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?!

Well done MoreProseccoNow! Amazing!

I'm feeling much better so will go out for my first run in nearly 2 weeks tomorrow. I'm quite nervous about it. It should be W7R1 which is a 25 minute run but I think I might repeat an earlier one.

Good luck, for tomorrow Bagdoushk

I've also lost 2lb, Ulysees - much to my surprise, as I felt huge yesterday but had been trying harder with my diet so am very pleased. Am 11st 2lb now & if I can get under 11st it will be a milestone. Fingers crossed!

Congratulations to Ulysses and Prosecco on the weight loss, 2lb each is great!

Glad you're feeling better Badgoushk and hope run goes well today.

Found some scales here and weighed at start of week and today and I think there is hope I've maintained. Did R3 this morning so pleased been keeping up with 3 runs a week at the moment.

My run today was along the shore of Lake Taupo (W2R2). Gorgeous. No start on the weight loss yet though!

Lucky you Edd - sounds amazing! Would love to go to NZ.

I ran again last night, my legs were heavy, but I maintained my time (within 10seconds) of 36.5 mins - would like to shave a few mins off that.

How's everyone else doing?

That sounds lovely Edd.

Yesterday was a 5k at 35.38 mins I think though Strava said moving time was 34.18 mins so quite how that works i'm not sure. Given my last 5k was about 43 mins I'm really pleased. So strange to be saying 5k, never thought I could do it at the start.

Am going to probably do something like 2 x 30 mins starting to build in hills and 1 x 5k a week, or that's the plan.

Oh lucky you Edd. That certainly sounds a lot more inspiring than the view from my treadmill in my garage

That's great going Mirabelle- what an impressive improvement. Your plans sounds like a good way to keep things interesting.
Fab weight loss Ulysses and Prosecco. I dream of being 11st again. It's the second goal for me.
Well I've finished W8 but I'm going to take a break for a couple of days. I posted last Friday that I had an odd pain in my side. It's right at the join of my hip but not into my bottom if that makes sense. I've tried to run through it, and during the running it's been ok (I did 2 "interval" sessions from W4 in between W82 and 3) but afterwards awful. It's really tight. Stretching over and reaching across seems to be required and is probably a sign that more stretching overall was required in the last 8 weeks. So. Some body combat and lots of walking and stretching for me this week. And MFP. Happy Monday folks.

Morning everyone.

I get a really sharp in my hip beepbeep, not usually when I'm running but it would really floor me if it did so sympathies.

I've just completed W4R2 this morning and it wasn't too awful. It's quite hilly round here and there's a couple of long, slow hills which if timed wrong would be torture. I'm not great with my breathing, I can't seem to synchronise it properly, so that when I'm breathing in my stomach should be going out - or is it the other way round

I've changed my food logging to Nutracheck - thanks Mirabelle. I'm really impressed with how easy it is to use. I've been weighing myself far too often, I think I was excited to lost 2lb but according to the scales I've put that all back on and some! My period is here though, so hopefully that accounts for it!

Sounds sensible beep you're going so well though.

I did my first hilly run today and it completely broke me. And it was only W2R3. Do you think I should repeat it - without the steep climb? Or just carry on to W3?

Another with hip pain which comes and goes. Well done Beepbeep, Ulysses and Edd. did you finish it Edd? If you did I'd be tempted to move on but do W3R1 on the flat.

My breathing is still sometimes quite ropey Ulysses I have to try not to think about it or it gets worse. I think the advice is that if you are having trouble with it to slow down and relax. Glad you like Nutracheck, I always worry a bit recommending it as it costs but I think it is well worth £30 a year.

Back to running in the woods yesterday and I have slowed right down again, did 3.86 km in 30 mins and pace was 7.46. Am definitely faster on a harder surface. Weighed when back and had put on 2lbs but they are gone this morning and I'm 0.25lb lighter than before I went which given I had 2 pizzas, 2 slices of cheesecake and a massive piece of chocolate and raspberry cake amongst other things, I'm very pleased with! Definitely starting to change shap. My thighs are more toned and my waist going in.

How are you feeling now Badgoushk?

Having thought about this a bit further the answer is clear and it's nothing to do with road surfaces , I need to move to Scotland as I run faster there

Mirabelle you're not the only one going more slowly - it's happening to me too - no idea what's going on.....Scotland is clearly slowing me down.!

Turns out we are staying on a mountain! So I redid W2R3 - struggled a little less on the hills than the first time I suppose, but still had to walk some of the run bits on the very steep. The shortest distance in 30 mins I've ever done! Will try and find somewhere flat to do W3R1 tomorrow or Friday.

I'll cancel Pickfords then ! Well done Edd I'm very impressed! I don't really do Hills yet as a rule apart from a bit this morning.

Feel very wet and cold. Decided to take the pressure off and go slowly so my breathing was easier. DH stopped to do laces and couldn't start again. I kept going and did a little hill. We both found the surface harder to run on. 3.6k in 30 mins. I figure consistency is the thing though so trying to stick to 3,runs a week and I did enjoy it more going at a more leisurely pace.

Hi MirabelleTree, I have gone off the (exercise) rails! I need to get back on it but period due and feel a bit rubbish. I'll be back soon! Well done to everyone who is doing so well!

Sorry to hear that Badgoushk and hope you feel better soon. I find it hard around when my period is due too, Best to wait until you feel fully recovered.

Day 1 of AF here, hence crapness this week that's my excuse. Hormones have a lot to answer for. Felt huge yesterday despite it being a 5:2 day & doing an hour-long power walk at night.

Another AF casualty here. Three days of pain, tiredness and inconvenience so commiseration all round!

That's me finally well enough to go for a run this afternoon. That's week 4 finished for me so I am hoping to get back on track. This seems to be the point of C25K that things can fall at the wayside as, and I really want to finish it this time.

Weigh in tomorrow - eek! Feeling better about myself but clothes no looser so we'll see.

Ran my usual 5K route tonight; not any slower, but definitely not any faster - stuck at 5K in 37-38mins. Pah.

Keep it up though MorePresecco. I'm still at the stage when most of the running is still an endurance.

A bit disheartened this morning myself when I stepped on the scales - lost a pound (okay I was hoping for more) but then I finally got round to changing the battery that's been on it's way out for ages it was up by another 3 lbs! Hopefully, it's been consistently wrong though and I have been losing weight, which would make it 5lbs overall in the past 3 weeks.

I was thinking about this yesterday Prosessco. Do you remember the first couple of weeks where 5k seemed a distant dream but all over the Internet were stories about people doing it ? We've come a huge way since then.

I feel I'm in danger of getting a bit bogged down by times and putting pressure on myself so I'm going to focus on running 3 x 30 mins and running at a pace that lets me breath comfortably and try to enjoy the experience a bit more. I think over time we will slowly build up and I think I'm at risk of putting myself off which really don't want to do.

Ulysses well done on the loss. Can see that is demoralising with the scales though. 5lbs in 3 weeks a good solid start.

I'm 2lbs down in 2 weeks which taking account holiday I'm very pleased with. Being overweight rather than obese not too far away so hoping to be there sometime by October half term.

Waving from the sidelines
Nice weight loss Ulysses and Mirabelle and at least you're still running Prosecco.
My sides are still sore. It's coming from the base of my back I think because when I do sort of bend over stretches I can really feel it. Walking loads (still hurts) and stretching loads. Quite anxious because I had worked hard on C25k and I had visions of finishing the programme by now and doing a 5k run a week, some body combat and some HIIT stuff to keep it interesting. However. I will finish. As you will too Badgoushk
Weighed myself this morning- another 1lb off so since I started the C25k that's 9lbs (I think!!). 8 more to a reasonable weight and then another 8 or 10 to feel "good" if you know what I mean.

I'm doing this too!
On week 6 day 2
I can't believe I'm a Person Who Runs now
Do you all have good breathing technique, I feel like I'm hyperventilating while running? Is that normal?

Really sorry to hear that Beepbeep. Hang in there, you're still moving a lot and the weight coming off. I think with eprunnung it is something where a lot of people have to sit it out for a bit unfortunately if my friends are anything to go by.

TheChakpagneGalop welcome! My breathing is not great recently . I ready on the C25K forum you should slow down if you're having trouble breathing so I did last run and it was better. I think as well there can be a tendency to get really focused and a bit tense which will exacerbate any breathing issues .

Ok, so the good news is that I ran 5K in 35 mins

The bad news is that I have gained a pound despite being post-menstrual & doing 5:2 this week

It would seem my ability to run faster & lose weight are out of proportion.