Cough to 5k: Hi one and all. My best friend's... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Cough to 5k

Steveb2a2 profile image
9 Replies

Hi one and all.

My best friend's daughter introduced me and my wife to C25K and I have just finished week one...and feeling pleased with myself.

I have a lung dIsease (bronchiectasis) and am short of breath and wheezy generally and am on inhalers and steroids to help prevent frequent chest infections. Sometimes it can be torturous to even walk a few hundred yards.

I coughed and spluttered and expelled phlem almost continually during my first day out but better on the next two days. The rest of my body hurts, especially my calves.

It is strange how I both dread the next week and yet can't wait for the challenge. It seems impossible that I could ever run 5k, but it seemed impossible to even do day one. I know I have to do exercise to keep chest infections at bay so even if I never make the 5k I will persevere with as much as I can do.

I am probably writing this is a self congratulatory way to help myself keep going...so apologies. And we'll done to everyone who is up for this challenge,..keep going because, as they say, 'your worth it'.

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Steveb2a2
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9 Replies
Tartancat profile image
TartancatGraduate

You should congratulate yourself - you're worth it!

And you paint such a pretty picture of your first run!

Keep posting on your progress (and your wife's progress as well) 😊

Liz5K profile image
Liz5KGraduate

Well done for getting out there!

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate

Great job. I’m sure you’ll make it as you’re obviously determined... this doesn’t have to be 9 weeks, you can keep going forever if you need to. If you can’t run 5k because of the lung disease, maybe you could complete it by jeffing... pretty much what you did in that run yesterday!

Bloodhound1 profile image
Bloodhound1

I am so impressed. Keep it going and you WILL make it

jiggles7 profile image
jiggles7Graduate

Well done Steveb2a2! great job!! keep us posted on your journey :D you should totally be feeling smug, the first week is the hardest and you've smashed it! :D

StudentNursee profile image
StudentNurseeGraduate

Wow! What an achievement! Huge well done! I have complete admiration for you for battling through. As my username suggests I’m a student nurse and I know how difficult your condition can be to manage and how much it affects your daily life so really well done for keeping going, and just giving it a go in the first place.

Your doing the best thing you could for you body right now and your doing amazing.

Please use your experience with C25K and share with other people in similar positions, you will be such an inspiration to them.

Amazing work and keep going. Well done! x

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Enjoy your journey.

molly1973 profile image
molly1973Graduate

Congratulations on getting started Steve! Like StudentNursee I have an understanding of your challenges: I am a respiratory physio. You will get more up than usual to start with due to the exercise and this is likely tail off in time as your chest generally gets clearer. You may find that doing the exercise means you don’t need to do as much formal self treatment but take it steady. You know your lungs better than anyone else so if you know you’re a bit under the weather, save the run for another day: never run on an infection. Enjoy it: it will get easier in time and you are doing an amazing job!!! Good luck and keep posting 👍👍

cheryl_couch_tatty profile image
cheryl_couch_tattyGraduate

Well done!

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For anyone at any stage of the programme, keep going, one foot in front of the other, you can do it!