A friend and I did our first run yesterday and loved it. I've never run in my life and am 46 (well apart from enforced stuff at school which I hated) I have a dog walking business so walk miles every week but wanted to get fitter and be in the fresh air.
Looking forward to Monday for our next run.
Just wondering if it's recommended to do some stretching when we get home? My legs are a bit achy but nothing bad.
Also what is the music people mention. Is there music on the app or do people play their own. I will only do it with music if I'm alone so would be interested to know. I have an iPhone but not sure if Laura will interrupt whilst music is on. Don't want to miss her encouraging voice
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Barbarajs
Graduate
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well done on taking those first steps and getting out there streches yes I am 56 nearly 57 i probably dont stretch enough ...
there is a Laura version with music but it is fairly dire fare. You can also add your own playlist to the app and Laura will fade the music out when she speaks to you. Or you could listen the Radio or an audio book or whatever.
Stretching is a good habit to get into, yes. You will have a few aches at the outset (I still have a few now), but stretching will reduce it.
your walking no doubt stands you in very good stead - you are the first person I know of to have actively enjoyed R1.
Keep up the good work. 46 is a very good age to start running IMO. Good to be a runner as one approaches one's prime.
Hi Barbara. Well done for getting out on that first run!
I used the app on my android phone...I would expect the iphone app to be similar, in which case, you can play music from your phone's library. You won't miss Laura's prompts as the music volume automatically reduces so that you can hear, although I found the hearing better with one earpiece in, as missed some when a car and a plane went by/over when using it without.
Only snag with playing the music is that you can't select a playlist and it has a tendency to get stuck on the first song you select, so won't play through an album either...the only way to overcome this is to select shuffle in the app (this might a be phone or operating system problem, as the same thing happened to a freind, who has the same phone as me).
As for stretching, I would say yes when you get home - these are good, I find
nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/... . Also, now I have some experience (hindsight), I would have done some stretching/flexing on the rest days (there're Laura podcasts for those too). I've started them and other exercises now that I've picked up a wee injury, most likely caused by lack if strentgh & over-enthusiasm!
Thank you. I think for now, as I'm running with my friend, I won't listen to anything else and just concentrate but she is away for a week soon so I will carry on alone...maybe then the music will help. Will look at that link for stretches too
Hi there, I've got an iphone and i use the couch to 5k podcasts from iTunes, very easy to download . ... The music is unusual but for me , was part of the appeal & a good distraction !! Happy running
I didn't know there were any on iTunes...will take a look. Thanks Caroline. Happy running to you too I found a forum like this when I stopped smoking and I really don't think I would have succeeded without it so hoping this one helps me with the running challenge
Well done for getting started! I promise you that it's addictive.
You have 2 options for C25K:
1) Download the App onto a smartphone - this is just Laura's voice and the timekeeping. You can play your own music in the background, and Laura's voice will make the volume of the music decrease when she comes on.
Pros - (a) you can have your own music (or audio book etc); (b) you have a phone with you for emergencies.
Cons - (a) some people consider the timekeeping very hit and miss - sometimes a 5 minute warm up walk becomes 7 minutes and likewise with running. It seems that the more apps you have running, the worse the timekeeping; (b) you need to carry a smartphone with you running.
2) Download the C25K _podcast_ from iTunes onto your phone or MP3 player. All the music and all of Laura's voice are in the one podcast. You'll find the podcast in iTunes store.
Pros - (a) it is one simple podcast with music and voice all in one media; (b) timekeeping is very accurate; (c) you only need to take a small MP3 player (if you have one).
Cons - (a) VERY ECLECTIC selection of music which you may (or may not) like. You could search this forum for 'Julie' to get an idea of the love/hate views on the music. (b) You may not have an MP3 player.
Personally, I used an iPod nano and sometimes an iPod shuffle when I did C25K in the summer. If I didn't have these, I would have used the podcast on my iPhone, but really, an iPhone is a bit big to put in my pocket when running. I quite enjoyed being distracted by music that I did not know, so favoured the podcast.
Now I like Laura's music - mainly because it is something I would never listen to ordinarily. My own music probably wouldn't work with running. Though saying that, one sunny Sunday I used my proper Sony Walkman mp3 player to run one music track and walk the next - that was interesting and turned out to be one of my longest runs.
For alternate day to day I have a cheap small smart-phone (£49) which enabled me to download the MP3 files to the SD card. It also means I have a telephone to use in emergencies.
Trying to find the podcasts. I'm a bit confused. Do I need the podcasts app first then search for the C25k....if so I'm failing badly. I have no music on my phone at all so would like to see if the podcast is what I'd like. Can anyone help me a bit more. I don't and never have used my phone for much more than photos,calls and texts!! Thank you from a technophobe
Well done on starting Couch! Personally, I stuck with Laura throughout because, although some of the music is pretty naff, it sort of became a guilty pleasure so that when some of the songs were repeated in later weeks, I was actually smiling and enjoying the familiarity!
Also, maybe because I knew that hundreds of people before me had completed the course listening to the same thing made me feel part of a community, even though I did Couch on my own out in the sticks!!
I am 55 (until next week lol) and suffered many problems with my poor muscles. Luckily my son is a fitness professional and he put me straight on the do's and don'ts!
Stretching out after the run is a must and you may find a foam roller helpful as, being new to running, you probably have all sorts of knots in those unsuspecting muscles!!
Thank you amisnan, sounds like your relatives are pretty useful to know! Will be doing some stretches on Monday for sure. My legs actually hurt more today than yesterday. But at least it shows I've done something. We are running in the afternoons after I've warmed up doing a few hilly miles with the dogs first!! I think I'd be worse if I did it first thing. Well done you too
Thank you. That's so kind. I'm actually suffering a bad shoulder (to do with dog walking and throwing toys for them) and am having a massage next week. An unused Christmas gift voucher coming in very handy!
Barbara, this is marvellous! Yes, you can stretch. It will relax your muscles. Many do this at the gym after their exercises.
I find I have aching feet after pushing the pedals (I'm doing it on the static bike at the gym). but I think these are just muscles tht haven't been stretched before, so they are "abit shocked", but pain will go and run will be fairly easy. don't overdo the intensity. Well done, splendid effort.
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streches yes 
I am 56 nearly 57 i probably dont stretch enough ... 
My first Orienteering yesterday
Completed another consolidation run yesterday...still hate love running
I've just completed my first park run & I loved it 
Love, love, love my running club!
Park run - yesterday in the torrential rain
