My first run today. : Well I did my first run... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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My first run today.

Edington profile image
16 Replies

Well I did my first run today, well not quite, I had to give up on one of the running sessions in the middle as I just couldn't do it, so I skipped one run. I am going to re-do day one until I can do it all, then will move on. Even though I could not do the whole run, I felt a real sense of achievement in completing it and even my dogs kept up with me!

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Edington profile image
Edington
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16 Replies
SirEb profile image
SirEb

You took your dogs? I was thinking about doing that but I worried that they would see it as a game and jump up or run in front of me and trip me up. Good to hear you didn't have a problem with them, it opens up more opportunities to fit in this C25K thing I've decided to do. My first run will be tonight.

Edington profile image
Edington in reply toSirEb

Good luck with your first run. Yes, I was not sure how they would go, but so far, so good. It took a while to get one of my dogs not to keep running infront of me, but he eventually got the hang of it. I walk the dogs each day, so am trying to build this program into my daily routine.

Noaky12 profile image
Noaky12Graduate

Congratulations for getting out there & getting that first run under your belt.

I know how hard these first runs are! Don't be afraid to slow down if you find you're struggling, you can always work on speed once you've built up a bit of stamina.

Good luck with the programme I'm sure you & the dogs will love it!

PS keep posting updates & lets us know how you're getting on ☺

Edington profile image
Edington in reply toNoaky12

Thank you, yes, I will just set my own pace, was really happy that I was able to complete the run, even with a bit missing.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Brilliant... well done, and just go for it at your own pace. Slow and steady :)

Edington profile image
Edington in reply toOldfloss

Thank you

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate

Yeah ! I'm waving my pompoms for you. The feeling of achievement is fab, isn't it? And it just gets better.... :)

Great idea to take the dogs - I took smelly dog with me until we got to week seven, when she decided that the running intervals were too long and went on strike. She's an old biddy, so she did well to get that far.

Edington profile image
Edington in reply tomfamilias

I have one dog that is 12 years old, he is only small, I am not sure how much he enjoyed it, but my young dog is only 4 and he loved it.

boptillyoudrop49 profile image
boptillyoudrop49Graduate

Go slow and then slow it down a bit more. I remember that first run with all the stopping and starting. My calves ached like mad. Two months or so on and I'm easily running for 28 minutes, albeit still slowly and I feel like I could just keep on going (ha maybe not though!). This programme really works but the first 5 weeks were a struggleto build up stamina, strength and get the hang of it. Week 1 I don't think I had a running gait to settle into and when you are alternating walking and running, it doesn't seem to come very naturally. It will all come together though.

Edington profile image
Edington in reply toboptillyoudrop49

Yes, running does not come naturally to me, so I hope to struggle on to find some sort of running style.

GoogleMe profile image
GoogleMeGraduate

My strategy was that when I got to a segment where I couldn't run the whole of it, I walked for the rest of the podcast. Still building fitness but it makes it very clear what you have to do to improve. It took me a lot of attempts to get to the point where I'd done the 3 successful completions to enable me to move on to Week 2... but the interesting thing is that after that, the programme was straightforward (not saying easy!) and all completed on schedule.

Edington profile image
Edington in reply toGoogleMe

Thank you. I had to "walk" through one of the running segments, then I was OK to finish the next 2 running segments. Hopefully if I just keep going at it I will be able to move on soon to Week 2. Thank you for the encouragement.

GoogleMe profile image
GoogleMeGraduate in reply toEdington

It may well be that you crack the next session in full. If not, do keep the 'Game Over' strategy in mind to bolster that intention to keep going rather than letting your body decide. As others have said, adjust the pace, down, down, down if you need to and if you are really desperate but soooo close then run on the spot. It's all about maintaining a different movement not speed.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

Slow down and complete the session. Finishing is the whole point. Slow down to progress. The programme is progressive, and if you go slow and steady you will move effortlessly through the weeks, injury free.

Listen to the go slow advice cos it's the key

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate

No worries - it's all quite a shock to the system just build up gently. We all struggled at first - it does get better as you build your fitness. You've made a great decision to start.

JoolieB1 profile image
JoolieB1Graduate

Well done, good to start. What made you miss out a run, do you think it was difficulty breathing or maybe you were running a bit too fast? There is no need to be speedy on the programme,math at can come in later. Just need to slow down enough to do the run times and you don't want to be gasping for breath, try breathing slowly and deeply and trying to be relaxed! I can remember well how hard it is to run for a whole minute but you won't believe me, you will be amazed that in a few weeks, you will find that easy, don't give up though, good for u having a try 😀 Julie

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