Starting Couch to 5k next week ( 17th May) and looking for company :)

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Does anyone wish to join me

I love "Operator"! :o

I didn't start week 5 yesterday . I was tired after a mad week at work, but I think I'm also scared about doing it! I fully intend to start tomorrow... :)

I don't know about two versions of the podcasts kiwi, but the first four weeks are just the same thing three times; then it stops and gets mean.

c25k.com/c25k_metric.html

I tried Rawbert for week 4 but wasn't that keen on the music, and he only seems to do one podcast per week, so to avoid all risk of confusing myself I used the kissmyblackass podcasts for week 5; there are separate ones for each run (and music that I quite enjoyed compared to Rawbert's whalesong sounding stuff - are they all like that?)

Well I went for my run and I did the 20 minutes!! very impressed with myself :) - maybe this running 5K business is actually going to be achievable!!

Well done desertgirl! Knew you could do it. You do get a fabulous sense of achievement when you've done it, don't you? Robert congratulates you less the further you are into his programme, which I rather miss.

Way to go! Hope to run with you again

ooh, thanks sybil :) yes a fantastic sense of achievement and of imminent collapse!!

OK, reporting back on week 1, run 1, but faster :)

I went off too fast on the first run, and stopped after about 30s. I was doing about 6mph, which is the speed the programme assumes we're doing . Felt like a sprint to me.

Anyway, tried to settle into a fast but comfortable pace, didn't really find it. Over the next 7 intervals I ducked out of another after 30s, and when at the end he said "just another 20s to go. You can do it!", I thought, you know what? I can't.

Speed was around 5-5.5 mph, my usual I try to keep just above 4mph.

It's a good thing to do I think.

Sounds like a plan nobiggy!
I bit the bullet and have just come back from Week 4, run 1 - in the rain, with a little hangover, and I survived! In fact more than survived, the only time I was struggling was in the last throes of the 3rd 5 minute run. During the second one I was faster, my stride was longer and I actually felt like a runner! The third run was almost walking pace, but I did it and now feel fantastic!! :)

Well done Panzee and NObiggy! Great stuff. It is fab once you start doing it and feeling like a runner. I do on rare occasions but feel less like one as I am overtakem by folk in their 70s, or when I can't overtake people who are walking!

I could not run today as DH went and tomorrow I have to go to work and leave the house at 6 so can't be arsed to get up before to fit a run in. Tues am, definitely.

Way to go! Hope to run with you again

Oh I wrote week 4 - I meant 5!

good stuff :)

nobiggy, I think the time version and the distance version are completely separate; if you had to do the distance specified in the time specified, you would have to walk at 6mph as well as running at it, which is clearly ridiculous.... tbh I just focus on running for as long as I have to and not on how fast I'm doing it.

panzee you are only 2 runs off that 20 minute one :o :)

Did my 30 mins today sans Rawbert. Woo hoo! But it was the same distance as I ran on Fri in 25 mins so am clearly regressing.

well done for running for 30 mins sybil!!! Doesn't matter how far... you kept moving .

Maybe there was a reason....I did 25 today, this afternoon, it was hot and uncomfortable. But it was a bit faster than I have done lately.

I find that when I set off on a longer time than previously I go slower. Not entirely consciously, just cautious.

Well done nobiggy.

I've lost it again (may just have to do my favourite week 4 shouty run again!!) Had monster hangover and about 3 hours sleep so no run on Sunday, husband done a bunk all week. Planning on 'working' from home on Thursday so hope to squeeze one in then. Panzee I hoping seeing you race ahead (haha pun intended) will motivate me!

P.S have done the 20 min run before the summer holiday - scared me but I did manage it but I think I'm procrastinating (sp) to avoid doing it again!

Have just been directed to this by the lovely MrsDepp... I have a shed load of weight to lose and have never ran before (I fear for my knees)

any help and encouragement muchly appreciated!!

Welcome Jareth, good to have you on board.

I'd recommend Rawbert's podcasts to help you for the first 6 weeks as then you are saved from poncing about with stopwatches etc. I find my lovely new running shoes stop my knees from hurting but I didn't splash out on them until I was sure I was going to do it as they are £80. I just wore normal trainers to start with and they were fine. I would just take it very slowly and congratulate yourself for doing any of the running, as I found the first couple of weeks very tough. I like it now though.

Loler, you sound as though you have had a tough time. Let us know how you get on on Thursday. I love working from home to sneak these things in but think this will be off limits for me for a while. You'll be back on the 20m in no time.

Am going to do a 5k with some of my running friends from school. Oh god. They are all better than me. I have til Dec to get a little faster.

Jereth I am the same ,have downloaded an app for my phone and did week 1 yesterday,I do a lot of dog walking but it made me realise how unfit I am ,I feel pretty ashamed that I cannot even run for 1 minute without feeling like I might die .
Ialso worry for my knees etc so have decided I will get some decent shoes I am not 21 any more and hopefully it will give me an incentive not to give up.Feel worried that I will not have the willpower to make it ,but I suppose that is up to me.

When I started I couldn't run for 1 minute without feeling like I might die. On week 5 now and can do 5 minutes reasonably comfortably. Believe me if I can do it, anyone can! :)

Jareth, find the pace that allows you to complete the runs, and sort out your breathing (don't pant!) it's really discouraging if you have to give up on a run.
Also, you don't need to be hammering your knees before you've built up some muscle and bone strength.

Stick with it, it really works. There are more benefits than I have time to type here right now.

30 minutes, sybil, very cool :)

Jareth, good luck - if you take it slowly, your leg muscles should tone up which takes some of the strain off your knees (I think; something like that anyway)

w6r1 today, after a few days of being too busy - actually felt quite good just because it wasn't 20 minutes in one go!

Did w5r2 today, 2 x 8 minutes. Seemed impossible at the beginning, but it was fine. Didn't stop, just shortened my stride and slowed down when struggling. Although to be honest it was only the last couple of minutes of the second run that were really really hard! :)

Just back from 32 m run! Am actually enjoying it now after my initial reservations. Have left Robert for good, though I may have to do the week 9 run as a one off just so I can hear him say "way to go" one last time.

How is everyone else? "Take good care, and I hope to run with you again"

Struggled today, not sure why. Little slower than Tuesday, but only 0.2 miles shorter over the 25 minutes.

On to week 8 on Sunday I think.

Panzee good to hear that 5.2 not too bad - I'm there in the morning. Had a lovely run when 'working' from home (though did do extra work in the evening to make up for it) - I really enjoy the time away from the house and everyone else, really is a perfect burst of me time.

I loved rawbert to start but dumped him weeks ago in favour of songs with words, seems to make the time go faster?

When you do your 32 min run do you time it/run to an ipod track list or have a set route - how do you keep yourself going? - have much respect for you~!

I did w6r2 yesterday; then looked ahead and discovered I have NO MORE WALK BREAKS; oh heavens. Thank goodness the weather is finally improving (it has been very very hot and humid over the summer; although I have only been running at or after 8pm it has still been quite 'heavy' outside). 25 minutes is just such a long time to be running for though!!

good luck with w8 nobiggy, I don't even want to think about that extra 3 minutes. Let alone sybil's 32 minutes (why 32 by the way?).

Enjoy your w5 loler :)