Who's with me for couch to 5k?!

[Badgoushk]

I'm going to start Couch to 5k when my new trainers arrive (today/tomorrow/weekend) and wondered if anyone wants to start too and we can have a little support group going?

I'm 39, 2 stone overweight, haven't done any running for over 10 years and even then I couldn't run 5k without walking. I have 2 young children and want to shape up. I currently swim twice a week and walk a lot (9,000 steps a day). But I'm still pretty unfit. I need to get my heart rate up!

So who is going to join me?! You need to be able to commit to 3 runs a week (30 minutes) for 9 weeks. Have a google of couch to 5k to see what it involves if you're not sure. I'll be using an app on my phone.

Who's in?!

beepbeeprichie, I wanted to do my run tonight but was too scared to because of the dog :0(

Week 6 complete! I was dreading the last run, to be honest, and put it off.

But its all psychological for me & once I got my head around the 25mims it was ok. I was very slow, and struggled with even the smallest incline, but finished - and even managed to speed up for the last 60s like Jo Whiley advised.

It's all long runs from now on, but at least I know I can do it & am back on my familiar route.

Oh, and I've gained 2lbs on holiday

Nice work MoreProseccoNow. And 2lbs on holiday is perfectly respectable. I once put on 10 on a fortnight in Italy

beepbeep - that made me laugh! 10lb is pretty impressive!

Badgoushk I don't blame you, I wouldn't have either. It sucks though.

Well done MoreProsecco. I found a couple of inclines on that run I hadn't noticed before !

Good loss Beepbeep. I shall have to get used to losing in fits and starts I think.

My arm developed a huge itchy red patch yesterday as the day went on, my phone and has really irritated it so I have a magnetic pouch on order. That isn't coming until next week though so had the problem of what to do tomorrow. I'm now have a makeshift running belt from half a pair of stretchy leggings that I think will do the job nicely, result ! Also treated myself to a Fitbit Charge 2 from Amazon Prime Day so looking forward to that arriving tomorrow. I don't seem to be a very frugal runner.

MirabelleTree, I just hold my phone while I run!
But tonight my leggings were falling down (a good sign I suppose!) so I had the phone in one hand and I was holding up my leggings with the other!!

Just completed week 4! My husband chaperoned me at the beginning and end of the run so he could shoo off the dog!!

Feeling pleased!

Well done Badgoushk! I think it is an excellent sign your leggings are falling down! I don't think I could run holding my phone, I'd drop it or something.

Can I join you ladies?

I'm on week 7 although I started about 10 weeks ago! I had to take 3 weeks off to let a knee injury heal. Another new pair of trainers and a rest and it's all good now. Last week I ran 20 mins non stop! I am most definitely NOT a natural runner and it's been hard!

I'm off this week due to a cold type bug which is annoying. My aim is to reach the 5k by the end of the summer holidays which will hopefully be plenty of time! I'm 43 and a stone or so overweight with 3 school age children so this has been a real achievement so far and I'm determined to complete and continue!

Well done everyone on how far you've got so far. Let's do this!

Welcome Borntofly I started ages ago but had time off for an op. Also not a natural runner and I'm 47 with 3 stone to lose, this is a huge achievement for me too. Hope you feel better . I want to keep this going after the end of the program which for me is next week as Zen Labs is 8 weeks not 9 I found out half way through!

W7R3 done.

W7 R1 completed; I was very slow to start with & speeded up for the last 5 mins.

Distance-wise, my 5 min warmup/cool down is 0.5K each way.

So it means I ran 3.5K in 25 mins. I think I will need to concentrate on gradually increasing my speed. I'd like to be able to do 5K in 30ish mins - that is my target.

Onwards & upwards!

Well done MoreProsecco! You're doing much better than me, can do 3k in 25 mins. I don't think a sub 30 min 5k will ever be realistic for me.

Probably not realistic for me either! But then, 8 weeks ago, I would never have thought I could run for 25mins...

Good point, I didn't either

Well done everyone. I did W5R1 tonight, up and down holiday hills! I loved the way Sanjeev says "You've lost weight haven't you?!" Ha! Made me smile. All these hills are going to make my flat runs at home so much easier!

A huge well done Badgoushk , I can't imagine doing Hills !

Scales moved for me finally and a pound has come off. Really hoping to do one more by end of the month to get me to 5 stone in time for holiday. My magnetic running pouch hasn't worked which is a pain but my Fitbit here so looking forward to using that on Monday.

Finally starting to feel better! May get out for a run tomorrow. Not sure I'll make 20 mins but we'll see!

W7R1 done. Hello borntofly! You can do it!!!

Interesting thoughts on the actual running speed as I have been thinking the same- I would love to do the 5k in 30 minutes but it's not going to happen in the next 3 weeks. Might be the next milestone I try to work towards after completion though. For these longer runs I've been going at 8kmph, so I'm quite a bit off that. Since I finished week 6 I've gone back in the program to see if I can run at 10kmph doing the distances from the earlier weeks. So yesterday I went back to week 3 and did the 90 second/ 3 minute combo and it wasn't too bad. Including hills in anything right now would be sheer madness for me so well done Badgoushk!!!!
Nice work on the weight loss Mirabelle. I've found the fit bit disproportionately motivational. I love having to meet the daily targets and flights of stairs climbed etc. Some of the individual challenges are also fun e.g. the Yosemite trail. Looking forward to hearing what you think.

My husband made home made flapjacks yesterday and I ate about 6 of them. Oops! I just can't eat sugar in moderation. I never learn. Back to eating healthily today. I just hope that my fortnight away of healthy eating and running every other day hasn't been blown in terms of weight loss. I start a new job on 2 August and need to shrink into my new work skirts!!

If you put it in terms of calories they will be a fair bit but put against the 3500 needed to gain a pound , allowing for today's calorie allowance then your hard work is safe ! I hope I can be as sensible on holiday as you were.

Beepbeep I've just had to look at a conversation table as my data in Strava as mins per km. my last 2 have been 6.62 kmph and 7.36 kmph. Can't imagine 10km per hour. Loving the Charge 2, I didn't have heart rate or stairs on my Flex2. The only thing is I linked it to Strava, ran Strava for walks today and when they synched it stole about 800 steps and I was pissed off ! Haven't looked at the challenges yet, will have a look. If all goes to plan I'm going to use it linked to my phone's GPS tomorrow morning for start of week 8.

I don't think this heart rate monitor is working particularly well. Says I spent 22 mins with it is the peak zone but I definitely didn't as went slowly as was hot. It's saying I have already burned 2658 cals but I think that is overestimating by a couple of hundred. Heard it can take a bit of time to settle down so will see.

Wow, Mirabelle so impressed with your technology & organisation!

I am the opposite today! Couldn't get the sound to turn up on my music & forgot to convert my running bra to racer back (not good when you're a FF cup!). Plus I can't get the hang of Strava & seem to have too many apps on my phone open when running.

I thought I ran faster today but covered the same distance within a few metres. Hmmm. Am pre-menstrual too which doesn't help.

Well done Bag, running every 2nd day on holiday is dedication!

My eating has been crap today, at a family occasion & could not control myself around puddings. FFS! Am back to work tomorrow, so will be good to get back in to routine.

The eating will be the PMT? Feel your pain with the apps .I have worked out how to do it on my phone now I think. Music from Amazon so open that and get it going first, C25K next then on the warmup open Strava , go into record activity and get GPS locked on ready then press when the run starts. The lock screen then comes on which is a faff trying to swipe it open to turn off Strava at end of run where you press the flag and then save.

Last run I was anything but sorted. My running buddy was falling off, I too had volume control issues, my music was crap and it was all anything but organised ! Tomorrow I'm going to try my half a legging aka fake flipbelt and see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! Today was a good day. I ate healthily and went for my run tonight. It was W5R2 (I'm over half way!!) and it involved 2 x 8 minute runs. It was actually alright! I think my next run is for 20 minutes which seems like a huge leap!

Has anyone else noticed changes in their body? My legs feel leaner but stronger. And I'm sure my shoulders are a bit slimmer. I can't weigh myself as I'm on holiday.

Where is everyone else up to in terms of last run?