Newbie to running - C25K W1R1 in the bag

[Tank_EG]

Hello to everyone here.

Having succumbed to the curse of lockdown, i.e. the ever increasing waistline, my wife and I have decided to do something about it.

We're were already losing weight when we joined the Weight Loss NHS plan, I've started using the Active 10 app and now we have decided to give couch to 5k a try.

We are no runners and wouldn't have dreamed of starting something like this before but buoyed by recent weight loses we have completed our first run tonight and feel great.

I was an active marshal at our local parkrun until lockdown. My ultimate goal is to run it when it returns but for now completing week 1 will be an achievement.

Looking forward to our rest day tomorrow and getting out again on Thursday.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

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.

[Tank_EG Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Many thanks IannodaTruffe.

One of the reasons for joining the forum was to pick up good advice to help with our journey. I've looked at the FAQ post and there's a lot of useful information

[Speedy60 Graduate]

Hi, great decision. 👍

To begin with you won't be doing enough running to make much of a dent in your calorie count. However, you will very soon start to notice a difference in your shape and muscle tone.

I lost a lot of weight before I started couch to 5k and I've never put it back on again. What running has done is rescue me from a lifetime of yoyo dieting. It can do the same for you! Good luck! 👍

[Tank_EG Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Thanks Speedy60.

Having lost this weight a number of times, anything to stop the yo-yo dieting will be a god send

[00marks Graduate]

It is great that you have started. Just follow the plan and you'll do fine.

[Tank_EG Graduate in reply to 00marks]

Thanks 00marks

[Sabrina77 Graduate]

Well done you. Doing it together is great too. You’ll both manage with good and bad days like everyone else here....

[Tank_EG Graduate]

Thanks Sabrina77.

It definitely helps having my OH along

[Maxwell1801]

Well done if I can do it im sure you can.I have just completed couch 2 5K .I started 18st 9 and now down to 16st 11 so go for it you can do it

[Tank_EG Graduate]

Thanks Maxwell1801 and wow - almost 2 stone lost

[Dups Graduate]

You and your wife will love running. It comes with highs and lows as you will see on the forum. But the highs are a ‘buzz’ and all the encouragement and advice from everyone to keep you motivated is amazing.

Well done on your weight loss and enjoy the journey 😃

[Tank_EG Graduate in reply to Dups]

Thanks Dups.

I'll be honest, I though I would find my first run a real struggle and not enjoy it at all. Turns out it was the complete opposite. It's early days I know and I'm not expecting it to be easy but I'm definitely more optimistic than I was.

[Cherie65 Graduate]

Well done on starting this thing and well done on finding this forum so quickly - it is invaluable. I am only on Week 3 Run 2 and so I'm not qualified to be giving advice but I can confidently say two things: 1. Trust the programme - there may come a point when you think you can't do the next step, but if you follow the programme you will get there even if you have to repeat a run or two (so far, so good for me and you will read this advice everywhere on the forum. 2. This video on Japanese Slow Jogging helped me (and plenty of others on here) realise that it is important to run slowly. When you get to the end of C25k and have done some consolidation runs, you can work on speed and/or distance then, but to get through the programme, running slowly is key.

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

If I'm wrong on any of this, I'm sure the experienced runners on here will correct me but I thought I'd pass on the little knowledge I've gained so far as I've learnt so much from other people on here.

[Tank_EG Graduate in reply to Cherie65]

Thanks Cherie for the advice.

I've found the video and i'm watching it now

[Cherie65 Graduate]

Sorry - looks like the link didn't work, just google 'Japanese Slow Jogging' or search for it on here as others have posted it before. Good luck!

[Petem56 Graduate]

Keep at it, and don't let little set backs put you off, I've tried C25K twice and had problems that scuppered me, now waiting to start again, 3rd time lucky I hope.

[DaiNamic]

Well done on taking that first step.

Like you, I was a Parkrun Marshall but, with W2R2 successfully completed, I’m well on my way to getting fit to run 5k.