If you haven't recently seen a grown man cry then you weren't near me today! I managed my W4R3 but in the second 5 minute period I really didn't know whether to just cry or roll over and die. No matter how much I slowed down I'm afraid it did rather remind me of why I hated running at school all those many many years ago. My legs ache now this evening and it's even hard work going upstairs at home. Winge over, highly improbable though it may seem to me at this moment I'm going on into W5 next week. I've looked at the three W5 sessions and in run interval terms the W5R1 is 5/3/5/3/5. Never thought I'd say this, but 3 minute runs are OK and the brisk walks "don't count". So my logic says the first 4 run intervals should be doable and that just leaves the last interval. If necessary I'll repeat the W5R1 to get to the end of all 5 run intervals and build up some more stamina in the process .... I desperately need it!!
I HATE running!!: If you haven't recently seen a... - Couch to 5K
I HATE running!!
Me too, and here I am nearly four years later training for my first half marathon 😂!
Joking aside, you're doing great, just be careful you don't really overdo it, consider an additional rest day if you feel really sore, you don't want to get crocked- I ended up running twice a week and it suits me fine....😄
Mx
Thank you - it doesn't feel like I'm doing well, very far from it. Your advice on taking more rest days may well be right and be the way I need to go, but for now I intend to do a first try at W5R1 on Monday, and will do it on the teadmill so it's more controllable (I'm one of those strange numbers and techie people!). I then have a PT supervised core workout session at the gym on Tuesday so I will use some of his time to review how I got on with my first W5R1 attempt and check out his advice as well.
Sounds like a plan, one thing I have learnt , with all the stats, numbers, etc., (and it's taken a long time) is your body takes longer than you think to learn something new.....we're all different, remember that C25K is a framework, it's not rigid, make it fit you.
You certainly have the determination, good luck, you'll get there, just don't give up.
Mx
I intend to give it a good try. I gave up at the start of W4 the first time - this second time I've already got a bit further and have no intention of giving up!!
It's possible that the overall fitness programme is a bit too intense for what passes for comfort in these parts.
I'm always puzzled by the control allegedly offered by the treadmill. I may be missing something but the only control I can see you get is the weather and that if you stop moving you'll fall off. There doesn't seem to be any scope for those subtle adjustments.
You are doing great. If three minute running intervals are now "OK" then that's progress, right?
Can I ask which c25k program you are doing? The NHS Choices one that most of us follows has the following for W5R1:
brisk 5-minute warm-up walk, then 5 minutes running, 3 minutes walking, 5 minutes running, 3 minutes walking, 5 minutes running.
So only three running intervals, each of 5 minutes.
yep, got my numbers wrong!!! Can probably do the first two 5 minute periods - I think! - not sure about a third. We'll see.
There is actually a minutes less running in wk5 run1 than there is in week 4. Only 15 minutes total running rather than 16. It's just condensed into 3 runs rather than 4. You should be absolutely fine (although if you're really aching fit to bust, I'd definitely slip in an extra rest day😊
Yes! Week 5 is actually easier. My graduation run is next and I found that the more I ran and the less I walked it got easier. The starting and stopping was hard for me.
Been there mate, 5 stones overweight and couldn't run 100metres last year completed my first 10k today. Percevere the plan works, sure it's tough in the early days but by week 6 you get the hang of it.
But just think davidhwynn what it will be like to do W5R1! How many of those pesky self-doubting gremlins will be CRUSHED!!! You've already worked out how to blag your mind - well done :') Im carrying 6 stone of fat and am going to give it my absolute all. I look forward to seeing your post on how you've done...xx
Great attitude! Keep going, you will make it. Everyone doubts it but the feeling when you do the seemingly impossible makes it all worthwhile. You may even find yourself shouting "Yes!" when you do to the surprise of passersby or the local wildlife 
Happy running 
Oh David, just give it time! If you are moderately active/fit you will do it! I am 57 and had never run before - I don't love every single run but I do love the way I feel afterwards - this is most definitely doable!
Thanks - quite a lot older than you, you youngster! - I do have regular gym sessions at least twice every week, some with a personal trainer and I'm 3 stone lighter than this time last year, so I reckon I stand a chance. My triathlon participant son reckons I do well....adding of course that damning phrase "for your age"! I really, genuinely, mean as I've posted here before that I used to avoid runs even back in my school days and although I've done quite a lot of sport since then at a respectable level I've NEVER done any running as such until now. It's definitely a shock to my system! I guess that I am finding it much harder than the younger new starters on this programme. I'm also my own worst enemy sometimes because I always expect such a lot of myself, perhaps too much. I had planned for Week 5 to be my week to expect to do repeats to build stamina and get through it. You can be sure that I have no intention of giving up, though, and have a local 5K planned for my birthday in May.
Thanks- nice to be called a youngster! I too had been going to the gym for years but never ran on the treadmill - and still can't. I hated cross country at school, intensely. However, this programme has worked for me in that it has got me running, 2 or 3 times a week, for 30 minutes. I need to book up for a 5k as well - I think I need a challenge.
I have found out that there is a weekly 5K Park Run near me that is very well attended (170 ish people last weekend). I'm not ready in any way for it yet, physically or emotionally, but I'm thinking I'll just sneak along as an observer one Saturday soon, just to spy on what they are up to, maybe even suss out the course so I can quietly walk/jog it all on my own another day in the week!! I started this C25K programme because it was another step in my long-overdue personal "maintenance" - I hope that sooner or later I might start enjoing it, but it hasn't happened yet!!
Don't worry, you'll get past it! I remember the aches I felt the day after those runs - now I still have achy legs, but after running to much further and longer. I know it's hard to imagine at this stage, but it really is worth the pain and struggle at this stage. You are capable of so much more than you can possibly imagine right now!!
Keep at it, just imagine how great youre going to feel after conquering your fears and doubts
You ARE doing great, keep going ! xxx
It took me two years to finish couch to 5k. Now like Madge50 I am training for a half. The first 10 minutes of run are always hard so might begin to find it easier when there are less intervals. The program works keep with it you can always repeat weeks.
When I do a long run I am often asked did I enjoy it? Often I haven't but I am usually glad I did it. Keep going
Agreed. The first 10 minutes are the worst. I always feel like how can I go three mikes if I can't even go 1? But then I find my stride and it gets easier.
davidhwynn , you know you're not going to give up - you can't since I'm relying on you to lead the way - so (blows raspberry) to aching legs and bursting lungs....you did it! And, as I think I may have said before, who'd've believed it at week one that just three weeks later those self same legs and lungs would shuffle on for five minutes at a time? Well not me for one!
I'm still in denial about the end of week five...but being an ostrich has its benefits. Don't look ahead, it's the now that counts in this lark and you did it!
I'm off for w4r3 today. Wish me luck...
I sure do - I managed it somehow, so you can too. Looking forward to your post telling us all about it!
The gains you will get from completing will be huge and as you progress I hope the little seed of love will grow .....
"Seeds of love will grow ", I hope so too, doesn't much feel like it today, a bad morning .... but there's always tomorrow!
I sympathise! I treat running as a medicine which should be taken regularly. I graduated last Easter and can't say I love running, but even "A bad run is better than no run at all." So whatever you do, at least you're out there doing something. No need to feel guilty if you have to stop and walk. Keep it up!
I think the ache is the muscles making themselves stronger, or so my DH tells me. How is coming downstairs? I always found that much worse when I used to do fitness classes!! You are doing so well! Take it at your own pace, if you need more rest days then take them, if you feel like repeating then do it. It doesn't matter how you get there but you will crack the programme I am sure of it
- and the next step is when you think "thank goodness this one is only 5 mins". Honest, it happens. Good luck.
I can - just about! - get my mind round what you are saying ... looking back amongst my posts/statements of self-doubt I see that I said in one post that "the brisk walks don't count" and "3 minute runs are OK". For someone who had to do a 3 week course to prepare to do even week 1, I can hardly believe that it was me who said something like that ....
See you've already surprised yourself, There's also the time you choose to run for a bus/train rather than let it go, that's another good thing. Take your time, keep going.
Slow, steady and you can do this. I feel like I have said this before x
Rest up and go for that week 5.. yes Week 5.. here you are... you little runner you xxx
Yesterday, David, after parkrun I sat in the bath (for so long that it got cold!) reading all the messages between my friends and I who did C25k in February to April 2016. Your journey reminds me very much of mine.
I really struggled with every stage of it, but somehow I did it. I had lots of self doubt and felt that everyone else was finding it easier than I was, but somehow I did it. I NEVER thought I was ready to move on to the following week, but somehow I did it.
And I did graduate, and I'm still running. I'm not very fast. Others who started after me can run further and faster. But I feel so much better than a year ago that I don't care about that. It is absolutely worth persevering. I'm sure you will get through next week. And trust me - once you've cracked Week 5 it's downhill all the way home.
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