Back to the start! (And happy about it)

[Anniemurph]

I'm so pleased - my 14 year old daughter has started c25k today! We did Week 1 Run 1 at 7am this morning and she did brilliantly. It was really funny going back to the beginning - running for 1 minute However, I was still panting for breath and beetroot coloured by the time we got back home, so I'm sure it will all do me good. Laura is her new BFF and - slightly worryingly - she liked the music. Hmmm...

In other news, I actually completed on a house today, so I will need to scout out some new routes And I have fallen out big time with Mr. Mapmyrun, as he recorded the first 3 metres of our run this morning and then quite obviously had better things to do than follow us around. So we have dumped him and we are going to go out with Mr. Endomondo instead. Hopefully he will treat us right and we can look forward to a long and happy relationship with him.

I hope your days have all been as good as mine has

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Love it.. And how fabulous you and your daughter are running.. Good times eh! Have fun running xx

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Thank you! Actually, it was fun this time - there was no pressure whatsoever, and I was just jogging gently along admiring the scenery! Who'd have thought it?

[roadrunner_86 Graduate]

It's good that you're encouraging your kids to get involved - I wish my parents gave me more encouragement when I was younger about being proactive around fitness

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to roadrunner_86]

She has been very supportive of my running, and then came back from cadets moaning that she wasn't going to pass the fitness test. I tentatively suggested that she might do c25k with me and voila!

[Hidden]

I recommend a Garmin. Well done on getting your daughter out. I'm not allowed near my daughter"s school in running gear!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Oh, believe me, I wouldn't be allowed near school either I'm quite proud she will be seen with her blobby overweight beetroot-faced mother, but she did ask if we could go up to the heights tomorrow, away from civilisation

[con-brio Graduate]

Fickle ladies, "dumping" one man only to turn around, immediately pick up another man and form a threesome! Now, just what example is that for the younger generation, eh Annie?

Seriously though, I think it's great that your daughter has such faith in you. She can obviously SEE the benefits of running (mere words of advice are not enough at that age), so congratulations to you, Annie.

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to con-brio]

But I need reliability in my men! Honestly, if Mr. Mapmyrun can't give me his full attention for just 35 minutes of his day, it's time to find someone who can.

My daughter is brilliant for starting this. It can't be easy to go running with your overweight, panting, puce-in-the-face mother - so not cool, in all senses of the word! But yes, I think she has seen the difference it has made to me, so here's hoping it's something she will be able to stick with. Thank you for your kind words

[con-brio Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

You will get her to add a few comments here and there, won't you? I'd be nice to get a 14-year-old's take on this programme and her mum's achievements.

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to con-brio]

Good heavens, no - the world is not ready for this! I can't imagine her comments on her mother, the weather, her mother, the trails, her mother, the pains in her legs... Mind you, it would all be in code n lk sth lk ths so perhaps I'd be okay

[shelleymcb Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

love your txt talk!! haha. Ive also got 2 daughters who completed c25k with me & an 11 year old boy who has got new trainers but we have been waiting for the weather to get nicer so that he doesnt get cold on the walking bits. fantastic to hear that we can motivate these youngsters off the couch & away from the tv/wii.

good luck. x

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

Isn't it great that they do this with us? Makes me very happy Thanks, and let me know how you and the lad get on x

[notbad Graduate]

Lovely news Annie, I wish her many happy runs! x

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to notbad]

Thanks I hope she will love it as much as I do!

[greenlegs Graduate]

Really lovely news! It is very moving reading about people getting their children running with them. My two are grown up, but I'm still hoping one day to get one of them out with me.

Interesting too to have a different view of the early weeks!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Well, she's now moaning about her hip hurting, but I'm hopeful that this is to do with falling over at tennis this morning and not running yesterday Fingers crossed we get out tomorrow morning. I'll get her to post tomorrow so you can see what she thinks!

[Legion Graduate]

I love running with my 15 y.o. son, but it doesn't happen as often as I'd like as his interest in running waxes and wanes. He is very supportive and a great coach when he comes running with me though.

I hope your daughter grows to love running. It will be lovely for both of you to have someone to run with.

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to Legion]

It didn't happen this morning as she is complaining about hip pain. I'm not sure if that's real hip pain or just 'I don't really want to do this right now'. Time will tell, I suppose! So I understand about the waxing and waning of interest. Fingers crossed they both take to it for life

[Legion Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

I find teenagers can be hard to get out the door when it comes to exercise but they always seem to enjoy it when you get them there. I went to Parkrun once with my son (before I graduated) and he came home full of enthusiasm, wanting to go regularly. Then he found the sofa and PS3 again.

[con-brio Graduate in reply to Legion]

I once took my neice trekking the mountains..she was then about 17. She dawdled and groaned all the time, but did it. Next time out (she actually agreed to come ), we tackled a via ferratus (steel cable mountaineering) and she really complained,refused to budge for ages when the only way was up and drank all our water supply within 20 minutes, so we all reached the top above Lake Como some 2 hours later in dire straits (hot, so hot by that time). But guess what! Now (28) she brags about it to her friends.