W5R3 - done

[Coupey]

<delurk>

Hello, long time lurker here, making my first post. Apologies for the length!

Just wanted to say how useful I've found so many of the posts on here for getting me to this point in my C25K journey - thanks all.

Bit about me - I'm 46 and at new year weighed about 18st and very unfit. Couple of flights of stairs making me breathless unfit. It just felt like it was time to make some long term changes. I'd tried C25K a couple of times in the past and through one thing or another never quite got past around week 5 even though I'd been quite enthusiastic and enjoying it.

This time felt different though. I had a diagnosis of slightly high blood pressure early in the year and between that and having a 3-year old lad to keep up with the motivation seems to be there this time.

Today I completed the dreaded W5R3 and I've got to say it feels like getting to the top of a massive hill and stopping to admire the view. Then noticing some bigger hills ahead but being genuinely excited to tackle them. I doubt I've been able to run for 20 minutes since I was about 15, and maybe not even then. I do love the feeling you get when you reach your 'steady state' of pace and breathing and feel like you could go on forever (ha!). I can't actually remember the middle 10 minutes of today's run, it felt fine and actually easier than the 2x8 minutes of W5R2.

I've been running on the treadmill at the gym, walking at 5.2kph and running at 8kph though today I did the twenty minutes at 7.8 so I'd have a better chance of completing, which worked well. Speed can wait! I've not had to repeat a run yet which I'm very pleased with. Now I'm at this point I'm going to start doing a run per week outdoors too though where I live (Sheffield) is very hilly so that's a bit worrying!

C25K combined with a low carb 5:2 style diet (I highly recommend checking out 'The Fast 800' book by Michael Mosley) and Huel for helping me stop making bad meal choices at other times adds up to about 22lbs lost since New Year and feeling my fittest for decades. I'll update with my progress in another couple of weeks...

Happy running people!

</delurk>

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Interesting post from you Coupey, congratulations on completing run 3 of week 5. Onwards and upwards to week 6 run 1 but be careful about that run as it catches out some people with the interval walks🚶and runs 🏃 😊

[Coupey Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

I can believe that - as I say above I found the 2x8 mins quite a bit harder than the 20 minutes. Starting slow and ramping it up if I feel I've got the legs nearer the end is the way I think. One of the advantages of using the treadmill!

[Granspeed Graduate]

Well done, Coupey-the-no-longer-lurker. 🎉 Welcome to running, in all its shapes and sizes. Enjoy the outdoors when you get there; very different but extra fun in its own way. 🌿

[Pancakes86]

Congrats! I love reading posts like this C25K has been great for me so far (I’ve just completed week 7) - physically I was ok, but mentally not so much. Getting out and running and having something to work towards has really changed all that.

Good luck on the rest of your journey

[E27M14 Graduate]

Well done you. I’m here for the same reasons. I started out on the C25K journey in November, I was doing 15:8 fasting at the time and the weight dropped nice and steadily. Since Christmas I have become a little naughty but I graduated and now I’m running 5k three times a week. I’m still trying to be careful with what I eat and make healthier choices but am not being very strict, and the weight is still falling at a nice steady rate. I feel so much healthier and happier, this is such a good plan, but the most important thing is to enjoy it. Find whatever makes you want to run and that way you will keep doing it. Good luck, and if you are struggling at all pop along here because the support is amazing.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Great running and making all the right changes with your eating plan. Oh and as for the hills they are great to run once you get the pace right good luck 😊

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

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

Enjoy your journey.