Week 1 Run 1

[the_old_me]

I completed the week 1 run 1 yesterday. Though I suffered short breath but I am happy that I could finish it. I am hopeful about the next runs but need inspiration to go on. In fact I am planning to join a 5K marathon after 12 weeks and I took C25K as an opportunity to make myself prepared for that. I used to do martial arts several years back and gained much weight last year. I feel so unfit and want to get back the fitness. Wish me luck!

[LyndaM Graduate]

Good luck, but as long as you follow the podcasts I am sure you will be fine. I am at W7 R2 stage now and a few weeks ago I would never have thought I would be able to run for 25 minutes. Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!

[gary_bart]

Welcome aboard. Let me be a pest about Parkruns, seeing as you're starting, and could benefit from doing what I should have done. If you don't know already, Parkruns are weekly 5km runs held at various places, that runners and walkers of all abilities attend. It's friendly; it's fun; and YOU CAN DO IT. Really. All you do is in the middle of that Parkrun, you do your c25k run of that day. And then after that's done, you walk/run any way you please to complete the 5km. You won't even be last. There are people there who volunteer for the job of coming last. You can find more by searching this forum, and by googling on the word 'parkrun'.

The nice thing about not "waiting until you're ready" for your Parkruns is that they'll give you a weekly or fortnightly indication of how well c25k is working for you, all the way through. Sure, your first time will probably be ... well the time you'd expect from someone unfit taking care not to do something silly, and get hurt; but your next time will be a PB...

[the_old_me Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

Hi,

Thanks so much. I have looked into the parkrun opportunity in my city. I am quite impressed with the activity. I would really like to join but before that I just want to build a little bit more confidence.

[gary_bart in reply to the_old_me]

Sorry for being a Parkrun Pest like this. And I know exactly where you're coming from, with that desire to build confidence (what do you think also held the rest of us back from the humiliation of public exercise before we decided to be brave like you are being right now, and took that huge leap?) But please just ask yourself one question (no need to reply to someone else with your answer): "How much confidence do I need to just Walk the whole of a Parkrun, hidden among all the other people who just walk it every week?"

Lots of people just Walk the Parkrun. You could go there in boots and hiking clothes if you wanted.

And if you walked it this weekend, you'd have a nice slow time for your first run. Then next weekend, you'd have a PB, and for several weekends thereafter, without doing anything crazy there, you'd see your times improving steadily all the time. Meanwhile you'd be developing the good habit of attending. ....

... and also of Building Confidence?

OK. No more pressure, I promise. I'll shut up now, and you just do what works for you. I'm not trying to sell you something; I'm just trying to help you sell it to Yourself. (And just sticking to c25k is the main thing, anyway. All the rest is just garnishings.)

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Well done for starting the programme and welcome to this fantastic new world! Most of us here started to get fitter so you are not alone and will get tons of inspiration from everyone. Just listen to Laura and do what she says, run very, very slowly, stretch, take your rest days, repeat runs if you need to and just marvel at the change in your fitness levels as the weeks go by. You have a great target in the 5K run and that will be a great motivation. Enjoy!

[the_old_me Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks very much Irishprincess.. I am really looking forward to the day when I will be able to run 5k. I just wandered should I take a one day break or two days break between the runs.

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to the_old_me]

The programme suggests 3 runs a week so a typical week would be Monday run, Tuesday rest, Wednesday run, Thursday rest, Friday run and then rest Saturday and Sunday. Of course you can change the days to suit you but just make sure you're not running more than the 3 times a week. It is on your rest days that your body builds strength and fitness.

Even now after two years of running I still take two consecutive rest days each week.

[Novicerunner45]

Well done, I am going to start the couch to 5k programme having not run since school but the biggest hurdle is just starting and having a go.

[the_old_me Graduate in reply to Novicerunner45]

Yes..you are right. To me the hardest part is being stick to it. I have started so many things in my life but did not continue. I truly want to achieve this goal.