Couch to 5K: A healthier year is underway

[ScienceGeekMum]

Through rain and snow and skies of grey
We will keep running the C25K
Though lack of sleep and time do test us
We wil not let excuses best us
For 2012 will be the year
For weight loss, fitness and good cheer
Nine weeks of running isn't that long
So come on ladies, get those running shoes on!

Welcome to all runners, joggers, speed walkers and waddlers! All levels of fitness are welcome here on the Couch to 5k support thread. For more information see the NHS website

Link to the old thread

Agh, can't keep up!

MetalSian, referring back to your running tracks, I too run to some heavy guitar stuff; I had Foo Fighters, QOTSA and The Distillers today but might try some good screamy stuff to motivate my next run and also a bit of Rammstein maybe (who suggested that? Good one ). It was a mistake having Danzig for my final big push though as it just slowed me down!

I loved W2R2 today, absolutely brilliant. I spent all day yesterday fidgeting and wanting to go out so I think I'll have to start doing something low impact on my days off too, maybe wii yoga.

I ran through the local industrial estate while DH took DD swimming and it was much better than my normal bumpy track dodging puddles route, despite the preponderance of men in white vans. DH also runs in the dark due to but I honestly don't give a shit, however stupid I look whilst running, I figure it's nowhere near as embarrassing as giving birth in a room full of strangers!

Ooh at the porpoise pan, that's dead exciting.

Hazie how is your niece?

I used to be 10 stone overweight so 3 stone overweight doesn't feel to bad for me and am not at all self conscious now. If I had allowed being self conscious to stop me I would have spent the last 10 years hiding under a blanket and wouldn't have lost the weight I have.

W1R2 done and felt OK - I smell sweaty! I didn't know I could sweat!

onehand I find the podcast an amazing help if nothing else just for timing - it says exactly when to walk and run. Also, it matches the tempo of the music to what you're doing. I find it very motivating. You should try it out!

Ooh a sparkly new thread!

I didn't run for 3 days but did w2r1 yesterday morning.

Wasn't as bad as I thought, first 2 runs were hard work but after that was ok :)

I did enjoy being out early on a Sunday seeing other runners and feeling quite proud I was one of them!

Took the dog with me and was fine once off the lead in the park, he couldn't keep up with me on the lead so next time will walk all the way to park, about 10 minutes, then start the running.

I downloaded my fitness pal today after seeing a few of you using it. Is it worth using? Looks good, I think might help just with seeing things written down.

Haven't caught up with all the thread yet, will go back and have a proper look later, how's everyone doing though?

Well done kinky !! Glad you managed to get out yesterday.

fatcaah i quite like myfitnesspal, good to see just exactly what you are eating and how much your burning off when you exercise. the only thing i would say is that for me it tends to overestimate how many calories Im burning doing activities, but it does give a good ball park figure. I was quite lucky as my dbro was getting rid of his old HR monitor to get a new all singing, all dancing one (?!) so I took if of his hands. Its great! Though I dont think I could afford a brand new one so it better last a while!

marking place - w1 r3 tomorrow! how many calories we all limiting ourselves to on MFP?

fatcaah and rusmum I got myfitnesspal app yesterday and have added my food into it, good for keeping track. I put in my current weight, activity level during the day and target weight and it gave me 1620 calories a day to lose 1lb a week. My weight loss has slowed and I'm a bit frustrated so it helps me to see that I am not actually eating too much. Dh is still insistant that I am building muscle from my running but really ...?!?

BaDaBing I think Laura is from the NHS download - Im listening to Robert Ullry - could be the same one as you and I quite like him :). Have done Wk2R2 today Ya Ya!

I'm using this schedule:

www.runnersworld.co.uk/beginners/get-started-schedules/30.html

Time rather than distance though by the end I'll nearly be doing 5k. Week 2 this week, going well. Did the 2 min run, 1 minute walk x 7 this morning.

Also doing Weightwatchers and 4lbs down since Christmas so far. The real surprise to me (though I was feeling more toned and clothes going on easier) is I've dropped 2cm off my boobs, waist and hips, 3cm off my upper arms (!) and 4cm from my thighs (!!). I think that's the running more than anything.

W2R1 done - did it in two halves on the way to and from nursery for pick up, which worked quite well. Plus DS hadn't napped at nursery so fell asleep on the way back in the buggy and so I have been able to have a shower, a coffee, some Green and Black's and catch up on a bit of work and MNing.

What a nice, new shiny thread, where we are all runners from the outset, not just wannabe runners like last year.

I'm starting week 2 tomorrow.

Cinnamon my c25k app is pretty good. There's none of this encourgement stuff, just "walk", "run" etc. but you do get to listen to your own music and it tracks your run 'n stuff - basic but does the job.

Talking of music, I'm going to add a Rammstein track and some Foo Fighters. More suggestions, please ...

btw, think I mentioned it before but might be helpful for the new recruits.

I use the FunRun app on my blackberry and it's very good. Only have an ipod shuffle so couldnt download the podcast and listen to my own music at the same time. So use the shuffle for listening to my music and the bb for the C25K app. Works really well.

w2r1 just completed :) I feel good!

The podcast sounds interesting, thanks for the info and links, all. I am running mostly at the gym on a treadmill, varying the incline to try and keep it somewhat realistic.

I have the time counting down in front of me, so no problem with knowing when to run/walk, but I do wonder if 'Laura' might be more motivating than Oprah! The treadmills have mounted televisions so I'm mostly watching TV while I'm there, though I do bring the iPod and sometimes go with music instead.

I must say that daytime TV is good for distraction and sometimes gets me through a tough two minutes!

I love Laura - I thought the music on week two was slightly better than week one too.(or maybe I'm just getting brainwashed - I just like the run /exercise related lyrics)I like the way in week two she says -' well done that was really hard but you did really well' and you're feeling tired now but nearly finished!- sounds like I do when ds needs to do homework.
It's the run now /walk now pattern that is ingeniously motivating

supposed to do r3w2 tonight but not sure where I'll fit it - dp doesnt get in til 5.30 and he has PTA meeting at 6.30 ....may have to brace myself for a 6.30 am go tomorrow

I am due wk2 r1 tonight.
Whats it like?
Is the music any better?

Ok a day late because of stinking migraine yesterday but just finished w2r1 it was ok, harder than last week but that's the point I guess . Will catch up on the shiny new thread later on the train.
Music is ok mrs dv but not good if that makes sense

agree about the music - better but not good - will look forward to just running and using my own music but that maybe some time....

sigh
best put my weirdy running leggings on then.

rusmum - mfp gives me just 1260 calories but I add 500 for breastfeeding. If I exercise I always eat the extra calories and most days I go over, but I think 1760 is too few for a nursing mum anyway.

I'm on my second rest day, but did a walk today and yesterday. Am actually looking forward to running tomorrow!

Well done all runners today, seriously be proud of yourselves!

I have been using mynetdiary but am intrigued by mfp, what's so special about it?

ran 2k today, but wasn't great .

I've used MFP in the past and I really like it; it's easy to use, and has a huge selection of foods for the food log. I've rarely had to manually enter anything in myself.

It also has a good community forum / support function, which I've never looked into but might now if some of you are on there.

I haven't used it very lately; I want to concentrate on getting my fitness back with this plan, and then will start calorie tracking again when I've completed C25K and am doing 5K runs for weight loss.

I do find, though, that I'm already much more conscious of what I'm eating because I don't want to undo any good that I'm doing with the workouts.

Well done, Woodlands - not easy fitting it in with nursery run and baby care. Hope you enjoyed your break :)

Kinky I am very impressed with your music choice.
On run 7 I have Korn - Coming Undone start when I start. It just makes me want to move and times in with my pace, I love it ;P.

Feral I agree Rammstein is a great choice!

Get my new phone tomorrow so will try to do W2 with an app to use my own music rather than taking hours to create a track myself.

Well done everyone who has run today.

Just completed w2r1 and found it tough! Really struggled to get my breathing right iykwim and developed a stitch early on which came back now and then. Any top tips for preventing/easing a stitch?

Well done to everyone getting out on these cold and miserable days, we will all be running along without breaking a sweat come spring!

Evening all, good to hear how today's runs have gone

RebeccaMN can we pretty please have Laura on for a webchat??

W2R1 tomorrow but did a conditioning class this morning and not aching which is a miracle....