Week 1 Day 1

[Olli78]

Well, I managed to complete the first podcast this afternoon and am chuffed to pieces that it was on my first attempt. However, I was not in an attractive state by the end of it! Breathing is a skill I really need to master as I had a stitch by the end of the podcast. Fortunately for me I chose to do the run at one of my favourite dog walking haunts where not many people go. I covered just short of 2 miles over the podcast but I'm not bothered about distance, let me sort the breathing out first!

Surprisingly I'm not as stiff or sore as I thought I would be given that I've got hypermobility syndrome (Ehlers Danlos III) and all of my joints bend the wrong way! I'm grateful my knees aren't protesting! Tomorrow morning will be a test - getting out of bed in one go!

I've got approximately 3 stones of blubber to shift as well so I haven't made my life particularly easy. I'm following the weight watchers plan for the mortification of being weighed in front of a leader each week - even worse is the leader is a lady whom I went to school with! Yesterday I had a photo taken of me on the beach at an organised dog walk - it has become my thinspiration! Utterly appalling state of affairs and very definitely my catalyst!

I've been reading some of the blogs saying that you should move on to the next stage at the end of each week rather than repeating weeks, I'll be interested to see how I'm feeling after my planned run on Friday - I've decided I'm running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week with long dog walks on all days but slightly longer at weekends. Before I set out today I had thought to myself about doing two weeks of of each of the weeks on the podcast rather than one given the state I'm in. I was surprised at myself in today's run. 8 minutes of running is 8 minutes longer than I have done in some significant time - probably since I left the army at 18 (now 34!)!

I hope this gets easier and my body tollerates it!

[LMS2110 Graduate]

Welcome to the C25K forum and well done on getting off the couch and out for your first run! You've completed the hardest part ... Yes, truly, your decision to make changes to your life and shape are now underway

As for deciding at this early stage that you will or will not repeat stages, can I humbly suggest you wait and see how you and your body feels at the end of this week?

Clearly different folk of different ages, starting weights, levels of fitness etc etc will all approach the programme in different ways. You may well find that you should judge each week as you go - some you'll fly through, and if this is the case you must have faith and realise that your body has been properly prepared for the next week. Other weeks might cause you problems, pains aches etc. After these runs, you might try allowing your body an extra day or two to rest and heal/strengthen before trying it again. You may not need to repeat an entire week, just as long as you have three confidently completed runs, you can be assured that you should be able to progress to the following week.

Have you told your GP about your plan to do the C25K challenge? S/he may be able to add advice specific for your syndrome?

Wonderful to hear that you are embarking on WW campaign too .... My goodness you are bold, keen and feisty - you must have confidence that you'll make it through!

Lots of luck with achieving your aims, your dogs probably won't recognise you in a few weeks time. Really look forward to hearing how to get along, take care and keep blogging to get heaps of support from this amazing forum! Cheers, Linda

[Olli78 in reply to LMS2110]

Thanks Linda

I've not mentioned a peep to my gp as sadly chocolate fireguard springs to mind - it's all I could do to get a pain management programme established after taking 18 years to get a diagnosis of HMS!

Thanks for the advice on the repeating, you're right, I'll be waiting to see how I feel at the end of each section

I started WW earlier on in the year but lost interest about a month ago so I figure by doing c25k with it, I'll be more interested in eating properly so as not to ruin the running effort!

Poor dog was somewhat baffled by my stop starting earlier! He'll get used to it eventually!

[LMS2110 Graduate in reply to Olli78]

Awww well, never mind re the GP (thought it was only me who had no faith in them LOL) I reckon I am better aware of me than he is anyway - besides, he's got his work cut out with sick people, right? )

I have weight to lose too ... And even after completing, I've shifted hardly anything - BUT my shape has changed! Now eating very carefully and surprising phenomenon - I have actually lost my desire for 'bad' foods and larger portions! I think my body is telling me that I need only sensible portions of sensible foods .... Weird, but good weird Best of luck with everything. X

[gingernut49 Graduate]

Well done for starting on this amazing journey! I lost three stone following the 5:2 plan between October and February and started on C25K in January when I was feeling lighter and full of energy. I'm only on a State Pension so I love the fact that both C25K and 5:2 save me money!

[CouchToHockeyPitch Graduate]

Hello Olli, and welcome! Congratulations on taking the first step on your journey! I felt a little bit like you at the beginning - not sure whether to repeat weeks and whatnot. My advice is similar to Linda's, just keep going with the plan until you are unable to complete a session, and then reassess at that point. I kept on thinking that surely the next session was going to be the one that I couldn't manage, and it wasn't until I got to week 5 run 3 that I finally met my match! That's the fifteenth run! Listen to your body and the chances are, if it gets you to the end of one run then it's probably game to have a go at the next one...

By the way, I am a similar age to you, have lost four stones at Slimming World (a far more achievable and sustainable plan than WW, in my humble opinion) but I'm still less than halfway to my target weight so I'm carrying an awful lot of excess baggage. But over the weekend I finally nailed W5R3 on the third attempt, and oh, what a feeling!

Get stuck in Olli, looking forward to hearing how it's going for you! :o)

[flumplette]

Don't look too far ahead- you'll make much quicker progress than you think possible. Keep going and well done for starting,

[overworkedandoverheated]

I have just started week 2 and yes it does get easier also the breathing gets better the fitter you become, keep going well done!

[mrshiccup]

As others have said...be guided by your own body! If you need to repeat some weeks that is fine - have done so myself frequently especially in the first stages! Just keep trying and holding onto your obvious determination...good luck