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

sorry - I just dived in there without saying hello or can I join.

So hello, and I would like to join in too, please.

lol MrsC! Good luck and welcome to you too.

Yay! MrsC join us. Welcome Mammyjo. Good luck all!

Are you newbies going to follow a particular programme or just get out there? Some of us are doing the Couch to 5k from the Cool Runnings website and if you have an ipod you can get a podcast to take you through the timings on the interval training. The music's not to everyone's taste but it keeps you going!

I started week 2 yesterday, it did feel like a step up, but I made it to the end. The new MP3 DH made for me to time the changes is brilliant, he's even managed to find an Undertones song with "running" in the words May go again today, or leave it till tomorrow, I really want to get on with this, so I can register for a race with a big more confidence I'll be up to it.

Am I being stupid? I don't seem to be able to get the podcast for week 1 - or any week before week 9. What am I doing wrong?

Seeker did you subscribe to it? I just downloaded week one the first time but I just tried to subscribe to get the rest and it only gave me week 9. Will now go and try week 2 on it's own.

Yay! I've just started week 2 and I'm still alive! Harder but do-able. I thought I was going to expire half way through but just walked a bit slower in the walk then was ok again but run time! Good luck all the week 2's about to start!

I am going to use the couch to 5k plan that was linked to here. I need something to tell me how to do this or I stand no chance! I would be the classic person who tries to do too much too quickly then gives up otherwise

Good luck mammyjo, I've found this doable, as I follow the program to the letter, so no room for me to do my usual slinking off.

I am off to argos to get an mp3 player and am going to see if I can then load it up with some of my fav tunes.

I havn't run since thursday as I did 20 km on bike on friday at the gym and then did a class - one of those circuit training classess. My poor bum there are muscles in there that have been asleep for hundreds of years and they got a fright - ohh the pain in both cheeks!! so I had a rest day yesterday and plan to go running later.

Did my 2k again today. Still walking bits of it but managing to run/jog the majority.
Not feeling any easier yet, though (humph)

Just got back from week 2 take 2 - bit easier than Saturday, it was raining, which helped, as I get so hot, but had to run mainly on the paths, as the grass was waterlogged. Think I'll do this every other day, now its a bit tougher.

I did week 1, 2nd run - found it harder than last time - mind you that was a week ago

Well I have just do my first run since school. OMG - 25 years ago . All you new runners have really inspired me. I found it far harder than I thought I would. It was wet and very muddy but I decided that if I waited for good weather it would delay it for a couple of months. Perhaps I will be a 'runner' by the time the sun starts shining .
I thought I would easily get my breath back in the walking bits but didn't. Having said that I suppose the whole point is to still keep your heart rate up in the 'resting time'. I hope so anyway . Feel quite proud of myself and think we should all give each other a pat on the back for getting off the sofa

Well done kipper!! I have yet to get out today. I was using the weather as an excuse

Well done kipper! It's a great sense of achievement isn't it!? Come on Mammyjo off you go! Is it raining there? I actually found the windy weather worse than the rain.

I get a stitch every time I run. Anyone else? I keep running just like my high school PE teacher told me ( 'run through it girls!' Thanks Miss Bailey!) Is it just cause I'm so unfit or is there anything I can do? I might go on the 'real' runners thread and see if they have any pearls of wisdom!

PSW, you made me laugh when I read the "run through it girls" comment!! Reminds me of my PE teacher too

Am sitting here procrastinating rather than doing anything. Yes, it is wet and very windy here

I did my first this morning too ! Was putting it off because of the raina nd then a break in the clouds came and i procrastinated for a bit more and then went for it !

Was worried a bit at first about where I was going to run so now I've got that sorted hopefully i'll continue !

Well done to everyone that chanced the rain, I looked out and wanted to crawl away under the duvet...

Argos were completly out of cheaper mp3 players so I have ordered one from amazon - hope it will be here next week. In the mean time I am going through my own tunes and sorting out some tracks for 30 min runs - tracks are all about 3-3.30 long.

Also thought I would put one together for an hour long bike ride - scissor sisters, abba and robbie to get me going along with bryan Adams.

I did manage to run today but wimped out and did my run on the treadmill - managed 30 mins and 3.7 km

Ivykaty, my ds and I share an ipod so I enjoy a random mix of tracks ranging from Queen, Prince and ELO (me) to GreenDay and High School Musical (him).

Wellies, I get stitch if I road run rather than treadmill run. My theory is that I try to stagger/jog much faster outside through shame or ignorance wheras on the treadmill, I run at a steady and moderate rate. If you are running outside then sloooow down a bit and 'run through it'.

A good tip is to stamp as you run using the leg on the stitchy side of your body. I have no idea why this works but it does.....plus it entertains all the other runners.

I'm off to the gym for a nice dry comfy run tomorrow morning. Happy workouts everyone!

Anyone overweight with big norks use a heartrate monitor when running?

Dh has one and he tried to set it up on me but it didn't work - twas reckoning I had a heartrate of around 33/minute, then I moved it down to my belly and it still registerd that. I can't help thinking that my heart is buried deep under pounds of norkage and I have no idea how to get the heartrate monitor in the right place.

session 2 of week 2 tomorrow while DD2 is at pre-school. Am weirdly looking forward to it.

Think I must have missed the bit about the cool down on cool running cos ache a bit today. Had a ten minute walk home from where I 'ran' so thought that would do - obviously not! Is is stretches and stuff? Will look later after I've walked briskly to collect DS3 from nursery and then walked back at the pace of a snail while he picks up sticks, wet leaves, etc, etc
Go for it mammyjo. We're all here willing you to don those trainers

I use a heartrate monitor, was the heart rate monitor on % or beats per minute, When your dh set it up for you?

Both my dd's have had mp3 players and lost them - now they both have mobile phones with mp3 players on so I had to go and get my own

Of to the gym tonight when my dinner has settled - don't want to get stitch