Couch to 5K - to infinity and beyond...

[cinnamongreyhound]

A new thread for those of us who started in January 2012 and anyone starting now. Everyone welcome for support, encouragement and occasional arse kicking :)

Well done battyfum!! No idea about the back, I think the more you think about how you're running the more damage you do! See how you feel after a day and if it does reoccur with your next run you will have to make changes.

Our paths are like a skating rink now with snow thawing a bit in the day and freezing again at night! Quite nervous about my run tomorrow!

The running kit I ordered the other day arrived this afternoon. I now look like I know what I'm doing!

Well done chops for losing and batty for getting out there. Loads more snow last night, may be melting this morning but not got out of bed yet. parkrun near us cancelled due to ice on course yesterday lunchtime :( but at least that meant did not have to worry about staying up later and drinking on night out:) cat has woken me up early but I'm not getting up yet!

My parkrun went ahead this morning, as the fresh snow covered the ice. It wasn't as cold as last but really hoping it's gone by next Saturday.

I've just fitted in an extra run today. Repeated the 3 rd day rather than head off for week 4. Must say it feels much nicer running in all the right gear now. Bought a base layer top today and its fabulous.

I really must say, I'm enjoying this so much...so far!!

So glad you are enjoying it swm
shit all our local ones were cancelled- :( Might have gone down anyway if hadn't been up late the night before and the road having about 5 inches of snow... also we have a hill and people had been sledging down it all week so compacted and slippy. It was nice in the snow last week but next week I want it to be clear!

Glad you're enjoying it SamuelWestsMistress, I love love love running!

Went for our Saturday morning run today, was hard going! Took 15 mins more than usual but only 1/2 mile longer! Snow has given my legs a work out! Considering going tomorrow to try and get a faster run in if its all thawed as its supposed to :)

Sorry to hear your park run was cancelled jchocchip, did you run somewhere else instead?

Phewww... actually managed to get out today, for the first time in two weeks (I think), as the snow had entirely vanished overnight. Was really glad I didn't try when it was snowy, as I just heard our neighbour slipped on the pavement where I run and broke her arm quite badly .
I wondered if I would have lost ground with the break, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway as I was desperate to start week 9. I managed it, but it nearly finished me off! Not helped by the fact that the river has now flooded with the melting snow so some roads are impassable. I took an alternative route but ended up doing a there-and-back, rather than a loop. I don't like that so much - psychologically it's much harder when you know you're not even halfway yet, and I find it really tempting to stop and gasp at the halfway point where I'd turn round.

We have no snow! Will be starting next week. Too much college work yo do today. I have some trainers on order and the podcasts sent to my phone so I am all ready

Managed to get out today, river really full and over the path in places. Part of the canal path was diverted over fields and soooo muddy. Almost all snow gone here.

Have discovered another essential piece of kit for the winter runner... heavy duty moisturiser and a really good lip balm to stop your face getting chapped by cold winds!

Well done SarahWithAFringeOnTop! I always try to remember to put lip balm on before I go out as it stops my mouth getting so dry!

Almost all our snow is gone so I went out again today :)

I did a second run tonight, and I was much more relaxed with the ice and snow disappearing. Still kept feeling like my chest was being crushed but I hope that'll improve in time otherwise I might have to go back on the inhaler.

Feels strange, me of all people being a runner

Good tips sarah, I have Vaseline but didn't think about moisturizer too.

morning girls.

I'm starting week 4 this morning.

Battyfum, I know how you feel! I still keep thinking 'but I'm not a runner and feeling slightly shocked at myself!' My biggest struggle was always breathing too, I had to remind myself to breath deeply and evenly and it is becoming more of a habit now.

battyfum, I often had a puff of my inhaler before running when I started this (still do if I think I'm going to struggle). It's no fun running when you feel your chest is being held in a vice...

Just done first 5k in two weeks as the paths are finally clear! Hurt to start with but was better than I expected once I got going. I suppose I'd better start trying to add distance on my weekend runs in preparation for the 10k in May...

One of the coaches at my club suggested the best way to do it is to add time not distance MegBusset. I actually found once I started running for longer it was easier than I expected :)

Been to running club tonight doing hills, run fast to furthest lamp post and jog back then to next and so on. Repeated that twice and jogged to and from where we trained so 6.5Km total.

Just got back from another run as I can't do it for a few days now so got the 3rd one in whilst I could. I went a different route this time, for a change of scenery and my god, I won't be going that way again for some time. Didn't realise it was mainly running uphill, and it was just typical that the walking bits where either when it levelled off, or when going downhill . My calves KILL. And I mean KILL. They burn sooooo bad, and my thighs ache too. Breathing was better though, didn't feel like my chest was being crushed after a bit so that is a bonus. My throat however, feels like I have swallowed a load of razor blades. And I had to walk through 1 of the run bits, but I am not surprised with it being mainly uphill haha.

cinnamon, just wow. I hope I can do those things in months to come. Struggling to see me being able to just jog the 5k at the moment.

Good luck with the distance Meg.

I did the same sarah, think it probably helped a lot as my chest wasn't as bad tonight thankfully.

Good luck with week 4 Chops.

Well done battyfum, that's a real achievement! Congratulations on keeping going. And I bet you do tackle that route again in a few weeks - and come out on top

battyfum, I agree with cinnamon, hills will get easier. I started out having to pause the podcast for going uphill, now I just keep going! I find downhill a bit tricky, I have to slow down to avoid hurting my knees (hypermobile knees!).

I don't think anything has been as hard as week 1 for me, so far tbh. I've found with the increasing times, I might get a twinge of pain, or a bit breathless but I can run through it and it does pass, which was a revelation for me, knowing it DOES pass, and not to give up.

I loved week 4, more running than walking now, and I feel like I am making real progress. Actually getting a bit more excited by the idea of building time now, rather than terrrified by it!

Not sure I could do that lampost thing, but it sounds like a really good workout! I've been really trying to avoid having to double back, I like the idea of a circuit, I think I'd be a bit disheartened by the idea of a point where I have to turn back and do it all again! Might have to rethink though, lots of rain forecast this week, and my offroad trail is already more puddles than track!

It's a good work out and builds speed too. Up hill is you maximum effort and then jog back to recover. We do 4 lamp posts and have persuaded the coach to let us do the furthest first and work down rather than work up from closest as by the time you get to the furthest you are knackered and that last uphill bit is not really maximum effort but just making it there without stopping! It's the one training that everyone hates though!

There is a brilliant long, steep hill near us that would be absolutely perfect for that, maybe one day I will try it!

I am actually surprised I can even walk today. The pain my calves were in yesterday, I was half expecting for them to seize up or something but they haven't. I did lots of calf and hamstring stretches before getting a nice hot bath last night, so maybe that helped.

Hopefully in a few weeks, I will definitely be able to do last nights route with much more ease!

Tell you what though, I slept like a baby last night. Even slept through my alarm. I was well gone haha!

Yep I sleep much better when I've been running!

After yesterday's run, today I did the Shred for the first time in ages (in attempt to shift post-Christmas poundage). Am expecting to hurt tomorrow!

Yeah the snow has gone! So good to read that lots of you are out there running. It was a bit windy here tonight but not too bad. It was just lovely to be out there and not having to dodge the icy patches. Managed 5.5k in 34mins. Really trying to build up pace and distance.
I agree with the others - hills get easier. I have a few different run routes, all take in hills of varying sizes.

Happy running everyone!