Wow! I completed my day 1 of Week 1 earlier. Took my little dogs and my husband for support and kept a very close eye on my watch. It seemed to be over so quick and yup I was out of breath 😃
I've notice lots of you saying to slow down...if I slow down I'll more or less be just walking fast! Is this right or am I missing something? 😐
Hi liz I am right there with you attempting my first day tomorrow. Can't help on any advice but well done 😄
Good on you Hidden ...let us know how you get on 😃
A fast walk is a fast walk and running is running, you need to jog, run at a steady gentle pace, what your comfy with..😊
If you're managing okay it's fine. A lot of people struggle as the running segments get longer (yep, me) and it's because they are running too fast. I was (and still am) a complete tortoise and didn't think I could possibly run any slower, but after a lot of advice on here, I did indeed Find a slower gear, which helped unbelievably with the leg pain I was experiencing. But if it's going fine for you, don't worry, just keep it steady and move on to the next run. Big well done on getting the first one under your belt 
Well done for completing W1 R1 -). My dog and hubby keep me company too. Don't worry about speed ..if ever you are finding it hard just slow down even more. This programme really works ( I haven't completed it yet - just on W6) but I have gone from not being able to complete the run you have just done to running for 20 minutes :-)...Its al about building stamina not speed. You sound like you are doing just fine - light jog is all you need
At some point you may hit 'I can't finish this particular run' or simply feel that it is way harder than reasonable. That is when you 'Slow down...then slow down some more'.
The programme is not about 'fast and far' It is about building up stamina/time. Most people who embark on it are NOT 'fit' by most standards so we built up slowly and carefully. It is hard to 'pace yourself' even if you are a top class runner - so the difficulty is multiplied for us beginners.
Subconsciously, we link 'running' with 'fast' and also tend to tense up all the muscles making it even harder to find a sustainable pace. I've done a bit of experimenting with it (see earlier posts of mine) and found it astonishing that when I went 'REALLY SLOW' the distances I covered were pretty much the same as when I ran 'my regular pace' Main difference was (and is because I still fall into the mental trap) have a lot more in reserve left when I 'run slow'.
A few days ago, just for fun, I went out and decided to run as slowly as possible without actually breaking into a step. I wrote a Post about it and you can see the results there. healthunlocked.com/couchto5....
I have gone from literally never having run more than around fifty paces to where I did 35 minutes yesterday. This programme really works if you work it. One of the hardest things about it though is to have patience with it and yourself. Respect those Rest Days when all you want to do is go for a run, deny yourself the pleasure of running just that little bit more than what the stage calls for and you have a great chance of not being sidelined with an injury
Glad you are here and glad you are running with us. Read as many posts as possible because there is an ocean of good info and support here
Thanks Irish-John . Looks like you've come a long way. It's good to read others experiences as I know from past experience how hard it can be to tackle something new and feel all alone. Finding this community is definitely going to inspire me to keep it up and push on instead of giving up at the first hurdle 😃
Glad you will be running also ☺
Well done, Liz. I am wondering about the watch.... Why are you not using the NHS Couch to 5k podcasts with Laura telling you when to walk and when to run? Meeting Laura is part of the journey, if you ask me. I would recommend you check it out.
Yes, I agree. I did the first couple of weeks with a C25K app that buzzed when I needed to run or walk, I can tell you that it just isn't the same as the lovely Laura.
Ahhh PippiRuns twas because I hadn't downloaded it to my phone so I read what to do and just went with it. Sorted it last night now though so my next day out will Defo be with Laura in my ears 😃
She's a tough cookie, our Laura, but it is so worth it
I'm another convert to Laura - the app with its big sections of silence were really tough and go as slow as you need to. I hurt myself initially going too fast and have just moved from snail to tortoise pace. Well done on your first run 😀
Everyone else has, rightly, directed you to the podcasts. For one thing it isn't particularly safe, nor good running form, to be running along looking at your watch very much.
There are some of course who insist on 'bona fide celestial music'...
Hi Liz,
Well done on completing the first day!
In regards to speed, go as slow as you need to be able finish the workout. You're right in that you should feel out of breath and tired else you'd be operating too far within your comfort zone and never get any fitter. The first couple of weeks are designed to get your body used to running and work your knees / legs etc into it slowly, so depending on your starting fitness level some do find it a bit easy (bear in mind the program is designed to get people that have done NO running/exercise for years to completing 5K). It does ramp up a bit from Week 4, so that's more where the necessity to slow down a bit might be sound advice.
As long as you're completing the workouts, not hurting (in terms of actual physical pain) and able to run again within a couple of days, your speed is fine.
Phil.
I loved the podcasts, structure helped me, the music was just right for my pace. Laura popping in with encouragement or tips kept me going when I needed a prod! Have fun 🙂
Week 1 Day 1 Complete!
Finished week1
Progress Report: Week1 Run5
Day 1 Run 1 ✅
Day1, Week1
