Hello everyone! I'm new. I started wanting to do something about my fitness because my mother died and a few months later I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis (chronic lung disease); mortality was staring me in the face! So a couple of months ago I started to do my local parkrun (that is actually for me a park brisk walk) which I have done every week and enjoyed. Now I feel that I want to do a bit more so here I am starting on c25k. I have read here that a lot of people go on to do their parkruns after graduating from the programme so I am doing it the wrong way round. I know that I am always going to be slow but hopefully I will improve. Luckily my parkrun is very supportive of the slowcoaches like me so I will carry on going there. Good luck to everyone on the programme!
Doing it back to front!: Hello everyone! I'm new... - Couch to 5K
Doing it back to front!
Parkrun is brilliant, isn't it? The nice thing is that c25K will allow you to walk/run at your own pace at parkrun, before eventually running the whole thing.
Good luck.
Somehow I can't imagine that I'll ever be able to run the whole thing!... but I'll see how I get on. Even on week 1 I'm running more than I ever have before 
Thank you for encouraging me.
lol, you will, just follow the program and after you have graduated you can work on extending the distance to 5k, you can do it.
You will. I've just done it, at a Granny jog, after gradually reducing the walking bits. ( I can run slowly but Parkrun pushes me and I get tired.) Everyone who knows me had to get their jaw off the ground when I started running!
Hello silverflowers, c25k really is amazing and really does work you'll get lots of encouragement and support on here .
Just go slow and slower again if needed and remember to drink lots of water per day and not just on run days about 2-3 litres .
Whatever week you are on just use one of the runs on parkrun day and follow the instructions of your coach . Good luck 😊
Thank you for the advice. I'll take Laura with me to the parkrun on Saturday
Welcome to the forum and C25K. You’ll find lots of friendly support here. Good luck and looking forward to seeing your posts 😁
Welcome to the forum and well done on your decision.
This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
We recommend that you stick to the plan if doing parkrun, so as not to be tempted to do too much too soon.
Enjoy your journey.
will do - thank you
Welcome aboard! I'm sure your parkrun group will be understanding.
Well done on getting to grips with your fitness, it's not fun when mortality gives us a shake up!
Be sure to read the guide to get maximum benefits from the programme
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Thank you!
Congratulations on getting started and welcome xx
Well done, Park brisk walking will have prepared you for c25k
Welcome. You'll get lots of support and encouragement here.
Keep doing those park runs and as others have said, just incorporate it into the program.
Do whichever run you are on at the time and then walk the rest of the way.
Let us know how you get on
Well done and welcome on the C25k. Whatever you do and how you do it the folk on here will cheer you along to a better you 👍🏼
Welcome. I am nearing the end of the programme. Nine weeks ago I couldn't run to the end of my street. Yesterday I ran for 30 minutes straight.
I was wondering what to do next and you have inspired me! If it ever stops raining here, I'm going to sign up for my local parkrun.
Good luck with your journey
Hi Speedy60. That is brilliant that you have run for 30 minutes. Well done! You should feel very proud. Good luck with your parkrun and I hope you enjoy it
We did our first Parkrun three weeks before starting C25K almost 2 years ago. OK, we walked and ran, but after doing C25K we ran all the way! Unfortunately we are both back to square one as we have serious health issues, but have started again and looking forward to our runs with the family.
You will complete the course and you will run for 30 minutes. But remember, 5K walking is still 5K. And it is more than the majority ever do! Go well and feel great.
Thank you, Rumour. I hope that your health problems get better soon. I can't change the state of my lungs but I hope that getting more active will make me feel better otherwise. I have to accept the things I can't change but try to be brave enough to change the things I can. As you say, any exercise is better than just sitting on the sofa coughing and feeling sorry for myself!
Hope you enjoy your family runs.
Hi Silver flowers
I did something different as well I started running 10 years ago when I was 54 no plan just running to lamp posts and trees and then walking gradually building up until I finally got to 5K I did a 5K run 3 times a week for 9 years until 2 years ago I got an injury to my knee I don’t know what I did but it hurt and kept swelling up I couldn’t run couldn’t walk and was in a lot of pain.
My daughter forced me to go to a physio I had a free consultation and he said do you still want to run I said yes but I don’t think I can and thought it was the end for me.
He said I had torn my meniscus.
I had to complete rest it after a few weeks I gradually started to walk on it bit by bit.
I did this for a couple of months and then discovered couch2 5K.
I finished that and for someone who had been running for 9 years it was not easy.
It took me nearly a year to get back to where I was.
Then with inspiration from everyone on here I went on to do 10K.
I do Parkrun most weeks and this week is my run 192
So good luck I know you can do it.
Let us all know how you get on we are all rooting for you.
Hi Mumpark. That must have been so frustrating when you got your injury. What a fantastic achievement to recover the way you did and do 10K as well! Thank you for the encouragement.
What an amazing achievement already to do a brisk walk park run. You already have the determination to do this.
Sorry about the loss of your mum and then your diagnosis of bronchiectasis. That's difficult to cope with. I wish you every success in this C25K journey.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your kind words.
Don’t worry about speed or time sf - I graduated in August and it still takes me 52 minutes to do 5kms! So I’m usually either last or very near the back of the pack at Parkrun but that’s fine- somebody has to be! And if you want to do it as a mix of running and walking, then that’s fine too - the main thing is that you’re out there doing it! Good luck with your C25K- don’t forget to let us know how you get on!
Thank you Oldgirlruns. I have to keep reminding myself that I am just doing it for me and the time doesn't matter. Some people at work did laugh at how slow my time was. I wish more slow people were brave enough to do Parkrun and then it wouldn't be quite as lonely at the back. I am feeling excited and a bit apprehensive about my first Parkrun with Laura tomorrow. It'll be my week 1 run 3. I'll have to start at the very back with the dogs, buggies and tail walker so I don't hold anyone up with my 5 minutes warmup walking! Keep enjoying your running. I really admire you for completing the programme
If you walk really briskly during the walking phase, and after you’ve finished the 3rd Run part, you may well find that you overtake some of the slower runners and walkers - and you’ll get the benefit of some aerobic exercise too. Whatever you do, remember to enjoy yourself! And don’t forget to take your barcode! Happy running!
Thank you!
Our return to Parkrun has been slow too. We run 100 steps and walk to recover for as long as it takes. We have to be careful, but we are never last. Just love that tailwalker! Our brand new Parkrun (Irchester Country Parkrun) is what some call a technical one! I suppose that means lots of bends, hills and in the woods. We find it difficult, but it is also beautiful. (Look it up on Facebook tons of pictures)
You have this, you are a runner, you are smashing it every time you go out. Remember what I said, 5K is 5K no matter how it is done and it really is 5K more than most will do on a Saturday morning, or any other time for that matter. And as for those that laughed at your time? No true runner would laugh, so ask them what their time is for Parkrun!
We got your back. x
Dear Rumour, you are so right - thank you for the words of encouragement. Your parkrun looks lovely. Mine is really flat and not so pretty (but to be honest I am grateful I don't have to go up any hills as I find even gentle slopes rather taxing!) I did try another parkrun a couple of weeks ago and managed to get quite lost. I had to keep stopping and asking the marshals which way to go. (I think I was so slow they didn't realise I was still part of the run; I had blended in with all the other random dog walkers and park users!) It was a relief to get back to my regular parkrun this week.
Good luck with your parkrunning/walking. The more of us slow folk there are, the better the event in my (somewhat biased) opinion.
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