annoyed when the shop assistant said I had flat feet. DP was laughing.

whatever happened to my nice high arched ballerinas feet?

Pregnancy has a lot to answer for.

i'm hoping that the overpronation will cure itself over time. Does anyone know if this happens?

Hello vulgar and shrinking and everyone else anyway ! i went out tonight inthe freezing coldness rain fret evening it was and did run3 of week 1 - i felt ok though still a beetroot when i got in - i got my route sorted using the geo maps thing which was great as i could plot how far i actually ran/ walked. I have peeked at week 2 and i am not too daunted but week 3 looks worrying! Everytime i passed a jogger with headphones on i did wonder if they were listenening to a podcast and what week they were on

Violet as a new runner i didnt want to spend the earth on trainers then find out i would never run again but went to a local retail outlet place and visited the heavily discounted reebok shop who looked at how i landed and advised these reebok trainers at £50 as oposed to some i was looking at which were more as said they were more fashion and the ones i got were for proper runnign -anyhows being a tight arse i screwed my face up a bit but they then said they were 60% off as an outlet so they were only around £20 and my feet havent fell of yet though i suppose time will tell - when i get to 5k i might treat myself to some fancypants ones.

tomorrow sounds like "google a running shop and outlet shop" day . Did w1r2 tonight and found it easier than last night (no rain here [smug]) but my calves hurt like hell, so I've juggled my budget around, and miraculously found some money for trainers (it's coming out of DH's beer money, but he doesn't know that yet ).

mine were last yrs style hence cheapy - oooooo you not having rest days you rebel?

Morning all,

Good week so far, on Tuesday I did a 22 minute run followed by a bodypump class and then yesterday I was suppose to be doing W6r3 but I got a horrendous stitch about 23 minutes in, usually I try and run thru stiches but this one I couldn't even walk with. Need to do some googling about causes and solutions.

trillian - did you make a decision about the gym?

nappy - glad you got your music sorted! Have you got new earphones as well?

batgirl - well done on w6r3! Runs only from here on in! How are you getting on?

shrinkng violet - welcome. re:bras - I wear two just to make sure! Have you signed up to the race yet? Do it NOW!

vulgar - welcome, reverpronation, I think there are exercises etc you can do but the easiest way to correct it rather than cure it is inserts into shoes.

goblin - plenty of us here had to do more than 3 Wr4 runs IYSWIM. How did it go?

falcon - thanks for superfurries tip, will have a listen.

The only thing I would say about trainers and getting them cheaper online is that if you go to a specialist shop you are paying for their knowledge, if you don't then buy shoes from them they will one day disappear.

Also - no rest days - if you are just starting out on an exercise program I would say rest days are important, I know it feels like you are doing nothing but actually your body is doing lots of recovery. If you want to do something then you could go for a swim?

Well i managed w4r3 (take 2) but this week has been anything but pleasant. I'm going to move onto w5, as i don't fancy that particular combination again.

I'm also going to change my route as i am coming uphill on the last two time segments, which is making me really struggle and tomato coloured

Anyway it's an off day today, so i shall go and download the podcast for w5.

Good luck to all of you out running today, have fun!

Hello, yes libra i went to aldi - i got some of those in the ear round the neck ones soemone linked to - they stay in a treat - also i have figured if i run the wire inside my top i dont strangle myself with it when my arms are flapping about like a crazy bird lol!

Today is my rest day - actually im supposed to have 2 rest days now looking at programme before i start week 2 though my lack of acheyness today makes me tempted to go out tonight. OOOOOoooooooooo arent we all good!

yesterday was supposed to be a rest day for me, but we're going away this weekend, and I'm not going to be able to fit in another run till Sunday at the earliest. However, I've found a running shop in Chichester, and as we're going to be vaguely in that area over the weeked, I might manage to get some trainers. Failing that, then it's Monday afternoon.
Think I might have to repeat week 1 though as I'm seriously unfit, and getting red, sweaty and out of breath by the fifth repetition

Hi Everyone.

Thank you Libra with you knowledge about overpronation.
I am very impressed with your schedule on Tuesday.

i am enjoying my rest day and I feel a bit guilty about it. I really didn't enjoy the first run of W3 and felt knackered until the early evening ( I try to run first thing in the morning).

Have a good day everyone, hope you are all feeling great.

Hello, I'm back again after a nasty chesty/coughing lurgy knocked me out for 2 weeks I was most put out as I had got to W5 and was about to do R3 - the first one with no walking.
Went back and did a W3 run last night which was OK but quite hard work, think I need to do all of W3 and W4 again - bit of a bugger as it means I have to do that W3 to W4 jump again - grrrr!

Nice to see lots of new people, this programme REALLY works.

Would echo getting decent shoes though I left it till about W4 just to make sure I was going to stick with it however spending £70 on trainers has motivated me even more!

red sweaty and out of breath is good violet, it's as it should be - and still is once you're running half hours if i'm anything to go by if you're like that on the first section you're going too fast though

Morning people, it's raining here. Boo. Hope it clears up before lunchtime, should be doing W6r3 (again still haven't managed 25 minute without a stitch recently) but thought I would do something different as you have heard me moan before I live on top of a hill so I am going to run down the hill (approx 2K) and then use Wk1 intervals to run up the hill again.

feetheart - welcome back and hope you are feeling 100% now. I am sure you will find W3 -W4 easier this time and you know you can do it!

vulgar - I only know what I googled! And don't feel guilty about rest days, they make you stronger.

violet - very jealous about your trip nr Chichester, it's such a lovely part of the world - can I be really nosy and ask where?

nappy - earphones sound good might have to treat myself, mine are years old and were only a fiver then!

goblin - running uphill is great training, I am sure one of the reasons I started to find the latter weeks (apart from 3 to 4) easy was because I trained on hills the previous weeks. It makes running on the flats seem (almost!) easy. I think you need a slightly different running technique on uphills as well which might be worth a google if you are going to do uphills in future runs.

i love running in the rain, keeps me cool (i think i might not sweat enough which is why get so red/overheated usually).

hung over and short of sleep today so planned to take it really easy. even going at what felt like a snail's pace it was hard work though, at least until the last 5 minutes or so when i had that sudden burst of energy you get when the end is in sight (and you've got a good bouncy song on the ipod). and bugger me didn't i average 10mm which either goes to show how bad i am at judging my pace, or i must have been going at one hell of a lick in those last 5 minutes

Hi guys, W5 R2.2 for me: 10 mins run, 3 mins walk, 8 mins run. I'm not too puffed to keep going at the 10 minute mark, it's my legs that were aching. Not sure what to do about that aprt from buikd up gradually.

Forgot to make a note of where I stopped after 10 mins, but the 8 min run covered 0.6815 miles according to my calculations so that makes 11:44 minutes per mile.

Libras - not joining the gym just yet as I have no money, just went to try it out for fun really.

Feetheart - welcome back, don't worry I don't think you'll find the jump so hard the second time around.

Nappyzone - I don't bother with the 'take 2 days at the end of a week', I just take one day most of the time and 2 days if a run is inconvenient and that seems to work out.

Well it looks like i might not have reached my max at 5min - turns out i have a chest infection.

I'm on a/bs so i reckon on a couple of days before i can restart. I'm just a bit ticked as i wanted to start w5

Great news on all your running though.

libras i shall look forward to hearing how the hill running goes

That's a shame Goblin. at least you know it's the infection that is hindering your progress rather than that horrible plateau stage which I have a feeling i may be just reaching. after two days of rest and I'm off on saturday morning to do w3 R2.

Get well soon Goblin and good running everyone else.

did r1 w2 tonight - groin felt a bit hurty at times but i managed, it was hard going when i ran past the takaways - i think at run 5 i could have walked faster than my jog!

Hello. Just back from a run round the local park before today Ive not been running since last Sun - was made redundant on Tuesday, had brought my gym shoes with me but never made it - went home in floods of tears instead

Think I will have to cut down on gym use to save money so more running for me. Hope you are all well

goblin get well soon
feetheart hope you are feeling better

giraffes thats rough - i hope things pick up soon

Giraffes Hope things look up for you soon.

Nappy - my 3 min jog in W3 is like yours -so slow it would be quicker to walk!

Aches and pains in legs are better but the 3 min runs are really hard! W3 is a killer so far!

Happy running everyone!