C25K .... Overture and beginners please!

[abz]

hi there. i did week 1 part 2 today. i can't see me moving on to week two any time soon. i would like week 1 to feel a bit more effortless first. did you guys wait before moving on or did you just go for it? i don't want to put myself off by putting up the bar too soon and feeling like a failure and stopping.

abz xx

 

[Tiphareth]

I just went for it, the thing to remember is to not push it too hard at the beginning so you leave something for later.

 

[BattyNora]

Hi ladies,

I'm a newbie runner - and have done w2d1 of my couch to 5k plan from the running bug website. So it was 2mins run + 2mins walk x 5. I found that blooming hard work! I seriously can't see I will ever be able to run for any more. But then I said that after 30 seconds of day one!

 

[Babana]

Hello can I join you all? I'm doing the NHS c25k podcasts. I'm really enjoying it. I did w4 r3 today. I cannot believe how much I have progressed since week one (which so far has been the toughest week for me). I have had to run in torrential rain twice this week which is a whole new (although not horrible) experience. I can't get my head round the idea that this time next week I will have to do a 20 min run! When I finish each run I feel so exhilerated that all of the puffing and panting whilst running is forgotten!

 

[BattyNora]

Hi again ladies. I did week2day2 today, which was back to run1, walk1 x 10. I found it harder this tme that last, which worries me. But whereas normally I would have given up I carried on and finished today, including the 5 minute warm down.

Really proud of myself. Although, the run 1 mile I have coming on Sunday terrifies me. I can't do that!

 

[abz]

are we all doing the same couch to 5k or are there different ones?

i don't push hard at the beginning at all. i barely push all the way through and am still absolutely tuckered. which is why i worry about moving onto week two. but i have the third run tomorrow. who knows? if it's easier i may move onto week 2, or i may do another week 1 run to be sure. i know that if i fail to complete a run this early on it will knock me down, so i'd rather let the first week get a bit easier than maybe i should before trying to limit my disappointment.

after all, if it's getting easier then i'm still improving my fitness right? and it isn't getting easier so far

abz xx

 

[BattyNora]

I'm doing the beginner C25K from the website the running bug, which seems to start off easier than others I've seen (I wonder why I chose that one?!).

Nothing has gotten easier so far, I don't think, but I'm trying to stick with the weeks for now. If I get to the point I just can't I'm probably going to repeat a week until I feel ready.

For those of you who do it on a treadmill...what speeds do you run/walk at?

 

[Tractor girl]

Hi ladies, pleased to report that I completed Wk5 run 1 yesterday, not too bad, my legs went to jelly slightly on the final 5 min run. Rest day today so went to a Zumba class, run 2 tomorrow x

 

[Babana]

are we all doing the same couch to 5k or are there different ones?

i don't push hard at the beginning at all. i barely push all the way through and am still absolutely tuckered. which is why i worry about moving onto week two. but i have the third run tomorrow. who knows? if it's easier i may move onto week 2, or i may do another week 1 run to be sure. i know that if i fail to complete a run this early on it will knock me down, so i'd rather let the first week get a bit easier than maybe i should before trying to limit my disappointment.

I think there are various different C25k programmes. I do the NHS one. I don't think it really matters. They all do more or less the same things with a gradual build up ti running.

after all, if it's getting easier then i'm still improving my fitness right? and it isn't getting easier so far

abz xx

I think there are various different c25k programmes. I do the NHS one but I don't think it really matters which one you do as the aim for all of them is the same.

 

[abz]

hi there. i did week 1 run 3 today and it was much easier than the last two. by no means easy, but easier. i knew i could definately do it too so didn't have to fight the inner demons of 'what if i can't do it' or 'what if it was just a fluke the last time i did it' etc etc. i think i'm going to do at least one more week 1 run to feel more comfortable with it before moving on. i want to progress but at the same time i don't want to put myself off by trying to do too much too fast.

abz xx

 

[Tractor girl]

Hello ladies, am very pleased to report that I have just completed wk 5 run 2 in torrential rain and a strong head wind, it was not too bad to be honest, it was the usual walk for 5 mins warm up followed by 8 mins of running 5 mins walking 8 mins running and the usual 5 min cool down ( I am following the NHS plan).

I just wanted to share a few tips with you that I have picked up, I have lost 2 stone but am still overweight with another 2 stone to lose, I had started doing a lot of exercise before I started on this programme and thought that I was getting fit...................... how wrong was I !!!!!

Week one was awful and I was genuinely shocked at how hard the 60 sec runs were............

Am now able to run for 8 mins and it is such a great feeling, my tips are as follows .......

1) PACE PACE PACE, I constantly tell myself to slow down, it is not a race and far more managable when you take it easy

2) REST REST REST Take a rest day every other day, as has been previously mentioned your body needs time to recover

3) OTHER EXCERCISE - I do some other form of exercise on my rest days to lose weight and improve fitness (Zumba, body conditioning, 5 mile walk etc)

4) PUSHING YOURSELF - keeping going when your legs feel like jelly and you feel you cannot put another foot infront of another increases your fitness

5) USE AN APP or PODCAST - my other half downloaded the NHS Podcast and lent me his ipod, this has really helped me with timings and motivation, Laura the narrator is a godsend

6) FOCUS - when I am running (more like a jog) I tell myself that my life depends on it and I cannot stop until 'Laura' tells me to' I also find it helpful running with my partner as he runs ahead of me and I do not stop until he does.....


Anyway hope my little tips help you and if you are thinking how can I ever run for more than 60 secs, well that was me and yes you can but you must follow whatever programme you are on to the letter or there is no point following as it won't train you properly x

 

[BattyNora]

I've just had a look at the NHS site and quite like the look of it. I'm on week two of mine (which was run2, walk2x5, run1, walk1x10 and then run 1 mile to finish (eeeeeek)) - do you think it would be okay to switch over? I like the idea of the podcast and I find it hard to have to keep my eye on the clock and see the seconds tick along!

 

[Tractor girl]

I've just had a look at the NHS site and quite like the look of it. I'm on week two of mine (which was run2, walk2x5, run1, walk1x10 and then run 1 mile to finish (eeeeeek)) - do you think it would be okay to switch over? I like the idea of the podcast and I find it hard to have to keep my eye on the clock and see the seconds tick along!

I definitley recommend the NHS site, Laura the narrator is with you all the way and gives you instructions, tips, encouragement and tells you when to run, walk, stop etc......... If you switch to the most similar week that you are on then I can't see any problem with swapping

 

[slimming sinead]

Hello ladies, am very pleased to report that I have just completed wk 5 run 2 in torrential rain and a strong head wind, it was not too bad to be honest, it was the usual walk for 5 mins warm up followed by 8 mins of running 5 mins walking 8 mins running and the usual 5 min cool down ( I am following the NHS plan).

I just wanted to share a few tips with you that I have picked up, I have lost 2 stone but am still overweight with another 2 stone to lose, I had started doing a lot of exercise before I started on this programme and thought that I was getting fit...................... how wrong was I !!!!!

Week one was awful and I was genuinely shocked at how hard the 60 sec runs were............

Am now able to run for 8 mins and it is such a great feeling, my tips are as follows .......

1) PACE PACE PACE, I constantly tell myself to slow down, it is not a race and far more managable when you take it easy

2) REST REST REST Take a rest day every other day, as has been previously mentioned your body needs time to recover

3) OTHER EXCERCISE - I do some other form of exercise on my rest days to lose weight and improve fitness (Zumba, body conditioning, 5 mile walk etc)

4) PUSHING YOURSELF - keeping going when your legs feel like jelly and you feel you cannot put another foot infront of another increases your fitness

5) USE AN APP or PODCAST - my other half downloaded the NHS Podcast and lent me his ipod, this has really helped me with timings and motivation, Laura the narrator is a godsend

6) FOCUS - when I am running (more like a jog) I tell myself that my life depends on it and I cannot stop until 'Laura' tells me to' I also find it helpful running with my partner as he runs ahead of me and I do not stop until he does.....

Anyway hope my little tips help you and if you are thinking how can I ever run for more than 60 secs, well that was me and yes you can but you must follow whatever programme you are on to the letter or there is no point following as it won't train you properly x

Great advice tractorgirl. And well done on such great progress.

Everyone just keep pushing yourselves. You may not feel that you're ready for the next week but why not try it? There's nothing to stop you repeating day 1 of any week if you don't quite master it the first time around. Just trust the programme. It really does work. I found week 1 so difficult in Jan & will be running my first 10k race next weekend!

 

[Tiphareth]

I agree with every thing tractor girl said.

It's in the pushing yourself that you improve. You also need to do more than just run to improve your overall fitness levels.

 

[Tiphareth]

Good luck with your race Sinead.

 

[BattyNora]

Good luck with the race!

 

[XDivaX]

Hi I'm starting c25k tomorrow or should I say hope to?? I started it so many times before but never stuck to it! So here is hoping!

 

[Njay]

Well I completed Day 1 of Week 1 this morning, to my own amazement !!! It wasn't easy but surprisingly I did enjoy it, I have enlisted the dog as well :chores016: just hope I don't suffer too much as I can certainly feel it in my calf muscles already !!!!

 

[BattyNora]

Good luck Njay!

I went today...I'd downloaded the NHS podcast to try for the first time. I was supposed to be on Week2 Day3 but accidently put on week 3. Bloody hell, that two lots of three minutes were tough. I was panicking during them, wondering why I was really struggling BUT when I realised it was the next week's cast I got a boost that I finished it.