Couch Potato to 5km, any other beginners want to join this thread? Grab some running shoes and join in!

[Misdee]

I know there is a mumsnet runners thread but I am a total beginner, and feel a bit overawed on there as they all seem really experienced.

I am going to be following this training programme, running 3x a week, starting next week once my children are back at school. I say running, but in reality i will be starting with a brisk walk, then picking up the pace over the next couple of months.

I have registered interest in Race For life, which is may/june, and will be taking part in the harefield fun run.

Anyone want to join me

see the thing is that i'm a bit worried about injuring myself permanently because a friend of mine did that. god, i'm such a MOAN.

I suppose that is a risk- can you take advice at a chemist? Or doctor? I know if you google it, there's loads of advice but you need to know exactly how you're injured.

It's well bloody frustrating to have to stop.

What a drag, Aitch. My doctor told me to carry on and do these exercises and if it didn't improve she'd refer me to a physio. I have to say that I haven't done the exercises but it does seem to have improved a lot on its own.

Obviously everyone is different and it would be awful if you injured yourself further, but I would be inclined to visit the GP and then see how it goes. Mine runs half marathons though, so she's quite up for sticking with it rather than prescribing rest. Did you say if you'd seen anyone about it?

nah, it only started on saturday (after i walked for aaaages) and i thought it had got better. pissflaps.

woohoo! - just finished week 4 run 3 - roll on week 5! It's amazing how just doing it 3 times a week you can really build up and come home no more puffed than the first week.

Well done Furball !!

Widgy - unless you really struggled I'd say go on to the next one. You might be surprised !! Good luck.

I really ache today from running yesterday - the first time I've felt it. I'm also a bit concerned an old knee injury is re-surging which I will be gutted about. Am not running today anyway but need to run saturday or sunday so might rest until sunday and get some knee supports and cross my fingers. Also might do some more running in Richmond park - its probably a bit more forgiving on the joints than the cracked concrete pavements !!

aitch - I've been there so many times and last time I tore my calf so badly it took nearly 2 months to heal up properly. I'm beginning to get twinges in my calf again but I think that might be because I've did 4 runs last week instead of 3 and got up to 6 miles on Sunday which is a record for me. But I think this really cold weather isn't helping.

Give it a few days and be gentle with it. Try strapping it up. You can get neoprene knee supports that DH swears by.

And if it's any comfort once you've been running for a while you get much fewer problems. Well I did. In my first year I hurt my achilles, tore an ankle ligament, and my calf muscle (twice). But in the last 8/9 months or so, nothing (well nothing yet).

thanks wheely..I think I will try week 3..cant be that bad eh?

Widgy Pog - go for week 3, I've never felt ready for the next stage, but always managed to do it, so I'd really recommend giving it a go.

Just done 22mins, DH put together some tracks and told me to work out the theme, so spent the time desperately trying to work it out, which took my mind off the pain! I ran some of it on the grass today, as it was a lot firmer underfoot, which I'm sure is better for the joints.

Good luck to everyone going out today.

minum - did you manage to guess the theme?

Encouragement please - I missed Thursday due to "werking" in London, i.e. up at 5, train at 6, 8 hours straight of my own voice trying to make tax risk management exciting, then 2 hours on packed commuter train through leafy Cotswolds, stopping every time dog lifts leg, to get home and find out DH hasn't mucked out or got horses in but is in pjs watching master chef.

And he wonders why I don't want to werk in London full time.

Oh, and no Valentine's card or anything.

Now, still knackered, and it's cold - kick up backside req'd please to pound the pavements.

Come on Wooluff - getout there - you need it now more than ever to destress !! I expect to come bakc on here this evening and find you've been out (is that stern enough >??)

Wooluff, you'll feel a million times better when you've gone out. I insist you go out there and look after yourself with a lovely run

Furball - all the artists started with B ; Blondie, Buzzcocks, Bowie, Belle and Sebastian, Blues Brothers, Beatles - it was a cracker. Didnt click till I got home though

don't encourage woolluffy - I'm up to win the 'race you to the dessert trolley' race at the next meet up. she'll be trying to get out the chair and I'll have my headband, trainers and tracksuit on and be back for seconds before she's said look at the physalis on top of my chocolate brownie.

(that should get her out there )

did you go itsthawooluff?

I always find no matter how cold it is it's always warm by the time you get back

Can i join you, I have never been running before in my life, would like to do 5k in June and may be 10k in Sep if I get on ok.

I lost 4 stone last year but have put one back on since I had a breast reduction at xmas, I was very fit before but have done absolutly no exercise since then. I need to lose this stone but I also need something to aim for IYSWIM.

I am going to start tommorow, will be on treadmill at gym as I can't quite face outdoors just yet.

I thought I would start with 10 min running and see how I go, don't really know what my fitness level is. Does this sound ok?

Treadmill is a good start. Build up to 5k on there over a few months. And then hit the great outdoors. It's much harder (but much more interesting) so if you have got used to doing 5k in the gym, you will probably be able to manage 3k outside to start with. And increase as time goes by.

cherryredretrochick - I've never run on a treadmill so don't know what the difference is. But you my find you can't do 10 mins straight off. Week one on the couch potato plan is run for 1 walk for 2 - repeat 8 times and thats hard enough. I'm on week 4 and am running for 5 mins

ten minutes is a lot, imo. you run the risk of not enjoying it.

people usually find they can do a bit more on the treadmill don't they?

I haven't been since Tuesday and I am missing it. We couldn't go this evening so we will try a morning run. The idea of getting up to go when I often have bad nights seems like some form of torture so we will see.

I have just managed run one week 3 , thanks for the encouragement!!!

wasnt quite as bad as I thought it might be but the last 3 minutes was bit tough. Am gonna go again tom night as my routine got out of sync as dh away. Do you think that would be ok. About 36 hours rest. Cause better for me to do sun, tues, fri.

well done all you rrunners doing 5 and 20 mins ..reallly looking forward to running for that long!!!

Ok how many times do I go in week 1 then, will do the run for 1 and walk for 2. Also how do you actually time it (don't mean to sound thick), OK if on treadmill but harder if in park IYSWIM.

do you have an mp3 player? most of us have dowloaded This Chaps coach potato - 5km running programme - he tells you when to stop/start etc.