Loungers on the run: Couch to 5k to marathon and beyond

Huzzah!

Wk 5 complete. Might start Hal Higdon's novice 8 k plan as I don't fancy reverting to run/walk, it fits nicely in with where I am with my running and it will work well with my cycling and yoga

Littlekittylou

rosie16 wrote: »

I'm convinced that someone is controlling me when I run. I tend to zone out and try not to think about the huge distance I'm covering. 20 minutes later, I'm like, did this just happen.

You're in the zone girl! :P

rosie16

Littlekittylou wrote: »

You're in the zone girl! :P

Finished week 6 yesterday and it didn't feel like I had been running for 25 minutes. :eek: Totally autopilot!

At times though it feels like it's going slow and I start to worry about my ability to do it, but then i just switch off and ignore the little voice in my head.

Dortilolma

After nearly 3 months of no running I've been out the last two days and it felt brilliant. I jumped back to Week 5 Day 3 of C25K yesterday to get my self back into the rhythm - I'm hoping that I'll be back to the 30 minute 5K before the end of the month so I can start working on my time again.

I don't know about anyone else here but my emotional state is quite heavily influenced by the season and running seems to be the main thing that keeps everything in check. Today is the first day in a while that I feel like myself.

CookieMonster.x

Hello everyone I feel a little young to be posting here but I'm interested in starting running after many attempts of the couch to 5k programme and giving up :P so I thought posting here night give me more motivation to continue! I'm in college in Dublin so was thinking I could do the programme in St Stephen's Green and hope I wouldn't look like an idiot! :P don't think I'll be able to get out until the weekend maybe but at least I've written it down so I'll have to do it :P

miamee

I've often gone running in the green, it's perfect especially early in the day. No roads to cross or traffic to negotiate and if it's earlyish there aren't too many people around to get in your way either except for other runners and walkers.

rosie16

It doesn't feel like a month since I last posted but it is! I just didn't feel like posting. It's all good, I'm on my last week (one run left).

About two weeks ago I did a challenge run, obstacle course thingy. It was awesome, just my kind of thing. I ran most of it and I probably could have run more, I was just being lazy. Still have to get the balance right between pushing myself and not. And I didn't go over on my weak ankle!

moonboy52

I started the c25k 10 days ago. I did 2 weeks in the first week and i am now on Week 3 Day 2.

I tried it a few years ago, but after two days my ankle was sore, so i packed it in. I was 18kg heavier back then also.

This time it is going much better. I bought the official C25K app and am using that along with a playlist of motivational speakers (with backing music that someone added). People like Eric Thomas. It helps to keep me going

sillysocks

Did any of you ladies go from the couch to 5k up to half marathon?
I've done couch to 5k I'd say once a year at least for the last 4/5 years but never kept it up! Started running again this January, didn't donthe couch to 5k but I'm just about at the 5k without stopping now (hills just kill me!). It takes me about 35/36 minutes so fairly slow.

But I'm starting to enjoy it more than I ever did before. I think it's because I'm doing it by myself at my own pace and not beating myself up if I walk a bit etc.

So I'm thinking of maybe giving myself a major challenge to sign up for a half marathon that's on locally here at end of June but wondering if I'm just jumping way too far too fast. It's still 16 weeks away but not sure if it's realistic to get from 5k to half marathon in that time. I know there are training plans that would use a shorter time than that but for someone that doesn't have much weekly mileage under my belt I don't want to be silly if it's over ambitious.

I have a couple of stone to lose too so that doesn't help when I'm running, but hoping the running will help with that.

rainbow kirby

You could try the Hal Higdon novice half-marathon training program? The program is 12 weeks long, has you running 4 times a week and starts with a four mile long run in the first week.

You could also consider doing the half-marathon as a run-walk with planned intervals (5 min run/1 min walk).

I did my first half marathon 11 months after I started running, and ran 10 miles for my longest long run in training. I had raced three 10k's before I did it and ran my first marathon 18 weeks after my first half.

moonboy52

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I did my first half marathon 11 months after I started running

Impressive going after just 11 months!

rainbow kirby

moonboy52 wrote: »

Impressive going after just 11 months!

It's quite an achievable goal for most people to build to one within a year of starting running. First 5k within the first 3-4 months, first 10k within 4-6 months, and then slowly build from there. Depends on what the individual enjoys though - some have no interest in ever going longer, and that's perfectly ok. Some will use runs of an hour ish to maintain fitness for other sports (soccer/GAA etc) or balance it out with heavy lifting. Some really embrace going long and move to longer distances very early. Some like to mix it up and add swimming and cycling.

eviltwin

I haven't done much running this year between one thing and another, my routine has been all over the place and exercise has been the victim but have recently gone back running as I have the Mini Marathon and a half marathon coming up and I need to sort myself out.

Did a lovely 5k on Monday night and went out for another 5k last night. I just love being out at night in the chilly weather, I don't get the same buzz from running during daylight hours at all. Its the first time I've ever done two days running in a row and I'm a bit more tired than normal today so I'm going to rest today and run Thurs and Fri.

I have missed running so much and feel so much happier and better in myself now I'm back doing it.

eviltwin

sillysocks wrote: »

Did any of you ladies go from the couch to 5k up to half marathon?
I've done couch to 5k I'd say once a year at least for the last 4/5 years but never kept it up! Started running again this January, didn't donthe couch to 5k but I'm just about at the 5k without stopping now (hills just kill me!). It takes me about 35/36 minutes so fairly slow.

But I'm starting to enjoy it more than I ever did before. I think it's because I'm doing it by myself at my own pace and not beating myself up if I walk a bit etc.

So I'm thinking of maybe giving myself a major challenge to sign up for a half marathon that's on locally here at end of June but wondering if I'm just jumping way too far too fast. It's still 16 weeks away but not sure if it's realistic to get from 5k to half marathon in that time. I know there are training plans that would use a shorter time than that but for someone that doesn't have much weekly mileage under my belt I don't want to be silly if it's over ambitious.

I have a couple of stone to lose too so that doesn't help when I'm running, but hoping the running will help with that.

I did a HM a few months after finishing the C25K, I reckon I walked about half of it and ran the rest doing intervals like Rainbow Kirby said. I would love to have run it all but was very happy just to have completed it. I did the Rock n Roll event which has a good mix of runners and walkers.

Similar to RK, I started running last year at end of march and did my first non stop 5km at the beginning of May but then my first half marathon in September so that's pretty much the same timeline as yourself sillysocks. It's definitely doable! I think I did the Hal Higdon Novice 2 programme.

I'm not on target for a marathon after 11 months like RK did! Though I did consider training for Tralee so that I'd have gone from 0-marathon within a year but I decided to not to get myself into really tough training over Christmas so it'll be 14 months for me if I get to do the Edinburgh marathon as planned. We'll see

Huzzah!

Huzzah! wrote: »

Wk 5 complete. Might start Hal Higdon's novice 8 k plan as I don't fancy reverting to run/walk, it fits nicely in with where I am with my running and it will work well with my cycling and yoga

Finished week 3 of the Hal Higdon programme today with a 5k run, so I guess I'm a Couch-to-5k graduate (again). Will keep plugging away with it till I can run 8k. I like the structure of following a plan.

Faith

Hello everyone . I'm Faith and I'm starting the C25K! I'm getting married in August and I've suddenly panicked about not fitting into my dress . I've tried the C25K before, and failed, but this time I have no excuses. I live in the most glorious city in the world and I live right by the beach. I can go running along the waterfront whenever I like, and it takes less time than the 5-minute warm up to get there. So I've bought my shoes, my sports bra and my clothes and I did my first run this morning .

I'm signing up for a 5K on the 9th of May, then I'm roughly hoping to do an 8K by mid/late June, and a 10K by mid July. I'm posting my plan here to keep me accountable for it!

W1D1 was good. It was tiring, but the scenery and weather more than motivated me. I'm feeling really positive that I can do it this time, and I love reading about all the success that you've all had!

sillysocks

I think I'm going to re-asses and be more realistic and go for 10k for the local run at the end of June. I don't think I'm fully committed enough to give it everything for the half marathon, and don't want to aim for it and then 'fail' and set myself back hating running again! So thinking if I go for 10k instead that's plenty of time, I'm thinking of doing the Hal Higdon plan-have double the time it allows so might do each week twice and then hopefully would be able to give a really good shot to the 10k.
I'd just love to be able to do a 10k in less than an hour. At the moment 5k takes me around 36 mins so it'll be a challenge but I think if I manage to drop weight with the training that being lighter will also bring a bit more speed.

rainbow kirby

10km is a nice target. You'll be fine - nice steady buildup and you'll have a wonderful day on race day.

Faith

What do you guys use to hold your phones while you run? I used to have an armband thing, but I don't any more. I'd prefer something I could clip on to my clothes, if such a thing exists?

Huzzah!

Faith wrote: »

What do you guys use to hold your phones while you run? I used to have an armband thing, but I don't any more. I'd prefer something I could clip on to my clothes, if such a thing exists?

I use a money belt thing I got for backpacking years ago. Holds my phone and keys and is quite discreet.

stickyfinger

Hello, I'm also doing the C25K! I start week 6 tomorrow and thought I'd post to keep me going. I've finished it twice before but never kept it up, so I'd like to keep it up this year and go on to a 10k training program after, and after reading posts here progress to a half marathon eventually. I'm very impressed and inspired by the progress other posters have made and hopefully this will help to keep me going!
For the moment I'm aiming to run a 5k in April once finished the program and join park runs after that. I run in the gym and go for a cycle and a swim after as well. Also trying to eat better and drop some weight, but still falling into the chocolate/junk trap every so often!
I've found this time around that I am enjoying the run more and the odd time I really feel like I'm getting in the zone so hoping I can reach that point more as it feels great!

saggycaggy

Faith- I use one like this one from Dunnes-prefer it to anything on my arm.

http://www.dunnesstores.com/running-belt//dunnesstores/fcp-product/6336568?colour=pink

Neyite

Faith wrote: »

What do you guys use to hold your phones while you run? I used to have an armband thing, but I don't any more. I'd prefer something I could clip on to my clothes, if such a thing exists?

I have the running trousers that have a pocket over the backside. Start the C25k app, start my play list and off I go. I tie my house key to my runners laces.

Faith

saggycaggy wrote: »

Faith- I use one like this one from Dunnes-prefer it to anything on my arm.

http://www.dunnesstores.com/running-belt//dunnesstores/fcp-product/6336568?colour=pink

That'd be perfect except I need it shipped to Canada . Found a couple of similar belts on amazon though!

I'm scheduled to do W2D2 tonight, but I've got bloody plantar fasciitis :mad:. I'm scared not to run in case I give up, and I'm scared to run in case I injure myself more!

The Black Oil

I've this armband for my iPod. There might be something similar for your model of phone.

I was also recommended a Spibelt. It goes around my waist, but I've not yet tested it for long-term durability.

Spirogyra

Am aiming for my second marathon in Cork ( 2 years after first) and six years after starting running.....however I find longer distances incredibly boring, not on race day, as the momentum , the atmosphere, the experience is great, but training 10-20 miles alone, in preparation, I find incredibly tedious, there is a species who enjoy this, but not me,so why am I going for a marathon? well the day itself is great and I'm really looking forward to friends and family cheering for me (hopefully but after this shall retire and focus on 10K's which I enjoy

IvyTheTerrible

Spirogyra wrote: »

Am aiming for my second marathon in Cork ( 2 years after first) and six years after starting running.....however I find longer distances incredibly boring, not on race day, as the momentum , the atmosphere, the experience is great, but training 10-20 miles alone, in preparation, I find incredibly tedious, there is a species who enjoy this, but not me,so why am I going for a marathon? well the day itself is great and I'm really looking forward to friends and family cheering for me (hopefully but after this shall retire and focus on 10K's which I enjoy

I find listening to interesting podcasts helps a lot with the boredom! Have you tried this?

eviltwin

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I find listening to interesting podcasts helps a lot with the boredom! Have you tried this?

+1 for podcasts. I'm currently stuck doing laps of a local park, its tedious but podcasts are making it less so.

I'm thinking of looking for some half marathons on the days of my 20/22 mile runs so that I've a crowd with me for 13.1 of the miles. Obviously I won't be racing them but it'll be helpful to have people cheering on my training runs :P