I'm keeping it slow, about 4.5- 4.7 mph for the "runs" and 3.5 mph for the "walks". I only get about 3.5km in each session, but the point is to work up to running 5k, so I wouldn't worry about it. You start to run more than walk as you go on which will also increase the distance you go with each day. Once you've completed it you can work on increasing your pace if you want. We don't want to over do it in especially in P1.

I was lazy this morning so I opted to stay in bed instead of run, but I'm ready to do it as soon as I get home from work

Keep going everyone
Just keep at it and you will get there

My tracking says that run speed is variable. I notice that during the run segments I sometimes feel like I have bursts of energy and pick up speed, then have to consciously bring it back down again. The range of speeds is getting smaller though. You may not notice such a variance on a treadmill as the moving band should be consistent on a motor.

Managed the two 8 mins segments this morning. It wasn't easy, but I felt I could've continued for longer on both (thank goodness as 20 mins is a massive step up).

On a sad note, my heartrate monitor band has chosen this week to crap out. Luckily I can transfer the sensor off mine to hubby's band as he's not using it, and order a new one. I knew my heart wouldn't be at 248 for 30 mins and me live to tell the tale.

Going to put Week 3 onto the shuffle, but keep Week 2, and at least attempt the 20 min bash.

How did it go for you this week, everyone?

Good for you for getting through those 8-minute stretches, Amanda! Though, if you're sick and coughing, take it easy. And I'm glad it's your Garmin and not your heart

I have just spent the last two days with car issues and then baking/shopping for DD's Valentine's care package that I shipped off tonight, so I hate to say it, but I did not get to the gym. Now I will have to wait til Friday since I have other exercise planned for tomorrow. This is a long weekend for us coming up, so I imagine I will get to the end of W5 early next week.

On speed, I have been jogging on the treadmill at 4.2-4.5 and walk at 3.8. Pre-c25k, when I would jog on the treadmill, I would typically go at 5.5, but I would not do such long stretches. For now, I think slower is better for me.

Meanwhile, my weight seems to be standing still, at least based on my home scale. Am hoping at least some BFP is being replaced by muscle mass….

Any speed which allows you to get through the intervals is good. I'm less concerned about pace and more worried about building endurance for the 20 min stretch.

I had the slow down in loss, then the gain with more muscle gained than fat lost and then two weeks of very good loss. I think it balances itself out in the end.

I did notice that in the three slow weeks I lost more inches than I have lost in any individual week before - and off the pearshaped parts that stubbornly resist losing quickly. So, it may not have been good for the scales, but the tape measure was my BFF.

Amanda great that you could do those 8 min stretches and that overall the running is not negatively affecting your losses. I didn't look at the weekly schedule and by mistake did the 5 min runs again yesterday so will not attempt moving to 20 mins tomorrow.

I guess it's one or the other -- we can't have both! My results seem to be the opposite: Had my WI today and was down 4 lbs. from the last one two weeks ago Got just a little past my official goal, though I am going to continue P1 for a bit longer and try to shave off another 5. Anyway, my inches have been coming down nicely all along, but get this… today my thighs measured two inches bigger than they were 3 weeks ago…when I was 5 lbs. heavier! Is this the running and tennis and leg machine exercises?? I guess it could be. My body fat has gone down and muscle mass up a bit, but still…. I'm thinking it's mostly measuring error, right?! Definitely do not need bigger thighs….

Hoping to be back on the treadmill tomorrow or Saturday. Happy jogging all!

Muscle is smaller in mass, so I would suspect you are retaining water in newly developed muscle or your tape measure (or wielder) is faulty.

Either way, it'll work out in the wash.

I finished week 3 this morning, I had soccer last night, so my upper leg was bothering me a bit at first, but after the warm up it was good. The three min intervals felt good too, so I'm thinking next week should go well and I am looking forward to it. I think I like running in the morning best, and it was a bit easier to get up this morning because out of the blue DH decided to get up with me and use the home gym/weight thing we have. I hope he keeps it up just so I have the extra motivation to get out of bed early on run days

Mimi, congrats on reaching goal, as I get closer I am debating losing a few more lbs than my currant goal, for a bit of a cushion. But I also think that I will probably decide to lose a bit more after I've maintained a bit, but I will probably do this off IP and at a slower rate.

I hope everyone is having a great week, and keep running!

Oooh Mimi ... my brain's fried this week and I didn't notice that you made goal. Congrats! How does it feel to be at that weight?

Nice going on completing Week 3, DD, sounds like you're more than ready for Week 4.

Going to try for Day 3 today - can't say my brain is ready for 20 minutes of solid jog, but the program says it's possible so .... gonna give it a go.

Briael, good luck with your run today, you can totally do it! Let us know how it goes

Holy cow. I did it. I ran (well, let's be honest, slow jogged) for 20 minutes. It was easier than I expected. All that energy wasted dreading it.

"Laura" told me at the start "You're ready for this. It might seem like a big step but if you've managed all your previous runs then have faith in yourself and the plan". At the ten minutes in mark she encouraged with "You've already done the hard work. By now you're fit enough to keep going, you're just training your mind to cope with the idea of running for a longer period of time. So stay positive and keep pushing on".

Boy, was she ever right! It really is a mental game, not a physical one. There were times that I wanted to slow down, but I kept doing a quick assessment - lungs and breathing, fine; legs, fine - and told myself I could do it, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. The call out markers were at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 18 minutes and I was surprised by each of them. Talk about feel elated when I had done it.

Hubby came to the track with me - determined not to be left out. He claims he can't run as slow as I do or he'll end up quitting, so there he is zooming around the track. He maintains that I was doing 2 laps for every 3 of his - that I ran for over 17 laps at a pretty steady pace.

Of course, wouldn't you know it .. just as I replace the faulty strap on the heartrate monitor and get an accurate reading (average moving HR 162-163 with a max of 170) I forget to turn the blinking garmin off at the end of the run so it screws up my distance! Grrrr.

And, believe it or not, I had enough energy in minute 4 of the 5 min cooldown to sprint the last segment back to my water bottle nook. Who knew?

Next week should be interesting - going back to intervals again on Mon and Weds, 23 mins run on Friday (which I'm no longer dreading).

Hope the day went well for everyone, keep us updated on how you do, how you feel and what you notice improving during the course of the week.

Found another interesting article today:-

http://www.running-world.net/want_speed_slow_down_1.php

About improving aerobic fitness and increasing speed using heart rate monitoring and slowing down.

That was a great article! It answered my question about if I am running too slow. Now I just need to put on the heart rate monitor when I run and adjust my speed according to my max rate. Over time, I should run faster and faster. The article makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing and congrats on the 20 minute run.

I finished week one!

Yay, grats on Week 1 completion, L2W.

DD, Amanda, and L2W -- yay yay yay for running!!! So impressed that you ran when your leg was hurting, DD. Amanda -- WOOHOOO!!!!!! on the let run of W5! Wow! Such an accomplishment! One that I'm totally afraid of trying to tackle (can you tell?). Am thinking about hiring your Laura to motivate me. Might try that out this weekend…

And thank you ladies for the congrats -- it feels good to be adding in this bit of training along with the weight loss. Love feeling stronger, lighter and more healthy. Thank you for all the support and camaraderie

Happy Valentine's Day!!!