Couch to 5K support thread. 4 September 2016 at 7:27PM in Sports & fitness MoneySaving 661 replies 149.3K views

WantToBeSE

I have looked for a similar thread, but they are all over 1 year old, and dead. So i thought I'd start a new one!


I am on a mission to get healthier and fitter.
In 2010 i gave up smoking, and in Feb 2016 i gave up drinking alcohol. I feel like fitness is my last 'thing'.
I hate exercise, and am incredibly unfit. I could do with losing 10lbs too.

I am about to start the Couch to 5K programme, does anyone else want to join me? Or has anyone else just started/completed/have experience of doing this?

WantToBeSE

The link to the NHS C25K plan:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

WantToBeSE

I've been looking for some running trainers and sports bra, but I'm not really sure which ones are any good.
There are so many, and some are really expensive!

So i am trying to find some reasonably priced, but decent ones.

Any tips?

rdone

If you do your research on footwear and sports bras you can't go wrong with GO Outdoors or Sports Direct. I recently bought a pair of trainers from SD for £25 which were £80 in GO in this seasons colours - I'm not colour fussy (as long as they're pretty), so I didn't mind that they were last seasons. They're Salomon and have quick laces and they're amazing.

I need a rather supportive sports bra and found that any in SD were just to small so I went to GO and found a great one there that was on sale, I saw the same one a few days later in JD Sports for £10 more. M&S are also quite good for leggings and tops when starting out.

I completed couch to 5k earlier this year and have gone on to do 2 triathlons. I'm also doing a 10k in 2 weeks and a half marathon the beginning of October. I used to hate exercise but the variety of training that the tri gave me really made me enjoy.

Good luck and I'll check back in with progress or any other tips I can along the way.

WantToBeSE

Thanks rdone

I have always loved the idea of running, and envied other people who i have seen doing it. So i need to out my idea into practice.

I have heard that i should go up a size in trainers for running, as my feet will swell when running. Is this correct?

I'm going to pop into SD if i dont win my eBay bids (i'm bidding on a Freya Sports Bra and some Nike trainers, both brand new).

Elfbert

Hiya,

good luck with the C25K. I've just started it - I'm really unfit, but I'm determined!

Just don't go too fast at first - I'm just plodding along at the mo, but even after 3 sessions I can already see I'm better than I was!

Westywoodpecker

I've heard on another site that Asda do a really good support bra, it's the one that zips up the front x

WantToBeSE

Elfbert wrote: »

Hiya,

good luck with the C25K. I've just started it - I'm really unfit, but I'm determined!

Just don't go too fast at first - I'm just plodding along at the mo, but even after 3 sessions I can already see I'm better than I was!

Thanks Elfbert I am hoping that i will enjoy it enough to continue.

Westywoodpecker wrote: »

I've heard on another site that Asda do a really good support bra, it's the one that zips up the front x

Thanks Westy Being quite busty, i need a lot of support, so think i'll pay the extra and go with a proper sports make. But thanks

Elfbert

Have you made a start? How are you doing?

iammumtoone

I have done this before its very good I would recommend following the NHS one, unfortunately I let it lapse and have got too much else going on at the moment to think about re-doing otherwise I would join you. I even ran a 10K race now I can't even run 10 meters

For sports bras ebay is the way to go, I got some decent make ones for a few quid.

For trainers ideally you should go to a specialist running shop to have your gait monitored, if you can't afford this (I couldn't;t) then go to SD and ask them to check your foot type (flat or high arches) and size. Then get them to point out which trainers are suitable for your feet, different trainers are for flat and high arches. Try as many on as you can and run in the shop wearing them (it you can - it was too embarrassed so walked fast :rotfl:). Try at least 4 different styles and go one up from your budget to see what the difference is. My budget was X and there was a style £5 over this, they were the ones I purchased as the difference in confort was well worth that extra (I daren't try any of the more expensive ones, just in case I loved them too much!)

Good Luck I loved running.

iammumtoone

Elfbert wrote: »

Have you made a start? How are you doing?

I would say best advise rather than rush in to start on the first day is to take a bit of time to buy the right equipment. It is important to get a good bra and running shoes, better to buy once and well than rushing in and have to waste money buying again as the first ones aren't suitable.

Also best to have the correct trainers to start with otherwise you might fail due to feet hurting too much from running in the wrong type of trainer.