Im start the couch to 5k this week. i had to run for class the other day and i ran a mile in 11min and 50 secs. it may not seem that good but, i've improve by a whole minute since last year this time.

Okay, I ran the entire 5K race today!! I'm so psyched. My goal was to run the entire distance (I've done two other 5Ks, but had to walk part of the way), and I'm so happy I made that goal. Don't know the time, but they'll publish it in the paper tomorrow, and then my next goal will be to beat that time. I told my sister, who drove 45 min. to see me run, that I was striking a blow for formerly morbidly obese grandmothers everywhere!

So, to all of you who are struggling, you really CAN do this. You may take longer than you want, and you might not run as fast as you'd like, but you CAN do it!

Hello Everyone!

It's exciting to see so many new runners. Keep with it! You can do it!

I'm still around. I've had a bit of an adjustment with the kids going back to school and I have taken on too much extra stuff. I'm trying to find balance again. I thought that being 7+ months into my new lifestyle that the change of schedule wouldn't effect be much but it did.

Today I walked .5, ran 1.5 and walked .5. My breathing was good but it was tiring and I've just been so run down. So, instead of pushing on, I stopped.

Softballmom - I love to hear about how you love to run. You are doing so well! I'm still trying to decide how I feel about running I think that what I really love is the fact that I can do it. I'm trying to take in the beauty of fall and really be in the moment when I run now. I'm hoping that I grow to love it the way you do. My race is Oct. 29th, five weeks from today. I better get my butt moving and back on a regular running schedule. Keep up the great running! You're doing fantastic!!

Sheila- Congratulations!! You have motivated me to get back up to running 5k because my goal from the start has been to run my whole 5k in Oct. I bet you felt amazing!! Good for you!

Pachy - Do you leave for your amazing trip soon? Will we hear from you while you are running through South America?

Finn - You're flying through the program! You're doing great!

Good to hear from you guys.

And Leygh. My pace is right at 12minutes too. I'm looking to add mileage for endurance (up to 5miles) then start adding some speed work in to help with my time. I signed up for a 10k in November and I want to be able to run most of it, no matter how long it takes me.

Got in my planned 3.75miles yesterday. I wasn't feeling well, so just finishing felt good, and I stayed at pace without walking. Next week's "long" run will be targeted for 4miles which is only one extra lap. That makes it seem better - just one extra lap

Sheila, you're so inspiring! All of you are!

I guess I kind of overdid it yesterday with those 3-minute intervals of jogging, because my knees hurt so much last night I could barely walk from one room to the other. I wanted to jog again today but I really was afraid to. So I did a 4-mile walk DVD and now my knees feel a little weird but nothing like yesterday. I really have to figure out how to get some jogging in during the week, so I can space it out and not kill myself on the weekend!! Tomorrow I'm going to do the elliptical or the bike (or both) at the gym to take some pressure off my knees and mix it up a little.

Hi everyone!
I took both yesterday and today off from running so will get back on it tomorrow.

Kashi- I actually did the week 2 runs last week so will repeat them this week (90 seconds running/ 2 min/ walk). I'm happy to PM you or post here...whatever! Though I think it's nice to hopefully motivate others/lurkers if they are reading about our progress. But maybe we can whine to each other privately if necessary, lol.

Leygh- It think your time sounds great!! I'm sure you'll up your distance in no time.

Sheila- wtg on your race!!!

nice to hear from the rest of you too-- everyone's posts are always so motivating to stick with it, so thanks!!

I'll check in tomorrow after my running.

Shiela, congratulations on your 5K, that is fantastic

Shrinking Mama, welcome back, you can get back to 5k, just take it easy to start with. Something I read said that for every week off running, you should go back two weeks in your training schedule. That may be a little over-the-top for us baby-runners as we are not doing gruelling speed or hill work, but it is worth keeping it in mind. Ooh and I also have only 3 weeks left before I go to South America. I'm going to try to do some running over there, but it may be pretty difficult to fit it in, and I haven't got enough room in my bag for my running shoes! (maybe I could leave something else out!?)

Welcome Leygh - 11:50 is a good time, nothing to be ashamed of.


I ran 7 miles yesterday! It look me 1:35 hours! That is a mindboggling 13.5 minutes per mile! I have been consoling myself over the terrible times by reminding myself that the route I run has several hills, which I am naturally pretty slow at running over. However, I have now received my race pack for the 10k, and they have also put in some hills, so I guess my time is going to be no better there either nevermind. Anyway, it took me almost the same amount of time to do 5 miles last week over the same course, so I am improving. I had enough energy to speed it up for the last two miles yesterday as well, and I don't feel too dead today. Only a couple of gentle 20 minute runs left, then it is race day on Sunday.

Hi Everyone!

Softballmom - well done on the 3.75 miles, thats great! Thanks for your encouragement last week...the chanting really really did work!! You mention using the 10% rule, are you using it based on time or distance? Will you keep doing this or are you planning to follow a 10k plan?

For the newbies, Kashi and Jelynn...when I started someone here told me to go ahead and try the next week if at all possible. At least attempt it - you may just surprise yourself! It really worked for me and I only repeated one week.

Oh and Kashi, you said you have a "mild pain in my right foot, along the inside of my foot's arch" - watch out as this could be Plantar Fasciitis. Please don't ignore it!

Sheila - congratulations on running the entire 5k race! And thanks for the support, its great to know that it is possible!

Well I did w6 d3 last Friday, it was tough but instead of quitting I decreased the treadmill speed a little and kept going. Its 25 mins all this week - not sure how I'll get them in....my mum is getting knee replacement surgery so I'll be travelling quite a bit this week to see her (about 2.5 hrs each way). I may just have to break away from the treadmill and try a run outside!

Well back to work for me...I actually can't wait to go for my run this evening! Its so strange, I actually feel myself getting narky if I don't get to go on time or something holds me up! :-) Keep up the great work - and keep on running!
Finn

Sheila - oops, I missed telling you Congrats on your race.

WTG to everyone getting their runs in. Finn, that's the great thing about running - you can take it with you. Maybe there will be a running trail near your Mom's that you can use.

Pachy - Seven miles - yahoo! You are my mentor! Keep it up and let me know how you are doing.

Pachy, How did you train for your 10k coming up? Looks like you made it with adding the mileage (7miles). What is your normal run week like? How many days / miles per day, etc.? How long did it take you to work up to the seven?

My first 10k is Nov 11, and I'm not sure if I will be able to run the entire 6.2 miles; just want to finish and learn from the experience. Any advice that you've picked up along the way I would appreciate learning from...

Softballmom - I looked at a beginners 10k training plan in a magazine I get, and then adapted it for me as I had less time to go from 5k to 10k, but I have had more total time running with the c25k and now this so I wasn't too worried.

I started with building up a long run at the weekend. As I didn't have all the time in the world, I had to increase it by a mile a week, which isn't much over the 10% rule as I had got to running 3 miles 3 times per week making 9 miles. I then changed my mid-week runs to one "speed endurance" session, where I would run at a gentle pace for 10 minutes, then run fast for 10 minutes (and try not to die!!) and then run more slowly again for 10 minutes. By the end of the programme I was following, the schedule said to run for 30, 10, 10, but I didn't want to push myself with too great a milage when I'm still relatively new to running. The final session is called "pure speed", where I do a gentle 20 min run, then do 6 x 30sec sprints with walk breaks to recover.

I went up to 7 miles because I wanted to run further than 10k so I had a psychological advantage on the day. If you decided to follow this programme too, and you have more time, it is worth having a rest week where you drop your weekend run back to a lower milage so your body has time to adjust. I'll be doing this after the 10k

Good luck with your training, whatever you decide to do


I went for a VERY short run last night. It was supposed to be 20 minutes, but I started getting pain in my left foot and ankle at about 7 minutes so I stopped running and walked the rest of the way. Slightly disappointing, but I'm not going to risk injuring myself at this late stage. I have one more 20 minute run planned for Thursday so I'll see how that goes.

Thanks Pachy for your advice.
I thought about this last night while I was doing my 3.5miles that maybe I'm not pushing myself enough. I've been adding an additional lap (1/4 mile) to my weekly Tuesday and Saturday runs which increase my weekly mileage at just under 10%. But maybe for my Saturday runs, which I have more energy doing them in the morning vs the afternoon, I should increase more than a 1/4mile. I'll work it out on paper and see. I don't want to push to injury, but do want to push my body over what I "think" I can do. It's that body over mind thing!

My 3.5miles went very well last night. In fact, it didn't take any time to get my notorious cobwebs out of my system before my run was relaxed. It's even TOM week. The only thing different that I did was eat an apple about an hour before my run - go figure. Maybe it was just a good day, and I will take them anyway I can get them

I did my w2d2 "run" ( ) this morning. It was hard today!!! I felt like I was plodding. Felt quite horrible until 12-13 minutes in and finally pretty good at 19 minutes for the last few intervals. I added 30 seconds running to those and added a minute sprint at the end before my cool down. Felt good at the end.
Definitely hardest yet- I think more in my legs than breathing, but still couldn't really find a good groove.

Anyway- looking forward to Friday!

I still have this pain in my foot, and it's gotten worse. It's noticable (though not exactly painful) when I walk, and hurts like a ***** when I try to run.

I'm taking a week off and seeing how I feel at that point. You're all doing great, good luck to you!

Kashi- I am so sorry about your foot!! That truly stinks. I had something wrong with my foot when I was doing this last winter. I ran through it though and would stop about half way through the run. (NOT recommending that!!) This time I'm totally easing in and really trying to prevent any owies...

Hope the week off does the trick!