Hello, beginner runner here.

[Luxvia]

Hey there, I've just started the couch to 5k programme and joined here as I see lots of other people in the same boat as it were and I could do with the motivation.

I'm 24 and have a long history battling with depression and social anxiety. Luckily, these days, I have improved quite a lot (still get bad days occasionally) but compared to old me, very different. Back when I was having CBT, I was recommend some sort of exercise due to the positive mental benefits but I didn't take any up. During my youth, I suffered a lot bullying during PE (physical education) and ever since then, anything physical based I've always found a bit daunting so naturally, I didn't get a lot of exercise.

It is only recently that I have wanted to become more health and fitter and build up my stamina, getting out of breath going upstairs or running down the road was not fun. I volunteer in a charity shop and I had to go up and down stairs carrying bags and it almost killed and was like something has to change.

So I signed up for a local LGBT running group who were starting the Couch to 5k starting sessions so I joined up. The first run was on Saturday morning which I was pretty nervous about for both the running and meeting new people especially as my niece who was supposed to do it with me, bailed on me. But I went ahead anyway and I found it tough going and got out of breath but I did it and enjoyed it.

Moving onto this week, I did my second run this morning alone, the same as Saturday (5min warmup, 1min running and 1.5 walking x 6, 5min warmdown) and I really struggled today and it just made feel deflated. I felt like my legs hadn't recovered from the first run but I went ahead anyway as I didn't want to fall behind. But it was a nightmare although it didn't help the app I was using kept resetting itself so I was running when I was supposed to be walking and vice-versa. I found myself getting out of breath a lot quicker the second time around and my legs.... they felt like lead, so heavy and just a struggle to run. Even now, they're still aching and I feel like they're matchsticks ready to snap! Especially the left one, every time I stand up, I get a jolt of pain shooting down my leg as if I have twisted it.

I'm just wondering whether am I panicking for nothing and this is just my body's natural reaction to exercise that it hasn't really experienced before or I've done something wrong and push myself too hard. I really want to hang in there though, I hate giving up as determination is one of my strengths.

Sorry for rambling!

[Beccym Graduate]

Keep going you will find exercise helps with depression and anxiety. We all have good runs and bad ones.

It could be your pace is too fast, is there someone slower you could run with? Remember there is no shame in repeating weeks. Well done for starting. Try finding a podcast to run to they seem to work better than apps.

[Spongecake7 Graduate]

Welcome to C25k! I run with the podcasts - and the lovely Laura with her terrible music. Beccym is right - take it really slow. Perhaps give your legs a couple of rest days to recover. Good luck and keep us all posted!

[plop Graduate]

You've done the hardest bit getting started, well done. The aches and pains are just your body complaining, don't go to fast just a gentle jog is all you need.

[OldPossum]

You are definitely not alone! I had a really tough week last week so am repeating week 1. Everyone told me I was overdoing it and they were right. I could write a book about my excuses for not running at school but I am really enthused by this and despite last weeks difficulties I am feeling much better about myself. The podcast with Laura also helped more than the app and I found the short video Strideuk helpful (on nhs website). Everything hurts less if you can relax a bit too!

[Hezzabelle Graduate]

Maybe give your legs a couple of days rest and when you do start again (and please do) try a slower pace. It's not about speed or half killing yourself. It's about challenging yourself and often surprising yourself by what you can achieve. I probably can walk faster than I run but at least I'm doing it.

Well done for doing this too. I can relate to the previous depression and school P.E. lessons too. But that's all in the past and has no bearing on what you're doing now. The main thing is to enjoy it. Believe me the feeling that comes with each little achievement is amazing.

Oh and yeah, download the podcasts from here. They can be cheesy depending on your music tastes but they certainly get you through each run.

Good luck. X

[Hidden]

The first run I did was incredibly hard, the second was even harder due to my legs still really hurting from the first session and the third was agony but it did get better after that. Hang in there. If you haven't exercised in a while your body will take a bit of time to get used to the new things you're asking it to do. As an anxiety sufferer too if you can stick with the exercise programme it really does help....Good luck.

[b275 Graduate]

As everyone else has said... Well done on making a start. As the old saying goes "don't try to run before you can walk".

On my first run W1R1 I walked far too fast which in turn killed my legs for the W1R2, I was determined to do as Laura said and give it one day between runs but I should have listened to my body screaming at me "too soon" and had two days rest.

If you're like me I've done no exercise, except walking around at work, for years. The poor old body is having a bit of a shock being made to march then run round the streets all hot and bothered and beetroot red. It can't cope from being a slug to a marathon runner overnight, but... with perseverance WE CAN DO IT!!!! Slow and steady wins the day.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

The podcasts are a lot more technically robust compared with the app.

I don't much like the sound of that shooting/jolting pain. You may need to change the surface you run on or the shoes you run in... or get it checked out.

[Luxvia]

Thank you for all your advice, everyone! I was supposed to do my second run tomorrow but I think I'm going to see how I feel. I'm found going up and down stairs aggravates it a lot! I texted the course leader to know how I was progress and he advised to slow down the pace and add 20-30 secs onto the walking parts if I need it to catch my breath. When I told him about my pain though, he said to stop immediately if I get it.

It's frustrating as I want to keep going on running and just work through the pain but at the same time, I don't want to make it any worse! So I think I'll see how they feel tomorrow.

I'll check out the podcasts too, thanks!

[plop Graduate]

Maybe just got out for a few 30minute walk then start week 1 again and see how you get on.