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.

Thanks Babyinacorner - good to know it works...well done you!
Policywonk - honestly, W3 sounds worse than it actually is. And the sense of achievement when you finish a 3min run is amazing

That's encouraging baby. I've never run 45mins in my life, so I'm looking forward to at least 30mins.

W2R3 today. A lovely snow sunday morning. It was quite warm and there were a few other joggers about. All nodding and bonjouring as we passed it each other. Glad they saw me on the running intervals!

I'm going to do one more W2 run tomorrow, then start W3 on Wednesday as planned.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for a while and trying to build myself up to making a start and today I actually did! W1 R1 completed and I feel really virtuous now .

If I had had enough breath in my body to laugh I would have done when he said 'you should be feeling the effects of your running now but not be out of breath' at about 3/4 way through .. I think his definition of a couch potato must be far different to mine!

Anyway, am planning to keep an eye on this thread to see how you are all doing - I need some encouragement to keep going now that I have finally started exercising after 8 years of doing absolutely nothing ... am I going to be aching all over tomorrow?

Well done CookieMonster .I find it amusing when he says you should be able to talk while runnung !!!

If you did the 5min cooldown you should be okay tomorrow, although be prepared to be v tired.

I did W3 R1 today and the three mins was a breeze. I was really nervous about doing it beforehand but I couldn't believe how easy it was.

Have felt shattered the rest of today tho.

Also, when Robert says, "Think about your quorn" what on earth is he talking about? I find myself running along thinking about a meat substitute food product and Linda McCartney.

Thanks for the encouragement Odette - I am actually not suffering at all today which seems a bit odd ... maybe it will hit me tomorrow which is when I am supposed to will do my next run!

Well done Pennies - running for 3 minutes feels a long way off to me yet!

Pennies - PMSL at random insertion of foodstuffs!! I will never be able to hear him say that again without thinking of Linda McCartney .

Well done cookie. It's good you're not suffering, you're doing it right. The 5min warm up and down is there to prevent the muscle ache. I haven't had it yet, but am feeling fitter.

W2R4 Monday night. I've slipped an extra run for week 2 into my schedule due to the horror run I had last week in the freezing weather. It was lightly snowing, with quite a bit on the ground, like running through a bog, which hopefully will mean extra leanness and fitness.

I'm looking forward to starting W3 on Wednesday weather permitting.

W3 R2 today (at a temp of -1degrees!). Again, not too bad but I could feel it a bit by the end of the second 3 minute run.

Anyone else got any insider knowledge on Robert Ullery's obsession with Quorn?

I'm still building up slowly. I started on new years day with walk 3min run 1min x4 and I felt sore after that. I've run 3x a week and try to walk 3 to 4 times a week. Today I stared with 2min run then did walk 2min run 1min x6 With the third run been uphill. Still no were near 3min runs but am feeling so much fitter and better in myself.
So well done to everyone weather like me you are building your running up slowly or your on your 3min runs already.

Did run on a hail storm a few day ago and brought back memorys of cross country runs in shorts and t-shirts in the same weather as a child at school. I remembered been frozen, the sting of the hail on cold bare legs and arms and been shouted out to get a move on. It so much nicer when you have a coat and trousers.

well done everyone (and Pennies, you do know it's "form" don't you )

Have completed W3 and due to start W4 either tomorrow or Friday (I think I may need an ark if I go out tomorrow so it'll probably be Friday). Podcast is ready, and I am bricking it! (and I won't tell you what it involves as am still in denial!)

Well done to everybody who is sticking at this. I did W1 R2 yesterday and although I was very tired at the end of it, I am feeling no after-effects today - I think you're right Brownsuga, it must be the 5 minutes warm up and cool down which is doing the trick!

Am in awe of those of you running for minutes at a time - especially in temperatures below freezing!

Hoping to go for W1 R3 tomorrow and will then make a decision as to whether I should repeat W1 or bite the bullet and go for W2!

Go for W2 cookie, you can do it, it's a gentle step up.

W3R1 I hashed it. I took a different route which took me into town. Too many blimmin traffic lights, road crossings and pedestrians to get a good session in. I'll call it my practice run, and do another 3 before I move on to W4.

Does anyone else have sore knees? The last three runs, mine have been getting steadily worse, but I don't want to give up. Sharp pain around the bottom of the kneecap

Yes I was getting sore knees but I've never had good knees. I think I have runner's knee so bought two patellae supports at local sports shop and my knees are much better. Have found everytime I run a bit more they get sore which is one of the reasons I been building my distance slowly till my knees get stronger.

Has any one found there calves (lower leg not baby cows) growing my clothes are looser but my welly boots (need them for my walks with the dog) are tighter which is not great as they never was much room for the calves to fit before I started running.

OOoh "Form!" I presume he means one's progress and ability, rather than one's physical form which, by the time he says it, is (in my case) somewhat sweaty, wobbly and puce so it's really not a good thing to have in the mind's eye.

WEll done Odette on completing W3 - I' looking forward to your write up of W4 R1. It's useful reading what you say as you're just ahead of me and it's very motivational for me. No pressure on you to keep going tho! .

Aw - thanks Pennies. I was just pondering what to post this morning, and you've just made up my mind for me.

Right, W4 R1 - DONE (Gordon Ramsay-style) (i.e. in tone, not in sleeping with people I am not married to )

W4 consists of 2 reps of:
3 min run; 90 sec walk; 5 min run; 2.5 min walk (and obviously the 5 min warm up and cool down)

It was a lot easier than I was expecting it to be!! I really thought I would struggle with the 5 minutes, but because you start off with a 3min run the transition isn't too bad. And for the first time ever, I didn't come back with a red and green face , and I would actually have been able to talk while running. This may have been helped by his advice to take it slowly, as there was lots of running to do.

a) the three minute runs are now just "Ready", and then nothing again till they're finished
b) The first five minute run he gives you a halfway shout out, the second one he gives a good last minute motivational kick up the butt!
c) he does not question your quorn form

I think I may heart Robert Ullrey.

Fantastic Odette! You're doing really well and all of you who are ahead of me are giving me something to aim at.

I completed W1 R3 today so am feeling suitably smug and virtuous - especially since DH didn't think I'd complete the first week (thanks pal). I know there are no real physical benefits to speak of yet, but psychologically this is doing me the world of good - before I was in a huge rut of feeling flabby and lethargic and was continually making excuses not to do anything about it, but now I've made a start and am feeling proud of myself in my own small way

I am going to take the weekend off and start W2 on Monday - I fancy a change of music more than anything else!

Well done CookieMonster and Great that you're feeling better - I bet that if you went for a walk with your DCs you would notice the difference.

I found the transition from 1 to 2 to be harder than the subsequent ones (hmm....runs AND children!). Enjoy your weekend, and good luck for Monday. Check in here on Monday evening and let us know how you got on.

Just completed W3 R3 and I wasn't really in the mood for it (hugely discouraged to have put on a pound this week despite dieting) so I found it a bit of a slog, if I'm honest. I'm encouraged by what you wrote Odette though and will face the challenge on Monday!

I'm running using a Nike+ sportband to chart my progress and I've just compared the data on the W3 runs. It is all completely different despite the fact that I have done 3 identical runs. So I either conclude that either I didn't do identical runs despite following the same path and running to the same podcast instructions or the machine is rubbish. Anyone else got one?

Oh and I do agree about hearting Robert Ullery, but have had to knock that on the head when I saw a pic of him.

I had in my mind's eye a kind of Superman / Kyle MacLachlan type of guy but in reality the macho factor just isn't there, sadly.

CookieMonster - well done on doing W1 W3! I hope you enjoy W2! Tell your skeptical DH to get his running shoes on rather than casting aspersions on your own efforts!

Did W3 R2 today - haven't found the three-minute runs tooooo bad. Am a bit worried about W4 - it's useful to read Odette's reports from the front!

Knees are OK but my right ankle/foot is often sore the day after a run. Don't think there's much I can do about it thought - it's the site of an old sprain and it's never been right since.

Well done PolicyWonk - old injuries are a PITA aren't they. My knees were playing up at the start, but now seem to be okay.

Am hoping to do W4 R2 today, as otherwise won't be able to do it till Tuesday. It is so cold and wet though.......

Will report back later hopefully.

Cheating this weekend as dd wouldn't come running. All she wanted was a walk so we went for a 4 mile walk instead of a run. Not bad as that is the first run I've missed hope to get back to the running next week.
Well done to all 3min is great progess give me a few more weeks and I may have got their. Can't ever see myself run for 45mins at the rate I'm going. Then again if I could shed the 5 stone plus of extra weight maybe I would have more chance. I really am hoping the running will help with my weigh loss.

Well done Lexcat - a walk is good both for fitness and endurance.

Managed to get out this afternoon for W4 R2. DH has been ill so had to wait for him to surface to look after the DCs. Bizarrely, my run coincided with the only dry spell we've had today. I still managed to splash through about a zillion puddles though (some are just too big to jumo without risking ending up flat on your ass ) and think I may be getting trenchfoot .

Found the seond three minute run the hardest of all of today's runs.