The couch to 5 km! Want to join me?

Kim it is SO worth it, i'm telling you. I just did a 6k with DD in the buggy and that tells me i'm fit for at least 8k without her. Seriously it makes that much difference. It's like running with weights. Burns way more calories, tones the thighs and calves and bum even more, great for your heart (which is why it makes you feel like you want to die, lol) and is all round great for you. Keep on keeping on. What i would do if i were you is do a week of workouts with the buggy and then do one without, you will SEE and FEEL how far you've come.

*giant pats on backs of all you hard-runnin' ladies*

Bx

Hoobley - you should have "inspiring" as your mood, not "inspired"

hmmmmmm i have a confession to make, its been almost two weeks since my last run... ive lost the motivation.... however i have been going to pilates and body sculpt, so not all is lost...
i want to start up again but feel like my fitness is lost and i would be back to where i started.

Hi ladies. I've just found this thread today. I have a lot of weight to lose (50kg..god even looking at that number is terrifying), and this looks like a good idea. I'm a little concerned about whether my joints would cope with jogging/running, but it doesn't hurt to try! I've started adjusting my eating habits, and when I get tempted by junk, reminding myself how much better my body feels when I only put food into that's actually good for it. I've started an exercise program designed by my sister (who is a personal trainer( which is daily, alternating between cardio on one day and resistance training on another), however, this plan looks really..inspiring for some reason. I like the idea of being able to actually run, to get out and jog in the open air and really feel my body working, my muscles doing their thing, just feeling so free. I used to be a lot fitter than I am now, I find myself longing for how it used to feel.

Like I've seen some others saying, this is the year I lose weight. I've just been to Melbourne for the Aus Open tennis (we go every January), and I'm determined that by this time next year, when we go down, I'll be able to buy some of the lovely clothes I see down there. Dh and I do play tennis sometimes, and I thoroughly enjoy it, so we're thinking of joining the club just down the road from our place. Last year, I had two miscarriages, and we desperately want a baby, but don't want to try until I'm back to a healthy weight. All my tests came back normal, so my weight is my biggest risk factor for my recurring m/cs (I've had three altogether).

Gosh, I really rambled there! So I'm about to get my runners on, and head out, and see how I go. Keep going ladies, you've inspired me today!

Update: Well that was..interesting..I'm sweating my ass off (which is actually a good thing, really), and I thought for a while there that my chest was going to explode. And I only managed 4 sets of the 30s of jogging! At least my knees didn't break..and I do feel oddly satisfied...

Lisa xx

OK Bec, I'm in a world of hurt tonight lol. I did however follow it up with a not so slow walk tonight and I've walked around heaps today. The worst bit though was the wobbly bits I didn't have before lol. They feel awful!

Emma, pilates is great for your belly. You might find that helps you r running too.

Hi Lisa. Don't worry about the figure. A start is a start.

Acria - well done! I found that the first time I started I couldn't do the 30secs - did you try for the 8? Keep up the good work!!!!!

Kim - well done - keep it going!

Emma - what with my 20,000 steps/day and my wedding I haven't run this week - wanted to on Monday night but somehow time got away from me.

I prolly won't be jogging now until the w/c 9 Feb - that's when I'll be back from my honeymoon!

Girls, you are doing a fantastic job. I think I will join you as I need some motivation. I started last week by doing a 10 minute very slow jog (could hardly move my quads for 3 days after - even had to support myself to sit on the toilet!!) and then have only done one since, even though we had a long weekend so I have no excuse. I have just printed out the program and will start today. I think I will take DD to the park and get her to do it with me, then I have no excuses about finding the right time!

Kim, you will always hurt more after a buggy run, but like anything else, your body gets used to it. I am used to running and i still feel it more after a buggy run than a no-buggy run. It is a good thing - your body is getting stronger. No-one should be in injured pain, but that little ache when you move where your muscles go "ooch!" is telling you that you have reached their limit and demanded a bit more.

Bodies will only ever do what we ask of them. To get more you have to demand more. You can't get fit to run 10 miles by running 9 miles, as my gym buddies tell me. And it's true. I'm up to running 6k with DD and it not killing me. 10k would probably injure me, but 7k might not, so i'll run 7k, and after a few 7k runs 6k starts to feel easier. I can actually remember last year, getting towards my half marathon when i was running 15-17.5k, when 7.5-10k was my FAVOURITE part of a run. THe early aches are gone, the later aches haven't set it, it felt incredible. But now i hit that feeling between 3 and 5k, because i only run 7k tops. A well-functioning body will do the minimum you demand - economy prevents starvation and allows for only the growth needed in a less well-appointed lifestyle.

If your wobbly bits hurt from jiggling you might want to invest in support undies (i know, unattractive and sweaty, but SO worth it for the comfort!). We wear a sprots bra to protect our BBs from impact, protect everything that needs it. In a few months you won't have those jiggly bits any more, so love them, be good to them, and they will leave you in peace

Emma - fitness doesn't work like that. There is something called muscle memory, whereby things you have done your muscles remember and cope more easily with in the future. Thus even if your muscles have lost the running aptitude you'd built up they will still not be as new to it as they were when you'd never really run much. SO....go run! Seriously, the first time you will feel terrible probably, like you want to die, like every limb is going "RUNNING?! What the hell is running?!" but by the 2nd or 3rd time it will be so much easier, WAY easier than the 2nd or 3rd time when you first began, kwim? They complain as much as the first time but they remember and get on board much quicker. I went from running 21k and had a whole month of NOTHING at all, then began slowly again and really truly it took about 2 weeks to be running 4k - the first time it took 3 MONTHS. GO EMMA!

Acria - that is amazing hun! I only had about 3kg to lose when i first began running and i used to get visual disturbances after about 40 seconds and couldn't see properly where i was going! Keep at it and within a few weeks you'll be flyin' along

Bx

Hi Ladies,

I've commenced this programme also. I've done the first two sessions of week one. I've also got considerable weight to loose. I'm hoping that my desire to loose weight and my desire to prove to myself I can run (hopefully for enjoyment) will motivate me to continue this program.

I've been going well so far although struggle from about the 6 set of jogging. It's not actually my breathing that is proving the difficult part but my muscles really get crampy - lower legs. Hoobley, perhaps you could advise - Is this a hydration issue, due to the fact I'm overweight or my muscles just getting used to what I am asking of them and it will decrease as I get use to the exercise?

My DH and I got a treadmill for ourselves for Christmas as a get fit incentive. I'd be too embarrassed to jog in front of people, so I hope it's a worthwhile purchase for us and I hope to give it a good workout.

I love you Bec! I'm still here because of you. Oh and having always had big BBs I've been known to run in 2 bras to keep everything where it should be lol.
My young and very new Constables wanted to celebrate thier appointment in the middle of the week - right when I had scheduled day 2. But I just moved the timeline back. I did session 3 today and it was so much easier (probalby even still becasue it was 10 degrees cooler too). I did wear tighter undies today (sad I know) and it was much better....now if those thighs would just fall off I'd be laughing.

Anney my small person fits in the pram, however I've thought about running round the park while she's playing....probably not a bad idea.....

Hi Cece and welcome. I know exaclty how you feel not wanting to go outside. I have a heart attack when I'm about to stop or start running and a car goes past - today I had to tell myself not to be stupid. I'm lucky though i live in a very quiet part of town. Good luck with it. Anything is better than nothing.

Hi girls,
how is everyone going with this?? I have just completed week 3 so I am feeling pretty proud of myself, since it is over 6 years since I have done any regular exercise. I can understand how those of you with young children find it hard to find the right time to excercies. I could never really find the time as I worked part time and would not leave DD in care to exercis, and could never get up in the morning to do it. DH works long hours and would not be home in time for me to go do anything in the evening. Now I walk out the door when he comes in and if he is running late I ring and harrass him to remind him! So we sometimes miss our family dinner time but I am feeling better for doing the exercis.

Hi Anney,

I had a couple of weeks doing the week one program but I'm now up to the second session in week two - have to do the third tomorrow. I'm not sure I'll be ready to progress to week three as I didn't manage all the running in my last session so I'll see how I go tomorrow.

I'm feeling proud of what I've done so far. It's hard while I'm doing the session and at times I think what I'm doing to myself but always feel pleased with doing it once I've finished.

I've decided this year I need to take time to look after myself properly, hence the exercise etc. I think it's important for those of us who tend to look after others whether it's as a wife, mother or paid work to look after ourselves so we have the health and energy to continue.

Hey Cece!

Re: your leg cramps - are they any better now? Sorry i didn't get back ages ago, i've only just seen your post. Muscle cramps could be a hydration issue, especially if you're not a good drinker anyway (i can be terrible, about twice a week i end up drinking 2 pints of water at 11pm because i've hardly drunk all day!). If i were you i'd try to drink at least 500ml in the hour before you plan to run and if you can, take a little bottle with you to swig from during the walking intervals. The other thing that can cause leg cramps is potassium deficiency. There is a sodium/potassium balance in all your cells, my grasp on the science is a bit fuzzy but as i understand it exercise lets sodium out of the cells (and out of your body in sweat) and they can only release sodium if they can take in potassium (like a little on/off switch in each cell except it's potassium/sodium instead of on/off) so muscles try to get more potassium in, and if you don't have enough you can get crampy. Diet is the best way to remedy it. Potassium rich foods are bananas, raspberries, dried fruits (especislly apricots), sardines, bran flakes and most nuts (not salted ones). If you like them then a small banana or a handful of nuts about 90mins before you run (you can eat closer but i feel sick if i eat then run) that might make a difference.

How's everyone esle doing? My running has skyrocketed due to my getting a new running buggy. I did 45km between last monday and this Wednesday. LOL. I'm having an enforced rest day today because it's too windy to safely take the buggy out in the park (50mph gusts). I WISH i was running though!

Bx

Well I haven't been running since the wedding, as I've had a rather nasty cold. But I'm itching to get out there!!!!

I have been giving myself stretches of running the pram as I walk to childcare, just a block at a time. Feeling good that I'm recovering OK after each block and sorta keeping my fitness up. But since last Thursday nothing as I've been even more ill

And I thought getting fit would keep me more healthy!!!

Hi Hoobley,

Thanks for the information. I still get some cramping although not as bad as the first week or two. I've really been paying attention to drinking water prior to and during the session. I've also been taking a few minutes before I start to really stretch and gently warm up my leg muscles. I'm hoping that once I get fitter and maybe loose some of the weight that I need to, the cramps will improve a little more.

I don't know about an enforced rest day - I tend to need the enforced exercise day

Kaz you're doing TOTALLY the right thing by resting up. I know (oh HOW i know!!) how annoying it can be when you feel like you're on a roll and then you get a cold or something and have to take a break but if you don't rest you can end up dragging the cold out for a lot longer.

As for exercise keeping you healthy...it depends on a lot of things i think. If i eat REALLY well - i mean ALL wholefoods, NO refined sugar, 9+ fruit and veg/day, i keep very well and don't get ill, but i enjoy life too much to restrict myself from having ANY treats. I also find if i don't have at least 1 day a week off exercise i tend to get ill more. Rest and get well, it's the best thing to do.

Longer-term, when your fitness is much much better, you might find you recover faster than you used to from illness. My sinus infections still come on, but they're gone in a few days rather than dragging on for weeks.

Cece LOL, i admit some days i have to FORCE myself out to run, but i always feel better for it after, and if i don't do a run i planned to do, i go to bed feeling a bit disappointed. Lol. Your hydration and warming up sounds great and it is important for everyone to let their body get warm before they begin the serious task in hand - it's so hilarious when you get to running longer distances. When i was training for the half marathon i was running 2 miles JUST TO WARM UP, and then stretching and THEN doing "the run". Lol. Try the potassium and see if it makes a difference too.

I ran 7k on Sunday when DD was at XP's. Felt crap for the first 2k but felt great for the rest of the run. It took me about 40minutes which is GREAT as it takes me 50 with the buggy which means with the same effort i am able to do down 5mins38ish/km, from 7mins6secs/km with the buggy! And that was my easy pace, not race pace

Bx

BOO!!!

Well cats, how's it going? Anyone at continuous running yet, or have you all had a month off?

I am still at it. I got rather too enthusiastic with my new jogger buggy and got injured 2 weeks ago, bit of bursitis in my right hip. Was really annoyed because i got the same injury last year, ALSO from overtraining - DOH! I just dialled it all down for a few days and am back at it now. My 10k is in mid May, and i'm behind in my training from where i wanted to be, but oh well, just need to keep at it and see what happens.

My speed has improved, i can now run 5k WITH the buggy (about 25kg i'm pushing now) in 29mins27secs. Not been able to run a speed test without the buggy yet but am hoping i can get round my 10k under 60mins in May, which, so long as i don't get injured again, seems doable. I ran my fastest ever mile a few weeks ago - 6mins 10 seconds! Ok, not breaking any records but i'm only racing against myself, and i ALWAYS win .

I just ordered summer (half length) running tights and a smaller (275ml, rather than 500ml) water bottle for race day (don't like to stop for water, don't like to go without either ). Both cheap but still excited about it! LOL.

Come on then ladies, tell me tell me tell me how you're runnin'!

Bx

DH and I took some holidays and I've got out of the habit. I've pretty much had this month off. Just before we left I tried week 2 which I struggled to complete all the running so it's a bit of a battle to motivate myself again and give it a go.

I'm telling myself this weekend I have to start again ...

It sounds like you are going really well. There is no stopping you