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Starting from scratch...
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Hello Slowmas..
If you're looking for 5k races, take a look at Park Run. They do 5k timed runs every Saturday morning at 9am. There may be one near you!
Thanks Roball! I've got the app which measures my time and pace rate, and my fitbit counts the steps, so I am covered for gadgets, but my inner Mr Toad is itching to buy paraphernalia! I am squashing him down!
What I do need to do is measure my pace properly so I can configure it to all my apps and stuff...I'm going to look into that today or tomorrow.
In the end yesterday I didn't do the walk from Liverpool Street to The British Library, my phone was low on juice after opod and reading on the train and I didn't know the way without maps so I got the tube instead, but I still managed over 6 miles yesterday and a few floors in the uphill walk home so that was good. Around 14000 steps yesterday.
Today is week 7 day 2. I'm doing a new route which has some hill work...gulp! Let you know later how it goes!
Oh my goodness, that was HARD! Even though I took it slowly, I faltered and at the top of a small hill I had to stop for about 30-45 seconds to get my breath back! Not my best time or pace but for effort I would give it a good score as I worked at it. I had quite a bit of distance left after my cool-down too so my app measurement isn't the whole distance story.
But I didn't feel sick this time and I recovered quite quickly. That's the thing I love about running, the improvements can be seen quite quickly, which keeps me motivated, and if you give yourself a circular route you can't really cheat, you've still got to get home, even if it's walking!
I'm a bit weary but I feel good.
Hi! I've been following this thread, and am new to the site, so thought I should say hello! I'm new to running. Having been VERY unfit for the past few years, I decided that this year would be the year that I'm getting fit and start running! I've signed up to do a 10k in July and a Half Marathon in October, and currently on the C210k, Week 2, Day 2. So far, I'm loving it! I'm eating healthily, cut out a LOT of alcohol and I feel so excited about everything! I have energy that I haven't had since I was in school (I'm 27!). I'm starting from scratch. Last night I did 1.30mins running 4X and 1min running plus 1 min walking 2Xand amazingly, didn't feel like dying afterwards. I can feel myself progressing, I just hope I won't lose momentum. I've lost 5lbs in 9 days too, which is also keeping me going. Any advice etc or tips on how to keep motivated would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Sian, welcome!
My motivation comes in constantly being amazed at what I can now do - 7 weeks ago I would never have thought I could run for 25 minutes without stopping, but I can, I really can!
Weirdly I have yet to lose anything (and I average 1500 calories a day so goodness knows what's going on!) but I am sure that I will and my shape is changing, so something is happening!
Oh and self-bribery. I've promised myself new shoes and bra when I complete week 9 and in the meantime I have got a few new tops - only cheap ones from Sainsbury and Lidl, but for me putting on my specific running clothes means I'm going to go running, it's not 'just' a t-shirt or vest, it's my running shirt...
Stay on it and amaze yourself!
I did my first 'tempo' run from my plan today. It's supposed to be fast, at race pace. How do I know what race pace is..I've never raced! So I just did it as fast as I could for the the planned 20 minutes.
I went back out last night for the first time since my knee went ouchy on Monday, took it VERY gradually i.e. 0-10kph in about half a mile! No twinges though. Dunno what was going on on Monday! Will get back into the swing. Meanwhile am in charge of barcode checking at parkrun on Saturday, I have to write down any that won't scan.
Bookworm I'm not losing any weight either though I'm not as careful about what I eat as you are. I'm about 10lb into the "overweight" band, but one of those people who get comments of "you don't need to lose weight, get along with you" very annoying when I know full well I do! You should get a new bra you'll go faster, i did!
Good news on the knee Mad, fingers crossed it stays stable for you.
I bought myself some capri running tights from TK Maxx, a fiver! Bargain!
Tomorrow I'm going to do the same route that was hard on Wednesday, see if it's any easier at all.
Well, I did it! It was still hard but not quite as bad as last time, I didn't take a breather and I managed to keep going, at the end I even managed to find something left and not just plod the last 3 or 4 minutes. I'm amazed and really pleased with myself!
ETA: I've caved in and bought new shoes, found myself drawn as though by tractor-beam to the running shop and couldn't resist! I take a size 8 and they were low on ladies' shoes in my, and I normally get men's anyway as they give me more width and space in the toe-box...so I've got some sparkly new Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13. They feel lovely, really light, really supportive to correct my inward roll but keeping the arch up, I think they are going to be a nice run! And then I got a new bra top too so I am completely spent up!
hello slowmas & sian!! Welcome both! Which 1/2 are you doing Sian...I only ask (and dont say if you want to be anon!) as you have a Welsh name and my 1/2 is Cardiff in Oct...? Just being nosy!
Well done Slowmas for getting out there!
morris good that it went ok today but best to go gently
Are you doing streaches before and after? Reading Paula's book really need to improve on that as hip is twingy and Ill definately go to osteopath next week for a click...thankfully not been for ages so hoping that one click will do it.
Like others the alcohol is needing reduction for various reasons; I like it and being that food is not the joy it was its my real treat but have to be mindful! Also its empty cals and nutrition is important when youve had bypass as your body does not absorb/process food the same way...Plus it makes me feel rubbish!
Booky what you like lol! post piccy or linky of new trogs!! Did you have a gait analysis??
Well run wise Ive done 3 this week and getting into more of a routine..run one day, rest or swim next. Went this eve for extra bit on top of my c25k added a bit more and ended up doing almost 2 miles (walk run) ...did feel it toward the end and walked the last bit but (sit down those who know me) I actually enjoyed it!! Deffo feeling the benefits of excercising but feel shattered now and can hardly keep my eyes open!
People round Roath park lake dont seem that smiley though for some reason and they seem in part to be serious runners but some do smile back! it was heaving today..a bit of sunshine and you could move for dogs, runners, kids and a cute new family of ducks!! Lovely!
Lovely to have so many people chatting and encouraging. Well done for volunteering for the park run..I may try mine next week ...eek!
oo Ive been living in Wales too long...lovely innit see!!
Rachel I dont get the pace malarky but have to say the nike+ is good to use..nice and easy plus if you do the app it tells you when youre doing better. Not sure whether I like people knowing where I am all the time though...feels like a bit of an invasion plus am happy with the basic band that tells you cals, ave pace, how far youve gone plus you can create maps if you want to...one can have too many stats though!
I know, I am very norty!
I did have a bit of gait analysis but not with a machine or anything, but the shop has a good reputation and they are very experienced so I've trusted them to give me the right shoes. These are they, in red and silver, lovely! My old ones were grey and grey so a bit of colour is a welcome change too!
http://www.milletsports.co.uk/running/shoes/mens/brooks-adrenaline-gts-13-mens-running-shoes-white-black-silver-red/?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=organic&gclid=CIeHhPzl-rYCFZMQtAodjFkAQg
oo shiny new trainers! Gotta say I dont like these supa dupa florescent trainers...embarassing enough running withous looking like an 80's beacon!
Must be bank hol weekend...tipping it down here!
I know what you mean about fluoro! The other ones I tried on - also Brooks but a bit softer - were a violent lime green all over! Fine if it was winter I s'pose!
I went out on my bike this morning, not miles and miles as it's a been a couple of years since I was on it and I need to ease my bum back into my saddle
but I did 3.5 miles including some hill so I feel happy about that.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! My new shoes are really painful to run in
I did my normal route, all the usual preps and by about halfway I had to stop as my hip was painful and I had pain all the way down from my knee to my ankle - I've not had that in 7 weeks of running, the only difference was my new shoes...
I had to walk most of the second half of my run, and now I am cross, in pain and feel like a failure!
I hope to god they'll take them back...
May I join as a newbie? Did c25k last year for about 3 months then had to stop because of a hip problem (bursitis I think) and truth be told I got a bit lazy. Anyway, I miss it. I miss getting out of the door at 6am for a quick 30 mins before getting back for the kids, I miss the Saturday morning session with the dog so starting again from scratch. Hip is better, (I think) so going for w1r1 tomorrow morning .
Oh Bookworm that sucks... when I got mine I went up the council gym and persuaded them to let me run on the treadmill for 20 minutes, on the advice of the man in the shop who said they wouldn't take them back if I'd been outside in them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, sorry. I also found that lacing them differently helped a lot, and going for shorter runs to start with to get used to them, I had aching down the outside of each foot. But hip knee ankle sounds like lacing might not solve it.
I am suspicious of someone selling you men's shoes, or am I just a sucker for advertising in believing that men and women have different hips and so run differently? My colleague is running in mens' shoes because of her big feet and she has had hip pain too.
Hope you find a solution...
I've always gone for men's shoes, my last ones were, so I don't know if it's specifically that that's the problem or not!
I am gutted though, I am going to phone them on Tuesday and ask about their returns policy...
The hip thing is normal for me, though I normally only get it when I walk, I haven't had it when I've run, it's the bit down from the knee that really worries me. That's new and not right.
Anyhoo, welcome KBT, enjoy your run tomorrow, hope it goes well!
So I phoned the shop and they don't have a returns policy but they will change them if they're giving me pain. I'm taking them back tomorrow.
I repeated the run today in my old shoes but with my harder hilly route and had no pain at all, so it's either massive coincidence that my easier flat route hurt or it was definitely the shoes and I'm going for the latter...
Hurrah, shoes changed! I've got Brooks Ravenna instead, which I tried the other day but didn't choose. They are a rather lurid green, but there y'go!
There was a different chap who was very amenable and helpful, let me run up and down the road in a few different ones, suggested wearing them at home and just walking for a few days before I go out for a run in them and said I can still take them back if they aren't right.
The relief is enormous, I thought I might get stuck with £100s-worth of shoes I couldn't use!
He also gave me a half-size bigger as he said Brooks, like New Balance, tend to come up a little small, and Ravenna is a slightly wider model - comparing them to my old favourites they are the same width. So hopefully I'm all set. Again!
My colleague with the mens' shoes has now been to another shop and is thinking of complaining to Sports Direct and asking for her money back! She has now got asics ladies' in a size 9, so much for having to buy mens' shoes because womens' don't go big enough! She also got a much better service assessing why she was getting pain.
I've booked in with a physio, my knee is still niggling and it just seems like a worthwhile investment to spend £40 seeing where problems might be waiting to happen! I'm hoping knee exercises will help but want to make sure I build up the right muscles.
Good luck at the physio Mad4.
I'd suggest your friend tries to get her money back, it's a lot to drop and if they advised and got it wrong then there should be some recourse...
I've been reading up on where to go next after completing C25k, there are so many options! I s'pose it comes down to improving speed or increasing distance. And I think at first I am going to go for speed over 5k. I know that I don't have great distance in me because my boredom threshold is so low! I'd give up from the tedium before my legs gave up!
So I'm going to follow the advice on an old blog called RunMuffin as it sounds very doable and encouraging. http://runmuffin.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/After%20the%20Couch%20to%205k
I've just been planning my runs for when I go on holiday to my mum's at the end of July and have a great circular route that starts from my mum's front door on a high road with some great views and and then descends for the return half along the seafront and ends at my mum's back door. I'm really looking forward to it!
welcome ~KBT...all welcome!
Sorry not been chatty...find Im shattered after work and then run etc...did 1.24 miles on monday bit thinking of ditching the c25k prog as its annoying and I seem more motivated by trying to beat myself.
Found myself signing up for a boulders climbing course starting tomorrow; great for streatching. Got time off Fri/mon and doing park run on Sat.
Great that you could take trainers back and I wonder too if there is a difference between men and womens??
How are others doing? Slight niggle in hip sp def off to osteopath sooner than later
No running today for me. instead a Body Pump class and a pilates class. Getting the muscles working and building up the core strength. Tomorrow has a 40min run in the plan, which will probably be part of the way to work!
Bookworm - glad you got the shoes changed!
Rachel does the pilates help? Did think of doing it but then discovered the climing wall!!
Has anyone tried a club yet? Feel slightly nervous about parkrun but doing it with a friend which will ease the nerves!
Yes, finding pilates helps. Building up the core muscles means the body posture is better for running and you're less likely to have an injury. A friend of mine climbs and she also does pilates/yoga to help core strength as well
After my last few runs, which have gone over the 4mile mark, feel a lot more confortable joining a club - feel I can actually join in their 'casual' run!
yay fab Rachel! Go for it ...and let us know how you get on of course! Starting my climibing this eve...and desperately trying to to buy all the kit...will I ever learn!!
Did I hear "parp... parp..."...?
Took my colleague out for a rehabilitation run in her new shoes today. MADE her warm up, start from a walk and slow down again to a walk before we got back. At least she COULD still walk which was an improvement!
That sounds promising Mad4! Hope your friend improves...I've been wearing my new ones just out and about, not running but walking. I might do a little circuit in a few days...
Poop poop Eclectic!!!
My running tights keep slipping down, the lucky morning commuters get the deeply attractive sight of me hoicking them up as I run along, on the main road, in the morning traffic! Lucky lucky people!