so unfit

[howardsgirl]

Decided to give this a go, at 52 and 3 stone overweight, I need to get fit and drop some pounds. However....I nearly died and couldn't even complete the first one! I don't know if that was pure unfitness or that's its a bit hilly where I live. Am I alone in feeling a failure like this? I've never run before, ever. I did used to do weight training, and gave that up in 2014, and plan on doing that a few times a week again too. But this run....my legs felt like logs! in fact I walked more than ran. Anyone else start like this? I intend to to keep at it but I do wonder if I'm capable of doing this.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

Yes you can do it and yes lots of us started the same way. It is something that is completly different that you are doing and it takes a bit for your body to get used to, that dosent mean you can’t do it it just means you have to give yourself time to adjust, I myself had to repeat quite a few weeks before i graduated and now I have been running for four years +. We all have to start somewhere, it is a journey not a race, congratulations on starting yours.

[howardsgirl in reply to Realfoodieclub]

thanks i'll just keep repeating day one until I manage it all. I will do this!

[Squeakypoptest Graduate in reply to howardsgirl]

yes, I had to repeat some weeks. I am about to do W9R3 today!

[howardsgirl in reply to Squeakypoptest]

well done! I will keep at it

[Margoblue Graduate]

Hi Howardgirl

Don’t give up. Unlike you I was not brave enough to run outside at first and did most of my initial running on a treadmill. I fell off the end on the first run with a very red face and panting hard. I am now (finally) on my 9th week and managing to run 30+ minutes. The advice I was given by the lovely community here was - don’t be hasty - take it slow and yes if you do the program properly you will complete it. It takes effort but it is so worth it!

[howardsgirl in reply to Margoblue]

thanks margoblue ! Well I did go out early so there weren't many people about its great to have the support to keep you motivated too

[Tbae]

Yes you can do this, so give this C25k gift to yourself.

Your strength stuff is an asset and you can keep doing it on your-obligatory repair days or even run days if it fits in your time schedule.

Slow and steady on your run days is the only method.

Protects your relatively weak running legs while you are building over the 27 runs and beyond, and also allows you to take on the extra oxygen you need to run.

Lots to read and prepare so you are comfortable with what you and how you have to do it.🤔👏👏

The tried and tested programme will look after you as well as this forum.🌟👏👏

[howardsgirl in reply to Tbae]

thanks for the support!

[warrenw65 Graduate]

I was 51 when I started this last October and a good deal more than 3 stone overweight. I felt exactly the same on those first few runs and even though Jo Whiley kept telling me not to I stopped now and again. But I kept at it and you’ll be amazed how things change very quickly. I got to the last run of week 5 which is 5 mins walking the 20mins run with 5 mins walk and honestly believed the program must be witchcraft as the man would couldn’t run 1 minute could now do 20 non stop. Most will tell you this but the key is to take it steady and slow. At this point it’s not a race it’s building you up. It does get easier because you get stronger following the program. 6 months on I can run for an hour non stop and you will do great if you stick with it 👍🏼 goodluck

[howardsgirl in reply to warrenw65]

thankyou so much! I will keep at it. I am wondering if it would be a good idea to repeat today, tommorow, as I didn't complete it anyway? I know it says days of rest in between, but do you think that matters when you haven't even really done it?

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to howardsgirl]

It doesn't sound as though you ran for 30 seconds and crawled home though...

You can use the time tomorrow to read through the FAQ in the pinned post.

As someone else who didn't manage the full first session the first time (or the second, or third or fourth etc etc etc) my tip for staying motivated and making progress would be to focus on maintaining the running motion throughout the run section. So, on top of the slowing right down we'll all yell at you to do, that might mean taking smaller and smaller steps if you feel yourself flagging, and it might mean slacking off the pace on the walk elements too. And if you really can't run another step, walk the rest rather than trying to recover a bit and start running again. You'll have a marker to reach and exceed the next time so you are very likely to be getting clear progress whilst you work your way up to 8 full run segments in the session, and the walks will still be helping.

I was 20kgs overweight when I started (I don't do stones, they sound very heavy to carry around) I'm not now!

[howardsgirl in reply to GoogleMe]

thanks

[davelinks Graduate]

Well done for having a go, no, you're not a failure! A lot feel like it, I did, hill's will make it extra hard if just starting out, if you can't devise a flatter route then take it all very slowly, and how to run hills properly,but eventually hills will benefit you lots..with regards to stamina..

Keep at it!😊

[howardsgirl in reply to davelinks]

thanks i'm hoping one day hills will be a doddle !

[Jell6 Graduate]

I’m not particularly, if at all overweight, but week one was for me:

firstly.. a killer!

Secondly a bloody great wake up call to how unfit I was.😬🤪

I honestly don’t know if I completed week one,run 1, as one of my runs was soooo slow it was not recognised as a run on my tracker, but I counted it, as I knew I had not actually stopped.😩

But I was determined, pushed through, slowed down when I needed to, and you can see, did it.

Definitely take the rest day, you have still got to rest/repair even if you did not quite complete.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Jell6]

My tracker (Fitbit Charge HR) rarely considers that I have been for a run. However, since 'she' has not been videoing the movement I don't value her opinion in this instance.

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

😂😂, I too have a fitbit, it does now recognise runs, I must have progressed beyond glacial!!!

I also think it is a female, mainly because the bloody thing keeps reminding me to move 😐

[howardsgirl in reply to Jell6]

I am determined too, I wont give up that easily. when I was weight training, I thought I would die, my friend, a personal trainer really pushed me. After several months and a fair bit of pain, I felt great, and was so strong for a woman of my age and height/build. I wish I hadn't stopped . onwards and upwards

[Hidden]

Extra weight will make it more tricky and hills will make it more tricky too. However lots of people are in the same boat as you and do just fine. I wonder how much activity you have been doing prior to starting...It may be that a couple of weeks of brisk walking for 30 minutes per day would provide the launch pad for your running career. I would hate you to fall by the wayside because it feels too tough. Oh also, read the FAQ guides and jog VERY slowly

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Brisk walking isn't easier than running for everyone.

I still can't sustain a brisk walk for that long (and it makes me quite ill) but I can run continuously for well over an hour...

[Hidden in reply to GoogleMe]

True enough, or swimming or cycling. I just sometimes worry that people get put off right at the beginning, feel like its not for them, when they just need a bit of pre-C25K exercise to get started.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Hidden]

The propensity to decide very quickly that something is 'not for you' does not seem to be a function of physical fitness or pre-existing activity levels (although it seems likely that early success will help build it if you haven't got it)

(And again, swimming or cycling, much bigger deal in all sorts of ways, for many people)

BUT... yes, there is another NHS promoted programme based entirely on walking, Active 10.

But I reckon, if you have the itch to try running, scratch it! (As distinct from self-loathing, punishment sorts of motivations...)

[howardsgirl in reply to Hidden]

you're not wrong, and if I do the same on Wednesday, I will certainly just brisk walk more until I'm ready.

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Loads of great advice already.

I’m 52 this year and about 5 stone overweight and now on Week 4.

Just try to slow right down. Ridiculously slow. And try to push yourself to the end of each bit of running. Your brain will tell you not to and that you will die if you try. But ignore your brain. Put on some music you really love and just keep going until your coach tells you to stop.

If you can’t do each run I suspect you really are just going too fast. This is “very slow jog” so that one day you can run a bit faster.

Good luck - the hardest thing was starting so don’t give up!

[howardsgirl in reply to Jay66UK]

thanks for the advice, and well done you. I'm definitely not going too fast, if I went slower i'd stop lol. I know I can do it, and I will. I have a holiday in November I'm determined to be a bit fitter for!

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to howardsgirl]

I thought the same about going slower. Believe me, you can go even slower!!

[howardsgirl in reply to Jay66UK]

I'll give it a go

[davelinks Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

My wife slinky put on the music this morning while starting back on w1r1, which helped her..

[howardsgirl in reply to davelinks]

Yes I think it would help, ive just got to put some on my phone first

[davelinks Graduate in reply to howardsgirl]

You can use the radio as well, with the BBC get inspired app,slinky had a radio station on and the coach Jo Wiley was chipping in, but she's now gone back to Laura, there's a choice.. you can also get reminders that tell you when your due to run again...

[Darkmire Graduate]

I've just finished week 3 and agree that this should be a jog and not a sprint - we are advised to pace ourselves. I'm 8 stone overweight so I be got to be careful so I listened carefully about pacing. I've found that it is easier to run the longer segments than the shorter ones, don't know why. Time now seems to go a lot faster too. Looking forward to the next run now and can see it's do-able even though I've not seriously run for two decades.

[howardsgirl in reply to Darkmire]

well done you! Its defiantly harder when you're carrying a bit of extra weight I think, but running is clearly a goal we are all able to reach if we put the effort in. Its quite inspiring reading other peoples stories that are in the same boat.

[Unfitnanna]

I just come back from the first run. Like you I am 51 and about 3 stone overweight and embarrassed about my wobbly bits jumping up and down. I walked some of the runs and felt like I was going to explode with how hot I was and was very breathless. I will keep going and hope you do to x

[howardsgirl]

Hi, and we'll done for doing it. Have to say, I haven't done another run yet and have decided to buy a treadmill to start off indoors, like some others have.So I will be starting over, but still as determined to do it.