Overweight, out of condition and almost 40

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Apr 2014
10:38pm, 28 Apr 2014
736 posts
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icelandic trigirl
Hey, good luck! I'm naughty and haven't read all the other replies but I'm a big fan of the couch to 5k to get started. I thought I was pretty fit (from a background in swimming) but when I first tried it, I couldn't manage to go from running 1 minute to running 2 minutes and gave up! In retrospect, I was definitely going too fast and had noone (and no fetch, sob) to spur me on. I then gave up for 15 years and tried again in 2011. At the time, the idea of running 10k without stopping seemed simply impossible. I ran my first marathon in 2013. (OK, technically I didn't "run" the whole marathon, but I finished!)

Just keep at it; stick the programme; don't jump ahead and tire yourself out of get injured. If you do get a bug or an injury, just take a few days off and start again by repeating the last week you completed. There is no rush. "Nearly 40" is still pretty young in the running game, but it is old enough not to be competitive and just have fun with it.
Apr 2014
2:38am, 29 Apr 2014
1,541 posts
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Mark J
So having read through all the wonderful comments of advice and support, I have to say this has to be my favourite piece of advice of all of them, just because it sounds so daft and counter intuitive.

"Slow down if you want to go faster". Brilliant, just brilliant.
Apr 2014
6:01am, 29 Apr 2014
12 posts
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dragoninink
Mark J I have to say that "Slowing down if you want to go faster" is brilliant as well. Totally illogical but worked for me, kinda. I got to finish my time, yes it was slower than before but almost twice as far.

Maybe there should be a Fetch beginners Teeshirt with that slogan on the front, and on the back "If you can read this at least I am moving faster than you!" Pretty sure I'd get bored of reading that all the time though.
Apr 2014
6:49am, 29 Apr 2014
15,368 posts
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fleecy
I think 'slow down if you want to enjoy it' is even more important. I'm doing my PhD in the psychology of exercise, and the research shows several things:
people feel better if they keep the intensity at a level 'moderate' to them (at least at first, as you get fitter your preferred intensity increases) and
if you feel better during exercise then you are more likely to continue exercising

Both of which demonstrate why something like a couch to 5k can be so successful, because when you first start running you can't really judge the correct speed that well, and also because if you are not that fit then walking may be not intense enough but running continuously can be far too much. So interspersing running with walking keeps the intensity at a manageable (and hopefully more enjoyable) level, whilst still accustoming you and your body to the extra effort involved in running.

I can't wait to hear about what your local parkrun is like, very curious as to how similar it is to UK ones!
Apr 2014
6:58am, 29 Apr 2014
13 posts
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dragoninink
fleecy: I have to say that I'm more optimistic about being able to do week two now I've slowed down, only really one run under my belt but still feeling better.

It's very true the first time I had to give up half way through because I was going too hard at it. It had me questioning how I was ever going to get to week two let along working towards it.

I'll let you know how Parkrun goes. Looking forward to it just a little worried about making the whole 5km it's one loop not laps. It's around our lake so the view will be fantastic.
Apr 2014
7:01am, 29 Apr 2014
15,369 posts
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fleecy
Just take a shortcut across the lake if it gets too much :)
Apr 2014
7:08am, 29 Apr 2014
14 posts
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dragoninink
Haha unfortunately I will have a tattle tail running with me. 10yo and unable to keep anything to herself.
D2
Apr 2014
11:29am, 29 Apr 2014
5,167 posts
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D2
pops in to lurk having read blog.... Welcome to this wonderful place dii
Apr 2014
11:49am, 29 Apr 2014
15 posts
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dragoninink
Hey D2 thanks
Apr 2014
12:15pm, 29 Apr 2014
3,565 posts
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sallykate
Welcome to Fetch dragoninink :-)

We had a parkun tourist from Canberra at our local parkrun in southeast London recently!

About This Thread

Maintained by dragoninink
Hi just joined on the advise of my marathon running big sister. I decided a few days ago I needed t...

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