Any tips for starting the couch to 5k

[Mattlad91]

Hi is there any tips for starting the couch to 5k please I'm new to running/jogging I have some running trainers but I not sure how good they will be and don't really have any other running gear so not sure where put my phone etc

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your intention.

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

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

It is best not to carry anything in your hands when running, so a belt or arm strap is the normal way to carry your phone.

Enjoy your journey.

[Jodiebee]

I started last Sunday, I’m possibly the least fit person here 😂 you’ve just got to crack it out, it’s going to be hard but it gets easier and you will feel so good! Ok, maybe after you’ve gotten home, had a shower and a glass of water haha. I held my phone as I ran until I got some leggings with a proper pocket for it (jogging bottoms might work if the pockets deep enough) but my hoody was a no go as it bounced about and nearly fell out several times. Keep us updated on your first run, you’ve got this 💪🏻

[Curlykimbo]

This first time i did it is used a waist strapped bag to store my phone, jogging teousers if pockets are deep enough or have a zip, good luck with your journey and keep us updated,xx

[Mummyfit90210]

I just carry my phone in my hand - need to look at diff options but I was adamant I wasn’t buying special stuff until I’d stuck to the plan for a while x

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to Mummyfit90210]

Same here - but now I’m in week 7 I’ve bought an armband. The fam call me robocop (rude) but it’s one less thing to worry about😜

[Mummyfit90210 in reply to SweatyHettie]

Sounds like a plan.. where did you get it?

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to Mummyfit90210]

Ebay - cheap as chips but effective...and pink...that’s the important bit 😜

[Mummyfit90210 in reply to SweatyHettie]

Love pink ❤️❤️

[Chewy73 Graduate]

Keep at it! Do as your coach says! (I thought I’d try a jog more or an extra jog! DONT!!) almost passed out and made me ill! So listen and follow the instructions. Drink plenty and make sure you have a days rest in between. Stay positive! You can do it! Good luck 😉

[Sewsandy Graduate]

Hi, I didn't buy anything special at first. Just ran in a pair of joggers, a t-shirt and decent pair of trainers, carrying my phone. I felt I needed somewhere to put my phone by about week 5 so bought a reasonably priced waist strap/bag from Amazon and soon afterwards my first pair of leggings. Both still in regular use as I graduated last August and now run 5k 3 or 4 times a week. Highly recommend not over thinking it and just starting, going slowly, drinking plenty of water and taking the rest days. 👍💦👍

[Alex9273]

My tip.would be to have music on, the app interrupts it to tell you when you need to start and stop so you van have both at the same time. I find the music distracts me and the time passes quicker. Good luck.

[Ritmo Graduate]

Decathlon is your friend for running gear. They have loads and it's cheap. I've been looking longingly at Sweaty Betty gorgeous leggings but £90!!! TK Maxx is good also.

Getting your gait analysed for shoes is good.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Have a watch of this too:

youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2kh...(Not working as expected?)

[Mattlad91 in reply to John_W]

that looks very slow

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Mattlad91]

and ?

[Mattlad91 in reply to John_W]

I went quite slow yesterday

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Mattlad91]

Good! Keep it that way and you'll be absolutely fine.

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

My tips are as follows:

- Get a good pair of running shoes.

- Bodyglide is about to become your friend.

- Forget dignity. You are going to be seen outdoors in day-glo lycra.

- Take it slow, and steady. You need to channel your inner snail. Run as slowly as you can, then slow down some more. Trying to go full pelt is a common error in the early weeks and just makes it more difficult than it needs to be.

- Hydrate today to run tomorrow. Drink water, lots of water, every day.

- Follow the plan, but don't fixate on it. It's designed to build you up gradually. It will give you the physical capabilities, the tough bit is training your mind.

- Slow down.

- Believe in yourself.

- Always, always, always take your rest days. If at any point you feel an extra rest day would do you good, take it. Extra rest days do not hurt you. Missing rest days very possibly might.

- Don't get hung up on 9 "weeks". A "week" is simply a handy shorthand for the time taken to successfully complete each block of three runs.

- Similarly, don't get hung up on 5k in 30 minutes. The vast majority of us don't get to that distance by the end of the plan. It's being able to run for 30 minutes that counts, the actual distance you cover in that time is irrelevant.

- Slow down. I cannot stress this enough, if you're finding it hard, you are almost certainly going too fast.

- Check in here often and use this wonderful community for inspiration and support (and the odd occasional virtual kick up the backside should it be required).

- Enjoy yourself. This is probably the most important one of all. You may not enjoy the actual runs, but learn to bask in the sense of achievement as you tick each one off.

I think that covers everything I can think of..

Good luck.

[Alec3720 Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Totally agree with all of the things strongfuse says the other is believe in yourself you can do this.

If you get aches and pains take another day to recover

Pick a good soundtrack to motivate you

Well done for wanting to do this and good luck you will do this

[Mattlad91]

Thank you all I think I am starting today.. Nervous about it

[Giner]

Just do the running very slowly.. I was not fit at all and overweight but I’m now on week five and loving it. The walk warm up really helps

[Mattlad91]

U know if do it in morning have the rest of the day to rest, would I have to rest day after also as I like to go walking too so could I do that day after with my partner

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to Mattlad91]

Walking on your "rest" day is fine. So is cycling or any non impact exercise. Running on consecutive days isn't recommend until you've been running at least a year (it's still something I do very rarely) as your body needs to adapt to the stresses it's being put under

[Mattlad91 in reply to sTrongFuse]

Yeah true ur supposed to rest... I just wondered about rest day like have to do nothing or can I go walking etc as I don't like just doing nothing as I have mental health issues my anixety plays with me etc

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to Mattlad91]

You can definitely do other exercise on "rest days", e.g. walking, cycling, swimming, cross-fit, etc., just give yourself a day-off from running.

[Mattlad91 in reply to sTrongFuse]

OK great could I get to 10k before October just in case I can get into derby 10k in October

[sTrongFuse Graduate in reply to Mattlad91]

Possibly, yes. I graduated 5k exactly a year ago. Consolidated at that for a couple of weeks, then started lengthening one run a week. Ran my first 10k in July, consolidated again. Then continued to stretch my weekly long run and ran my first HM in November. Got there by running only on alternate days, so it can be done.

If, on the day, you find yourself having to walk bits of your 10k, that's fine. My first 10k event was in November and I walked about 500m of one uphill section and still set a PB. The important thing is the training and, most of all, just enjoying it.

[Mattlad91 in reply to sTrongFuse]

ok great thats if i can get in but hoping i do

[Flattttt Graduate]

The responses you you’ve had are incredible. They are everything that I have learned by doing my third couch to 5K.

Re-read everything that’s been written in this thread and apply it. These things will truly save you.

When they say go slow, they mean conversational pace. I.e, You literally could hold a conversation easily while running. If you do this you won’t burn out and you won’t have any runs that seem impossible well there might be one in week five that’s tough.

The best run I ever had was when I called a friend of mine using some Bluetooth headphones and held a conversation for the entire run. .. The running was so easy that I accidentally ran another 10 minutes! It was great. There are important reasons not to exceed the number of minutes in the plan, so I’m careful to follow the plan more carefully now, but the conversational piece really is a game changer.

I always feel amazing after a run, and I always have more energy in my life.

[Mamabearruns]

How did it go? I started this week! I’ve just had my phone in my pocket of my lightweight jacket but it does have a zip so it won’t bounce out.

[Mattlad91 in reply to Mamabearruns]

im going later on today, been so busy with other things, sadly so i will have to finish my 1st week on monday as i go today, then saturday and then monday, and then start next one wednesday so should be fine then, ill get into a routine then, i would rather not do it on my own though but have to as i dont know many people

[Mattlad91 in reply to Mattlad91]

and of course self distancing aswell

[Mamabearruns in reply to Mattlad91]

Best of luck!

[Mattlad91 in reply to Mamabearruns]

I went yesterday it went OK.. I completed it anyway.. I was bit worried about my heart rate though it went up to 169

[limberlou Graduate]

I found my upper arms are too muscly and kept popping the armband velcro undone. Try Amazon for a Flipbelt or something similar. Good luck with the running.

[Honor32]

Listen to your coach..... music is great, I love blues and soul but I’m probably twice your age ! Comfy clothing, l have gloves as I run early and it’s still chilly ! Be patient, listen to your coach and remember this is training so go with the programme, stretch in between each run and most importantly listen to your coach !! Good luck !

[Mattlad91 in reply to Honor32]

I didn't stretch before jog yesterday it doesn't say on app etc just says walk for 5mins and then jog and so on and then walk for 5mins to cool down

[Mattlad91]

I did it yesterday it went OK.. I completed it anyway... Rest day today.. And tomorow I go again..

[Honor32]

Depending on your general muscular tone , the more you do, the tighter your muscles become ( that’s the definition) and they then start to pull on the joints ..... pulling them out of place, so the stretching is preventative...... it’ll get you into a good habit for the coming weeks. Good luck. ( I’m a massage/ movement therapist specialising in injury and rehab! 😀)

[Mattlad91 in reply to Honor32]

OK will do so u do it before u go out to do it

[Honor32 in reply to Mattlad91]

Yes. 5 minutes before and half an hour after( but that’s what I’m used to. Find something that works for you.

[Honor32]

Yes, think limbering up so the legs light. Quads hamstrings heel raises, calf stretches takes 5 mins then the walk is easy and you can concentrate on your core and posture so when you actually run/jog/ trot, the entire body is involved and should feel quite fluid...... if you’re struggling, you’re going to fast, my coach is Michael Johnson and I love his encouragement. Let me know how you get on tomorrow. I’ll be doing week 7 run 3 first thing in the morning !

[Mattlad91 in reply to Honor32]

Yeah as I don't want to get injured or anything or have to stop as can't do it..

[Jillb141 Graduate]

Bum bag

[Jillb141 Graduate]

Hi , I took me 3 weeks to complete wk 1, I couldn't jog for more than 30s to start. now on wk 6, if I struggle with the run I do it again before moving on. Theres no rush to complete in 9wks especially with the lockdown, my aim is to do a 5km parkrun, so I might just get there for when they start up again.

Stretchers at the end really stop you aching. Not drinking enough water is my problem..

[Mattlad91 in reply to Jillb141]

OK that's sounds good yeah I want to do a park run