Very first day - did anyone else find it as ha... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Very first day - did anyone else find it as hard as I did?

anand12 profile image
18 Replies

I am kinda fat (OK I am obese) but I didn't think it'd this hard considering I used to play hockey. I managed to do all my runs of 60 seconds but in between the 90 second brisk walks weren't really brisk. I couldn't walk any faster :(

I feel like my first run(& walk) was kinda unsuccessful in that regard. How did your's go?

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anand12 profile image
anand12
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18 Replies
OlsBean profile image
OlsBean

"did anyone else find it as hard as I did?" - Very much so, if you are carrying some extra weight then just take extra care to avoid injury BUT don't use that as an excuse to stop :D Just listen to your body, if you need to slow it down then do so but just keep moving as that's the key, the plan works trust in it, follow it, give a 100% and you'll succeed.

You've not included much about yourself but you've said that you are obese, if your worried about your weight and any impact/effect it will have with this kind of exercise then it might be worth having a chat with your GP.

Good Luck with it all.

anand12 profile image
anand12 in reply toOlsBean

I am 23, 5'7" and 95kg. I am not really worried about injuries and such. Like I said I used be sporty. My school/studies was kinda suffering so I let all that go and now I am the opposite. Now that I have my job etc sorted I have time to concentrate on getting back into sports. Ultimately I want to be able to join some sport club.

Hilsch profile image
Hilsch

You did much better than me on my first session, I had to stop for a rest half way through! I think I was trying to run too fast, and found that if I stuck to a very light jog I could manage the sessions better. I repeated week 1 to give me a bit more confidence and since then have found each week challenging but do-able. It does get better!

TryingSoHard profile image
TryingSoHardGraduate

I remember thinking "Hey, this isn't too bad", and then realising I was only half way through the warm up! I found the whole session almost impossibly hard, but now, 9 short weeks later I'm about to do my final run.

I have no idea how it's possible, but it is. And if I can do it, you certainly can. Really! Just have faith, hang on in there, and take it one run at a time. Good luck!

yelsel_2002 profile image
yelsel_2002

I was relatively fit before starting c25k... Did lots of walking/swimming/gym etc and I still felt like I was dying when I started! The first couple runs I was blotchy and red and out of breath for at least half an hr after finishing and thought there was no way id manage it. I think I even decided that maybe "I just couldn't run" but I'm still going albeit not v fast. I'm now on wk5 and def notice a difference in my fitness....am still shocked I can manage a full 5 mins without a break!!

Bubbleguppie79 profile image
Bubbleguppie79Graduate

Well done you for starting. Yes I found the first run hard. I'm also obese maybe nearer morbidly got 5 stone to lose. But I'm now on week 3 and although I still find it difficult you do notice your muscles getting use to it and my cardio recovery time has improved in such a short space. Don't give up. If you have to repeat weeks :workouts until you are comfortable that's fine. Good Luck :)

DavD profile image
DavDGraduate

I definitely felt the same as you did! I'm in the BMI obese category and was a couch potato for years, so it was pretty hard from the start (did week 1 and 3 twice).

Don't get discouraged though! Yes, it was a hard run but you know what? You did it! You passed through the hardest step which is going out off the comfort of your couch, you ran and walked and you completed this workout!! Be proud! In 9 weeks or so, you'll be able to run for 30min without stopping. A lot of us never thought we could go this far, but we succeeded. The NHS C25K program is cleverly made - trust it.

Don't skip the warm up and cool down, complete the runs with stretches at the end of them and don't run everyday (I was tempted to do so because of the beginner's excitement but please, just don't). These and the rest days will keep you injured free so you can enjoy your runs (yes, you'll enjoy them or at least the delight of completing them, I'm pretty sure of that). Also, there will be good and bad runs. Don't focus on the bad ones - a bad run is always better no run at all. If you feel it is too hard, just slow down and keep going.Good luck!

mehitabel profile image
mehitabelGraduate

I promise you can do it. I was the biggest couch potato ever, and started convinced I would never finish, and that it wouldn't ever be possible for me to do 5km. I am doing Race for Life tomorrow and confidently expect to do it in 30-32 minutes. You won't believe how fast you improve.

notbad profile image
notbadGraduate

My first run was the hardest, since then (almost a year since starting c25k) I have ran much longer distances but those 60 second runs felt so long, & the 90 second walks so short. It gets easier, promise. :-)

sarahlou27 profile image
sarahlou27

I did! i just finished my first walk/run and oh my it was hard work, the last two 60 sec runs were a struggle and the fact i was eating flies on the route didnt help lol :) i hope the next time it is a little better. we will see good luck with the next one too

tantrumbean profile image
tantrumbeanGraduate

I'm one of the lucky people who never had a problem with my weight, so can't comment on that bit, but believe me, none of my so called "brisk walks" were ever "brisk" - in fact, most were probably considerably slower than my normal walking speed. Don't worry about it, you'll get there!

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate

Of course I found it hard! Almost impossible! But almost a year on, I'm now running around 7K with relative ease! Come on, you can do it!

Littlehelper profile image
Littlehelper

I completed my first session this morning and am also very overweight. My legs are definit ey feeling it now. But at least we are doing it; even if we go slowly or repeat weeks at least we are doing something for ourselves. Good luck for the next time. Let us know how you do.

anand12 profile image
anand12

Thanks for all the encouragement, very much appreciated. Tomorrow is my W1R2, should be fun :)

crox profile image
croxGraduate

Well, if you did all you 60s runs you did better than me, I had to cut mine down to 30s runs and double the walks ;-) Did my 9th parkrun yesterday in 26:40 (10s of my pb) so it does get easier

roundbutsound profile image
roundbutsoundGraduate

It took me nearly a month to get up to 1 minute running, so to answer your question, yes it's very hard for a lot of us particularly when we started. The up side is that if you keep at it it will come eventually, I ran (very slowly) for 25 mins without stopping or walking on Saturday YAY GO ME :) Take your time, enjoy the experience and satisfaction after each run, repeat weeks as necessary and keep at it. You can do it.

lola465 profile image
lola465Graduate

The first 2 weeks were by far the hardest in the whole programme for me! My quads hollered throughout and afterwards.

Take heart, what you experienced is normal - and it gets a lot better!

Stubbyp profile image
StubbypGraduate

The first weeks were the hardest, especially the walking bits as my legs and feet hurt after every run. But it gets better and the longer runs actually feel easier than the stop start of the first few weeks. We've just done the 20 mins run of week 5 and I would say I found it easier than week 1. I too am overweight but my trousers are getting looser and I've had to buy new jeans as my old ones had become way too baggy. Keep up the good work and you will see progress.

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