Couch To 5K discussion thread (discussion of other programs welcome too!)

The_Morrigan

Anyone ever have a great session and then the next one being a complete disaster?

I had what I thought was a break through session on Wednesday, back on the treadmill today and I thought I was going out on my first try again - feet just kept dragging.

I'm still on week one doing the 60/90 second intervals, after Wednesday I thought I'd be able to step up to the 90/120 second intervals on Monday - but after this session I think I'll be doing week one again.

BabyBirch

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

Anyone ever have a great session and then the next one being a complete disaster?

I had what I thought was a break through session on Wednesday, back on the treadmill today and I thought I was going out on my first try again - feet just kept dragging.

I'm still on week one doing the 60/90 second intervals, after Wednesday I thought I'd be able to step up to the 90/120 second intervals on Monday - but after this session I think I'll be doing week one again.

Yup, even now that I finished C25K I still have a terrible run sometimes! Don't worry if you have to repeat either, it's all good exercise and getting you closer to being able to do the 30 minute run

dolliemix

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

Anyone ever have a great session and then the next one being a complete disaster?

I had what I thought was a break through session on Wednesday, back on the treadmill today and I thought I was going out on my first try again - feet just kept dragging.

I'm still on week one doing the 60/90 second intervals, after Wednesday I thought I'd be able to step up to the 90/120 second intervals on Monday - but after this session I think I'll be doing week one again.

Yes all the time

But its those bad sessions that really test your fitness because if you mange to finish them you're doing really well!

The_Morrigan

dolliemix wrote: »

Yes all the time

But its those bad sessions that really test your fitness because if you mange to finish them you're doing really well!

I didn't only managed 23 minutes - couldn't even push for the final two - had to stop before I fell over

dolliemix

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

I didn't only managed 23 minutes - couldn't even push for the final two - had to stop before I fell over

23 is still good!

The_Morrigan

dolliemix wrote: »

23 is still good!

suppose

especially when factoring in that my legs gave up around the 12 minute mark!!!

rainbow kirby

It's still 23 minutes more than you would have gone a few weeks ago, so you should be proud of that!

coffee_cake

havent been out since tuesday
got results thursday night (passed one failed one ) and went out for big dinner last night, and today I have a sore head and throat :rolleyes: If I have gotten a cold I'll lose the plot!
w5d2 is looming ahead of me...

The_Morrigan

rainbow kirby wrote: »

It's still 23 minutes more than you would have gone a few weeks ago, so you should be proud of that!

this is very true, I guess I'm just disappoint that I seemed to take a step back

terlywerly

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

Anyone ever have a great session and then the next one being a complete disaster?

I had what I thought was a break through session on Wednesday, back on the treadmill today and I thought I was going out on my first try again - feet just kept dragging.

I'm still on week one doing the 60/90 second intervals, after Wednesday I thought I'd be able to step up to the 90/120 second intervals on Monday - but after this session I think I'll be doing week one again.

If you take a read back through this thread, you'll find that its a resounding YES! I think from what I've read on here, it can happen to anybody. You have a good run, the next one is a disaster, and then you get out there and have another go and it works out fine!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with repeating a week, I've repeated all of week 4 and I've already done 2 repeats of W5D2. We all move at a different rate and the important thing is that you're doing it. No matter how badly you think a session has gone, it is still more than you would have been doing before you decided to take up the programme. I know it feels rotten today but try and stay positive (note to self - follow own advice ) and the next time it'll go better for you xx

bluewolf wrote: »

havent been out since tuesday
got results thursday night (passed one failed one ) and went out for big dinner last night, and today I have a sore head and throat :rolleyes: If I have gotten a cold I'll lose the plot!
w5d2 is looming ahead of me...

Get out there bluewolf!!! My W5D2 last night went very well and I think I'm gonna try the 20 min jog tomorrow! :eek: I hadn't been out for a few days either and I really felt so unmotivated to go, but I just got changed and went and I was glad I did. Its getting out the door thats the hard part (for me anyway!)
Good luck with it!!

hatful

How long should I wait after eating before I can run?

T-Square

Disappointed to say that I've gotten a cold, tight wheezy upper chest, sinus problem, breathelss too. Borderline asthmatic.

Should I just stay in, and start week 1 again? or harden the fook up? and get out there?

Got myself down to Amphibian King and had my running analysed. I was shocked by how bad my left foot and ankle were. Really really bad. I got the most supportive pair of runners they have. Took another run in front of the camera, and they make a *huge* difference.

terlywerly

hatful wrote: »

How long should I wait after eating before I can run?

I usually leave it between an hour and an hour and a half and I've only ever had a bad stitch once from what I remember, but I think that was from bad breathing and not as a result of my dinner

brainyneuron

Terly best of luck if you go for the 20min run today!!! Fingers crossed for ya! xx

terlywerly

brainyneuron wrote: »

Terly best of luck if you go for the 20min run today!!! Fingers crossed for ya! xx

Thanks a mill, hopefully going tonight! AAARGH <nervous face>
I am a tad nervous about it but feck it I'll have a go anyway! I may surprise myself... :pac:

jw297

Got the third day of Week 4 done this evening, and Im happy to say it felt really good I even had the strength to go faster for the last minute, just to see if I could, and was on a bit of a high afterwards. Seriously wouldn't have thought this possible a month ago. Still a bit nervous about increasing the runs, but now I know I can work up from one minute to 5 mins, Im confident I can make the next jump as well.
Anyone thinking of starting the program, or worrying about the 5 min runs, DO IT! If I can, you definitely can!

terlywerly

jw297 wrote: »

Got the third day of Week 4 done this evening, and Im happy to say it felt really good I even had the strength to go faster for the last minute, just to see if I could, and was on a bit of a high afterwards. Seriously wouldn't have thought this possible a month ago. Still a bit nervous about increasing the runs, but now I know I can work up from one minute to 5 mins, Im confident I can make the next jump as well.
Anyone thinking of starting the program, or worrying about the 5 min runs, DO IT! If I can, you definitely can!

Well done, brilliant achievement!!

Was meant to be heading out tonight, but my OH's man-flu now seems more like actual flu so I've been minding him (he's actually a lot more sick than he was last night when I was making fun of him...), and there's a guy coming tomorrow to paint the kitchen so I had to clear the place out so there wasn't time.
Definitely tomorrow. Definitely. I'm disappointed I couldn't go this evening :mad:

hatful

I'm doing week 7 again this week, today there was little improvement made it to 20 mins. I went out at noon, the heat killed me. I'm going to go out again tomorrow and maybe the next day... I'm determined to finish 7 this week.

G-Money

W1D1 Complete... Again

So with the injury I picked up the other week I had to halt my attempt at C25K at W2D2 originally. However I went to the physio last week and he said I'd only be out for another 3-4 days which was good.

Anyway I tried out W1D1 today and it went fine. My knee is still a tiny bit sore, not a whole lot to be honest. I felt a bit of a twinge in the other knee but nothing really that bad. I'm going to rest tomorrow though and take it easy. I probably could have run a bit faster but really didn't want to overdo it. Fitness wise I didn't feel like I'd lost a lot of CV fitness which is good. Also the new iPhone C25K app that I bought seems to work well.

I also did a 1.17 mile walk at lunchtime today which I hadn't planned. No harm really, it was an easy enough pace and burnt a few extra calories.

jw297

grandmaster wrote: »

W1D1 Complete... Again

So with the injury I picked up the other week I had to halt my attempt at C25K at W2D2 originally. However I went to the physio last week and he said I'd only be out for another 3-4 days which was good.

Anyway I tried out W1D1 today and it went fine. My knee is still a tiny bit sore, not a whole lot to be honest. I felt a bit of a twinge in the other knee but nothing really that bad. I'm going to rest tomorrow though and take it easy. I probably could have run a bit faster but really didn't want to overdo it. Fitness wise I didn't feel like I'd lost a lot of CV fitness which is good. Also the new iPhone C25K app that I bought seems to work well.

I also did a 1.17 mile walk at lunchtime today which I hadn't planned. No harm really, it was an easy enough pace and burnt a few extra calories.

Well done on getting back into it after that setback! Sounds like a good approach to not overdo it, you'll catch back up to where you were before in no time. Hope the knee doesn't give you any more trouble.

The_Morrigan

I just tried the 90/120 second intervals for the first time.
the first 90 secs was fine...the walk my legs felt like they went asleep.
second 90 secs pains in the front of my legs, but carried on to the walk - had to stop, now that I'm standing still for a few seconds I'm ok.

Is this normal "I'm not fit" pain - or do I need to stop??


Screw the stopping - I was not letting that treadmill or my body make me give up on this!!
I did the 25 mins in total doing the 90/120 intervals - I did however have to stop three times to give myself a chance to recover. Never had problems doing the first of the 90 seconds, it was always when I went into the second interval after a break....

Think I might go back to week one again...

G-Money

Have you got decent runners? I don't mean runners that some sleazy pimply teenager recommended in your local sports shop

I don't know lots about feet and runners but I've begun to learn bits and pieces and the various pains and injuries that one can pick up can be related to the footwear you're wearing. I've an issue with my feet where my foot sort of rolls inward slightly when I stand/walk/jog/run. I'd never noticed this until a physio guy I know pointed it out to me when he was treating me for an injury.

If you go to a proper technical running shop, they will do something called gait analysis on your feet. Don't worry, it's not painful even though it sounds a little scary I went to a place in Bray called Amphibian King and got it done there. It was pretty simple and harmless. When I went in I had to take my shoes and socks off and he had me stand on this plate thing where he could see a print of my feet and the arch of my foot.

He then got me to run a few metres barefoot on this indoor track they have and he video'd me running. He was able to play it back it showed me how my feet were landing and stuff. It turns out I do something called over-pronate which is what I described earlier but the foot and leg kind of rolling inwards. He said it's very common, I think 70% of the population are like that.

After he did this he went and got 3 different pairs of runners for me to try on and they're all aimed to counteract that over-pronation. I tried them all on and picked a pair and I've been fairly happy with them, even though they cost 115 euro :eek:

Having said all that, I'd be wrong to say they're invincible. I've picked up an injury since getting them but it's an overuse injury and I got it checked out last week and it's just tight muscles around my knee, so nothing particularly serious. So just be aware of thinking you can run forever in them

There are also things called orthotics which you can get for your feet which often help with all sorts of knee and leg pain. If you get them custom made they are very expensive - €250 at least. However the physio I went to last week seems good and he says that a lot of the times, the standard ones you buy from the shop for €80 are just as good.

Ease yourself in and don't overdo it. Stretch before and after and make sure you have good runners that are suited to your feet.

T-Square

Sore between the knee and foot?
Could be shin splints.

Do you do much warming up?

The_Morrigan

Thanks Grandmaster, I have good runners
Also have a physio that I go to for other issues, that recommended these runners to me for good support and cushioning...now if you ask me what they are the only answer I can give is "Asics and Blue"
Maybe I need a new pair..ooohhh Shopping!!!

The_Morrigan

T-Square wrote: »

Sore between the knee and foot?
Could be shin splints.

Do you do much warming up?

Crapping hell - I don't really wanna hear that I've got more gammy parts to my body...

I do a bit of stretching, then walk at a brisk pace before starting out on the running/walking intervals.

G-Money

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

Thanks Grandmaster, I have good runners
Also have a physio that I go to for other issues, that recommended these runners to me for good support and cushioning...now if you ask me what they are the only answer I can give is "Asics and Blue"
Maybe I need a new pair..ooohhh Shopping!!!

I have Asics one's also. I had a pair of Kayano's but they're about 4 years old at this stage. The new ones I got were Asics GT 2150's. I only know that as it's written on the side or back of them

The_Morrigan

grandmaster wrote: »

I have Asics one's also. I had a pair of Kayano's but they're about 4 years old at this stage. The new ones I got were Asics GT 2150's. I only know that as it's written on the side or back of them

yeah these aren't exactly new - year or two at this point

T-Square

NiMhaoldearg wrote: »

Crapping hell - I don't really wanna hear that I've got more gammy parts to my body...

I do a bit of stretching, then walk at a brisk pace before starting out on the running/walking intervals.

No panic.
I used to get them, but with the right stretching before and after, and orthotics, the pain went away, hopefully never ro return.

The_Morrigan

T-Square wrote: »

No panic.
I used to get them, but with the right stretching before and after, and orthotics, the pain went away, hopefully never ro return.

Well this is the first time my body has ever had to run for 90 secs - it could have been it trying to turn me off by stopping my legs rather than my heart!!!

I'll go back to the first week again, try again then next monday!!

All I can say was it was kinda intense..maybe I should have exercised more in my youth lol

Bey0nd

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Just Finished Week 1 of couch to 5k , Did S1 on wed , S2 on Fri and S3 today .
All went fine enjoying it now and looking forward to the challenge of it going up a notch when i go back wed

Well done, I was so proud of myself when I did week 1, and whats more, I did it while enjoying it!

I love getting out and about now, I'm about to start Week 3 tonight. Very anxious to get out there, slightly nervous too because I very much noticed the step up between weeks 1 and 2, and it seems to be an even greater step up this week. But Im ready for it, I think. I'll report back later with the post mortem