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.

Be afraid, be very afraid ...

I am back from my attempt at w4r2, and failed dismally at the five minute runs, even though I managed them on Monday. Where's the logic?

Gah.

I did w2r2 last night...not bad although a bit plod-like on the last run! The 90 seconds felt marginally better than r1. Still can't imagine being able to run 5km without stopping...maybe I am just meant to be an interval runner?!

If you look back at my posts, I nearly gave up on 3 minute runs. But I carried on, and last week, I went from 7 minutes to 25!

Looking at some other posts, I think it is quite common; it's as if your body just suddenly 'clicks'. (Not literally, cos that would not be good. )

So keep going girls; it will happen!

I'm back. Did W5R1. It was okay.

3 mins to 5 minutes is full of DOOOM, you're right Aitch. and that you could be that far ahead when I don't think you'd even started last time I ran.

Sorry Aitch

I'm gutted actually - I was amazed on Monday that I'd managed to do the 5 minutes (even though they were bloody hard) so to fail today is really annoying.

I still can't imagine being able to do 20 minutes at the end of next week which Rawb seems to think I'm going to be capable of...

oo just come in too from doing w4r2 - my legs still felt tired from Monday but i managed it better - i just kept going and thinking of mumsnetter names i know are runnign too - the whole thing of running ended just at the end of my road so the warm down at the end was actually about 2 mins rather than the 5 but i was in need of a sit down badly . Just when on the gmaps pedometer thing and calculated the distance i covered which was 4k so ontarget for the 5k but not sure i will be able to do it without an interval or 4..... i am now going to see what lies ahead next week as someone i see just mentoned a 20 min run....in week 5???? surely not........

I think of other mumsnetters doing the runs as well and it keeps me going .

I looked at the pedometer thing and seem to have done about 4k ish as well but that does include rather a lot of walking. But I have done the RFL with no training before and managed about 36 min so am hoping I can do better this year .

Went swimming today as DD has her lesson and did 20 lengths in about 25 minutes. Am surprised that I am quite enjoying this exercising lark

Just looked at the cool runnings website and see there are different runs on that for each time of week 5. How does Rawb do that then?

Hello everyone. I thought this thread had disappeared and that everyone had given up and maybe I should too

I've been struggling with week 4.

norty - EXACTLY the same thing has happen to me. 1st attempt at W4 = Ok. 2nd and 3rd -crap! I'm gonna do it again tomorrow but i can't see myself going on to W5 yet.

i was feeling really demoralised but CHINWAG, - you have made me feel a whole lot better.

i will not give up. Happy running everyone.

sorry Norky - i put you down as Norty.

i dont know lovely rita - i can just see me getting confused or thinking i can walk at all the wrong times

I think some kind MNetter covered Rawb's explanation of w5 earlier on this thread...

OK copy and paste of a post by AmIOdetteOrOdile follows

-----

Week 5 is an interesting week:
R1 - 5min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run
R2 - 8min run, 5 min walk, 8 min run
R3 - 20 minute run
Rawbert() tries to deal with the three different days in a single podcsast so it makes it interesting.

As I was doing it today I was making mental notes of what to tell about it, which certainly helps pass the time.

a) there is no one minute warning with the warmup walk. When you hear his voice after it it is to tell you to start running. R1, R2 and R3 start at the same time.
Then it gets interesting! The following is my recollection of the instructions for the runs, and takes the run starting at minute 0
b) 5 minutes: R1 slows to a walk, R2 continue running
c) 8 minutes: R1, your next run begins (NOTE: he does not say ready or go or anything) and R2, you slow down for your walk
d) 10 minutes: R3, you are halfway through
e) 13 minutes: R1, slow down; R2, begin your next run
f) 16 minutes: R1 start running, R2 you are nearly halfway through, R3, about 3 minutes to go
g) 20 minutes: R3, you are finished; everyone else, 1 minute to go
h) 21 minutes: R1 and R2 slow down
i) 25 minutes: R3 your cooldown is complete
j) 26 minutes: starts waffling about his podcasts, neglecting to say that R1 and R2 are now finished.

-----

Sounds very complicated!

Rawb tells you 'run 1 do this, run 2 do this.. etc' on week 5. It's not too bad, definitely not confusing cos mostly one is starting at the time the other is stopping.

It kinda goes

0 - all start
5 - week 1 walk
8 - week 2 walk, week 1 run
13 - week 1 walk, week 2 run
16 - week 1 run
20 - week 3 stop
21- week 1 and 2 stop

(have had gin so sorry if not right)

Ah I see. Well sort of anyway

I did w4r2 tonight, and it was OK actually. Don't see how by this time next week I can be doing 20 minutes without stopping though - maybe it's a typo she says hopefully...).
Norky I had something similar with week 3 (in that the first run was fine, then the second and third were horrid), but week 4 has been fine so far. Someone said something about time of the month affecting running (not sure if it was on this thread or not), so might that be an explanation?

oh lordy i better be awake in week 5 then as i dont generally know the day of the week never mind if im r1,2 or 3 - how have the week 4 people who have gone on to week 5 found the leap to the full 20 min run?

Glad it helped Vulgar.

I would really recommend the book Running Made Easy by Whalley & Jackson a real help for motivation. I read it over and over when it gets hard. It's full of top tips, motivational stories, and also encourages you to write down every run (times, where when, and how you feel.) It really helps you see your progression.

okay ladies... did i cheat today?

was doing the bupa week 3 run 2, which is 3mins run 3 mins walk. after the first two my leg started to hurt so i climbed through a fence () into some communal gardens cos i thought the ground would be softer on the old pins. it was, my leg didn't get worse, and i did the next two runs. was that cheating? is it easier to run on grass and pathway?

(PS to assuage my guilt i ran for 5 mins on the last run).

running is running

really? it did seem a bit easier on the grass verge, though...

Grass is better for your joints but it's not the easy option iyswim?

I'm going to jog/walk/limp around my Race for Life on Sunday and then start from week 1 of the Bupa program next week.

Chinwag - thanks for the book recommendation, i've just ordered it! I had a look inside it on Amazon and it looks great. Just the thing for when I'm in danger of sitting on the sofa and eating chocolate.

Aitch - I run on grass too but last week the grass was quite long and I had to pick my feet up in a sort of 'chariots of fire" training stylee. It wasn't very easy.

Luckily, they've cut the grass today so W4R3 was not so hard although the last 5 minute run is very very difficult. I can't believe I've got to go on to w5 on Saturday. Scary!

Violet - we are at the same stage I think. I wonder what W5 is going to be like?

Vulgar, I'm half a week behind you I think, so will be starting week 5 on Monday. I'll wait and see how you go first though .

Am going to try and do W4 R3 later on. And then start W5 on Saturday