You people lied to me 😩😩😩
It will get easier you said 🤬🤬🤬
I feel like dying right now ☠️☠️☠️
I found the second run really hard, I want to blame the strong wind but don’t think I can, as everyone else did real good today. I’m not giving up I will do this💪💪
I met a man on route I think he heard me swear at MJ 🤣🤣 he really encouraged me!! I’m now going to massage my incredibly sore calf’s. Please tell me it should hurt and I’m doing the right thing 😬😬😬
Today I did W5,R3. It doesn’t get easier as such but you body and mind deal with it better!! Have a rest day tomorrow, drink plenty of water, I found magnesium tablets have really help my calf pain and leg cramps. What week are you on?
W1 R2 🤣🤣 I’ll give the tablets a go. It’s such a strange feeling, total agony but so happy
I remember W1,R2. I got home and nearly cried. Thought I could never do it but I’m still going!!! The best advice I have been given is to slow down!!!
Thank you, this makes me feel better that I’m not the only one being pathetic 😀
Haha... see my graduation update, we are all in the pathetic club from time to time 🤣🤣🤣
Stay strong! Keep going! It will pay off! Promise!! 😊
I’ve not found any easy as such but got through each one .. some harder than others. Think the first ones are the hardest as you’re building up fitness and will get better as your fitness improves.. the later runs are more mental as I’ve had arguments with myself .. half of me telling myself I want to walk and give up and the other half saying ‘no carry on’ ha ha!!! I feel elated after each run even though some have been hard! One tip is to make sure your route is flat as even a slight slope can make it harder 😊
My body is in shock 😱 I’ve given it a kick up the backside, all these years of neglect. I’m in a small battle with myself at the moment and I will WIN 😀
I seriously cannot go any slower!! Thanks for the advice on the technique. I am desperate to make this work. It’s a strange feeling the agony mixed in with the happiness! Yes even though I’m crap at this at the moment I will get better and thank you for encouraging me 😀
I've just completed W1 R3. I'm amazed I did it to be honest as W1 R2 was so hard for me. I slowed down today and had 'the hare and the tortoise' mentality. It worked... I am channeling my inner tortoise 😊
P.s keep going, we are all in this together 🏃♀️
You and me both fellow tortoise 🐢 x
Fatty you made me smile - with you not at you! This is all new stuff and your body will adapt as your fitness increases. Actually the wind was a killer today so I would definitely factor it in.
I promise you that in a couple of weeks you will look back and wonder why you ever thought it was difficult.
But do follow all the good advice on here- I find that yoga stretches after a run really help me not to ache.
Rest, hydrate, stretch and slow down are the mantras.
Keep going and stay positive...and don’t be too hard on Michael he’s the man!!!😂😂😂
I am taking everything in! I have respect for MJ it’s meant with love 😆 my body is in shock 🤣🤣
Believe in the programme.
After my W1 R2 I had such a pounding in my head (and a total inability to breathe) that I took my blood pressure when I got home to check I wasn't having a stroke...I wasn't. I will be starting Week 7 on Monday and could have kept going after the last run which was for 25 minutes. Keep going.
Wow!! Well done you. I will succeed 😃
One run I remember swearing at a hill in front of an older lady, probably about wk 5, and decided to run the route the other way, it was so much better. Today I did my 5th consolidation run and went app free, keep going you’ll win 😊
Thank you, I will win 😀
If it was easy everyone would be doing it, it’s not easy, your asking your body to do things that are not familiar to it...be strong, if you want it badly enough you’ll succeed 💪🏻
I will succeed, I will repeat week 1 if necessary thank you
🤣. It does get easier... at some point!
Strong winds play havoc with a run... not all of us faced them today even in windy areas, my first run of the day was very sheltered. That wind was only going to make your run harder.
It should hurt a little... and there will be aches... but they also get better over time.
Tough run today... but not as tough as this new runner... you completed it, be very proud of yourself.
First run of the day..... bloody heck!! Oddly though I love this pain. And very proud, thank you
Well, I have been doing this a couple of years and gone up to half marathon... so yesterday I ran two 5ks with a few hours of rest in between... not recommended for a good while!
🙌you are god!! 🙌Respect to you 🙌 I can dream 🙌
I’m only you in a couple of years time.
I laughed out loud when I read this.
This was my week 1 run 2 post:
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Week 1 is by far the hardest of the program. Do the runs get easier? Well, in a few weeks you might find that. However, what very quickly becomes quicker (and therefore makes the run easier in a way), is your recovery time. You will recovery faster and ache less.
That said, its so important to recognise the difference between aching muscles and pain. If its actually painful, then don't run again until the pain has gone
But believe me, no matter what you think, you can run slower! And you probably do need to hydrate more.. even on rest days.
Stick with it, good luck, and let us know how you get on.
Mig
Hi mig, I’m not giving up I will do this, I am going to repeat W1 My speed is backwards and I don’t care, my pain is from being overweight!! I’m hoping the pain will decrease as I decrease, thank you for your kind words 💪💪💪
Have a look at the strength and flex forum too. Or Google knee strengthening exercises.
After badly damaging a knee a few years ago, I can tell you they make a big difference
Happy running!
I’m *so* glad I’m not the only one swearing at the coaches. I’ve abused Michael, told Jo and her ‘bad news Fairy’ to do one, and have moved one to telling ‘Sanj’ to eff off. And I’m only on week 3 😆
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I have so much respect for MJ it is meant with love, just a bit of vented frustration. Good luck with your journey 😀
Joking aside, if you are in serious, lasting pain then seriously slow down - Google Japanese Slow Running. You shouldn't be in lots of pain. A few muscle aches and stiffness, but not agony. Perhaps take 2 rest days instead of one? Good luck.
I will google that!! My pain is my poor knees holding up this body of blob!! I will succeed, thank you
There are lots of knee strengthening exercises you can do. If you Google it there's a series of NHS exercises. We need to look after our knees! I have arthritis in both knees so know that only too well....
I hated my first 2 week 1 runs so much I didn’t run again for about a month .... I recruited my son to run with me and changed my route (initially I was mostly on grass and very hilly) although this route has some hills it was so much better. Think about your route and just keep repeating week 1 until you feel ready to move on.
Yes I think I will repeat week 1 quite a few times. Thank you
Based on your username I’m going to hazard a guess that we are roughly the same age, and I’m also carrying the results of a less than active lifestyle for too long.
Will it get easier? Only if you keep doing it.
Will you ache after every run? Probably, but if you eat, drink and stretch properly you should adapt pretty quick, your body is an amazing piece of technology.
Will you hate MJ along the way? Yes, but he’s an Olympic champion so suck it up, he knows what he’s talking about.
Are you doing the right thing? I think you know the answer to that one.
You’ve got this 👍
Mid 40’s and carrying far to much weight. The pain I’m feeling is clearly my poor knees lumping all this excess blob around. I’m not giving up even if I’m still on week 1 in July I don’t care. I have so much respect for MJ my swearing at him is filled with love. Thank you
I sometimes get achy shins straight after running and stretching post run. I’ve found that icing ( with ice packs or frozen veg, not cake icing!!) for 20 mins or so makes a difference, maybe give that a try?
I will thank you
Just a youngster then! Keep at it, you sound determined well done
Make sure you STRECH afterwards. Im doing this plan alongside the NHS strength and flex program this time round and it has really helped me. It’s the 12 week fitness program. If you don’t know how to stretch look up @IannodaTruffe pinned posts he has the links to the stretches and the fitness program in pinned posts.
It is okay to ache but probably not hurt. Have a warm bath with some salt in it to ease your muscles too. You can do this!!
I’ll look that up, thank you
Good luck, I’m trying to get fit not fat, with about five stone still to lose. (I’ve managed to lose one already) I’m not going to say it’s easy but it does get easier and you get fitter. If your 73 is from your dob I’m the same age as you too.
Like wise I want to get healthy and not be out of breath whilst going up stairs. The loss of weight is the icing. Yes hello fellow 73 xx
I love the help and support, my pace is backwards🤣 I will try the on the spot. It’s now the morning after and feel much better about myself. I think I am being too hard on myself 🤪
As someone who used to be 24 stone I know about the effect of weight on your knees! As others have said, if you are aching, that’s fine, you can push in through - and from your posts and tone I have no doubt that you will succeed.
But if your knees are actually hurting, pushing on is going to make them worse, not better. Definitely do those knee strengthening exercises that other people have recommended and make sure you drink loads of water, on running days and rest days. But most importantly, give your poor knees time to recover - if you need more days between runs to become pain-free, that’s ok. Think of the plan as 9 blocks of 3 runs rather than 9 weeks, there are no prizes for rushing through it, especially if you pick up an injury on the way.
Stick with it, you have started and that is amazing! Your body will thank you for this for the rest of your life, but listen to it, respect it and take it easy. Have fun, you’ve got this!
Thank you for your kind words, I’m in it for the long haul so if I repeat weeks I don’t care. Well done you it must have been very challenging in the beginning. Respect to you ✊✊✊
You can do this, I completed W2R1 yesterday and it almost killed me but I did it and tomorrow I will get up early and do it again. Like you I am overweight although slowly and steadily losing it and my goal is that by the end of the year I will be a healthy weight and I will be able to run 5k with my daughter when she comes home for Christmas.
Good luck on your journey, we WILL achieve together x
You've got this - it's tough but great when you achieve each step of the programme. Trust me, if this fatty can do it (twice) then it is in the bag.
Very tough but very rewarding 😍😍
My calves killed after the first 2 runs!!! Thankfully that stopped so you might in luck soon 😊
🤞I find it strange my thighs don’t hurt, just lower legs! Good luck to you too 🥰🥰
It gets better over the weeks, you will have runs that are not great esp the wind, i did my first windy run the other day I thought i was going to die...i didnt and today I did well again. So keep going..I frequently tell my trainer lauren to f off 😂
Second park run and a new 5k PB 😃
Run 8:3 and my second parkrun
Week 6 Run 3. Second time's the charm!
Wk 2 second run completed and I was dead!
