C25K and beyond (hopefully!)

ChillyJilly

Decided in the past week or so to start the C25K program.
Plan on starting my first day tommorrow. Dowloaded the app for the iphone to help me along the way (you can listen to your own music and the (scary sounding) man tells you when to run and when to walk)... I think it's a good way to start.

I'm currently a smoker, but have a quit deadline of this weekend... running isnt the only reason I'm quitting, but a general overall fitness, and I think running will help keep my mind off it.

Just posting here hopefully as a way to help me through the first few weeks of it, when every bone in my body will be telling me to stay in and sit on the couch!

Just wondering what to do on the "rest days"... does everyone keep these for actual rest, or do you do some form of excercise? I've started swimming once a week so this will be on one of my rest days. Any suggestions for something to do on other days? Free of charge by the way... i'm not in a gym. But I do have dumbells at home, should I be doing strenghtening excercises?

ChillyJilly

After a hectic week with a few dramas involving family members, I finally got to start training last night.

To tie in with the C25K program which I'm starting this evening and will need to improve my fitness for, I went for a swim last night. 45 minutes, 20 lengths of a 25m pool.

Not great for most of you I know, but I'm proud of myself and I can only get better after this.

Week 1, Day 1 of C25K tonight, wish me luck!

PS... I just realised that these Training Logs are actually for people who are regular runners, so I feel a little out of place, but hopefully when I'm a few months into this and addicted I'll get to look back on these posts and laugh at my unfit former-self

showry

Good luck ChillyJilly,
I think there's a lot of people here (myself included) who swear by the c25k program.
I wouldn't say these logs are all regular runners either. They're a great motivation too and sure in a couple of weeks you'll be a regular runner anyway.
As regards rest days, I'd say swimming or cycling can only be good. It's 4 years since I did the c25k and I was starting from a really low base so I needed the rest days

rainbow kirby

ChillyJilly wrote: »

PS... I just realised that these Training Logs are actually for people who are regular runners, so I feel a little out of place, but hopefully when I'm a few months into this and addicted I'll get to look back on these posts and laugh at my unfit former-self

Hey, plenty of us have come from very low bases, I know I certainly did!

Good luck with Couch to 5k, it's a very good way to get going

ChillyJilly

Thanks for the encouragement guys... praying the rain holds off for another few hours... dont mind running in the rain once I get into it, but it would be a real turn off the first time :P

ChillyJilly

Day 1 completed last night... in the rain!!

Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk.
Alternated 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
5 minute cool-down.

Went on to Mapmyrun.com and I had covered a distance of 4.3km.

Really enjoyed it! Actually looking forward to my next one tommorrow... long may this continue!

goldjogger

best of luck with the training, we all have to start somewhere im new here aswel and still a beginner so dont worry about it, this place is good for the motivation aswel, keep up the good work!

DustyBin

Hey ChillyJilly
Best of luck with C25K, it's a great way to get running - Mrs DB finished wk 5 today with a 2 mile run!!
Don't be afraid to repeat a week or a few sessions if you think you need it, and on your rest days do anything you want except run (you could even rest and do nothing )

ChillyJilly

Great to hear that C25K has been such a success for others, it's nice to know that it can work!

Week 1 Day 2

Did this on Saturday evening, again in the rain... I'm starting to enjoy running in the rain!
5 min warm up. Then alternated 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Then a 5 min cool down.

The first half felt a little harder than last time, but I loved the second half.

Day 3 tommorrow!

mindymar

Hi ChillyJilly, well done on starting the couch to 5k! i did a similar programme a few months ago but had to quit after week 6 (run 5, walk 30sec, run 5, walk 1 min, run 10) cos of hamstring injuries, just started again last week, will be doing Week 2 Day 2 tomorrow. love running in the dark evenings, nobody can see me go puce! hope your run goes well today

ChillyJilly

Hey mindymar, I hear you on the nighttime running! Only people who see me are cars and I think they're gone by the time they may possibly recognise me sweating up the road!

Anyway problems with connection at home, so had to wait to return to work to post this, but completed day 3 yesterday!

Week 1 Day 3

No rain this time... was a nice change
Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk.
Then alternated 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
5 minute cool down walk.

Really enjoyed all of it!

xebec

ChillyJilly wrote: »

Really enjoyed all of it!

Hey ChillyJilly, great to see another new runner round these parts. Most important thing to remember while doing this (or any program) are quotes like yours above - you won't necessarily enjoy every workout because you're tired, stressed or whatever reason, but remember the good ones, get the workout done and move on to the next day which will hopefully be better!!

I started on the C25K program about a year and a half ago, then with intermittent running since I've managed to get my commitment in line and ran my first marathon in Dublin. It's all ahead of you, once this program is complete it's just a matter of deciding where to head next

ChillyJilly

I started on the C25K program about a year and a half ago, then with intermittent running since I've managed to get my commitment in line and ran my first marathon in Dublin. It's all ahead of you, once this program is complete it's just a matter of deciding where to head next

Woah... they are words of encouragement if ever I heard them! At the moment, I cant see myself ever completing a marathon! My first goal is just getting to 5k... after that I'll reassess things and find a new goal!

Who knows, goal number 10 may well be Dublin Marathon 2011!

ChillyJilly

Well this is a bit embarrassing, but think i've a sudden halt to my new hobby

Got home from work yesterday and was getting changed upstairs when I heard the phone ring downstairs. With one shoe on (ok I'll admit this was ridiculously stupid) I ran down the stairs, got about 4 steps down when I went tumbling. Got to the bottom and there was a searing pain in my right ankle.

OH brought me to emergency and after a long wait, turns out it's broken. It's in a temporary cast at the mo and I'm stuck on the couch at home like an invalid. I've to go back tommorrow to get a proper cast on.

How did I never realise broken ankles were this sore

So I guess this training log will be put on hold til I'm back on my feet so to speak... raging :mad:

rainbow kirby

Sorry to hear Hopefully things will heal up for you quickly!

Blueskye

Ah no, that's terrible. Just read your log there and you were starting off so well. Hope you heal soon and remember to take it easy when you get going again.

littlebug

Oh no that's really bad luck Best of luck with the recovery.

RubyK

Jebas, you poor thing! Hope you are on the mend, and it won't be too long til you are back updating your log.

mindymar

Oh no ChillyJilly you poor thing how frustrating. Make sure you take plenty of time to let it heal up before you start again, annoying as it is. I wrecked my hamstring in first few weeks of C25k last time and ignored and didnt go to physio on time and it got so bad that I had to pull out of the programme entirely, only starting back up now, months later. So follow all your doc's advice and hope you get better soon

ChillyJilly

Right well i've decided the time is right to get going on this again... well the time was right about a month ago, but to be honest, I was lazy.

Going to get going on Week1 Day 1 tommorrow. Wish me luck!!

southofnowhere

Best of luck. Enjoy it!

dolliemix

Good luck!

I've just finished C25k and loved it!

Melia

Hi ChillyJilly,

Good luck with it! I'm on week 4 at the moment. Over on the Food Diary forum, there are a good few of us doing this - we have a thread here if you're interested in chatting about it!