Accompanying a friend doing c25k: She was just... - Bridge to 10K

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Accompanying a friend doing c25k

38 Replies

She was just starting: week 1 day 1 and I said I would do it with her. She was very slow (as I was when I started), but it brought it all back: how you thought a minute would never end and you had to do 8 of them; how you didn’t know how you would manage one minute let alone twenty. Today I couldn’t believe how short a minute’s running really is. Sexy Michael Johnson seemed to be saying slow down when we had barely started.

Anyway, Kate did better than I did in my first week. She didn’t get really out of breath and she didn’t get massively red in the face. I can remember feeling as if I was going to die. It just shows how amazing the program really is, that it gets you from one minute runs to 10k races and beyond.

38 Replies
AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

You can coach your friend Kate throughout the whole of the C25K program Flick, it will bring back memories for you when you first did it yourself. It will be particularly interesting when you and Kate get to run 3 of week 5.

in reply toAlMorr

That’s unlikely as she lives an hour away and, being a teacher, has limited time. Now she’s done the first day she’s confident about carrying on alone 😊

secksy34 profile image
secksy34

it is quite humbling to think that only months ago i was in the same boat that minute was the longest ever ( until i started doing planks :P ) , i ALWAYS sing c25k praises if people are "thinking" of doing it , and i wish your freind every success on the plan , she wont go far wrong with this forum for guidance ! it was defo my lifeline as i didnt have the running feinds i have now when i first started and if it wasnt for here im pretty sure i would have quit !

in reply tosecksy34

It is humbling. I’ve given her the link for the the c25k forum and am hoping she joins. It was a huge source of help and inspiration for me

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10

Jogging along next to Dexy as she started C25K certainly did something for me - not quite sure what, not bringing anything back as I've always been able to run, but I own a lot more running kit now, enough to support a 3 times a week habit, and I suspect I'm about to commit to something seriously silly, though I'm surely old enough to know better :-(

Supporting someone on their way up is good for both people involved, imho. Not that Flick in any way needs the kickstart it gave me :-)

in reply toUpTheStanley

Actually my partner is retiring next month and has said he might do c25k and run with me. In his case, he’s a sportsman, ex footballer, and very fit, also competitive, so I think he would soon be outrunning me

in reply toUpTheStanley

Oh, and can we hope your something silly takes the form of Sturdy by Design leggings 😊 I can recommend the 🐉 dragon ones 😍🤩

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply to

I should co-co 😀

over61andstilltrying profile image
over61andstilltryingGraduate10

Fantastic!!🍾🥂

in reply toover61andstilltrying

It was lovely to help her take that first difficult step

linda9389 profile image
linda9389Graduate10

That must have been really rewarding for you - and a wonderful boost for her. You are pretty inspirational you know, she's very lucky :)

in reply tolinda9389

Thank you, that’s very kind 😊 I think she just needed that little bit of support to get her past the first day, which is really the hardest. She didn’t think she would manage 30 seconds, let alone a total of eight minutes.

Sarakc profile image
SarakcGraduate10

That’s really great!! I’d love to do the programme again with someone willing! Unfortunately I can’t find anyone!!! (Thought of you when an ad for Sturdy by design Christmas leggings popped up on my FB newsfeed today!!!! ) 😂

in reply toSarakc

I’ve only done the first one with her. Now she knows she can do it, she’s happy to continue alone - which is great.

Ah, that’s what happens having me as a Facebook friend- who knows what else will happen 😂

Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate10

That's great Flick - and you will have a wealth of knowledge and Lycra leggings to share, too!🙂

in reply toSandraj39

Lol, yes, I think I’ve bored the metaphorical pants off her banging on about running gear 🤣

Flyingred profile image
FlyingredGraduate10

Well done for supporting your friend to get started. I remember my first run well – my mind thought I would run a minute easily but my body wasn't so cooperative! As you write, amazing how fast we progress and accept our new level of fitness as 'normal'.

in reply toFlyingred

So true. I could barely stagger 20 yards back then, and now I’m running races and working towards a half marathon

glentoran99 profile image
glentoran99

I’m going the same with my friend who fell behind me. It’s so satisfying how fit I feel now compared to when I did the same runs

in reply toglentoran99

It’s amazing isn’t it 😊

Dizzysmum17 profile image
Dizzysmum17Graduate10

Lovely Flick. What a great thing to do - and to reflect on your own experience too! I want to do it but have no one willing to begin c25k - will have to start nagging I reckon! Xx

in reply toDizzysmum17

I’m quite glad not to do the whole thing with her really. I wanted to go galloping away butbhad to jog on the spot to keep pace with her, though I would have kept going with her if she wanted 😊

Dizzysmum17 profile image
Dizzysmum17Graduate10 in reply to

Yeah I hadn’t thought of that - I guess we were all like that at the beginning. I thought if I did it with someone I would do it as intervals but I guess that means I’d be disappearing off into the distance - if the way I started is anything to go by! Xx

in reply toDizzysmum17

That’s exactly what I was hoping, that it would be intervals, but 5hey were too slow. I wasnt even remotely out of breath and my heart rate was low.xx

mountaindreamer profile image
mountaindreamerGraduate10

Brilliant, Flick! 😃🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️❤️ And a timely reminder to me of how far we’ve all come in such a short time too. (Yesterday I ran my first 12k, and was whining to myself that it didn’t feel as easy as I’d hoped adding on that extra 2k of distance! 😂😂😂)

in reply tomountaindreamer

Well done for your 12k! That’s the furthest I’ve done.❤️

theoldfellow profile image
theoldfellow

Good for you Flick. Let's be quite clear about this, it is the love and support of others that makes all these impossible stories possible. Determination helps, but we all need help from time to time.

What? Run for a whole Minute, eight times in half an hour? You gotta be kidding!

I couldn't have done it without you lot. Tell Kate we are here for her too.

in reply totheoldfellow

I’ve told her I couldn’t have come this far without the support of everyone on these forums. I texted her the link for the c25k forum and I hope she joins.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

Well done Flick, it really is a step Into the unknown when you start c25k and it must have been an enormous boost for her. Good that you pointed her in the way of the forum too. I didn’t find it until the end of week 7. A nice slow run after your 10k at Blenheim too. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👏👏

in reply toDexy5

I was lucky in that my daughter started c25k two months before me and pointed me in the right direction. So glad she did 😊

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply to

And it’s great that mum and daughter can run together now. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate10

Aah it really is amazing!! This forum has been the absolute best, as sharing really makes you realise it’s possible and the encouragement to go for it is phenomenal. Wishing Kate lots of enjoyment on her journey!! She certainly has an amazing running partner Flick 😉❤️.

in reply toFabulous450

Isn’t this a fab forum for advice and support! I will pass on your good wishes to Kate. I may not run with her again for a while though. We live some distance apart. She’s a teacher and the only reason she had space to come over is because it’s half term 😊

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate10 in reply to

Even if it doesn’t happen again soon, I’m sure your run together will have been inspiring Flick!! 😁😍❤️

Slinkymalinki profile image
SlinkymalinkiGraduate10

That's a great thing to do, Flick, I'm sure she'll really appreciated your support. I've probably mentioned that I teach as well. I started in Feb half term of 2017 and wondered how I'd keep it going with the dark nights. I don't know if this will help Kate but what helped me was working out which was my least manic day (ha ha!!?) & taking running kit to change into so I forced myself to sneak off on time to squeeze in the 30/40 min & ran in a well lit area. It is still the case that if I make it home intending to run (in winter), I will sit down, drink tea and usually fall asleep! Wishing her lots of luck. x

in reply toSlinkymalinki

Thank you for this. i will convey your info to her. There are quite a few teachers on here, so it can be done! x

Richard7 profile image
Richard7Graduate10

Well done Kate and will done you for supporting

in reply toRichard7

Thank you. i will tell her!

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