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Hi how did your first run go today? I also started today... Didn't realise how unfit I was but still managed to complete my first session. I'm training for a half marathon in September. I'm also trying to get fit for my wedding in November! Good luck!!!

Hi I have started this week and have just finished week one. Like you I knew I was unfit but didn\t think I would find running for 1 min X 8 so difficult. Are you both carrying on it would be good to link up with someone at the same stage.

Hi, I am an older bugger - having been married for 19 years! But also keen to get fit again - and am also in my 1st week. Also aiming for a half marathon in on October - in Lyon, France - if my joints hold up. After running about 15 marathons and 2 ultra marathons 30 or years ago I eventually stopped because of knee problems. However, I am hoping by starting slowly, with the help of this programme, I might get back into it again. I must say I was quite shocked by how unfit I am, when I started running this week! Good luck to the 3 of you with your running....and your wedding plans!

Hiya, I've just finished my first week and am actually looking forward to my next run No wedding coming up for me but it will be our 10 yr wedding anniversary in October and am wearing on towards being 40 in a few years and really don't want to be a fat 40 year old!

Good luck with your running, will hopefully catch up again soon

Julie

Hi
well looks like it will be down to you Rodro for advice when we need it with all that experience. if it isn't a silly question what do your wear when it is raining? I ran in sleet last week and couldn't imagine wearing anything that would keep the heat in but needed to keep dry.
I also have no wedding plans and I am certainly on the wrong side of 40, I have never ran before and to be honest my track record for sticking at things isn't that good. I would love to be able to run but really can't imagine having the stamina at the min. but it does sound like this programme works if you stick to it, so am determined to try.
What do you think will be your biggest hurdle in completing this?
Mine will be sticking with it and not prioritising the time, I have to walk the dog twice a day also, which is very time consuming,( I know that sounds pathetic but working from home and with two daughters its not easy to find time always) I tried running with the dog but it was a total disaster.
hope to keep in touch

Hi framingblackcab, to be honest I try and avoid running when it is raining – mainly because it does not rain that much here in Lyon, anyway. The cold is more of an issue. I have got winter running gear from Decathlon Sports, to keep warm – and you can certainly get light rain jackets as well. My time is quite flexible as I work at home (and I also have two daughters!) so I head out when there is a break in the rain. I do manage to run with our dog – so our black lab is also on the Couch25K programme with me. She also has a few kilos to lose! She is great company and adds to the enjoyment of the run enormously. I am also finding that the music on my iPhone is helping a lot – I have never run with an iPod before, so it is quite a novelty. Also, seeing the distances building up on my RunKeeper app (which automatically syncs with your on line page) is very motivating.

The biggest hurdle? For me this is to stay injury free. Start slowly and include a lot of walking to condition the joints – which is what this programme is all about. You will find that your cardio vascular system improves surprisingly quickly – but the chassis takes quite a bit longer. The body needs to be conditioned to take the pounding on the road. For me, as I get fitter, I have to resist the temptation to rapidly increase the workload - and then end up injuring my knees etc. So, this time round I am going to build up my fitness (and strength) very slowly – and stick to the programme religiously. Once I am finished I will probably still stick to 5ks a run for quite a long time to build up my basic strength (and lose weight) – then add an extra run or two a week as I go along, and also start slowly increasing the length of the runs. I personally do not think I will need a programme as such after Couch25k – but what is good about this programme is it builds a foundation of basic fitness for you to beginning your training regime, if you are planning to run longer distances. My personal goal is a half marathon in Lyon in October.

Other tips for staying injury free… Good shoes are essential obviously. Rest is important – I have always followed a hard/easy approach. A hard day is followed by an easy day, a hard week is followed by an easy week, and so on. Always rest for at least one day a week (much later on) if not two. So – “train don’t strain”. On this programme this is not an issue – but can become an issue as you get fitter and the temptation to push it increases.

Lastly, stretching is absolutely essential to prevent injury. Your muscles get tight after a long run – they need to be stretched out to prevent injury. I do not stretch before the run (but do walk for 5 minutes) but always stretch after every run – and quite often on an off day.

I am no athlete, I am a plodder – and have not run properly for years. This has partly been because of recurring knee pain – however, hopefully with the help of this programme I can beat it this time round. Good luck and let us know how you are getting on!

Cheers
Redro

Hi thanks for all the tips Redro, I envy you not getting much rain in Lyon. Some years ago we travelled through france via the canals on our boat and fell in love with Lyon. It is a beautiful city and delayed our journey by several days as we didn't want to move on. Anyway back to running, how the heck do you manage to get your dog to run? Mine is also a labrador ( golden ) but insists on going his own way and stopping to sniff at everything and anything. I can't run with him off the lead as he just wouldn't follow, as you can tell he isn't the best trained but is lovely.
Hope your running is going well and that you are still injury free it is a rest day for me today.
take care

Hi framingblackcab, yes our lab is just the same - also a compulsive sniffer! She would stop at every lamp post if I let her. So, I run with her on a leash - not the easiest, but it works. I spoke too soon - I went out at lunch time today when the sun was out - and half way through it poured. Anyway, I finished week 2, run 1 - and so far, so good. Yes Lyon is great, friends who visit us can not believe what a great city it is. Most people usually just pass through on the way somewhere else - and when they do finally get here, they are amazed. We left Brisbane nearly 5 years ago - and we were in the middle of a drought back then. Terrible business these floods - and it looks like worse is to come tomorrow.
Cheers
Redro

Hi Redro
It is most horrific what is happening in australia, and yet whenever I have seen or heard people talking about it they are so upbeat and determined to battle on. They are truly amazing given the circumstances around them.
As for the running I am still on plan but today ( last day week 2) was hard. I felt as though I had gone backwards, I was running in a head wind for the first time which I think had a lot to do with it.
I can't imagine a 3 min run but will give it a go and if it is to much will do week 2 again.
Hope you are getting on ok and that the dog is keeping up.