How does this plan work?

[Rockshammer]

Is this plan magical - About today to do W3R1 and before starting I couldnt even run a bath now i'm going to run for three minutes.

Does anyone have any scientific knowhow on why this plan is so good???

Cheers

[TJFlute]

Well my experience is not 'scientific' but I do have an experience with another C25k before this one and this plan 'failed' for me( I quit on week 6) The reason was that it was only a written plan so I had to do all the timings myself and I found this extremely difficult whilst huffing and puffing. It also meant that there was no 'coaching' and no support.

The NHS podcast was a different experience altogether: with the exact timings sorted out and the coaching and even more importantly the encouraging words were what made this plan'magical' for me. I trusted the plan 100% and that's important.

And to top it all, I thought that Laura sounded like a friend and not some puffed up athlete.

I also think that this forum (on the old Nhs site then) was a massive help because I would always be thinking about what I was going to say in my blog as i ran, and I didn't want to have to say that I had decided to give up, go home and not run! So this helped hugely with the motivation.

Good luck with the plan Rockshammer!

[shelleymcb Graduate]

yep, magical because you dont need a fancy phone or an app, just an mp3 player or a memory card for your phone. having someone in my ear to guide me through made all the difference.

[juicydee Graduate]

.... and you often read that people start to run by just going out and 'seeing how far they get' but then give up because they've done too much, too soon - that's happened to me in the past. It's really hard to set goals for yourself when you haven't much fitness so you don't really know how much you can achieve. So this plan wins out because it sets challenging but achievable goals AND 'rewards' you with the encouragement, the music, and the satisfaction of knowing you've 'reached the next level' to use gamer-speak.

I am seriously hoping that Laura and the team that devised this are put forward for some kind of industry award. Or OBEs.

So glad you're loving it, Rockshammer

[OldNed Graduate in reply to juicydee]

Completely agree, about the awards/OBE. I've been having similar thoughts. This is making such a difference to so many people it deserves to be 'officially' recognised.

[Debrabwfc Graduate]

Just to say you can do it without the podcast and it works just as well - provided you don't run alone I assume. I run with my husband and he does the timing and encouragement! Am starting Week 9 tomorrow so almost there!

[bizzyb Graduate]

I loved having the podcasts, just like having a personal trainer but so much cheaper as I used the other halfs cast off mp3. tonight was my worst worst worst run ever, but because I make myself blog at the end of the week I didn't give up and slogged on to the end. the site is good too, the people are interesting, funny and supportive which adds to the positive experience,

[blueboots Graduate]

As bizzyb says it is like having your very own personal trainer, free of charge. Laura's encouragement and the timings were so good and the fact that Laura had been there, just like us, made her support feel so genuine. It would be so good to know how many people have completed this programme. Follow the plan and you will get there.

[PatButcher Graduate]

i don't know about scientific know how but this plan certainly changed my life.

I felt so good about myself after starting it that I didn't want to stop, I loved boring people to death talking about it and I loved the feeling of being out there in the elements doing something for "me". I have more stamina, I'm fitter, healthier, happier and have more confidence, that's enough for me Enjoy!