Week 2 R3 done and dusted, not sure I'm ready for Week 3!

[Saraheyoung]

I finished week 2 today, noticed that you run for 3 mins on week 3, seriously don't think I can manage that!!

[louisew99 Graduate]

Remember to pace yourself and you will be surprised, it's the same amount of total running as week 2!

[scotsheather Graduate]

You can definitely do it Sarah - come back and tell us how you go x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Take it steady with each new challenge and you will sail through and be so pleased with yourself. And we will be too. Keep us posted. You can do it.

[Carolecal]

Oh yes you can !!!!! You will take it nice and easy, you will live to tell the tale ...you will post to let us all know how you did x

[Plinth Graduate]

Slow and steady, you can do it!

[Wheatls Graduate]

Seriously you can!!! The hardest part is getting started and you've already done that. Just keep going and as everyone says - just follow the plan and take it steady. I remember feeling that running for 3 mins seems me forever, but you will feel such a huge sense of achievement when youve done it!

[Saraheyoung]

I will definitely give it my best shot! One question, how long does everyone wait after eating before running?

[waletta Graduate in reply to Saraheyoung]

I think it's supposed to be 2 hours but I'd never get the evening runs in so I try to wait at least an hour or I eat a smaller dinner & have more to eat when I get home. If it helps, I really enjoyed W3 & I was really apprehensive about it.

[bloodofareptile Graduate in reply to Saraheyoung]

I just read an article the other day that says there's no scientific evidence to support a full or empty stomach being better, so just listen to your own body.

I personally like to run before dinner, but having eaten a banana.

[Scipio Graduate]

Of course you can! You will surprise yourself.

Make sure you come back & tell us all about it.

[Bristol_plodder]

Well done Sarah - excellent effort! You and me are both at exactly the same stage. I'm feeling a bit apprehensive about it as well, but then again I was about week 1 and week 2 as well, and they've proved to be do-able! Come on, we can do it. Let's give it our best shot. Onward and upwards, let's get a positive attitude and get out there and crack it! Very best of luck to you. We CAN do it and we WILL do it !!!

[MumWhaley]

Sarah, I am soooo jealous that you are starting week 3. I started coach to 5k yesterday and could only manage 3/5 of the 60 second runs, thought my face was going to set on fire. I am doing it with my daughter as I need to lose weight and she needs to get fitter (has asthma). I know she is going to wake up and want to go 'running' but I can hardly move my legs, i'm walking like John wayne.

I was chatting to a friend last night and she said that you need to 'book a run' as that will keep you focused, so I am currently looking for some around me.

Did you easily get through week 1?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to MumWhaley]

Hi MumWhaley, did you stretch after your run? There are very good ones on the NHS Choices site and they really do help. A physiotherapist told me that you will ache, and we all do, but they get much less as you get fitter. Don't despair, try again and if necessary again and again, but you will progress and get to week 3 and beyond. Most people don't find any week easy, but the course is wonderfully structured to enable you to make progress, even if you have to repeat runs or even weeks.

Keep trying and keep posting, you will find loads of support here. Good luck.

[MumWhaley in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank You Lannoda. I must admit I didn't stretch when got home as practically fell into chair. Will do next time though.

[Fjk99 Graduate in reply to MumWhaley]

Hi MumWhaley. Well done for starting I am about to start week 4 tomorrow but I sympathise with you for the first two weeks my legs ached too And going up and down stairs was dreadful! I would stretch when I got back and also sat in a hot bath and then attacked them with a deep heat type stuff. I then started using that before I even left the house. However don't despair it suddenly stops hunting and it haven't had any pain since the middle of week two. Keep at it

[bloodofareptile Graduate in reply to MumWhaley]

I feel a bit silly linking you to my own post, but you might like reading my graduation post.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Saraheyoung in reply to MumWhaley]

Hi MumWhaley, it does get easier. My niece runs a lot and couldn't stress to me enough how important it is to stretch after your run. Well done you!

[Hidden]

You can do this, I have just done Wk3 R1 and it was not to hard, it just builds on what you have already done, I even managed it without looking like a beetroot as I had for the whole of week 1.

[susan22 Graduate]

Oh yes you can!

[A1nsworth Graduate]

I said exactly the same thing as you just over a week ago.I am now on week 4 second run.If I can do it at 62you can as well.Get it out of your head and think positively.It is mind over matter thing.Report back.You will do it x

[Fjk99 Graduate]

You will though I have just finished week three and it was OK although you will think Laura's timing is off in the first run. You will surprise yourself at how much you can do

[runsandknits Graduate]

I literally just got out of the shower after W3 run1. I felt so apprehensive before hand about making the transition to W3 - 3mins seemed just such a huge step that I even contemplated repeating W2 again before tackling it. I felt great after my run tonight - I thought 3mins went much more quickly than I'd feared and I actually felt like I could have run more when it finished!!!! (This is crazy considering I almost burst in to tears mid run W1, R1)! Keep going and stay strong. So far I've bizarrely found that I need more mental strength than physical (and I am so unfit to begin with).

[bloodofareptile Graduate]

Just trust in the programme and keep plugging away at it. It really is really well designed.

[katee1958 Graduate]

you definately will be able to do it, just do as Laura says, and take it at a nice pace, not too fast. I think a large part of the battle is a psychological one, it is unbelievable the way the programme is, but they managed to get me from nothing to about to start week 9.... you will get there and feel very proud of yourself. x

[SKessex78]

Half of this running lark is mental and half physical, I promise you if you attack the 3 mins with a positive outlook that YES I WILL do this!!! You will! Wk5r3 (20 mins) was a bone of contention for me, I tried several times before I realised physically I could do I, it was the fact I was starting out knowing I couldn't! Think of something harder in your life you have had to do (28 hours of chcbirth for me) and I think if I can do that.....this is nothing!!!

[Saraheyoung]

Thank you for all the support and encouragement it really does help! I am going out at 7pm for my Week 3 run 1 and will report back to you all!

[Saraheyoung]

I did it! And it wasn't too bad! Thank you everyone for spurring me on x

[louisew99 Graduate in reply to Saraheyoung]

Good work, well done!

[Coolcookingteacher Graduate]

You can do this, remember not too fast and count your breathing!