Hello, newbie here. I am a complete exercise-phobe. Never liked PE at school and was always more bookish than sporty. I hate the feeling of being out of breath and really struggle to commit to any kind of fitness programme.
At best my activities have stretched to a bit of ballroom dancing, a dabbling in group exercise classes (but never more than a few weeks before boredom and excuses set in) and the occasional bout of horse riding...not exactly nothing but equally not the kind of things that will make huge changes to my fitness.
So confessional over with it's time I actually made an effort to change so I'm starting week 1 tomorrow after work. The feeling out of breath thing is obviously going to be necessary but does anyone have any breathing techniques or other tips that may make it less uncomfortable?
Also, does anyone have any ideas for keeping me motivated. I live alone and not near any friends who would be interested so this really is going to be a solo venture...any advice?
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char2609
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Hey char2609 and well done for making the decision to start C25k.
As it's your first week just breathe naturally and take it slow and steady. It's not as scary as it seems at first and Laura will keep you moving in the right direction.
There are over 6000 members on-line here so you are never alone...
Good luck with week 1 and look forward to hearing about your progress.
Hiya...I have just started too....did my first run yesterday...if you look through the posts, there are about 3 of us who started this week!
I don't think it's an issue that you are doing it on your own...personally, I would find it really annoying trying to do it with someone else because you are bound to run at different speeds and one will be fitter than the other etc. enjoy the solitude and it e to yourself...that's a definite plus for me!
Hi. I started yesterday, so as Lippie said, you're not alone and it would be great if we could support each other. Good luck with your run today and please let us know how it goes.
I started just before my 40th last year, having done very little exercise in the previous 10 years my weight had blossomed to 30kg over what it should have been. To start with I couldn't run for 30 seconds, nevermind a minute. I stuck with the programme and Saturday I ran 5km in 25 minutes, which I'm quite proud of.
If you're worried about not sticking with it, I'm going to suggest something that I would have dreaded when I started: join a group. Sweatshop have beginner's groups or you could do a parkrun as your 3rd run of the week.
Well done for deciding to get started! I have to say I am the same as you - never liked PE, tried exercise programs every now and again only to quit after a couple of weeks max. But the running is different, and I knew it from my first run - I actually got injured in the first week when I first attempted it and I was so upset. I couldn't believe I was so upset at not being able to exercise! Usually I'd use that as an excuse but 2 weeks later I healed and started again.
I found I got quite out of breath at first, but since I had my restart after 2 weeks it taught me some lessons. I was definitely going too fast in the beginning - honestly keep it slow, might not even feel much faster than your brisk walk. I also realised that it doesn't take long at all for the body to adapt. After about 2 runs I was much less out of breath. So you just need to remember that.
As for sticking at it, I came on here and read loads of inspiring posts in the first week. People who said they were so unfit and are now doing 10K races, or those who have lost loads of weight etc... That definitely got me hooked and I weirdly look forward to my runs now (not that I enjoy the pain at the time lol!)
Take it sloooooow If you get out of breath, slow down a bit but don't stop!! push yourself to get to the end of the minute and concentrate on your recovery in the walks. Don't push for a brisk pace in the recovery if you can't do it. As long as you keep moving. And don't be scared of what is coming later, just concentrate on getting to the end of each minute.
I found that I could run approximately the same distance in 1 minute as I could walk in 90 seconds, so I just went up and down the same bit of path in my local park. It meant I could literally see the finish line, so if I was getting out of breath, I knew I only had to get to the next set of trees before I turned round and walked back. likewise, I knew when my walks were coming to an end so I could gear myself up to start running again.
I was seriously unfit, nearly 20 stones and the perennial gym dodger when I started. I was that fat kid at school that the PE teachers seemed to like picking on. Now, 8 weeks on, I am running over 3 miles at a time, going non stop for 30 minutes at least. It's taken me 15 years out of school to realise that exercise isn't just something that sporty people do. It's absolutely necessary to make sure you are healthy in middle age. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
And don't forget, you're never alone. There's tons of people on here who are a great source of help and advice, or even just a bit of encouragement. And when you're on your runs, Laura is always with you. her music taste is a bit dodgy to say the least, but her dulcet tones can keep you going when your legs are screaming to stop. My wife says she's the other woman in our relationship!!
I did my first run yesterday and wasn't sure I would be able to complete it but did! I choose somewhere remote so no one would see me lumbering across the fields! I haven't been allowed to do any exercise for 6 weeks due to surgery but now allowed to start and thought this would be a good way to begin exercise again. Felt very proud of myself and will follow the programme, hopefully my fitness will improve again and I will lose some weight.
Hi, I just got home from w1 r1 and feeling so much better for getting off my bum! How did you get on? I've actually done it before and it totally works...I ended up doing a 5k and then life got in the way and I stopped running.
I too hated sport at school, was convinced I couldn't actually run but somehow this works and following the programme is in itself motivating. I agree with the others...run really slowly at first and you will be able to finish.
Good luck...looks like we have our own little group of newbies already!
It is not recommended but would depend on your own physical state. If you have started this because you are unfit and have never run before, then I would make sure you keep your rest days. When you are new to running you are building up your muscles quite slowly and you also cause micro-tears in those muscles, which your amazing body repairs during your rest days. Most of us have wanted to run daily at some point, but best to wait until you are in better general condition, otherwise you may get an injury which, speaking from experience, is very frustrating and could be demotivating at the early stages. C25k is very well structured to build you and your achievements gently and avoid those dreaded injuries.
Keep up the enthusiasm and you will be graduate in no time at all.
When I did my first run I couldn't finish is 60seconds!! So I started my own for 2 weeks doing 30 seconds of running an a minute of walking. Wasnt long before I was up to the full 60 seconds. Try not to concentrate on your breathing ( sounds silly ) but the more I concentrate on the breathing the more out of breath I got! Now I'm running 8 minutes an hardly out of breath. If I can do it anybody can good luck and well done for starting
Hello everyone - its been almost a year since my last confession!!! I have been receiving the daily healthunlocked emails and casually deleting them for fear that this day would finally come! I have got to start C25K again. I very almost graduated this time last year, but somewhere along the way lost motivation for any form of exercise. So with renewed enthusiasm i am starting again tonight. Wish me all luck please! It would be great to think that in 9 weeks time (with a few weeks spare before christmas) that i will be capable of running for 30 minutes again. Looking forward to tonight with dread!!!
Good luck your comment looking forward to tonight with dread struck a chord with me.. I am looking forward to my week one second run tommorrow with dread! Lol....
Don't bother with the dread - honestly it's not as bad as you think! Just slowing down, as others have said, is the answer. Also I never got out of breath except when Laura started going on about the breathing - then i was suddenly thinking I needed more breath! I find if you can fill your mind with loads of other stuff (what you watched on tv, and argument you intend to have when you get home, what you're going to write on FB etc) as well as the music, it distracts you from the actual running so you don't notice the time passing. I know I was amazed when I got to the 28 min run this morning, and found there was only 5 mins left. Look at the houses you run past & think about their decorative architecture, or which bits need painting. Anything to stop you clock-watching and thinking how long to go. That way madness lies...
Hello everyone... Well I did it :)... W1R1 completed.
Ok so I was outpaced by passing butterflies but you guys were right...keeping the pace nice and slow actually meant I got to the end and didn't feel like I was dying!
Well done. I've just started week one this week too and did my second run today. As you've found, the trick I think is to go slowly but to keep moving, and for me, I can't really manage the brisk walk in between, I just slow down and stroll until I can get my breathing regular again.
Regarding motivation, I have to admit that I've found loads of inspiration through reading the posts on here and everyone has been really supportive which helps to keep you motivated.
I completed my second run yesterday and found that it was initially harder than the first and then halfway through suddenly easier! I am doing a very slow jog and brisk stroll inbetween. Hoping I can at some point run (can't envisage that at the moment tho as so overweight!)
I've just come back from run 2...I found it pretty good and I even upped my pace a bit half way through as I wasn't feeling particularly out of puff.
I'm particularly proud of myself because it rained the entire time. I put my purple mac on so I didn't get too wet and I found I had a few more pockets to stash my keys and iPod which was helpful. I also wore my walking trainers rather than my fashion ones...much more comfortable
Just got to figure out how to do my run on Friday without my boyfriend finding out...I don't want him to know until perhaps week 5 or even after I actually graduate.
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