Running/Serious Exercise newbie - wk 1!!

[NatG]

Hi everybody!

My name is Natalie, and after a few weeks mooching around the blogs and questions and reading all about C25k, and being totally inspired by the stories i have read, I finally took the plunge on Tuesday and had a stab at W1R1.

I'm 30 years old and quite overweight. A complete lack of coordination and sporting prowess led me to grow up hating PE and team sports, and to shy away from active hobbies in general, which has naturally contributed to my weight gain over the years. I have in the past dabbled with exercise classes and gyms, but I have found that I am a "private" exerciser and prefer to do things without an audience or at my own pace!

I recently lost four stone using a x-trainer (with still a lot more to go), but the weight has started to creep back on so I needed something to up the anti and catch the slippery slope befor I was back to square one. I have a good friend who I swear lives to run, and my brothter in law spent the past 8 months training for the London marathon last weekend - so I was intruiged by running and how "the bug" grips so many people......so when I stumbled across C25k it really appealled to my curiosity - particularly how it seemed anyone, even someone like me, could have a go.

After weeks of building up the courage, off I went on Tuesday to a flat, remote location where hopefully nobody would catch me embarrassingly puffing and panting along the paths, or worse collapsing in a defeated heap! To my absolute surprise I managed the whole 25 minute podcast without stopping, and to jog (albeit verrry slowly) for the whole of every minute run. It wasn't easy - and I think I may have actually let out a loud groan when the last two runs started as I didn't think I could do any more, but I pushed through and did them. Yay me!

But, I think when I got home my body went into some sort of shock! My face went beetroot, I went all shivery and I couldn't stop coughing - it took a good 45 minutes for it all to pass and even then I felt a little weak and dizzy.

Tonight I'll be having a go at w1r2 - to say I'm nervous is an understatement!! I'm really scared that I won't be able to do it this time (my quads and ankles are still very sore) or that I'll have another "funny turn" eeek! I don't want to give up before I've even started.

Wish me luck.....I can do this right?!

Thanks in advance for any support you can offer!

Nat xxx

[lisamg]

good luck, you will be fine im sure i only just finished run 1 and i couldnt even manage to run for the whole 60 secs ... not looking forward to run two, but will keep going as i realy want to get fit. keep us posted on how u get on tonight xx

[blueboots Graduate]

Hi Natalie, welcome to this happy band of runners. I'm sure you will be fine as long as you follow the plan and have your rest days. Beetroot is the norm for many of us so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Oddly, I know lots of runners who tend to cough when they end a run, I really don't know the reason for that, maybe it is because your body has heated up. I'm sure someone on here will know the answer to that. It is all a shock to the system but gradually your body will become used to this exercise. Lots of luck, stay positive, go slow and steady and before you know it you will be a graduate.

[NatG in reply to blueboots]

It's good to know the coughing is not just me. Thank you for the reassurance and warm welcome

[emzylou Graduate]

You sound like me!! Well done for getting through the first one. You honestly will find it gets easier as you go. I never thought I could jog for 3 minutes but I can now.

I love it and I have 'the jogging bug' you soon will too

[NatG in reply to emzylou]

Thank you. Very inspirational, I can't imagine jogging for 3 minutes yet, it must feel awesome! Go you!!

[lucylocket10 Graduate]

You can definitely do it! Just go slow and steady and keep on going. I found it tough at the beginning, then tough in the middle, and tough at the end but I did it and only gave up on one run out of all of them - and that was meant to be my last run of week 9 - so I went out and did it the next day instead. If you have the discipline to lose 4 stone and conquer a x-trainer then you can do this running. Just have faith in yourself and the programme - I know I kept thinking "they say this works for anyone, so therefore it will work for me even if I am 40, exercise-phobic and four stone overweight........." and it did work - and today I actually ran for three whole miles without stopping - but 9 and a half weeks ago I found 60 seconds tough too.

[NatG in reply to lucylocket10]

Thanks Lucy! Well done on graduating - very inspirational! Thank you for your words of encouragment - I CAN do this!!

[Zagel]

best of luck for tonight, you can do it

I am older and heavier but oddly enjoying this, only got to W1 R3 (finished that tonight) but I am so happy i could even run that far.

[NatG in reply to Zagel]

Thank you, I managed it! Well done to you too, good luck for w2

[sfb350 Graduate]

You're clearly very determined, you've already proved that. Stick with it and you'll be fine. More than fine, I expect. Hurrah for you !

[NatG in reply to sfb350]

Thank you!!

[juicydee Graduate]

Hi Natalie - I too got the 'shivers' after my first few runs.... but they soon disappeared so I don't think it's anything to worry about. I found it comforting to have a hot shower and then put on something warm and cosy (obviously this might depend on what time of day you're running and what you're doing afterwards!) - generally keep warm is what I'm trying to say..... if you have to wait a bit before the warm shower bit, put something like a fleece on. And make sure you hydrate well - plenty of water/sports drink/chocolate milk (mmmm).

Great that you've started - keep going!!

[NatG in reply to juicydee]

Fab advice, thank you! Mmmm chocolate milk Will add that to my list of "running essentials"

[NatG]

Wow - thank you all for your lovely words of encouragement and reassurance, it honestly means an awful lot!! I managed w1r2 this evening - yay me! Will blog about it shortly You lot rock!!

[Minuette Graduate]

That's great glad you managed to do w1r2

I also go a beetroot colour and also shiver when I get home afterwards, usually for about 10 mins or so but am fine after a shower.

Good luck for the rest of the programme!!