Couch to 5k Running - Part Four Beginners Running

dating_thoughts

Good luck with it and hope it's going ok. It's always difficult to keep up the running this time if year when it's cold and dark especially at the early morning time you're planning to run at. It can be good to set yourself a goal, for example be able to run a kilometre in less than 8 mins after a month

browneyedbazzi

This thread has gone really quiet - have people given up??

I had a bit of a break last week because work/life was really busy and I struggled to find the time (I know it's only half an hour, but I'm not prepared to run in public yet so you need to add on travel to/from the gym, shower, change etc, so all in it's a lot more!)

Anyway, I went back yesterday and did run 2 week 4 and it was painful. I had a stitch halfway through and was really tempted to give up! I persevered though and made it to the end. I really don't feel like I'll be ready to move on to week 5 after only one more session so I will probably do a couple of extra week 4 sessions.

browneyedbazzi

Is anyone else still doing c25k?

I've done week 5 run 1 and it was ok but I'm a bit concerned that the next two runs are real steps up - by the end of my 5 minute jogs I was really looking forward to the clock ticking down and having a walking rest, I'm not sure I could have done another 3 minutes...let alone the 20 minutes straight that is expected on week 5 run 3!

donglemouse

if i remember from the mists of time week 5 was the one i found toughest/most daunting, just take the running section nice & slow you might be surprised what you can do when you have to.............

Lizling

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

Is anyone else still doing c25k?

I've done week 5 run 1 and it was ok but I'm a bit concerned that the next two runs are real steps up - by the end of my 5 minute jogs I was really looking forward to the clock ticking down and having a walking rest, I'm not sure I could have done another 3 minutes...let alone the 20 minutes straight that is expected on week 5 run 3!

If you've managed the previous runs then there's no reason at all why you shouldn't be able to do it, unless you convince yourself you can't. I remember doing that week and I reckon it's much more a mental test than a physical one, so go out there expecting to finish, take it nice and slow, and I bet you'll do fine.

browneyedbazzi

Thank you lizling and donglemouse - I will keep at it and try to think positive thoughts and see how I get on!

busymum79

Another newbie here! I started last week, couldn't walk downstairs properly the next day but I've stuck with it and I'm doing week 2 day 2 tomorrow.
I've always been quite active (cycling mostly) but haven't run since school, 20 odd years ago!
I gave up smoking in October, accidentally gave up sugar and fatty food at Christmas (kidney infection, all I wanted to eat and drink was vegetables and water and it seems to have stuck!)
I actually find myself looking forward to my next run which I never thought would happen!

browneyedbazzi

Well done at getting started busymum! It's great that you're enjoying it and actually looking forward to runs!

I'm still on week 5 because I had a terrible week last week (in a lot of pain and also a lot of work related stress) and didn't get to the gym at all. I went back to the gym yesterday after the week off and was dreading it. I picked up where I left off to just give it a go - the session included 2 x 8 minutes running which is the longest I've ever managed in one go. Towards the end of the first 8 minutes I got a stitch and nearly gave up but I carried on...at the start of the second 8 minutes I thought I wouldn't make it all the way through but decided to give it a go. At the end of the 8 minutes I was still going and felt like I could carry on

I have to say I think my cardio fitness has started to improve and I'm noticing it at other times now - like walking up the stairs at work (especially when I'm parked on the 7th floor of the car park!) and when I went for a walk the other day that had some quite hilly sections. Where I would have been out of breath before I felt ok

Sedge123

Completed week 7 day 3 yesterday. Nearly killed me running for 25 mins straight especislly as my friend I run with is away.

Think I might have to repeat that one before I step up again. Slowly but surely getting there.

purdyoaten

A friend coaxed me to do this at the start of the new year and I agreed - he dropped out in the middle of week 2.

It is thirty years since I did anything like this ( I have completed six marathons) but I have persisted. Having said that, I do believe that the step ups from week five onwards are on the steep side. At the start my goal was to be able to run 5K comfortably before moving to 10K but the nine weeks timescale is irrelevant to me - there is no need for it. I decided on thirteen weeks, or three months. From week 5 I have repeated each step and have found great satisfaction in being able to be better on the repeat. I start week seven today and, in five weeks, I will be running 5K albeit four weeks later than planned - I will cope with the guilt!