Can I honestly do this having never run in my life???? Inspiration needed desperately!

[Lorraine1108]

I have never run, not even at school due to an ulcer on my leg which kept me bandaged and in a chair for a couple of years. I am now a healthy 41 year old but want to get fit, tone up and exercise but don't know if I can do this as i've never run in my life.

[thinnerandfitter Graduate]

Hi Lorraine,

YES YOU CAN!!!!

I started 1 year ago almost exactly today as a 49 3/4 year old overweight, unfit person. I graduated 10 weeks later and kept running, flu, colds, ice permitting until the weather became too warm (other health issues preclude getting too hot for me). I've been back running now for about 3 weeks and this morning ran week 8 run 1 (I started back at week 5). I'm hoping to get back to 5k within a couple of weeks now.

If you really WANT to do it you WILL - it's getting out there the first time (overcoming all the excuses) that's most difficult. If you DON'T go out then you won't get that great after-run feeling.

Keep posting here - it's a very supportive group - and let us know how you're doing!

Ann

[Lorraine1108]

Thanks Ann, your post is really lovely. Forgot to mention as well, and definitely don't want this to sound like i'm making excuses, but i've got dodgy knees that sound like somebody is smashing a lettuce against a wall(!!!) Had an op four years ago to release a lateral band (???) Would this programme help as I am keen to get going?

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to Lorraine1108]

You're welcome I'm not a knee expert and have never had problems with them. Is it worth checking with your doctor or a physio first if you're not sure? Maybe they'd suggest some knee strengthening exercises as well if that would be appropriate. Don't let that be your excuse for not pursuing this though....

[crox Graduate in reply to Lorraine1108]

Have a look at your local chemist, you can get tubigrip or neoprene knee supports, I used them when I was starting out.

[Lorraine1108]

Thank you, i'm going to download the programme and see how I go as I really want to do this and your encouragement and reading other forum member's motivational stories is amazing, thank you again.

[theriddler]

Can't really add anything to the very good posts by Ann.

One thing is for sure - you definitely won't do it if you don't try

I'm 36, asthmatic, very overweight (18 stone or so), no exercise since giving up football and cricket, and I'm currently on my last run of week 2. It's hard in places but Laura helps you through it.

The one concern would be your knee - it would be worth speaking to the specialist before you start to see if high impact exercise is good for you or not. If you do start, look into getting a knee support, and stick to grass rather than pavement.

[Lorraine1108]

Thanks "theriddler". I've heard that grass is far more forgiving than tarmac, although probably my body won't forgive me for a while!! :-). Really wanna give it a go though and get started but can't get a doc appointment for a fortnight. What do you reckon, give it a gentle go and see how I go? I completely appreciate that you're not a doctor (well, probably not!!) and are not able to give medical advice but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[theriddler in reply to Lorraine1108]

Indeed I'm not a doctor at all - are you still in touch with the specialist? Maybe you could call them? Alternatively, try calling the doctor - an appointment won't help, it should be something you can discuss over the phone.

However, if your knees don't actually hurt, then you could try giving it a go. It's a gentle start.

- 5 min brisk walk

- 60 sec jog

- 90 sec walk

- alternative for 8 cycles

- 5 min walk

If your knees hurt (properly hurt) then stop

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If your knees can take it, you will make it. C25k is a brilliant, life changing programme. A few years ago I went to the doctor because my knees were causing me so much pain that I would not even go out for a walk with the family. The doctor did very little apart from saying,"Come back when you can't manage to walk.". Great, I thought and started taking glucosamine and fish oils, of my own volition. I know that there is little scientific proof that they work, but there is no way I will stop taking them now. Fear of my dodgy knees kept me from running until June of this year when I decided that I had to do something for my declining stamina and fitness. At 57, I decided that if I ran mainly off road, then I might be ok. My knees ached for the first few weeks but are now much stronger as a consequence of running, giving me hardly any problems at all. Last Saturday I ran my first ever non stop 10k, in a shade over 1hr.

I had not run for forty years, but wish now that I had run all through my life. This course will take you gently through to running for 30mins and the health and wellbeing benefits will transform you into someone that you will hardly recognize. Give it a go. Get some decent running shoes and take it steady. Good luck and keep us posted.

[marcosan Graduate]

hi lorraine1108 and welcome, I'm another of the dodgy knee brigade having played too much football on hard surfaces in the past. C25K's gradual build up and running on grass has helped me enormously. My knees feel pretty good now even after the longer 25min runs.

Hope any professional advice will enable you to get out there and as you've probably gathered there's lots of friendly informal supportive advice from this forum which really helps in feeling a part of the community.

[Lorraine1108]

OMG, I really can't believe the support and how just a few words can make such a massive difference. I feel totally motivated and am definitely going to start, having just downloaded the podcast to my phone. There is a large park just a ten minute walk from where I live which is all grassed so I can absolutely avoid pavements and I bought a decent pair of trainers a few years ago but never actually wore them as they looked too "sporty" (!!!!!!!). I really cannot thank you all enough as I feel totally ready to give this a go, even a bit emotional at the fact that people want to help other people - a quality that is rare in people these days it seems. I will, without a doubt, keep you all updated as I hope to have my first stab at this tonight.

Thank you all again, genuinely so much. Here's to a fitter faster Lorraine x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Lorraine1108]

This is a very happy place, Lorraine. Welcome and good luck.

[Hules Graduate]

Good luck and enjoy! You can do it!

[c4ts Graduate]

Hope it all goes well for you, definitely get some advice re your knees although I would expect early on in the programme the running and walking should not over do it. It is interesting reading the other replies because I have done all my C25K running on tarmac - and definitely prefer roads to pavements as they seems to be smoother. As a teenager I had a lateral release operation to one knee and funnily enough when I have done my 2 park runs they have a couple of sections on grass and I am actually more fearful of running on the grass than the tarmac.

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Welcome - I'm glad you're already experiencing how genuinely supportive this community is I'd just add one thing to all the advice so far - although this is in theory a 9-week programme, take it as slowly as you need to. I graduated in 50 runs rather than 27 because I repeated weeks until I felt ready to move on. Good luck, and let us know how you get on!

[Upstart]

Yes, you can do it.

You may need to take a bit longer to complete the plan, as Anniemurph has already suggested. I started running at 55 yrs old, still hanging in there ten years later. I struggle with motivation sometimes, which is why I tried C25K and it really works.

My knees are dodgy (possibly as a result of running), but the rest of me is in better shape than if I hadn't started running.

Why don't you aim to do the Race for Life 5k next summer - the atmosphere is great, it's very friendly, all women, all ages and fitness levels, and a good cause. I do it every year and it gives me a real boost and sense of achievement.

Good luck!

[Lorraine1108]

OMG, OMG, OMG - Week 1, Run 1 - Nailed!!!!

Can't actually believe that I did it. I know that may sound really daft bearing in mind it is the very first one but I did it - I survived, my leg didn't fall off, my head didn't twist round and i'm still breathing!!!! Hoping that it doesn't now get massively difficult as I am currently on a huge high!!! Any suggestions on when I should do Week 1, Run 2? The way I feel at the moment is that I want to do it tonight but feel that perhaps that is too soon. Should I perhaps get the weekend out of the way and focus on Monday? PS: I did it in my lunchtime at work as well - go me!!!! (Can anybody tell just how chuffed I am?!?!?!?!?) Thank you to each and every one of you for giving me unconditional support. I read your responses again earlier this morning (when I felt like bottling it!) and felt that if I didn't do it then I would be letting you all down and now, how pleased and happy am I that I did do it. Thankyou again x

[Aftabs Graduate in reply to Lorraine1108]

Congratulations! Give yourself a minimum of one days rest, so if you ran today then don't run again until Sunday. You will need the rest for your body to recover. You will probably get a few aches and pains tomorrow but that is to be expected when you begin exercise, so don't worry about that.

If your knees do hurt then speak to your doctor. I have been running for 5 months now and when I graduated my knees would be tender for a day after a 5km run, but now they are fine. My knees only hurt now on longer runs (I have run 10 miles twice over the last 2 Sunday's) but I think that is to be expected.

[KateK Graduate in reply to Lorraine1108]

Just listen to Laura, I'm a newbie to running too, couldn't believe I'd run for 1 minute and not stopped, run 2 will be a little harder but persevere, run 3 will be fantastic, I floated round mine and I'm now itching to run W2R2. My knees have always been a weakness, during W1 I could tell they were there, if you know what I mean. W2R1 yesterday I didn't notice them, amazing, and no aches today.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Lorraine1108]

Nice one Lorraine. Stretching after your run is important too. There are some basic stretches on the NHS Choices site. As others said, you will need to curb your admirable enthusiasm and have a days rest from running, at this stage, but there is nothing to stop you doing other non impact exercise if you can't sit still. (Hey guys, I think we hooked another).

[Diamondwitch Graduate]

Give yourself at least one rest day. The idea is to build both stamina and confidence. Should you over do it there's a possibility of becoming disheartened with a bad run. (We don't call them failures here!) Or perhaps picking up a niggle which at the early stages could become an excuse for a rest period, which becomes a longer rest period, which becomes a takeaway and a movie and I'll go tomorrow....

Slow and steady and trust Laura. It's gonna be great!

[Mini13 Graduate]

Hi Lorraine,

Even though I might say or rather give you the same inspiration all the fellow runners have given you above, I just could not resist telling you- Please don't give up, you can do it!'

I am 45 (shhhhhhhh!!). Started c25K in Feb. My W1R1 was so very tiring but I was so happy I did it. That was a start of my running. Like you, I also have never run in my life, except playing hockey for the school team and doing few group events at sports meet ancient years ago.

I graduated from C25K on 29th April by running my 5K non-stop under 33 minutes. Since then, I have done One Race for Life under 32 minutes, Two 10K, One 12K, few Park Runs and present PB is 29 minutes 29 Seconds, that was achieved only on yesterday!

(Please read my Profile for more..)

So you see...if I can do it, you can do it, and to be honest anyone can do it. All you need is dedication and wanting to do it for yourself.

Wishing you all the very best, you really CAN do it! Keep on running, just a warning though, you will get addicted

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I started this at 42 in february this year having never ever run or been the pony tail swinging sporty type ever... And I never wanted to be- far too clean for me!!! However I needed something and this did it, it was one of the hardest things I have ever ever done but get this... I ran a half marathon last Sunday- who'd have known... I had housemaids knee as a child and also had to have a year off work when I was 27 due to reactive arthritis ... So not the best joints!! So you can and WILL do this, I have every faith in you xxxx

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Oh and get decent shoes ( very very important to get a proper assessment as i had terrible knee trouble at the start before i got my brooks)and take supplements as will help your knees...

[fitphoenix Graduate]

Congrats Lorraine on getting through your run- like everyone has said on here, just believe and keep going. You will do it! So many of us on here have dodgy knees/hips/feet and one way or another, sooner or later, faster or slower, we get there. Great advice already on here about taking things steady, monitoring your knees and how they feel, and stretching. Good luck and enjoy your running.

[Lorraine1108]

I am going to attempt W1R2 today after having more rest days than I would have liked!!! After the initial euphoria of completing W1R1 (never thought I could), my knees had a little discussion with themselves and basically went on strike, along with the majority of my leg muscles!!! I wanted to do W1R2 yesterday but the stiffness was still quite evident so I thought it best to leave it until today. Is this the right thing to do or should I have warmed up and battled through??? I was unable to get out at lunchbreak so i'm going to go bang on half five and am hoping to feel as chuffed as I was when I did the first run on Friday.