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

krankykitty

Did Wk2 day 2 yesterday - didn't feel bad at all. Going to try do it again later, I might have a different opinion then!!

I got Carly's podcasts for a change... will see how they go!

G-Money

So much for getting up early this morning and doing C25K. Set the alarm for 5.45am, didn't get out of bed until 7.40am

jokettle

Tried starting week 4 today. Oh hi Disaster!

Got through the first 3 min run just fine. Coming to the end of the first 5 min run and got the most ridiculous stitch in my side! Slowing down didn't help, resting didn't help, telling it to f*ck off didn't help much either So I gave in ad went home.

Technically I was supposed to wait until tomorrow anyway, and eating a giant lunch about 30 mins beforehand probably wasn't the smartest either. BUT I'm still really annoyed that I only barely made it to the halfway point I'll try again tomorrow, and I'll keep trying until I get there. I don't want to lose motivation.

Stupid lack of fitness. Eugh.

dolliemix

jokettle wrote: »

Tried starting week 4 today. Oh hi Disaster!

Got through the first 3 min run just fine. Coming to the end of the first 5 min run and got the most ridiculous stitch in my side! Slowing down didn't help, resting didn't help, telling it to f*ck off didn't help much either So I gave in ad went home.

Technically I was supposed to wait until tomorrow anyway, and eating a giant lunch about 30 mins beforehand probably wasn't the smartest either. BUT I'm still really annoyed that I only barely made it to the halfway point I'll try again tomorrow, and I'll keep trying until I get there. I don't want to lose motivation.

Stupid lack of fitness. Eugh.

Dont be annoyed with yourself. You'll get it done tomorrow. All of this is a learning curve and you learn what helps you and what doesn't along the way. Going out 30 mins after eating was brave!! :D At least you know not to try it again!

jokettle

Brave's a very diplomatic way of describing it My next update will be more upbeat, I promise!

ommnyom

jokettle wrote: »

Tried starting week 4 today. Oh hi Disaster!

Got through the first 3 min run just fine. Coming to the end of the first 5 min run and got the most ridiculous stitch in my side! Slowing down didn't help, resting didn't help, telling it to f*ck off didn't help much either So I gave in ad went home..

What usually works for me when I get a stitch is to breath in and out deeply while doing a stretch down to my toes, you can vary the stretch depending where the stitch is. Good luck retrying w4d1!

Stench Blossoms

W1D2 Complete

Woohoo ! Thighs are very sore, can feel the shin splints coming and I've a blister on my baby toe but I don't care, it will be all worth it.

T-Square

Did W3D2 at 6 this evening. Went better than the previous one, but my calf muscle is so stiff, its over-working my left shin muscle, so I end up limping.

I see this as a biggish problem, as I won't be able to run for the 5 minutes next week.

I'm stretching and doing all that, but it still reoccurs. :eek:

Any advice guys?

Edit: Just did some Googling and it seems like I may have compartment syndrome,
the solution might be to get some deep stretches into the calf muscle,
which can be done by standing on the stairs and letting the heal drop.
I'll let you know how I get on.

T-Square

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

W1D2 Complete

Woohoo ! Thighs are very sore, can feel the shin splints coming and I've a blister on my baby toe but I don't care, it will be all worth it.

Be careful of shin splints, they take a long time to heal. Try and increase the amount of warm up you do, and get in lots and lots of stretching.

eager tortoise

Week 4 finished! At last, must've done about 9 sessions in all :rolleyes: Was starting to get really down about it too and losing my enthusiasm for going out cos it was the same podcast/music again and again. Really pushed myself through it in the last session by reminding myself that once I get to week 5 I get a new podcast. The excitement!!

Whilst the last week 4 session was not exactly a breeze I got through it so I am going to go on to week 5 in a day or two. Hopefully I'll manage it. Am slightly worried because despite the 9 sessions I still found week 4 hard! However, there has not been a week to date that finished with me thinking it was a doddle and I've made it this far...guess it's just a matter of keeping the faith!

forestfruits

Finally managed to start the C25K after much lurking about and talking about it! Day two of week one done today have to say Im really enjoying it.
Walking was getting so boring and is was having no effect on me at all!

Little question I did day two today is tomorrow too soon to do day three- cant fit it in over this weekend?

(Ignore me I just read back through the other posts and found my answer)

ommnyom

w6d2 done for the third time today. I took it slow enough, but by the end I could have lay down on the ground for a bit! I'm actually quite scared now of doing the 25min on w6d3, especially as it seems like such a long time since I managed the 20min session.

Posy

Never knew this thread existed!

I started the C25k plan about 2-3 weeks ago. I found the first couple of workouts great! Previously I'd try jogging, be out of breath/dying after a minute or so and go back to walking, feeling dejected and unfit. The fact that I only had to jog for a minute was actually easier than I thought. And after the 90 seconds of walking I felt ready to do another minute of jogging!

The fact that it builds up gradually is a real incentive to keep going. I've done the first 6 workouts now. I did a couple of them twice because I didn't feel fit enough to move on to the next stage. The last workout nearly killed me- I've never exercised to the point of exhaustion/red face/covered in sweat before and I felt really good about myself afterwards.

Not looking forward to the next one- 3 whole minutes of jogging, eek! :eek:

snoozysusie

Never knew it existed either!

I'm on week 4 and find I'm doing ok...if you'd asked me a month ago would I be able to run for 5 mins, I'd have laughed, very hard and loud!

I've never run before and am finding this programme great...I wake up on the mornings of my runs and want to get up and go, which is a first, as believe me, I love my bed!!!!!

Hopefully I can keep up this enthusiasm, but the thought of week 5 is beginning to frighten me. Fingers crossed!!!

Stench Blossoms

Completed W1D3 today. Didn't feel like I was going to die after it either.

Bring on Week 2

forestfruits

Hey I just finished W1D3 today too!!

Cant believe I made it through the week the first day damn near killed me and if it wasnt for the fact that Im doing it with a friend Id have gone home after the 4th run on day one!!

Roll on week 2
(Id say this could get a bit addictive)

garbanzo

That's W6D3 complete. Work has been very hectic and stressful this week as i'm finishing up for a fortnight's holidays today. Anyway, the biggest stress and worry to occupy my mind all week was . . . . the bleedin' 25 minute run. I was very, very apprehensive. Anyway, 6 weeks ago i struggled to do the 60 second runs. Yesterday I did it. It was hard, hard going but the sense of achievement was huge. Off to the sunny south east tomorrow for two weeks. Will be a test to see if i can continue with this but I am fairly upbeat having gotten this far.

Keep the faith.

merengueca

garbanzo wrote: »

That's W6D3 complete. Work has been very hectic and stressful this week as i'm finishing up for a fortnight's holidays today. Anyway, the biggest stress and worry to occupy my mind all week was . . . . the bleedin' 25 minute run. I was very, very apprehensive. Anyway, 6 weeks ago i struggled to do the 60 second runs. Yesterday I did it. It was hard, hard going but the sense of achievement was huge. Off to the sunny south east tomorrow for two weeks. Will be a test to see if i can continue with this but I am fairly upbeat having gotten this far.

Keep the faith.

WOW well done you!!!!

Basq

Week 1 complete.

I came home an utter wreck after the first day, but the second day was MUCH MUCH better (I think I paced myself better) and found it very rewarding when I finished. I was tired but not particularly "wrecked" or out of breath.

Day 3 was today and it went well (although I might feel it tomorrow as I didn't stretch my muscles before it) but I ran quite hard - it felt like I had something to prove at the end of the week. But it was fine.

Roll on Week 2.. I'm looking forward to it!

jw297

jw297 wrote: »

Sorry Im going on a bit, Im just really thrilled after yesterday's run.
(The god's will get revenge on me during the next run and hit me with loads of stitches, hills and no energy!)

What do you know, today I was indeed punished for being so happy with my run on Sunday Was supposed to be my third 28 min run, but only managed 23 mins. This is the first time I've just had to give up completely all through C25K, many times I've been cursing and dragging my legs along but today I just couldn't go another step. Was just wrecked, legs aching, difficulty breathing, stitches, sore knees, the whole lot.
Was meant to go out on Wednesday but was too wrecked to run, so maybe a 5-day gap had something to do with it.
I really really want to finish the program by this day next week, so Im hoping that I can do 30 minutes on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Will try to be well rested and hydrated, fingers crossed I'll have a more positive post next week!

puddle duck

i have completed week 6 day 2 and cannot seem to get beyond it:(

panda100

How fast are you meant to go at the run part? Im jogging just a bit faster than my brisk walking pace, am I doing it right?

littlehedgehog

Panda - as slow as you can go!
I jog about 5.6mph - I mean, old ladies with zimmer frames are passing me out. It's because I'm not thinking about distance yet. I'm just trying to get to the stage where I can run 30 minutes. Then I may go back and repeat the program, forcing myself to run faster.

Gonna head out for W4D6 today The second 5 minutes are still an absolute killer. I physically can't get through them - I stop twice or three times, but only for 5 seconds.. that's not enough time to catch my breath - so that tells me that I've a mental block. Need to push through.

Also found out that I'm eating way too little calories for someone of my size, and activity level. That may have something to do with the lethargy I've been feeling over the past couple of weeks. So I've increased my intake over the past few days, and hope that helps today too!

Fingers crossed. Gonna do this day until it WORKS damnit.

littlehedgehog

THERE'S the sense of accomplishment that I've been missing, the lack of which has really demotivated me - WOOO!

I walked outside, fully intending on doing a 6th repeat of W4.. and press the button, and the app says (as usual) you've already completed W4, repeat or continue to week 5.. and I just said fk it - gorgeous day, I feel good.. go for it..

And I did it! 3 x 5 minute runs! And checking google maps, at 6mph - what a great fking day

Jesus, I feel good. Genuinely just.. good. What a great little program

G-Money

Well done Jean.

I'm currently due to start W4D3 but I've put it off to the point where it's now a full week since I completed W4D2. I've found the 5 minute jogs quite hard so far on Week 4 but I've managed to complete them without stopping. Although having said that, by the end of the jog I feel like a brisk walker could easily pass me out.

I think I will repeat Week 4 as I don't think I'd be ready yet for week 5 which includes a dreaded 20 min jog on Day 3 :eek:

I'm also thinking about forcing myself out of bed and going for a jogs about 6 or 6.30am. It's much quieter and cooler, but will see how it goes.

I'm up home this weekend and didn't think I really had many places to jog up here. Then I seen what looked like a rather tasty girl out for a jog and stretching just across the road from our house (we live out in the country with lots of hilly roads). Then last night as I was driving into town, I passed by a old-ish football pitch that I completely forgot was even there. I could easily do laps of it as it's a public place so you don't have to pay to use it or anything.

Anyway I'm heading back to Dublin tomorrow so I need to get back into the swing of things.

littlehedgehog

20. Min. Jog?! Damnit, just come crashing back down.. Why would they jump from 8 to 20? I think I may do a couple of days at 8, then at 15, then 20.. Can't see myself being able to jump from 8 to 20.. That's a mental jump - previous experiences guys?

BabyBirch

jw297 wrote: »

What do you know, today I was indeed punished for being so happy with my run on Sunday Was supposed to be my third 28 min run, but only managed 23 mins. This is the first time I've just had to give up completely all through C25K, many times I've been cursing and dragging my legs along but today I just couldn't go another step. Was just wrecked, legs aching, difficulty breathing, stitches, sore knees, the whole lot.
Was meant to go out on Wednesday but was too wrecked to run, so maybe a 5-day gap had something to do with it.
I really really want to finish the program by this day next week, so Im hoping that I can do 30 minutes on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Will try to be well rested and hydrated, fingers crossed I'll have a more positive post next week!

Everyone has bad runs sometimes, don't worry! You're more than capable of doing the 30 minute runs, fingers crossed you'll be finished C25K by the end of next week!!!

dolliemix

Jean wrote: »

20. Min. Jog?! Damnit, just come crashing back down.. Why would they jump from 8 to 20? I think I may do a couple of days at 8, then at 15, then 20.. Can't see myself being able to jump from 8 to 20.. That's a mental jump - previous experiences guys?

Jean you have actually jogged two eight minute runs in one session at this point. Thats 16 mins. C25k has a sneaky yet brilliant way of preparing you for your first 20 min run. If you try it you will surprise yourself. The fact that you can run for 16 mins already in one session means you're only pushing for another 4 mins on top of that. If you can do the 16 you are physically able for the 20, the battle is only in your head. I bet you can do it!!!!

garbanzo

Jean wrote: »

20. Min. Jog?! Damnit, just come crashing back down.. Why would they jump from 8 to 20? I think I may do a couple of days at 8, then at 15, then 20.. Can't see myself being able to jump from 8 to 20.. That's a mental jump - previous experiences guys?

Hey Jean. Re previous experience. Have a look at my earlier post above #1400. You can do it....or as close to it as you can truly try.

littlehedgehog

Thanks guys! Sure I'll give it a bang anyway - gonna repeat w5d1 another time or two anyway.. and then hopefully w5d2 will sort me right out for the 20 min run!