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Original poster

The new couch to 5k thread......

735 replies

Nappyzoneisabeetrootrunner · 23/05/2009 18:21

I was waiting for someone else to start it but had to take the plunge to tell you i just did my w5r3. I managed it but am hurting. Started off too quick and was wrecked 5 mins in but slowed it down - kept going and got to about 14 mins in when my ankles started really hurting - i kept on going anyway and was v relieved when raaawb said that was it - i then proceeed to hobble home - the bath is filling as i type and my ankles are painful but still that i did it.

OP posts:
Skimummy · 29/08/2009 11:31

Another 25 mins for me last night. A little bit easier...

Am with you on w7 music. I keep meaning to put together my own playlist but haven't had time. Not sure I can face another run with Rawbs soundtrack. It was a great podcast when it was all intervals but time to move on I think!

IdrisTheDragon · 31/08/2009 23:59

Hooray - finally made it out this evening (had been 13 days since my last run ).

Started off slowly but improved towards the end and when my 30 min were up i suddenly felt inspired to keep going for a bit longer. Legs are reminding me that running more often leaves them feeling less sore though.

lulalullabye · 01/09/2009 10:25

Ok, ran for first time tonight and managed a miniscule 12 mins . My excuse is that I haven't run for 10 days and had a sore leg, which interestingly enough didn't hurt at all !!! Can't blame that then

Well done everybody on their runs, I will hopefully be up to scratch by next week. Ditched Rawb though and keep getting the temptation now to sing out loud

IdrisTheDragon · 01/09/2009 11:10

I sang out loud a bit last night

Superduperloopthelooper · 01/09/2009 18:53

I find that singing helps with the breathing! Whenever I'm at gasping stage it seems to help get some oxygen in somehow... There's probably a technical explanation for this?! Whatever works .

Have completed my wk10 (33 mins)...should prob not be on here anymore?! I did 3.3 miles in that time, but now have sore hips and a running bra chaffing injury . On the plus side, I saw a mum from school at the weekend and she said I looked well...I haven't lost much weight so I've either toned up or she was being v kind!

IrishDraught · 04/09/2009 09:38

I have just started this (or I think something very similar - I did 1 min run, 90 secs walk x8 - will look up this routine though and stick to that), were you all OK fitness wise to start? I was nearly crying by the end of mine and really really struggled. Today is run day again and I am dreading it, thinking of excuses already! My muscles were OK, it was mainly my throat hurting, then the inside of my nose. Lots of flashbacks to jogging round the school playing field! Was it hard for anyone else in beginning? Thinking of jogging even the 2 mins is unbearable, does it get easier? Thankyou

InTheZenGarden · 04/09/2009 10:34

Irish - it was hard for nearly everyone.
Have a read through the thread when you have time, you will find we all struggled!
I did 1 min walk, 1 min run 6 times. I thought I would die by the end.

Now (7 weeks on) I can run 25 minutes. Not particularly fast (though I get a bit better each time), but I can do it

Have faith, it gets easier each time

YorkshireRose · 04/09/2009 14:20

Did my first session on this yesterday morning. Downloaded the podcast and found it really helpful.

However, forgot to turn around at the halfway point and head back towards home, so ended up having to do the session twice to get back home in time to get ready for work! (twit!)

Next session tomorrow, will try to get it right this time!

VulgarAchesButCanRun5k · 04/09/2009 15:04

don't lose heart Irish - i thought I was gonna die when I first started. Yes, that throat pain is horrible when you are really gasping.

I've run 5k a few times now but it is still hard for the first couple of k. and hills are difficult. I'm too scared to go over to the 5 to 10k thread. think it's too hardcore for me.

Has anyone got any good suggestions for running tunes or podcasts to download?

IdrisTheDragon · 05/09/2009 22:04

Did my 5k this morning - did it in just under 32 min . Am doing a BHF 5k on 4th October and would love to do it in 30 min.

VulgarAchesButCanRun5k · 05/09/2009 22:40

Wow -that's brilliant Idris.

i do 5k in about 37 minutes. i'd be happy with 35 right now.

lulalullabye · 06/09/2009 10:39

Hey hello all. I am still off running. Have appointment with sports medicine doctor about my shin thing and just found out my vit d levels are nearly zero !!

Anyhow, you are doing very well and welcome to the newbies, you will be running 5k in no time .

I might just run next week and see how I go !!

GeekIsGood · 07/09/2009 20:24

Hello all

Having mulled this over for a few weeks, DH and I did W1R1 this evening! God my throat hurt but it wasn't too bad overall.

We both need to lose a few stone - do most people find this a good way of losing weight or do you need to work out on non-running days too, like on a bike or suchlike?

Must say this thread is very inspirational

ShrinkingViolet · 09/09/2009 11:06

Waves wildly - I'm coming back to join you all! (Way back on the previous thread I had to give up due to knee problems, but since then I've lost 19 pounds, and decided to try again to see if the weight loss makes a difference).
w1r1 this morning, and it was surprisingly easy, Rawb's music hasn't improved in the past four months though .

IdrisTheDragon · 10/09/2009 23:00

Hello Violet

Went out for an early morning run today and it was v nice - sun shining and I was vrooming along.

Did my fastest 5km - 30 min and a bit (can't remember quite what the bit was) and average pace under 10min/mile . At the end Paula Radcliffe congratulated me on my fastest mile so far

Skimummy · 12/09/2009 17:10

I have been out for a while with a sore knee and, well, life really. Disappointing as I did two 30 min runs and was feeling quite good about it all. Finally went again today and the knee wasn't too bad but had to have a short walk at the 20 minute mark...kept running after so think I did about 30 mins all up but still...feel crap! Maybe I needed a bad run to inspire me to get out more again.

Well done everyone who is starting up. I can remember struggling on my first week and finding it very difficult to believe I could ever run longer than 2 mins!

lulalullabye · 13/09/2009 10:42

I ran tonight for the first time in 10 days. Had a problem getting over 12 though, so will try a little bit more each time. Plan to go out three times this next week so we will see.

The weather in Melbourne is getting nicer, yesterday it was 27 degress at 11pm . That is classed as spring !!

Anyhow, welcome back skimummy, I had knee problems and now wear patella bands and have had no pain since, worth giving it a try.

nappyzoneisback · 13/09/2009 19:08

Hiya shrinkingviolet! I think you started way back when i did - im still stuck on week 6 though admitedly havent been out for oooops 3 weeks but to be fair i have taken on some small delivery/ door kncking evening work that involves walking and i have ran between houses

cyteen · 14/09/2009 09:13

Hello all I'd finally like to start couch to 5k and have a quick question: do you reckon it's possible to do the w1 runs while pushing a buggy? The easiest way for me to fit it all in is by doing some in the daytime when I have DS with me. Has anyone done this, or should I just bite the bullet and go at 6am/8pm?

lulalullabye · 14/09/2009 10:13

Hi cyteen, I run at night and find it quite nice to be out of the house etc. You could do week one with a buggy but I think it would have to be a sporty three wheeler one to be comfortable running with.

I went to the gym today and ran on the treadmill for the first time and it was easier than running on the road

lulalullabye · 15/09/2009 10:03

Hello. Been to see the sports medicine doctor today and the lump on my shin is nothing to worry about. . My knees on the other hand are very loose and need the 'vmo' muscle building up. Have to see a physio tomorrow.

Is everybody else still running and how is it going ??

IdrisTheDragon · 16/09/2009 07:51

I keep on running

Did 5k in under 30 minutes yesterday . Was rather pleased with myself.

lulalullabye · 16/09/2009 22:13

Idris, do you know that 5k in 30 mins is classed as relly fast running. I have seen the sports physician and the physio yesterday and whenever I tell them I have been running 5k in 30 mins they all say wow that is really good pace. So here is a pat on the back to all of us who have done it, nearly done it, or will do it .

I have ben advised by physio tpo only run twice a week and space it out really well. He said to do one longer run and one shorter as it gives the cortisol in your knees chance to restore. The sports physician also said to run in daylight as you don't ache as much the day after. Reason being that when you run in the dark you hold your body stiffer as you are more careful where you place your feet. In the daytime, you can see the road so your body is not as tense and the day after you will ache less !! Very interesting stuff !!

nappyzoneisback · 20/09/2009 19:45

Hello all - i went out tonight for first time since 25 august - what really ticks me off is not only do i appear to be becomming shit at this despite recruiting lots of pweople to do the same plan who now gladly run 5k non stop easy peasy (sorry about bad language) but also last 3 times i have been out i come in and am like a snot machine all sneezy and feeling pap rather than invigorated. So tonight once again i turned on week 6 - yes i really am still on week 6 stuck and thought would do run 1 week 6 but actually when came to stoppingi didnt i kept running and when came to 10 min stopping point i kept running to see if i could really progress - anywya i got to about 13 minutes got out as far as needed and ran back a little and started to walk - then if im honest apart from 2 very very short bursts i walked all the way home. I am now wondering if i should start on week 1 run one or just throw my traineres in the cupboard till next week.

lulalullabye · 21/09/2009 03:21

The problem is, that when you stop even if it is only a week missed, your fitness level drops and I find it takes me a couple of weeks to get back into it again. I figure you have to just keep going out and doing it again and again and it won't be long till your fitness level is up again.

Thats my plan anyway.