I will be a runner again

[Cuqsuita]

Hiya
I'm 10 days away from finishing Lipotrim TFR for what I intend to be the last time, and today I started the Couch to 5k programme. Part of me feels that I won't be able to keep up with it, but after being on Lipotrim twice, I think I can achieve anything I put my mind to with this forum's help
So... I'll keep up my Lipotrim diary on that forum, and make this my Cto5K diary. I used to be into running as a young teen, and always intended to get back into when at uni. Now I'm coming to the end of final exams, and haven't got into running yet - so today is the day I start! Plus keeping a diary on here makes me less likely to stop, I reckon. Can and will do this!

 

[Rigby]

Good luck! I'm doing C25K myself, I find it very motivating

 

[Cuqsuita]

Today I intended to do my 20mins in between exams (two 2.5-hour papers in one day, with an hour's break in between) as a de-stress thing. So I went - it started off well enough, then after ten minutes I got lost in the woods. Spent the next half hour trying to find my way, eventually came out on the other side of the university campus (not quite sure how...). So I've done half of today's jog-runs, I'll do the other half when I get home this evening. No runner's high today, but I didn't feel stressed until I got lost, so that's something.

 

[Cuqsuita]

When I got home I dropped off my bags, grabbed my key, and headed to the park. The park's a 5-minute walk away, I've learned, and I managed to do my last 4 jog-walks without needing to break in between. It's quite motivating seeing my shadow running, the evening sunlight is good like that.

 

[Cuqsuita]

W1 done! Managed to do all 8 jog-walks without breaks, although quite slowly. Not sure if that's due to general low fitness or the sun, or a mix of both. Note to self: if possible, wait until the sun's gone / find a shadier place to jog. Heart rate and breathing rate didn't get out of hand, which is good (I'm asthmatic so I'm keeping an extra eye on my lungs). Felt less sore by the time I got back to the house (5 min walk or so from the park?), then again I stretched out properly today which helped. Now for a bath to ease muscles and get the sweat off! Feeling quite chuffed that I've kept this up

 

[Cuqsuita]

W2D1
I did the first jog and thought 'Wow, that was fairly easy'. Then after the walk came the second... which was not so easy. It felt like I was at square one again, but I got all six done. I found some shaded woodland nearby, jogging there in the shade was so much easier. Muscles seem to be adjusting, am hopeful that I'll improve!

 

[Cuqsuita]

Today's not a jogging day, but my legs don't feel sore at all anymore when I move normally. This is good!

 

[Cuqsuita]

W2D2
So about four seconds into my first jog, the back of my thigh reminded me that I hadn't stretched. Won't be making that mistake again. After stretching out and making sure it was okay to run on, I felt fine for the first two, and only started feeling tired by the third jog. Can definitely feel myself getting better at it, though. Have been back at the house for ten minutes and am feeling alright rather than tired out, which is good!

 

[Cuqsuita]

Week 2 done! I felt tired out during the first run, that said I've been feeling a bit drowsy since the afternoon. I felt okay to keep going though, and got through without feeling sore or too out of breath. Here's to week 3...

 

[Rigby]

Well done!

 

[Cuqsuita]

Thanks!
W3D1
It was hard, but not a killer as I'd imagined. To be honest I found the 1.5min jog harder than the 3min one - a good warm-up! Annoyingly I got a stone in my shoe on the second round, but it didn't bother me until the walk back home.

 

[Cuqsuita]

W3D2
The second 3-min jog took it out of me, but I think I just wasn't pacing myself well that time. I managed to get to the end though, and felt that I could've carried on a bit more (albeit out of breath). Progress! The cold outside didn't motivate me much and I was tempted to stay indoors, on the plus side I felt warm by the time I'd finished the second jog!

 

[Cuqsuita]

W3D3
So I decided to wait until the sky got a bit clearer before heading out. Naturally the sky stayed grey, and it started raining. I walked to the woods, where it started chucking it down. So a very soggy jog today, but done! The second time round was harder, then again I didn't stretch beforehand in my hurry to get out before the rain got worse. Learned my lesson. Still, 3 weeks done!

 

[Cuqsuita]

W4D1
I got back to my house this evening feeling absolutely shattered after a day out in London and having been to a party the night before, so I was tempted to give today a miss and run tomorrow. The thought that I'd eaten far too much cake at the party and could do with spending the calories on extra exercise today motivated me to get off the sofa and into my running trousers. The first minute of the 5-mins was a bit nightmarish, but it got easier and the second 5-min jog was alright. Can feel myself building stamina, which is a nice kick! I made it from one end of the woods to the other in the 5-min jog, while I'm currently working on stamina rather than speed or distance this is encouraging!

 

[Rigby]

Glad you did it even after your long day! It always feels even better to complete a run after you've considered putting it off like that, I always find (hope the day out and cake were good too!)

 

[malteserlover]

Been reading your post and wanted to say well done on your achievement so far. I am 52 years old and like you I used to do a bit of jgging in my early twenties before I had my children. Over the last 32 years I have yoyo dieted and at present am nearly at the heaviest i have ever been. I started running again 2.5 years ago and I started by just walking from 1 lampost to another and then running the next lampost, walking the next etc until I managed to run 2 lamposts together. I continued like this building up the running and reducing the walking lamposts until I was eventually able to run a few lamposts together. I entered a charity 5k event and found I managed to run it in 29mins, so was well chuffed! Last year I entered my first ever 10k at the age of 50 years and 11 months and I completed it in 61 mins. Running is a great way to keep fit and really helps with weight control. I have just started Slimming World diet and have made a pact that this is my last ever time of joining a club. I am going to get down to 10st and stay at that weight! best of luck to you x

 

[Cuqsuita]

That's such an inspirational story, thank you so much for sharing that! I'd love to get to a point where I could consider a 5k run, but at the moment I'm happy building up stamina and trying to not let myself go back to my former weight.

 

[Cuqsuita]

W4D2
Jogging in the rain is horrible. I hadn't drunk enough water beforehand, and really struggled with the 5-min jogs, and considered quitting during the second round of jogging. Managed to keep going, albeit slowly, so that's something. I'm out all day Wednesday and don't get back until late, I might leave jogging until Thursday depending on how I feel.

 

[Cuqsuita]

Today would've ideally been the last day of week 4, but I got back from my training course absolutely shattered and not at all motivated to try jogging. Have spent the evening since I got back in the bath and am now in bed, will try to go jogging tomorrow morning before heading onto campus.

 

[Cuqsuita]

Yestreday I did W4D3 - week 4 done! It was hard and my tummy hurt a fair bit, must spend more time stretching that out in future. Tomorrow I'd ideally start W5D1 (eek) but am in Manchester all day and get back late, so again I might leave a day and wait until Sunday. Week 5 looks daunting, but I can feel myself getting more stamina.