Not sure if I should be doing this but I want to improve my fitness and lose weight. My BMI falls in the obese category though I don't look it and I can run/jog for about 30 seconds.
I'm worried about my will power and motivation though as I feel there are so many stresses in my life that I don't want to start something and not finish it. I want this to be something that I can start and continue despite having no confidence in my ability to be able to do it. I feel I've got to try though as this is something I really want to achieve.
Thanks
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Linaka
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The great thing about c25k is that it's really couch to 30 mins non stop running (which may or may not be 5k) and weeks can be repeated as often as necessary until you feel comfortable completing the runs, at which point you move on to the next week. The forum is full of lovely people who have also had little confidence in their ability to complete but have found it through the process of running, and are here to big you up. Go for it. Start slow and take whatever time you need.
I think you will soon get hooked on it Linaka. Just take it easy, believe that ylu can do it and come on here to post about your runs if you'd like to. We'd love to see you graduate.
I started the C25K because I wanted to get fit and was pretty short of time. It's been great for de-stressing. I've just done my first run of week 9 and started the NHS weight loss programme 5 weeks ago and have lost 8 lbs in weight. Go for it!
This is a great first step, welcome to the forum! Like you, a few months ago, I was completely exercise phobic, would rather miss a bus/train than run to catch it and still had nightmares about school PE. I was worried about keeping going with the programme til the end as I go through 'phases' with things, getting interested and then finding something else to interest me while giving up on the first thing entirely. I needn't have worried - running becomes addictive and when you start to achieve things you never thought were possible you get hooked on the progress too! I ran my first 5k last week and I would have laughed in the face of anyone who said that to me a few months ago!
This forum was the thing which kept me at it and got me through the nine weeks. It's full of advice, encouragement and inspiration. You couldn't find a better bunch of people anywhere on the internet! Post here after your runs or if you need a friendly kick up the backside to get going. Go slow, stretch, you can do this!
If I can do it, anyone can I would never have seen myself running, not so long ago. But I started C25k as a challenge, and at the same time signed up for a Race For Life 5k which timed itself with my last week of the programme. I could barely run for a minute when I started. but I persevered, learning some tips along the way: walk to the top of the hill before beginning the running session; buy the right kind of clothes to be comfortable (my fave running leggings are by Decathlon and just £10 - I bought two pairs) ; teach the dog not to trip you up; don't worry if your jog is slower than your walking pace; go somewhere different every now and then for a change of scenery and ground; and finally and most importantly, go to a running shop and get a free gait analysis and invest in a pair of trainers that suit. They are worth every penny. I didn't do this until week 2 or three, and only after a setback which saw me with a swollen knee. Turns out I overpronate, turning my foot in as I run, which in turn put my tendons under pressure and pushed my already weak knee joint out. Rest and new trainers saw me come back to complete the programme and guess what? I jogged the whole 5k Race For Life (raising £330 as well!).
Oh and best of all - come here and share your successes and ask questions when you need it. I'm not experienced enough yet to know much - I'm still learning and these guys are amazing
You can do it. The only person you are aiming to beat is the person you used to be. Some else said that, not me, but it's very true.
Best of luck😄 Go easy on yourself - never beat yourself up, just keep trying. Some days I when I thought I couldn't face it, I told myself I would just get my trainers on and leave the house, and I'd only do what Laura said if I felt like it. By the time you've left the house though, you've done the hardest part - so just remember to leave the house!
Many of us started from where you are and are now totally hooked having amazed ourselves by what we have achieved.
You too can do this!
Welcome to the club Linaka there's no going back now! The c25k is a great challenge. Once you start you won't want to stop, it builds your fitness, gives you confidence and this forum is like being part of a very special club 👍
Definitely give it a try. I started almost four years ago, and have sort-of kept going - every so often I stop for a few months, then realise how much I miss running and start up again. And I would never have imagined that was possible!
For me, it was definitely worth the months I spent wondering if I could possibly do this, working out if & how I could regularly fit three runs into my week, and thinking I was crazy for even contemplating it. I told two close friends (but not my husband!) that I was going to do it, so I had their support and encouragement right from the start - that made a big difference too. So I say go for it!
Take it one run at a time, and you may surprise yourself with what you can achieve - I certainly did! On the practical side, make sure you've got some decent running shoes so you don't scupper your progress.
Please give it a try! Everyone on this forum will be right behind you. Don't look too far ahead, just take it slowly, one stage at a time and trust that it will work out. RainbowC is right - just having one or two people who are right behind you and can encourage you is a really good idea. And when people find out that you're running regularly, most are awe-struck - which is a real boost to the ego! Good luck and looking forward to hearing how you get on.
Good job on getting started! I think 50% of the work is all in our minds!
I'm actually doing really well I completed week 2 on Friday with my first park run and will be starting week 3 next week. Running off the treadmill is a lot harder than running on the treadmill especially with trying to go really slow.
I've actually really surprised myself as I keep thinking to myself "there's no way I can do that" and then I do it and I'm like whoa! I did worry a bit in the first week as I could feel my shins hurting and I worried that I had injured something with my weight but the advice on here to slow down and keep slowing down as helped me get through.
I went for a gait analysis a week ago and the store assistant made me run at twice my speed for 1 minute 15 for 3 times (trying out different shoes) on a tread mill. I didn't think I could do it but I did!
Since week 1 I've done a lot of research on breathing and how to run to try and make it a bit easier. I'm gonna run again on Wednesday and give my muscles a bit more time to recover.
My will power is still a bit weak (I still succumb to chocolate) however I'm using a lot of it to try and make sure to have my gym kit ready 3 times a week and to get to the gym. The rest days I think help with my motivation as I have started looking forward to my running days and I think that excitement is down to the fact that I haven't been able to run like this since I was a kid.
Focus on it, remember rest days are as important as running days. Make sure you eat enough as your body needs fuel to run. Don't hold your breath whilst running! Breathe in and out through your nose otherwise your mouth will dry out quickly. Drink lots of water!
And most importantly... Go as slow as you can, then slow down some more. Imagine jogging at walking pace.
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Gonna start tomorrow
I would never have seen myself running, not so long ago. But I started C25k as a challenge, and at the same time signed up for a Race For Life 5k which timed itself with my last week of the programme. I could barely run for a minute when I started. but I persevered, learning some tips along the way: walk to the top of the hill before beginning the running session; buy the right kind of clothes to be comfortable (my fave running leggings are by Decathlon and just £10 - I bought two pairs) ; teach the dog not to trip you up; don't worry if your jog is slower than your walking pace; go somewhere different every now and then for a change of scenery and ground; and finally and most importantly, go to a running shop and get a free gait analysis and invest in a pair of trainers that suit. They are worth every penny. I didn't do this until week 2 or three, and only after a setback which saw me with a swollen knee. Turns out I overpronate, turning my foot in as I run, which in turn put my tendons under pressure and pushed my already weak knee joint out. Rest and new trainers saw me come back to complete the programme and guess what? I jogged the whole 5k Race For Life (raising £330 as well!).
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