Couch to 5k - any good?

[johnwilliams77]

Brainpox said:

Just finished week 5 where Laura surprises you with a 20 minute run. I feel like her attitude has changed from "I'm here to support you" to "fking get on with it you moany bd"

It went well though. Up until she said there was 2 minutes left and my brain said I should stop, so the last 2 minutes was a bit of a sod but I kept up the pace and got to the end.

I need to train my mind to focus on something else. It's so much easier when I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing. I just struggle to keep that going for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I don't think it helps with Laura interrupting, or the terrible music (especially that "two feet on the ground" song!)

Print the plan and run with music

[egor110]

johnwilliams77 said:

Brainpox said:

Just finished week 5 where Laura surprises you with a 20 minute run. I feel like her attitude has changed from "I'm here to support you" to "fking get on with it you moany bd"

It went well though. Up until she said there was 2 minutes left and my brain said I should stop, so the last 2 minutes was a bit of a sod but I kept up the pace and got to the end.

I need to train my mind to focus on something else. It's so much easier when I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing. I just struggle to keep that going for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I don't think it helps with Laura interrupting, or the terrible music (especially that "two feet on the ground" song!)

Print the plan and run with music

Or with with somebody else so you can talk , is there a club nearby with a couch to 5k group ?

[ShampooEfficient]

johnwilliams77 said:

There are a number of drills you can do to encourage this movement. One is heel flicks on an inclined treadmill followed by high heels on the flat.

I'm not sure I should be trying to run in high heels. For many reasons.

[Spydaman]

It was going so well too, running my fourth Park run this morning when I pulled a calf muscle half way round. I thought I'd stretched and warmed-up enough but clearly not. How long should it take to get better and should I stay out of the gym?

[ShampooEfficient]

Spydaman said:

It was going so well too, running my fourth Park run this morning when I pulled a calf muscle half way round. I thought I'd stretched and warmed-up enough but clearly not. How long should it take to get better and should I stay out of the gym?

If it feels even slightly twingey in the next few days, don't risk it. Have at least a couple of days off, eat well, and lots of gentle stretching. Then try a gentle jog round the block - if anything feels like it isnt healed, stop and give it another night's sleep.

Better to lose a couple of days recovery than really bksing yourself by compensating for it.

[LosingGrip]

I've started this a couple of times, but always seem to end up with a cold and just can't be arsed to do it ha.

Anyway. First run today in a long time. W1D1. 1.7 miles. Nothing special but considering I've just tipped over 20 stone I'm just pleased I didn't die!

Felt crap during it. Last two minutes were horrible. But on a high now!

[gregs656]

LosingGrip said:

I've started this a couple of times, but always seem to end up with a cold and just can't be arsed to do it ha.

Anyway. First run today in a long time. W1D1. 1.7 miles. Nothing special but considering I've just tipped over 20 stone I'm just pleased I didn't die!

Felt crap during it. Last two minutes were horrible. But on a high now!

Decent.

Highly recommend you nail your diet. It will make a huge difference.

[LosingGrip]

gregs656 said:

Decent.

Highly recommend you nail your diet. It will make a huge difference.

Diet is something I've always struggled with (both ends of the scale, binge eating to hardly eating to lose weight). I'm trying to cut the crap out and have smaller meals, but if I fancy eating some cake I'm going to (but wont eat the whole thing like I used to...).

I need to get some new trainers though. My current ones I've had for ten plus years and don't fit correctly. Come pay day I'll pop down to the local running shop and get a cheap pair that are more suited to me.

[RizzoTheRat]

LosingGrip said:

but if I fancy eating some cake I'm going to

That's kind of why I run. I'm never going to be fast and am not interested in doing huge amounts of training and long races, but running 15-20km a week is an extra 1500-2000 calories burned a week to make up for the occasional fried breakfast or cake

[LosingGrip]

W1D2 today. It was horrible. My trainers have cut my ankle and I have a blister on my little toe. A stitch within ten minutes and it was bloody hot again (its now cold and chucked it down...). But I did 1.9 miles, pace was two seconds a mile slower than Monday. I'm not sure if I should be going for a run on Friday. I've got my personal safety refresher and fitness test on Saturday, might see how I feel Friday morning.

I feel fine now and actually looking forward to another run...what is wrong with me!

[C0ffin D0dger]

Get some better shoes, you should not be suffering with those sorts of issues. Stick with it, only gets easier honest

[lemonslap]

LosingGrip said:

W1D2 today. It was horrible. My trainers have cut my ankle and I have a blister on my little toe. A stitch within ten minutes and it was bloody hot again (its now cold and chucked it down...). But I did 1.9 miles, pace was two seconds a mile slower than Monday. I'm not sure if I should be going for a run on Friday. I've got my personal safety refresher and fitness test on Saturday, might see how I feel Friday morning.

I feel fine now and actually looking forward to another run...what is wrong with me!

Keep at it, I am on week 3 and tomorrow morning run 2. The first week was frankly horrible! However I now look forward to the run and feel so much better already.

I’m not a small chap being 17st and 6ft tall, running is something I have never mastered and have always hated. This program is completely changing this for me.

Really need to sort out my diet though but one step at a time!

[LosingGrip]

W1D3 done.

I think I set off too quickly, as by the sixth and seventh run I'm fked. I ran the sixth but walked the seventh and ran half of the last one. I'm already feeling a difference in my fitness. I've been home a matter of minutes and got my breath back already. Last few times its taken a long time!

2.0 miles this time and my average time per mile is down 15 seconds from Wednesday and 17 seconds from Monday at 14:15 minutes. My aim is in the ten minute mile.

I'm struggling to know when to eat and drink before hand. Last time I drank some water just before I went out and got a stitch fairly soon. Today I drank whilst coming back from my girlfriends and then went out and felt OK. I didn't eat though. I'm not really one for breakfast, but do feel it towards the end of the run. Is a hour after breakfast (wheetabix) enough time?

Next run is Monday. Hoping my personal safety doesn't kill me!

[Brainpox]

I've fallen off the rails on this. Got to midway through week 6 and developed severe pain under my foot. It was difficult to walk for a day and took a couple of weeks before I could run without it hurting after a couple of minutes. Then just lost my way with the programme. I do a 15-20 minute run at least once a week now which is waaaaaaay more than I could do when I started so at least I've seen a decent benefit there, but lack the motivation to go much further. I would rather work on speed than run for longer.

[smn159]

Brainpox said:

I would rather work on speed than run for longer.

I would have thought that it would be better to be able to run at least 5k before you start thinking about speed.. speed requires a good base level of aerobic fitness, which it sounds like you are still acquiring.

[LosingGrip]

Fitness test passed! Level 5.4 on the bleep test. Bloody horrible thing. I hate the turning part. But done for another year. My trainers have broken though. Sill wearable, so can go for my run Monday, Wednesday before getting my new pair on Friday.

I didn't struggle with it though which was nice.

[Steve91]

I think I'm going to have a crack at this.

I've been cycling regularly since June last year, and that coupled to quitting drinking and sorting out the diet meant I lost 3 stone by Christmas. However a break up, harsh winter, and getting back on the beers and takeaways mean that from the new year I've only lost 2lb.

I'm back on the bike when I can (however not commuting like I was) and I want to start pushing myself again. I'm going to get the diet back under control too.

Wish me luck!

[LosingGrip]

Good luck!

[J4CKO]

Started running again using this and its going ok, in the past it has killed my feet but a combination of not having any current injuries, some very expensive Brooks trainers and warming up properly is allowing me to progress.

Week 3 Day 1 today and it was pretty comfortable.

Dont want to be "a runner" and get into doing massive distances, just think I should be able to comfortable run a couple of miles at a decent pace and then maintain that level.

Its funny, actually started looking forward to it, anyone else doing it ?

[telford_mike]

I started C25K at the beginning of May, did W7R3 this morning. I've been really impressed with the whole programme, from the quality of the apps and podcasts to the support available on the Healthunlocked website.

https://healthunlocked.com/couchto5k/posts

I'm surprised to find I'm really enjoying it. I've promised myself one of those geeky Garmin watches if I manage to complete it.