They did it! But gave up on the treadmill.

One of my husbands old friends and his wife visited a few weeks ago just as I had go back from a run. They told me of their disastrous start to using a treadmill that they had purchased a few years back and how it had put them off using it. I told them about the C25K app as it sounded like they just got on the thing and ran as fast as they could for as long as they could (which was only a couple of minutes).

They downloaded the app and to my surprise messaged me to say they started the very next day. The last I had heard is that they had completed week 1. Yesterday I got a message to say they had completed week 9. They had run almost every other day!

They gave up on the treadmill after week two as they decided to run together outside. The main reason being that they did not have the time to both use it in the morning, but also, running together was much more enjoyable. They only missed a day if there was heavy rain.

They said they are no where near 5K, possibly about 4, but are determined to get there. They did admit to treating themselves to a bottle of wine as a treat for completing it, their first since starting. Their next step is tackling their diet but did not want to make to many life style changes at once as they knew that would lead to failure.

They did say just say that had they known about the C25K back when they first had the treadmill they would definitely have been more likely to stick with it rather than allow it to get covered in boxes and dust.

[Liono Graduate]

Oops, I've been treating myself to a bottle of wine for completing each week, I must have read the guide wrong.

[Liono Graduate in reply to Liono]

(I should add that I drink it over 3 nights, not all on Friday 😂)

[Chris--B Graduate in reply to Liono]

I think the guide does say something about drinking plenty of fluids, I cant remember the details but I am sure that counts 😂.

[Liono Graduate in reply to Chris--B]

Knew I'd read it somewhere!

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Well done for introducing them to c25k. More people run 4km at graduation than 5k so no shame in that.

[Cmoi Graduate]

Well done to your friends for completing C25K Hidden !

I don't get the giving up wine thing though, as it's one of life's pleasures for me. In fact I did my first-ever 10k as an out-and-back run from a vineyard.

Ah well, each to their own. I shall continue to regard wine as a necessary part of my training, just in case I ever decide to do the Marathon du Médoc or the Marathon du Beaujolais!

[Hidden in reply to Cmoi]

They used to buy a bottle a week, have a glass on Friday, one or two on Saturday and if they any left it was drunk on Sunday. they had done that for years.They found a place on line where they could buy a case of 12, and have a scheduled delivered much cheaper than they were buying it one at the time. Effectively 3 months supply delivered every three months.

Except, if there was none left for the Sunday, rather than go without, they would open another bottle. Strangely, that evaporated during the week so they needed to open another bottle on the Friday. It then got to two glasses on a Friday, then on the Saturday another two glasses, but that meant opening another bottle. the same thing happened on the Sunday. Their first 3 months supply lasted a month. Before long it was lasting less than that! It was far too easy to log on, click a button and have another 12 bottles delivered.

They realised it was getting out of control so cancelled their order. this was just before starting their C25K.

It had been said that during the lockdown people were becoming either a hunk, drunk or a chunk. They said they had managed both of the last two!!

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I probably drink as much as your friends used to: often a large glass with dinner on Friday evening, then share a bottle with my husband, again with our meal, on both Saturday and Sunday evening. So 12 bottles lasting two people a month doesn't shock me in itself; what interests me is how it's being consumed.

I can't imagine opening a bottle of wine just to have a glass (or two?) on its own, let alone drinking the same stuff all the time and clicking to re-stock. For me wine is accompanied by food, and while I'm far from being an expert, and don't spend much on it, I love choosing it, from browsing in supermarkets to vineyard wine-tastings during motorhome holidays.

Santé !

[Hidden in reply to Cmoi]

I am not a big drinker and rarely drink at home unless on special occasions, or out for a meal, so a bottle a week would be lot to me . I am not much fun after a drink, unless I have it with food, after a glass, all I want to do is sleep!!

I think it was the easy availability and the way they were increasing the volume consumed at a steady rate that concerned them. They put a stop before they got to the point where they got through the case in a week.

[Birra1 Graduate]

Great stuff!!