Hello!
My name is Hannah and I started Coach to 5k today and completed my first run 
I'm running to help me with my mental health- I have borderline personality disorder and suffer with symptoms of anxiety and depression.
I was inspired to start running after watching Mind Over Marathon and the development of the Heads Together charity.
I'm hoping that by posting on here I'll find some support and the sense of community that I'm missing in the real world!
Thanks for reading
X
Thanks for the follow Hanna and welcome to C25k. Firstly I'd like to say youre in fantastic hands here. A wonderful community and one that has helped me to where I am now.
I'm on Week 8 day 2 of 9 and 4 runs till I graduate. 2 months ago I would never of seen myself get this far and I'm thrilled. I was even reluctant to actually do the course to begin with but once I did I haven't looked back. And regarding mental health it's something that isn't discussed enough and having had my demons and still do I can honestly say this is one hell of a move you're making and once again I have to say this place will be perfect for you. Good luck on your journey and don't hesitate to ask any questions. We are all here for you.
Thank you so much for your reply! And congratulations on everything that you've done so far x
Thanks. The plan works. Trust it and you'll feel fantastic. I can vouch for that.
Well done and welcome Hannah. Running is good for physical and mental health and you will find lots of support on this forum
Go girl!
Thanks so much! x
Good for you Hannah. I never saw that programme but a few people have mentioned it. I am lucky I don't have problems but do think regular exercise and being outdoors helps us all to live a happy life. Just started last week and quite chuffed with myself as a 55 year old with a hip replacement
Thanks for your support I totally agree with the outdoors helping, if I hadn't been for a run today I'm certain I wouldn't have left the house. So I'm glad I did it! And congratulations to you starting too, hip replacement and all
Great to see another new person! I only found the forumn today but am on week 5 and I feel so much better about myself and more positive. Everyone seems really friendly. Good luck and enjoy it! 😊
Thanks so much! I'm hoping the forum is gonna be the boost I need to actually stick to the programme 😂
Welcome Hannah, you've come to the right place. You'll find lots of support and encouragement here, everyone 's so helpful.
I also watched Mind over Marathon and thought it was excellent.
Good luck with the programme, happy running!
Thanks so much! X
I have never found a nicer and more supportive group of people than on this Forum Hannah.
Running is something I only started less than a year ago out of sheer desperation to change ANYTHING about my life and outlook.
Felt trapped in my misery, felt stuck in my mind and body. Walking was not doing much for me - too boring and too much time to brood and also took a lot of time for minimal returns health wise in my case.
So - having not run more than a hundred yards in my life due to physical problems, at age 56 I tentatively gave Day one Week One a go.
Darn near killed me - Asthma kicked in, screwed up bones and muscles in my feet were NOT happy and worse of all I just DID NOT BELIEVE that I could run. That last another thing to beat myself up about.
But I did it. And went out again to try day two. And slowly but surely - just as over 90% of Graduate do- I graduated. To graduate you DO NOT have to run 5K in 9 weeks by the way Just run thirty minutes on your last three Running days I did my three runs sometime at the end of September, so - it was more like 16 weeks or something up to then Sinve then I went on, like other graduates to again slowly but surely build up to the 5K and then a 10K.
It has been a BLAST, Hannah
LOL - that would have been a MAJOR incomprehensibility to me even the first few weeks But even then I was getting a sense of goodwill towards myself from at least attempting each run - and going back to try it again This was something I was doing for myself! And nobody - even my inner demons - could claim that someone else was responsible for each success.
And gradually, along with building my physical stamina - I started building my mental and physiological.
Life is still damn tough, some due to other people and some that is on me. However - there is a cheerfulness in me that I had lost a long long time ago also. And a sense of satisfaction with who I am - not perfect...but not the mess I thought I was for far too long.
We may run on our own Hannah - but as a member of this Forum you would never run alone. Everyone here is running for the joy of it. We may be rightly proud of our personal successes but underlying EVERYTHING is the knowledge that we are all in this together.
Just one more thing to illustrate how this programme and running changed this overweight, asthmatic, socially isolated (duck out of water outside my former career) deformed-feet and professionally paranoid (thirty years in a Security field) person - I hadn't danced since 1987 and then as usual had to have a few gallons of booze in me to get on the dance floor. Just before Christmas at a party I was only peripherally at - had met hardly ANY of the people there - I actually asked, stone cold sober, a lady up to dance. And enjoyed it immensely
THAT is the kind of confidence that comes from being a Runner - a slow and steady Runner for sure, but a Runner
I do hope you stay and run with us Hannah
What a wonderful message, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Your journey is very inspiring and all the motivation I need! I'm starting to get excited for my next run, and see it as something to look forward to. Thank you x
Remember - slow...and slower still, don't run on the Rest days and if anything is not clear ask us lot here
I'll save you a chair at the Graduation table, OK?
Ok!
Definitely the cheerfulness!
Welcome , this is the real world lol . We are all in the same boat when it comes to this program but we all got here different ways .just it slow and easy , forget pace and speed and the 5k in 30 min . Its all about traing to jog for 30 mins.
Thank you doubletap I'm gonna remember your advice next time I run!
I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me with my anxiety. (See my post 'London Winter run 10k') Improvements still ongoing and anxiety FAR less than when I started. The very best of luck to you.
That's great to hear! And great for you
welcome, welcome, we're all very nice here, you'll find us a very supportive bunch (madder than a box of frogs, but supportive) I've been a runner for 4 months, did my first two 5k runs last week (one for Ty Hafan Children's Hospice and the other the local Mayor's Fun Run) and I don't think I could have finished C25k without the people of this forum
My advice, btw, is that during the course of C25K, you will have fantastic runs, good runs, OK runs and 'practice' runs (those'd be the days you can't finish a run, you get a 'do over' because, really, you were just testing the lay of the land) but we never ever say *looks at the other forum users* I'm going to have to say it, sorry, cover your ears and please pardon my bad language, *ahem* we never say 'failed' or 'failure' on this forum, they're very naughty f-words that are not allowed. Ever.
I look forward to reading about your progress
Thanks so much for your message, and your advice! And congratulations on your journey so far x
I started the programme on, of all days, boxing day last year. My mother and I do it together and, to be perfectly honest, if you'd told me then that I'd run 3 times a week and enjoy it, I would have laughed at you.
I grumble about it, I'm slower than a sloth on decaf coffee, I'm always found at the back chatting to the tailrunner, but I still enjoy my runs because it's my time, I run from the stress and sadness monsters, and I try to take in the scenery as I go (also, watch out for the goblins, the little voice that tells you to quit or give up or not go for your run or eat junk food. Mine's called Cecelia, my mother's is called Steve. It helps to name your goblin 
)
Hi Hannah, and welcome. Prepare to be overwhelmed with encouragement, support, motivating comments... On our little community, you'll find an oasis of positivity. We're all here to encourage one another and help you achieve your goals. This forum is what communities could be like in the real (non-online) world. Please do post here often, tell us about your runs, your anxiety and depression, and as your running progresses, I'm sure that you'll feel a benefit. Sending you positive vibes /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Thanks for your welcome MarkyD! I'm excited to become part of such a positive community
It's a pleasure to have you with us, and you are going to fit right in.
Congratulations on getting started, Hannah. I'm new here too - just run Wk2, run 2 and I'm running partly to help with stress and anxiety. It's definitely helped a bit so far. Good luck on your journey xx
Hey, I'm glad it's helping you and good luck to you too xx
Welcome aboard Hannah !
This programme is truly life changing ! Please keep posting so we can cheer you along your way .
Good Luck and please , if you're not sure of anything or if you need to ask a question , please feel free . There will always be someone along to help xxx
Thanks so much for your kind welcome x
Good luck with it, you've certainly come to the right place.
I was also inspired by mind over marathon, and I'm not ashamed to say I blubbed like a baby through most of it.
This community is amazing, especially if you need encouragement or even a small amount of praise.
Thanks for your reply, I'm glad I wasn't the only one to shed a tear at the programme x
Welcome, Hannah! This is a wonderful forum with lots of great advice and amazing, supportive friends. Take it one day at a time, one step at a time, slow and steady, and you'll do great! Good luck.
Thanks for your warm welcome x
Hi Hannah.
Lots of luck with your new challenge. Running really can lift your spirits.
I watched Mind Over Marathon and found it truly inspirational. It spurred me on to greater efforts.
Stay with it!
Hey John! Thanks so much, sending the positivity right back to you
Welcome Hannah to the best site ever for praise and encouragement from people of all ages and abilities. I started the couch 25k last October after having a brain tumour removed last March and have since done 9 parkruns and 1 charity 5k at the weekend which I never thought I would achieve. Keep posting your daily or weekly achievements and there will always be a responce.
Wow! What an inspirational journey! Congratulations on everything you've achieved x
Hi Hannah.
Welcome to the forum😀
Mind over marathon was an amazing programme - truly inspirational. They had their support group & this forum can be yours!
A couple of wee tips for you:
1. Sign up for Parkrun & find where your local one is. & then sign yourself up for volunteering at Parkrun, it's a great community & volunteering is a great way to make sure you get up & out into the fresh air early on a Saturday morning. (Great for mental health) 50up has done this, no doubt he can fill you in on the benefits of volunteering, whilst going through the C25K programme.
2. Think of what to do on your non running days - you will be running 3 days a week, what about the other 4? (If you volunteer at Parkrun, then it's only 3!) Maybe think of the NHS Strength & Flex, it's a good compliment to the C25K & can also be done outside in a park, it doesn't need any special equipment.
3. When the gremlins or demons come after you, have a strategy to deal with them - don't let them win!
4. Post here often, it really helps.
5. Enjoy your new journey!
That all sounds awesome, thanks for your advice! X
Great post Davoda . I thought that Mind Over Marathon was groundbreaking and marks a change in attitude towards mental health. The work of the young royals recently has also helped to publicise how widespread and debilitating mental health issues are.
I think a huge hurdle is removing the stigma associated with poor mental health across society. This will aid sufferers by encouraging us to talk about our issues, and normalise mental health.
Doing the C25K and volunteering for the Parkrun have certainly boosted my mental health and made me much more positive about life in general. I found everyone involved with Parkrun (runners and volunteers) to be friendly and welcoming, much like everyone on this forum.
I've heard a lot about parkrun but haven't ever tried it, think it might be a goal for me once I'm further into the programme x
Lots of us here have our demons, and we all find that oasis of empty headed 'me time' whilst out running helps in all sorts of ways. Your body will ache to start with, but your mind will feel so refreshed! Welcome x
My body definitely aches today.. but it's a nice ache! Thanks for your advice x
Hi Hannah, I'm in week six having started following 15 years of almost complete inactivity. If I had any tips I would say
1. Never stop no matter how slow it feels you are going.
2. Control your breathing.
3. Trust in the plan
Brilliant for taking the first step. Go girl!
Thanks so much for your advice! And congratulations on everything you've done so far x
Well done Hannah , I am.sure it will help you . Keep us posted how you are getting on . I also practice yoga which I can not recommend enough to help with mental health . One thing at a time though , concentrate on your running , take it slow , look ahead , relax your shoulders and take in everything around you . Good luck
I do a little yoga now and then, you're right it's really helpful! X
Welcome Hannah...I'm also a newbie and due to run day one of week two this evening... I wish you well on your journey as I was also inspired by those mind over marathon runners from TV.
I keep trying to remember a quote from an athlete (can't remember who tho!)..the definition of discipline is doing what you need to do, even though you don't feel like it...and it's true, the sense of achievement from doing something planned even though our emotions at that moment tell us otherwise is fenomenal. I guess just pushing through, mind over matter...what we choose to call it...good luck..x
In my experience Littlehannahg , isolation is the worst environment for dealing with mental health issues. Talking therapies, either formal or informal, are the key to healing. That being said however, it is not always so easy to find the right supportive people to talk with.
Hopefully, you are finding lots of support here and will be encouraged to continue with the C25K. As well as the physical benefits, I am finding that my mental health is improved and I am generally much more positive.
Like Davoda said, maybe seek out your local Parkrun and volunteer (or run). I am sure they will be delighted with your help and be as warm and friendly as our local run. Meeting nice new people is always a delight.
The best advice I have for the C25K is that slow is good, slower is better. At least until you have graduated
Hi & welcome Littlehannahg . I hope running will give you physical & emotional strength and that you will be kind to yourself in being proud of your efforts even if some days are not as good as others.
I had little faith in my ability to run & stick to the plan but put this well known quote in my phone to remind me not to give up: The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
Good luck!
Good luck Hannah! This forum is fantastic, amazing support and encouragement from the lovely people on it
Great place to come. I haven't run for god knows how long and the support right from run 1 has been amazing! I too suffer with depression and have felt my mood lift and I'm only on week 2! I log every run as soon as I get home and everyone is so proud of everyone's success it motivates you to the next run....we will be running 5k in no time at all 😊
Welcome and good luck. Running is great for clearing your head. And this forum has the most supportive community You could hope for 🙂
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