Week 5 Run 3

[Swanseajen]

I couldn’t run for 20 seconds when I started this malarkey in March. I’m a middle aged podge-monster but I just completed the 20 minute run. All of it! Without stopping! I was bricking it but trust the plan man. Trust the plan. Feels amazing.

[Hidden]

Buzzing for you!! Keep going because you've more to achieve and be proud of. Keep hydrated and stretch and you've got this.

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

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.

Enjoy your journey.

[SaltdeanSizzler]

Fantastic achievement for a “podge monster “ 👏👏😂😂 The spirit on here really lifts me ! Well done I dream of getting that far 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️W3R1 bring it on 🥴🥴🥴from a fellow middle aged “podge-monster😊

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to SaltdeanSizzler]

Thanks!! It’s a great forum isn’t it?! So positive. Listen, if fattyboombatty over here can do it, so can you!

[Fionamags Graduate]

Brilliant! Love that - there's nothing like that feeling of wk5 run 3 - fabulous!!!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Fionamags]

Thank you! It’s AMAZING!!

[AlysP Graduate]

Yaaaay!!! Podge Monster you are a 🌟and you made me smile!!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to AlysP]

Thank you!

[ThisTimeIsMyTime]

Bet you feel amazing 💪🏼⭐️

[Swanseajen Graduate]

Yeah! What a buzz!

[Angelpoppy Graduate]

Hey I'm in your gang too! Fantastic achievement,like you say, trust the plan, it works! I'm about to start W5 so you've inspired me! You should be very proud if yourself 😊

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Angelpoppy]

Yay! You’ll smash it!

[mdunn Graduate]

This is great to hear as I have this run to complete this morning! Very nervous

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to mdunn]

I worried about it all day before hand. I took it so slow but it’s such a rush when you finish. You can totally smash this!

[mdunn Graduate in reply to Swanseajen]

Thanks! I have completed it now! Can't believe I just ran 20mins! You're right, such a rush!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to mdunn]

Hooray!! Well done! Amazing!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to mdunn]

Congratulations!

[JeanneMary Graduate]

Brilliant - well done! I've managed the same run yesterday - and it does feel amazing. I wanted to shout to complete strangers that happened to be walking nearby that I'm just finishing 20 minutes, non-stop!!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to JeanneMary]

You too! God, I know that feeling! At the end, I was sort of hunched over cry-laughing in the park as people gave me strange looks. And I didn’t care! Yay!

[Janny5764 in reply to JeanneMary]

I also have W5R3 later today. Feeling a bit nervous about running for 20 mins but also excited. I didn’t think I could run for 8 minutes but I did it 😊 This forum is fantastic and has kept me going.

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Janny5764]

Isn’t it cool?! You’ll smash it and then feel like a total BOSS!!

[Deetermined Graduate in reply to Janny5764]

You'll feel so great after that run, enjoy every minute of it! Once you passed the 8 minutes every additional minute feels like a triumph. There was a point where my legs felt a bit tired but it worked out perfectly fine in the end as we have been preparing for this for weeks. Have a great run!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to JeanneMary]

Congratulations! I have mine tomorrow. 🤞

[Joanney69 Graduate]

Well done 😊 👏 🎉

I remember the huge buzz at the end of that run - it felt so good 😊 I hope you're still on cloud nine - you deserve to be ☺

This programme is fantastic isn't it? The way it takes you from non-runner to 30 minutes still amazes me

Good luck with the rest of your runs 🏃, you're over half way 😉

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Joanney69]

Thanks. It’s really great to see other people who made it though and have so much positivity and encouragement! I feel great about it still!

[Deetermined Graduate]

Well done you!!! I did that run last week and fully understand how you feel now. I had been so excited about that particular run for weeks because I couldn't imagine how to get from 8 minutes of non-stop running to 20. But it worked and I, too, felt so incredibly proud as at the beginning of the programme even 60 seconds were a challenge. When I returned home from the 20 minutes run all the neighbours were standing in front of their houses applauding me which I felt was well-deserved. I mentioned that I ran on a Thursday evening returning around 8 pm, didn't I?

I finished week 6 in the meantime and am convinced now that 30 minutes will be doable. Actually running 5k at some point will be more of a challenge but I'll get there eventually. I am deeply impressed by the app, it's magic. Enjoy the remaining C25k journey!

[JeanneMary Graduate in reply to Deetermined]

I love it! I'm definitely going out on Thursday evenings from now on! How has week 6 been? I'm planning to do week 5 again before moving on, I think.

[Deetermined Graduate in reply to JeanneMary]

Yes, definitely try the Thursday evening run, very entertaining for both you and your neighbours, especially if you start bowing to them after they applauded. I think I'll stick to my original run days for now, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

Week 6 worked pretty well apart from one of my knees which I've had issues with in the past playing up a bit.

I had read here before that some people found the first run in week 6 challenging, it was alright for me, though. The second run was a bit tougher due to the short period of walking in between runs but once I had managed this one I got super excited again as this was the last run in the programme with a walking interval, and I felt really good about getting to the next phase of non-stop running. The third run felt very long but was manageable, I just ran so slow in the end that a snail with moderate "walking" pace could have overtaken me. 😂 I think it's a great idea to repeat week 5 if your intuition tells you to do this again before moving on. Whilst you also could start week 6 and still go back to week 5 if you noticed after the first run that it was too soon, I think I would also prefer doing it your way and repeat a week as often as necessary until I felt fit and confident enough to do the next week. Whichever week it will be: Have a good start!

[Swanseajen Graduate]

Ha! Love it! I might time my next one for Thursday evening! So cool that you’ve done week 6. Hope you smash week 7.

[Deetermined Graduate in reply to Swanseajen]

Thanks! I hope week 7 will be alright, it's the same amount of non-stop running I did at the end of week 6, i.e. 25 minutes, so nothing I wouldn't have managed before. Sadly, one of my knees started to play up a bit since I ran the twenty minutes. I will observe this and will take a break if necessary. However, if somehow possible I really want to finish the programme.

[Irish-John Graduate]

Love this post! I wrote something similar almost four years ago and remember the highs, lows, worries and concerns regarding "Can I do this?"

And, like you are, I did

Proof to new members they are not alone beginning their C25K journey and that Graduation is for them and not just a few

Well done on your Run and your post

Wishing you many happy miles in your future

[Swanseajen Graduate]

Wow thanks! It’s so inspiring to hear that other people were in the same place but made it to graduation and beyond. Thank you for your support, it means a lot.

[FreedomToRun Graduate]

I love it!!! Well done to the podge monster who can run!!! Brilliant. 🎉🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to FreedomToRun]

Cheers!

[Beerybob Graduate]

Just done mine tonight! First time in 30yrs I have run anywhere near that much (currently 53yr old bearded bloater!). So chuffed - onwards and upwards!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Beerybob]

Congratulations!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Beerybob]

Amazing! Well done!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate]

That is fantastic! Congratulations! And so inspiring for my W5R3 tomorrow. 🤞

[emilyb95 Graduate]

Such a great achievement, well done on your progress!

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to emilyb95]

Thank you.

[Emilyhuggy Graduate]

Congratulations and the feeling just gets better. Keep going

[Swanseajen Graduate in reply to Emilyhuggy]

Thanks! Can’t wait.