Advice please!!

Turning 40 and weighing in at 17 1/2st I decided I had better do something soon.

I have been doing the 'couch to 10k' now for 3 weeks (my friends persuaded me to enter the Manchester 10k on 26th May) but to be honest I don't seem to be getting any less tired.

My diet has changed, I seem to be losing a bit of weight, but the motivation is an issue - any advice?

Why is motivation an issue?  Why do you think you'd get less tired the further in to a programme you are?  Do you really want to lose weight?

I DO want to lose the weight - to clarify, when I am running the same distances the fatugie levels does not seem to be lessening - I would have thought that short distances would get easier to allow me to build my range.

3 weeks is not going to change your life, you're just starting so of course it will make you feel tired.  Running is like any other hobby/passion, it needs to be habitual over a long period.  Try to give yourself some occasional running targets to motivate some of your training

The other thing to do is to write it down, and make a note of your times.  You'll probably never have a "hallelujah" moment where it all clicks and you start running like Mo Farah, but every week you'll get a little quicker.  If you keep a diary, you can look back after a few months and see how much you've progressed - but day-to-day you won't see or feel much difference.

As JF50 said, three weeks is a short space of time, stick with it.  The short distances might not get easier ever, but you'll be covering them faster.

John, firstly well done on getting out there Fellow newbie here (started last July) and one thing I'm about to concentrate on is 'slowing down' from an already snail like pace. Do you know how far you are running and at what pace currently? I don't know much about the C210k plan, is it more advanced than the C25k version? how far/long do you run in week 3? Nothing wrong with sticking at the same week and repeating a couple of times

I am currently doing 30 miles in around 35 minutes (walk 90 secs, run 60secs).

It is by the same people as C25K - a very good program...

Thanks for all your advice!

John, hopefully you mean 3 miles in 35 minutes?

3 weeks is just a short period to see much improvement in so dont worry too much, have another check in three months!

you may find it useful to use a running app on your phone such as Runkeeper.

it lets you put in training plans, and sends messages when you pass milestones (fastest run in a week, longest duration etc) and you can follow your progress online.

I think that is 3 miles: if not, I'm very impressed. I would not worry, at this stage about times: just keep building your distances slowly (10% increase a week), and try and increase the proportion of running to walking. It will get better.

Have you lost any weight thus far, or noticed clothes being a bit looser?

I think running is always hard regardless, I just think the better you get the more you push yourself. Measuring times etc.. is a great way of really seeing progress but don't worry 3 weeks isn't that long and i'm sure if you keep at it you will start to notice the difference.

John, Hiya matey.

I use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ to record my runs. I registered there and set up the diary to input runs and distances etc. I also use http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to record my food intake.

I have noticed my pace coming down ALOT and that again is only in 3 weeks.

My runs are getting harder if anything but by Day3 I am just about ready to move to the next week.

Problem with knees is causing my issue, but i can certainly feel the improvement in running.

Week 4 will see you increase the stamina to 5 mins probably (depending on your programme) and that for me is going to kill me, but i am sticking at it.

I have lost 7lbs in weight, eating correctly and running, I am sure you will lose the weight and increase the stamina over time but as mentioned above 3 weeks is too soon to see a big improvement.

Once we have done the 8 weeks we can run together, than I think will help us both along.

Thanks Jenga - it has improved a lot since this was on thanks to all the advice

And meant 3 miles everyone!