Week 3 run 2 - another run on this genius programme!

[Fionamags]

Headed off in between showers today and it was absolutely glorious running along the canal towpath. For the first time in a couple of weeks (erm, my entire running career???) there was no headwind.

For those of you daunted by the thought of jumping to the 3 minute runs - I was exactly the same. I won't lie and say that first run was easy, but grim determination got me through it. Today was a lot easier and I am hoping that by the third run this week it will be even better! As many others have said before me - we've got to trust in this programme - it really, really works.

I have a question though for the seasoned runners on here. I always find the first running segment absolutely grim - tight chest and gasping for breath. Before you repeat the mantra, yes, I'm the baby snail at the back of the pack so if I slow down any more I'll be marching in place. Do others find this too with the start of a run? Any tips?

[mom24uk Graduate]

That looks stunning. What a lovely spot to run and it sounds like you smashed it! Well done 👏

As you know, I'm only just ahead of you but there are a few posts on here about those first few minutes. Here's a link to one of them which has an explanation all sciencey :

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Fionamags Graduate in reply to mom24uk]

Thanks a lot. I've decided to ignore that statement about it taking 15 mins to get going though But some of the comments were hilarious - my favourite: "As a newbie on w5r3 today, I suffer horrendously from legs that feel like concrete, it's really hard to run. " (foreverendeavour) This person made it to at least week 6 though dragging the concrete. I had to laugh out loud at this one simply because today I had a concrete day as well!

[mom24uk Graduate in reply to Fionamags]

I'm another sufferer of concrete legs. And 5-20 minutes I can cope with but at 15 minutes, I'm on my way back home

[Cartoonist]

Hi, the start of the run is a problem for most people I think. I certainly experience it and having read up a little bit it appears to be simply that your body takes a little while to ramp up it’s aerobic capacity. When you start running your body simply isn’t able to metabolise the oxygen you need to run after five minutes or so it starts to get better. Knowing this helped me, instead of simply feeling I’m in dreadful shape when I start running I recognise that my body is just getting ready for what it needs to do, And it will. Good luck

[Fionamags Graduate in reply to Cartoonist]

Thanks - 5 minutes seems not quite so daunting as the 15!!!

[Comfortnotspeed]

What a beautiful running track you have. It can be hard to get going.

My body tends to creak and protest a bit and my mind tries to do the same thing. So I have to slap it down.

I do this with “bangin tunes” there goes the creaky old girl air drumming away to keep the doubts from winning.

Good luck on your C25K journey. You can do this; are doing this 🙂

[Fionamags Graduate in reply to Comfortnotspeed]

I'm very lucky to live a 5 min warm up walk away from the canal. Its lovely and flat as well, which is a fantastic bonus for a beginner.

[Nilsam Graduate]

Gorgeous picture. Fabulous post. Yes, as other posts say. The first bit does take a bit of additional focus. So the warm up walk bit is were I syke myself up for it. Then I know it's the breathing, the arms (right angle), hands (like a terminator), neck and head (like a puppet), eyes (looking ahead not down)...by the time I have faffed around and distracted myself enough that initial 5 mins have past. You will read posts of others saying the same. If you can recognise it for what it is...and really try not to worry too much. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👀🤞

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Looks lovely, well done 👍😁

[Roxdog Graduate]

Yep, that's a thing sometimes. A mixture of the respiration issues identified in the link, but possibly also belief 'am I actually doing this? Why? How? Will my body do this?' Etc!