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

i-digress

I completed Week 1 Day 2 today. I had to stop before the last two minutes on day 1, so I was mega chuffed with myself for managing to complete the whole session. I used to run cross country, before illness and comfort eating took over. I'd actually forgotten what a buzz you get from running.

Thanks Rainbow Kirby, your post actually spurred me to get out tonight. I'm 5'6 and currently 14 and a half stone, so it was really motivating to see where you are now. It doesn't seem quite so impossible.

timeforachange

i-digress wrote: »

I completed Week 1 Day 2 today. I had to stop before the last two minutes on day 1, so I was mega chuffed with myself for managing to complete the whole session. I used to run cross country, before illness and comfort eating took over. I'd actually forgotten what a buzz you get from running.

Thanks Rainbow Kirby, your post actually spurred me to get out tonight. I'm 5'6 and currently 14 and a half stone, so it was really motivating to see where you are now. It doesn't seem quite so impossible.

I started around November and I had such a low fitness level but i loved how every day I could see it improving bit by bit. I would start off on day one of a certain week finding it tough, but the next day it would be slightly better! I am still finding myself improving every day!
Keep it up and you'll see such great results in no time

mvron

Hi guys,

Spent a lot of this evening reading this thread. Would love to do this and am unfit & overweight but willing to give it a try (once I get my MP3 player fixed). I have a few questions if anyone could help me:

Running gear - don't own anything fitness related, will definitely pop into Elvery's to get good shoes but what clobber should I buy to start running in (without looking hideous)?

Where do you guys run? I'm about a 20 minute walk to the park but am afraid if I try to walk there & back around this programme I won't actually be able for it or I'll feel so wrecked that I'll be put off. I could run on the fairly narrow pavements here - does anyone do this?

How would I plan an appropriate route? I don't want to be too far from returning home when I finish on a given day.

Apologies if these are really stupid questions but have never done anything fitness-related before!

Thanks in advance.

rainbow kirby

mvron wrote: »

Running gear - don't own anything fitness related, will definitely pop into Elvery's to get good shoes but what clobber should I buy to start running in (without looking hideous)?

At this time of year for me - either a jacket and/or a technical top (short sleeved under a jacket, long sleeved if worn alone) and either tights or capris. You may feel more comfortable in looser tracksuit bottoms or even yoga pants, but that's a personal choice. If you're female, you'll need a good sports bra. Grab a cheap Penneys or Dunnes hat and gloves too, when it's as cold as tonight (-2 when I went for my run) you'll need something for your hands and you lose a lot of heat through the top of your head too. Elverys should have some running gear in the sale so have a look.

mvron wrote: »

Where do you guys run?

Paths around my area and a local park (for longer runs, I live 4km from the park) when I'm running relatively close to home.

mvron wrote: »

How would I plan an appropriate route? I don't want to be too far from returning home when I finish on a given day.

Try MapMyRun or Gmap Pedometer.


Also, don't be afraid to check out the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum, we don't bite

mvron

Thank you so much rainbow for all that valuable info. I'll let you guys know when I've done W1D1.

Thanks again.

timeforachange

mvron wrote: »

Hi guys,

Spent a lot of this evening reading this thread. Would love to do this and am unfit & overweight but willing to give it a try (once I get my MP3 player fixed). I have a few questions if anyone could help me:

Running gear - don't own anything fitness related, will definitely pop into Elvery's to get good shoes but what clobber should I buy to start running in (without looking hideous)?

Where do you guys run? I'm about a 20 minute walk to the park but am afraid if I try to walk there & back around this programme I won't actually be able for it or I'll feel so wrecked that I'll be put off. I could run on the fairly narrow pavements here - does anyone do this?

How would I plan an appropriate route? I don't want to be too far from returning home when I finish on a given day.

Apologies if these are really stupid questions but have never done anything fitness-related before!

Thanks in advance.

I agree with everything RBK has already said. Definitely sports bra is a must if your a female!
I just wear a t-shirt and zipped up jacket with a light pair of tracksuit bottoms. I am starting to feel as though I am getting serious about the running now though so Im thinking of investing in some proper gear soon. I always run on grass too by the way because it is easier on the joints! I haven't actually tried on a hard surface yet so maybe it doesn't make that much difference?!

Stench Blossoms

Did week 2 day 2 last night.

First 10 minutes were awful but once I got passed that it was fine.

i-digress

Can anyone recommend a better podcast than the podrunner one? The music is driving me slightly crazy.

timeforachange

i-digress wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a better podcast than the podrunner one? The music is driving me slightly crazy.

have you tried the one where you add your own music? I couldnt work with the podcasts with prerecorded music because that would drive me mad!

I don't really know anything about adding your own music though because I got my boyfriend to do it. He uses garageband on his mac computer and its really easy to use but I don't know of any other way of doing it although somebody here did mention other ones to use before.

backspacer

i-digress wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a better podcast than the podrunner one? The music is driving me slightly crazy.

http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/page4/page4.html

This is what i've used to date, its so so but definitely gets the job done i have to say.

backspacer

been meaning to update this,did W9D2 on friday and hoping to complete W9D3 today sometime.

timeforachange

backspacer wrote: »

been meaning to update this,did W9D2 on friday and hoping to complete W9D3 today sometime.

Well done , almost graduated now backspacer! Whats your plans for afterwards?

I did W7D2 today !!

backspacer

timeforachange wrote: »

Well done , almost graduated now backspacer! Whats your plans for afterwards?

I did W7D2 today !!

Am marking down W9D3 as a fail, managed about 24 minutes running and 6 minutes walking, didn't feel like i had anything in the tank at all, will be attempting it again tonight or tomorrow (work permitting)

Ah, here I come crawling back after stopping on week 6 last year.
Starting again this week, icy paths permitting!
:eek:
Fingers crossed I can go tonight

Kimia

I am facing into W1D2! I did my very first one and although I found the actual running / walking grand, the next day my thighs were burning! I could barely stand up / sit down I was like an oul one!

I'm excited, I just hope I stick at it!!!

I did it! I did w1d1!
and omg I missed the running! I love being out there even though it's hard it's great. :D
Well I did a funny version, I did the last 2mins in one go

The doggy did it with me :D

timeforachange

Completed Wk7D1 today! On to week 8 on Thurs!

backspacer

Woohoo finished W9D3 last night, can't believe i finished the programme, feel feckin' great!!

i-digress

backspacer wrote: »

Woohoo finished W9D3 last night, can't believe i finished the programme, feel feckin' great!!

Congratulations! That's brilliant

timeforachange

Completed Wk 8 D1 today! 28 minutes run! Im flying through but the rain at the end today did make me wan give up LOL

elsy

Before Christmas I started this only got as far as w2 d2 when the bad weather set in. I bought a treadmill it got delivered yesterday so today was my fresh start no excuses no weather excuses no I have no one to mind the kids. I stupidity thought id just start at w2 d1 big mistake now I finished but was in bits at end even threw up I cant believe how much harder it was on a treadmill compared to outside. On Monday im going to go back to w1 obviously im not fit at all but I need to change that I have 2 lil girls to be fit for and set an example to wish me luck and please tell me running on a treadmill gets easier

w1d2 complete!
I discovered I had accidentally set the track speed to half speed last time. So instead of 1min run 1.5 walk I was doing double! :rolleyes: I was wondering why they seemed so long :rolleyes:
But it does mean that even though I stopped this 6 months ago, I'm not starting off entirely from 0 again like last time Today was easy by comparison! :D

timeforachange

elsy wrote: »

Before Christmas I started this only got as far as w2 d2 when the bad weather set in. I bought a treadmill it got delivered yesterday so today was my fresh start no excuses no weather excuses no I have no one to mind the kids. I stupidity thought id just start at w2 d1 big mistake now I finished but was in bits at end even threw up I cant believe how much harder it was on a treadmill compared to outside. On Monday im going to go back to w1 obviously im not fit at all but I need to change that I have 2 lil girls to be fit for and set an example to wish me luck and please tell me running on a treadmill gets easier

Your doing great by starting back, and this does push you a little further than your comfort zone, but just be careful not to push yourself too hard. The tredmill is great, but its easy to force yourself to run at a certain speed on your tredmill. That might be why you felt it was so tough.
When your running outside you run at what pace feels okay for you and thats fine. Your supposed to focus on running the periods of time for each week and worry about speed at the end as that will just come naturally.

Your doing great I would just be careful that maybe you should just be aware of your speed on the tredmill in case you have it too fast for you

hi elsy,
you are trying to build up endurance on this program really so drop the speed if you are throwing up:)

KayTee

Finished week 4 before Christmas and the bad weather, really hope to get back into it this week, but not looking forward to it. Think I'll do w4d3 tomorrow, I haven't let my fitness drop, been doing plenty of cardio just no running..I need a kick up the butt to get going again!

timeforachange

Week 8 Day 2 complete! Not easy but getting there

Betsysquared

Haven't been on here in an age, but have been doing my running, although not as regularly as I should. I can now run for 30 mins non stop, albeit not that fast!

So I am back into it in earnest tomorrow, back to my healthy eating and exercise and back to feeling good, going to run 3 times per week for 30mins.

I will do this for the next 4 weeks and see what distance I am managing, if I am close to 5k by then I may think about starting the 10k programme, will see, just delighted I can run for this length of time, the programme is really fantastic.

I will post here to keep myself honest

Doggy and I have finished week 1 now felt a bit harder today but hey I did it, and did the last 2 runs in one 2-min go

redz11

I started Week Two today.

I'm starting from a fitness level of absolutely ZERO, but have a 5k lined up in March, and a 10k in April, and I am going to do them.

Enjoying the program so far, I have to say. I love actually getting out and doing the runs, as in, when I have time to spare, I don't find it at all difficult to get up off my arse and head out - the problem for me is finding the time.

I've now realised that finding the time isn't going to happen because the time isn't there. I need to make the time, i.e. get up much earlier in the mornings. So that's what I'll be doing from now on, because I will not get to 10k by April otherwise.

This program seems to have worked for so many people. No reason it won't work for me.

smiles302

Ooo are they organised runs?

I might do it too!

redz11

smiles302 wrote: »

Ooo are they organised runs?

I might do it too!

Yup, the St Patricks Day 5k is organised, can't see a whole lot of info up about it yet.

And my 10k is the Great Ireland Run in April - link is here.

backspacer

redz11 wrote: »

Yup, the St Patricks Day 5k is organised, can't see a whole lot of info up about it yet.

And my 10k is the Great Ireland Run in April - link is here.

Definitely the best thing you can do is set targets like that, it keeps you focused anyways on what you want to accomplish. Did my first 5k new years day and am contemplating now the best 10k race to run as well. So if i can do it anyone can.

timeforachange

Such a pity about the closure here Im going to start posting properly in the c25k thread in the fitness logs forum.

Before I go though I wanted to ask what people think the next step after C25K is? Do most people move on to bridge to 10K? And if so do you start off at the start of that programme or jump in at a certain week?

Im thinking that I will try to work on getting my 5K up to 30 minutes maybe before moving on to 10K as my running is very slow. Just curious as to what options are out there, as I feel like I may not keep my running up if I don't have a programme to follow!!

G-Money

FYI there's a C25K thread in the Training Logs section of the Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum. It seems to be more beginners (myself included) who are posting on that thread so might be a tiny bit more suitable.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056143231

brainyneuron

Not sure whether this thread is going to be moved elsewhere or locked/deleted so I just wanted to say a big big Thank You! to everyone who contributed to this thread, posted about their own C25K experience, and supported me and others along the way.

To Rainbow Kirby and Dolliemix the great mentors of this thread, I wouldn't have kept going without your advice and encouragement. And to Melia, who would have thought when you set up this thread (after our late night conversation!) that it would have become so successful! This thread has inspired many people, even non-food diary posters to start the C25K programme.
Without the amazing support that the thread brought I definitely would have given up. Knowing that other people had completed the programme successfully kept me going too.
Before this programme I had never jogged before, thinking that it was something that fit or skinny people did! To have come out the other side having jogged 40 mins straight is something that I am immensly proud of having achieved.
Thank you all again, and hope to see you at some race together in the future!
:):):):):D:D:D:D:D

rainbow kirby

It's actually in the Athletics/Running/Triathlon > Training Logs forum, here.

rubadub

OK guys, I have moved this thread to fitness logs (from food diary), after some discussion with the atheltics/running/triathlon moderators it was decided it would be more suited to the general fitness logs.

Elbow

Well myself and the girlfriend started C25K last night, never taught i'd be saying this but i loved it

It's exactly 5k to inchydoney beach from the house so our goal is to have the fitness to such a level for the summer that we can run to the beach, chill there for a bit and run home again

thumper10

finished my first 5k run in athlone in April, must say best feeling in the world......alot more hills than what i normally do, but i did it , so keep going everyone

mrpink6789

starting week 4 tomorrow, not looking forward to it, I ain't no runner but sure its good cardio so I'll try my best!

Colibri

mrpink6789 wrote: »

starting week 4 tomorrow, not looking forward to it, I ain't no runner but sure its good cardio so I'll try my best!

Just finished week 4. The plan is well designed You'll be graaaaaaaand!


Unrelated: What do you guys eat before/after each run? I had porridge this morning on W4D3 and like W4D2, I got terrible heartburn. Would eggs be good?