Couch to 5k: whether you're picking up the pace or just starting the race

[QueenRunningGeekMum]

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

well week 9 r2 done this morning and due to graduate on tuesday!!

congrats to all on distances, graduating, getting started and keeping going. I really dont think i would have got half way without the encouragement and pleasure of this site - this and Laura have transformed me and despite still being the same weight as when i started ???? I now intend to stop scarfing down half the fridge as well as running and shift some stone

to manymomentsofmadness - great news on your graduation

good to see you jnice

cinnamon - another min is great

dementedma - I got some cheap shoes from sportsdirect and they seem to do the job.

silvermoon - you don't have to redo the whole week, maybe just one or two extra week 1 runs...

Yay graduates

Not long been back.
Did a week 1 run and although I got back to my starting point sooner than I had been last week (not sure how) it still nearly kills me.
Dpis going away with work, so although he'll be here wednesday and friday for me to get out, he won't be here for the next 2 weeks, so might have to start again in a few weeks anyway.
Oh well, at least I'm getting out of the house and moving more than I was.

silvery - well done, I think the first two weeks are the hardest in many respects...

I've just finished run 3 of wk 2. Found the first run of this wk really tough, but tonight wasn't too bad. I run the same route every time - a track alongside a river & I'm getting further up each time I finish so am gradually getting faster. Not sure how I'll get on with 3minute runs next week!!

I find I'm out of breath really quickly though - any tips for getting my breathing right?

ah but I do HAVE to run the RfL. it's a personal challenge for me, and in honour of my dear friend E who has had breast cancer not once, but TWICE. I vow every year I will run it all and not walk one step!
littledolly top tip from my sister who runs a lot is to go even more slowly. i felt really silly, as if I was hardly moving, but it seemed to work. Could go for longer time-wise. Go really, really slowly - hardly more than walking - for now and as you get fitter you will get faster as you go along.

Cinnamon thanks for the encouragement !
You were right
It was fine
So surprised I can still do it

Now ive just gotta keep going .
Anyone else on week six ?

Checking in, another 20 minute run completed. It's never easy but I always feel good after!

Got my race pack and number for race for life in may, good encouragement to focus my efforts over the next few weeks. I'm v excited

New graduates and new starters - fantastic. Well done everyone, whatever stage you're at and to MMOM!

Have comfortably run 40 mins 3 times now, twice with a friend/DH so slower because of the chatting, butstill about 6k each time and it's nice to feel it can be a social thing and not (just) a hell of aching legs and gasping lungs. I have to say, though, in answer to littledolly's question that I still get out of breath and panting, and find Laura's tips on so many steps per breath utterly unhelpful.

Week 4 Run 3 done tonight - 2.97 miles in 33 mins, so that's just under 5K! If there was a smiley for being absurdly proud of myself, I'd be using it right now!

That said, I did have about a week off in between W4R1 and W4R2 so I might do one more W4 run before moving on to W5.

littledolly i too found the Laura advice rubbish- a running friend told me not to worry - your lung capacity and fitness will do you proud - eventually. and you are supposed to get puffed and breathe hard otherwise you wont get fitter

Great to hear from the graduates, very inspiring. Just done W3r3, bit behind schedule due to dd being ill.
I noticed today I was a bit tight cheated and wheezy, hoping its due to cold air.

Oh and I've NCd for various reasons and had posted on here before!

marking place, I lost you again. Have done run1 again with ds!

hi, this is my 2nd go at c25k-i got as far as w5r3, completed this then gave up due to blisters on sloes of feet (i know now i needed new shoes) i'm on w3r2 (tommorow)
i've lost 11.5 stone so far and power walk miles-i'm training for an 18 mile community walk in 5 weeks and a walking marathon in 11 weeks. i'm hoping to move onto running/jogging them at some point i just need to get the walks out the way first. hope reading how your all doing will give me support in moving from 1 to the other.

Wow well done at losing all that weight! Hope you have good shoes now for all that walking :)

Can I come and join, I did the first run on Saturday and am going to go tomorrow morning to do the second run of my first week. I nearly died towards the end of the run.

I just want to get fitter, and would like some encouragment to do so.

I'm technically on wk 9, run 1 complete! But still only managing 4.5k in that time, so def need to speed up a bit.
This is my second time of doing c25k as I always stop running over winter, I know ,I'm a wimp.

I restarted at wk 5 and have managed to keep it going much earlier in the year than I usually do.

That's a great speed Bartlet , did you start off fast? I'm no where near that after all these weeks.

My plan is to do a park run in a few weeks ,but I really want to feel that I can do 5k in under 35 mins before I do. Anyone got tips for upping the speed?

wohmum I'm slower than you! I am standing by for tips as well

I also found the tips from Laura about breathing rubbish. I can do 2 steps per breath (in-2 out-2) and that's it. That's my rhythm and trying to change it really messes with my pace.

tribble we all felt like that at the start - don't worry! Welcome

milewalker I would like to walk a half marathon, does it take a lot of training? How long does it take you to walk 18 miles?

Well done on the amazing weight loss!

(2lb on for me this week )

hi,it takes me 3 and half hours to walk 18 miles when im training-i'm hoping to do it in 3 hours on the day. the trainings not to bad-walk everyother day, one of them is a long walk the rest are 4 miles working up to 8 over 20 weeks. i do my long walk on a monday cos its my day off work, it started at 10 miles working upto 22 miles then gets shorter in the last few weeks leading upto marathon. i found the training schedule online and have been sort of following that.

Milewalker - just to say I am in awe of your weightloss - that's amazing. Feeling quite chuffed with myself as have now lost half a stone since I started following John Briffa's plan (basically low carb but with moderate cheese, nuts, dark choc, alchohol and fruit allowed) a few weeks ago. Think it would have been more but I've been using a very loose definition of 'moderate'! Struggling to get motivated for a run today because of the rain - was going to go this morning at 6am but DD2 woke early and I snuggled up in bed with her and read stories instead. Basically I can't resist temptation of any sort, it seems...

I've had two weeks off (pesky school hols) and was looking forward to getting back to it today...two children home sick! Bah. I think I might just try to repeat my last week (week 4) - I am definitely not going to attempt week 5 just yet. O do you think I should step back a bit?

Don't step back - try a week 4 run and see how it goes. And if you feel good you could move on after one or two runs, and if not you could do a full week. And if it feels truly awful, maybe you could hop back to W3 just for a run or two. Any chance you could get out tonight? Hope the DCs recover soon and don't give it to you!