John S

Thank you KellyAnn. I'm on week 7 and did day 2 today. Completed the 2.5miles in the 25minutes but it wasn't easy and I was pushing myself. My biggest problem with all this is Mr Negative sitting on my shoulder whispering to me that I can't do it, it's too difficult and that I should just wrote and that would be ok if I did.. But I just try to starve him by trying to think positive until he goes away. It isn't easy though...

Completed Wk6 Day 3 today. Very hard work and I'm starting to learn about my running and my running style now. Todays run was meant to be the 5 min walk, 2 1/4 miles or 22 minutes then 5 minute walk to call down. I averaged around 11min's / Mile. When the app told me I had completed the 22 minutes (which was also the 2 mile mark) I decided to push on. Don't know why I don't stick to the app and why I push myself a little more each time, but I do. So from that I continued to run the next 5 minutes then took a 90 second walk then I continued the route (around the lake) and back home. Totalling 4.16 miles in 45.54 I'm very happy with this performance, but I think I must JUST RUN THE APP and maybe concentrate on pushing it a little faster. I'm certainly not built for distance, in fact I don't think I'm built for running (short, stocky, strong with long arms. I'm a gorilla) but I am really enjoying this, although not during it!

Completed wk6, day1 this morning. Temp was about 12 c and wind speed was up to about 30mph at times. Pleased to get it done and covered 3 miles in 34 minutes averaging about 5mph.

Week 5 is hideous!

Cracked it, 2.6 miles, average speed 5mph, average heart rate 136bpm Very happy with that!

Wk5 day1 coming up today after I do the school run. I hear that this is a tough one.. I'll manage it, don't know what state I'll be on after, but I will do it..

just a quick update... Today I completed w4 d2. Can't believe how fast the weeks are passing, but I'm loving it. The app is set up perfectly got me, hard enough that I push myself but not too hard that I break myself doing it. I finish each episode knackered but with just a little left in the tank (always got a little left) so I feel good, but I've also had to push myself and at times I've wanted to stop. This is a great exercise for learning mental endurance! I've decided I'm going to pick up the pace a little now as when I get to 5k, I want too run it in 30mins. Right now the app takes me over a 2.5 mile route for each 30min episode so I'm planning on extending it and getting the time down. Current projections for my current walk and jog would make 5k in 36 mins, so I'm setting myself 3 targets. 1) complete the app 2) extend it to 5k (3.1miles) 3) shave off 7 minutes... This app, and fellow runners have taught me that I CAN do this, and I can have the ability to do this.

So do I my friend! This was still walking and running. Don't think I could even run at that speed for 60 secs!

Got my run in this morning. WK 2 day 3. Woke up with bad backache this morning and didn't want to run, but pushed myself. It was pretty tough all the way but managed to shave a few minutes off. Got it down to 30 mins and 35 seconds. It normally tells me to start the 5 mins cool down when I'm about 1/4 of a mile from home. I then walk and jog at 1 minute intervals till home and it normal finishes about a minute or so from home. This time I got home to my door the same time it finished. Happy with that!

If and when this happens to me, I intend to keep repeating the hurdle till I get through it.

Well done, keep at it. The more you do, the more you'll be able to do.

Completed wk2, day 2 today. Felt great, faster, fitter, stronger. Completed my route, 2 and half mile, and shaved over 2 minutes off my recent times and had some left in the tank at the end. Very good run, very happy with it.

Got my third run in today and found I was faster and I ran a little further than before. I actually thought at the beginning that I was going to struggle so I'd almost defeated myself before I'd even laced up my trainers! What a tosser.. But I got into it and I'm well happy with my results. I've never run before I started this due to the back problems (fused lumbar section of spine, 2 crushed vertebrae, nerve damage, sciatica etc) but I had a small procedure a while ago and now I feel like a new man! So, I'm a nearly 38 year old, podgy desk jockey but today I ran/walked (as per the app) 2.7 miles in 30 minutes. I also worked out by using Runtastic at the same time (plot the route, track time, speed and elevation) that my average speed during the jogging sections was 7.5mph. So Tuesday is a rest day (probably sneak in some plyometrics and / or chasing the kids around all day) then on wednesday I go onto Week 2, Day 1 which is brisk 5 min walk to warm up then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and 2 mins of walking for 20 minutes then a cool down. Although I've been following the app, the last two runs I've put some more running at the end, just because I've got about a third of a mile to go from my front door.. So I'm well and truly a novice beginner, but I'm loving it!

Best of luck Em, I'm a beginner too! Could never run before due to medical reasons but now I'm plodding along.. Just completed Wk1 and living the dream!

Thanks Trish. Another run today. W1 D2. Going into working Nights now so I'll take the next 24 hours off and fit in a run on Saturday then switch to Monday, Wednesday, Friday. And bust out some planking and press ups in between.

Hi all. Newbie here. I'm here out of embarrassment! I'm just shy of 38, father of two, my missus discovered exercise about 3 years ago and is now scarily phenomenal with her fitness, and nutrition, discipline, knowledge, ability and motivation, and I've gone from being ridiculously fit and strong at 25 to making excuses to help me accept my middle aged spread. Most people think my weight is normal for my age, but I think I'm about a stone or so overweight. Love food, both healthy and junk and I LOVE booze. Have some back problems (lumbar spine is fused, 2 crushed discs etc) and had to give up the martial arts that I loved as it was heading me towards a wheelchair. Work 50-60 hours a week on average and do shifts. So that's me. Or rather that WAS me. Did my first run today with the app and found the week1 day 1 was perfect for me. Didn't start sweating till I was stretching out at home after and the route I took added about 3 mins walk to the end of the program. All very scenic too. Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and had a lot less pain. Although recently had a caudal epidural in my spine so that helped! Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself before I lose motivation again..