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

[Nappyzoneisabeetrootrunner]

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.

Well I'm a wally.

I went out to do 3 X 5m runs. Was too busy looking at ducks and forgot to stop running at the end of the first 5 minutes.

Never mind, I thought, I'll do 2 X 8m runs instead. Was too busy running extra fast past a bench of men and forgot to stop after 8 minutes too.

Next thing Rahhhb's telling me I'm half way through my 20 minute run .

I did 17 minutes and briskly walked home, pretending that was what I meant to do all along .

please can we talk about pace? i am Very Slow.
i can now run for 26 mins (with a 2 min walking break as per the bupa plan) but in that time i'm only doing 1.7miles or 2.8km if i want to make it sound like more.

should i just concentrate on getting my minutes up and hope that the distance will come? cos i'm getting lapped by pensioners...

huff that sounds brilliant, well done.

I start off Very Slow but pick my speed up so I am managing just over 2 miles in 26 minutes with 2 walking breaks.
Where are you running? I find I can go faster on straight paths, no grass as that slows me down.
Once you can do the minutes though the pace shoudl come.

Oh, and music helps (not rawbs, his taste in music is shocking) but I have found a good pace with Who Are You by The Who, if you want comparisons with how fast someone else runs?

Aitch - you sound like you are doing the same sort of speed as me. and distance.

I know i'm slow but as yet i can't run any faster. I did overdo it yesterday and I need a few days off unfortunately.

did it - 25 mins w7r1 - decided to didtch rawb for 25 min part and did it to take that which seemed to affect my speed as i was down to 11min something miles rather than my usual 10 min soemthing. Also i think trying to sing whilst running hinders me and embarrases me to passer bys.

see the thing is, i don't really like music. i know, that's weird etc etc but it's so BORING listening to music, no matter how bpm-tastic that i keep looking at my watch. whereas if i'm listening to the jonathan ross podcasts i spend my time sniggering and the minutes fly by. (while i myself stagger by).

so shoudl i concentrate on time or distance at this stage? i'm still gobsmacked that i can run for 14 mins In A Oner tbh.

id say time btu i know nothing - when you can easily run for 20 then you might up to 25 and logically will run further. Tell me about these funny podcasts - are they free? i removed mine in the end as it was annoying me but then was more shocked at how loud i was breathing

it's just his r2 show (with the music taken out cos of PRS presumably), really very amusing. i also listen to the archers and the friday night comedy stuff off radio 4. no wonder i'm so slow, ffs.

I would go for time as well, it is your heartrate that is important, not how fast your legs are going!

How do you all time yourselves then? I am using music with songs that are a certain length, so when the track changes I know to run or walk. I only have a 'nice' analogue watch which I don't want to wear running.

morrning all!! you're all doing so well - i'm sadly proud to be running for 3 mins wothout stopping!!!

going to stick with rawb - like some of the tracks but hate "my love is your love and your love is my love and my love is your love!!!! BORING!!! but once i'm doing longer runs i think i'm with you aitch - i'd be less bored if i was listening to some chat! even steve wright might keep me going!!!

so w3r2 done this morn - having trouble with my norks - now taken to wearing 2 sports bras!!! my nipples were so tender last weekend but with 2 bras on there is nearly no jiggling!! they're not huge norks - just so saggy that running just jiggles them too much!! maybe i need a new sports bra in a smaller size!

you should be proud, canella, those early runs are the hardest imo. i felt that once i broke the 5-7 minute mark things got easier. i reckon that was when i learned how to breathe without coughing up a lung.

I agree with Aitch Canella - getting over 3 mins then over 5 was the biggest push for me - then once over 8 its like wowzers! It all just clicks into place.

I have no idea how fast I run. Would be interested to find out though.

I am so jealous at the mo . I ran across the road today to avoid the torrential rain and cold, yes it is australia . Anyway, my knees were sooo painful from just running accross the road. . I will try running again in a few weeks once it has all settled, with some knee braces and see how I go.

Good luck to all of you and I will check how you are going, and hopefully will be back soon..

huffwardlyrudge you can find it out by plotting your run on the gmpas link further down this thread and then entering the data in the pace reckoner linked in the same post by me in this thread......

thanks for the support aitch and nappy - thats what i love about MN - there's always someone else who knows what your going through!!

i've always wanted to be "a runner" - they always look so much slimmer than i am and feel finally that i might actually get there! i've always tried to run too long before the first few times then got disheartened but with this i feel like i could go longer!!

full of enthusiasm at the mo!! wonder what i'll be like at w6 and 7!!!!

Hello all.

I am doing Race for Life on Sunday and have been very good about training. Can now do 16 mins before I ahve to walk at all, and manage 2.2mi in 25 mins. So far, so good.

But...had fluey thing over weekend. Only just feeling ok and still quite tired. Not really eating yet either.

Any tips? Or sympathy? Or clips round the ear followed by FGS woman pep talks?

I've just went back to this. I haven't done anything for a while. I ran yesterday and today (both week 1's). Whenever I'm running, my legs don't feel tired but I feel short of breath, my throat gets a bit sore and I look the colour of a strawberry. I don't have high blood pressure or anything. Can anyone give me ideas on how to get past this.

Also, how come I can run on the spot for ages but I can't run for anymore than 1minute when I'm moving somewhere. Silly question, I know.

gscrym i dont know the answer but can say i have gone from beetroot colour and now just go slightly pink.

sassy where is your rfl? mine is Sunday too only now its a walk for life....

Today i went to the physio attached to work it was so embarrasing - onthe phone i spoke to a lady and foolishly assumed i would be seeign her - i turned up and omg i am a respectable (ish) married woman but this adonis (sp) of a physio greeted me - he was the physio and swooooooooon - i however fresh from work wearing odd black from dh sock drawer which he asked me to remove which revealed sock fluff, sweaty feet, badly applied nail varnish, hairy toes and worse of all........... stubbly ankles arghhhhhhhhhh! Unphased by the state of my feet he massaged my feet and prodded them and watched me walking about with my jeans rolled up then did some ultrasoun thingy treatment then worse of all........ he told me not to run for at least 4 weeks - i have soft tissue damage though he wouldnt rule out a stress fracture though more likely soft tissue - he said i could walk the rfl but i am thinking lay up, pop ibuprofen then runit anyway which i know is wrong wrong wrong. I have excerises to do etc... and go back (with shaven nice feet) in 2 weeks. I am well peeved. He said it was due to impact as im a bit flat footed and obv pound in a rather undaintily fashion. .

Worcester, nappy. Your story makes mine sound really pathetic! Suggest you do walk it or might do yourself a major injury

I know I know but its just so dissapontign when i have trained to run it grrrrr!!! may just lightly jog the first bit as its on grass so thinking less impact...

oh nappy - you're not in liverpool are you? thats where i used to work and they had a bit of a habit of employing young men!!! but dont worry what he thought of your unshaven legs - he's a man - he probably never noticed!!!! but about the RFL on sunday - i agree that you should probably just walk it - you dont want to do yourself more harm!!! and DO YOUR EXERCISES!!! physios hate nothing more than someone who's not done them!!!

nah im in stockton ooop north, they werent scarey just stubble lol! I will walk maaaam faast... very very fast ...

Nappy, if you are flat footed have you had ytour trainers fitted properly?
I got mine from Up and Running shop here, they have a RAM (Running Analysis Machine) which showed that I get shin splints as I run on the outside of my feet so my ankles are turning out. They gave me a choice of trainers that had thicker soles on one side to stop it and ta-dah! No shin splints!

Might be worth a try?

But much sympathy about physio. If it makes you feel any better I had a hottie physio when I needed sork on my shoulder. And in teh first session I had to strip to my (greying) bra.
Oh the shame