Couch to 5K for middle aged women

doodlebeh

I just completed my first 5K (ran the entire way!) in November at the age of 47. At the beginning of 2016, I was overweight, physically weak, hadn't worked out in years and could barely jog for one minute. And now I'm looking at doing a 10k. How did I do it? I thought I'd share some things I learned, especially stuff geared towards us more mature ladies.

1. Just try it! Try running, even if you think you won't like it and think you're too old to start. I used to hate, HATE running with a passion. Two things changed that: (1) learning to run properly and (2) technology.

2. Gear up. As every running article states, get yourself fitted and spring for a good pair of shoes. If you're overweight forget the quintessential running shorts and buy some lycra running tights. They keep chafing to a minimum and don't ride up between your legs. Also buy something to hold your phone. I hated the arm band style, since it kept sliding down, so I got a little pouch that buckles around my waist. I wear glasses to read, so I just hook a cheap pair over the waist belt and whip them out during my cool down so that I can look at my stats on the phone.

3. Technology. This was key for my success. It turned boring workouts into fun, information filled sessions that flew by.
- Heart rate monitor: I have and recommend a Tickr. It keeps me from overtraining and helps me monitor heart health progress over the months. Plus, I can review the stats with my doctor.
- Apps: Active's Couch to 5K. I cannot recommend this app enough, and it is probably the number one reason for my success. Even if you don't use that particular one, I think using a 5k training app is super important to keeping on track and monitoring progress. As a side note, I also use Runkeeper to track running routes, elevation, pace and heart rate.
- Wireless earphones: Listening to music is a great motivator. You'll also want to hear running app prompts such as distance/time and run vs walk.
- The internet: Research and start thinking about running technique and form. Even if you don't incorporate it right off the bat, it will be floating around in the back of your mind when you're ready.

4. Start slowly. The Active Couch to 5K app (Cool Running program) starts off with 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes. If you can't do something like that, modify and keep trying until you can. I ended up doing "week 1/day 1" five times! But I was persistent, and it paid off in the end. I was, and still am, a slow jogger. I seriously had some days where I was moving at a 15 minute mile pace. Your speed will improve with time though, so don't push yourself too hard and certainly don't compare yourself those exercising around you. After almost six months of regular running, my average 5k pace is a 12-13 minute mile. I'm only 5 feet tall, so I'm pretty happy with that for now.

5. Pace yourself. Literally. This is something to look into once you've got a few miles under your belt. I use the app Run Tempo for run cadence. It's kept me from overstriding and going too fast at the beginning of my runs. The regular beeps also kind of get you into a trance like zone. I'm currently running at 170-175 beats per minute, but started off much more slowly that that.

6. Loosen up. In addition to the usual warm-up/cool-down, don't forget to relax DURING your runs. Mentally go down your body from head to toe, and try to run with the least amount of effort. I found that I was really tensing up, which was affecting my breathing and giving me muscle cramps.

7. Listen to your body. Don't ignore the injury and overtraining warning signs. I found that when I overexerted myself, it exacerbated my perimenopausal symptoms (hormonal mood swings, insomnia, depression).

8. Set expectations. Don't expect to go from total couch potato to 5k non-stop run in 12 weeks. If you're older and completely out of shape, it's just too hard on your body. You'll be totally miserable and more likely to just give up altogether. In my opinion, a more realistic goal for someone my age and my fitness level is 5-6 months. Or go in with the expectation that your goal is a walk-run combo.

9. Running and weight. I have not lost weight by running. I am much more heart healthy and toned, but the scale has remained the same, mostly because running makes me ravenous! Plus, you know, menopausal stuff hasn't helped. With all the hormone changes going on, I haven't figured out how to appease those hunger pangs (which never used to be a problem in my 20s and 30s). Trying to eat more protein, good fat and fewer carbs.

10. Run outside if you can. Cause, nature.

So over the course of 2016, I went from totally-hate-this to hey-i-can-run-for-5-minutes, to wow-i-can-run-for-15-minutes, to omg-cant-wait-to-get-out-and-run to DAMN-I-JUST-RAN-A-5K !!! I'm still amazed that I did a complete 180 on my feelings about it. Running's not for everyone, it may not be for you, and that's perfectly ok. But if you're one of the bunch who becomes addicted to it, it can be a life changer.


Anyone else have any C25K stories or advice? Or tips on beginning runners moving from a 5k to a 10k?

CMNVA

What a great post about C25K. I am a 53 year old woman who started it in September. I agree that it's a great program and I am really impressed by your progress and your savvy with the different apps you used. I haven't quite gotten my act together with all that but I give my experience in response to what you wrote.

I hated the arm band style, since it kept sliding down, so I got a little pouch that buckles around my waist. I wear glasses to read, so I just hook a cheap pair over the waist belt and whip them out during my cool down so that I can look at my stats on the phone.

I spent the whole time running with the phone in my hand. I felt like an idiot but I love watching the phone/timer. I don't like the arm style either and was fumbling too much when it was at my waist. By the time I got to week 8, though, and running for much longer distances I was okay with not looking at the phone. The "glasses" are an issue for me. Some days I would run with my distance glasses on. Couldn't see the phone well, but I I had my environment being blurry. Sunny days were great because I have distance sunglasses.

I use the app Run Tempo for run cadence. It's kept me from overstriding and going too fast at the beginning of my runs. The regular beeps also kind of get you into a trance like zone. I'm currently running at 170-175 beats per minute, but started off much more slowly that that.

I'll have to try this one as I felt like I was all over the place with cadence.

Set expectations. Don't expect to go from total couch potato to 5k non-stop run in 12 weeks. If you're older and completely out of shape, it's just too hard on your body. You'll be totally miserable and more likely to just give up altogether. In my opinion, a more realistic goal for someone my age and my fitness level is 5-6 months. Or go in with the expectation that your goal is a walk-run combo.

Great advice. My app/program was 8 weeks and while I made it through each and every run the first time, I don't think I did those runs well. 8 weeks was too aggressive for me and I have yet to do a real 5K. The last day was a 30 minute run. I struggled horribly (aerobically and heavy legs) on each and every run. I just wanted to "master" a run. Now the weather has gotten CRAPPY so I'm sure I can't do 30 minutes now.

Loosen up. In addition to the usual warm-up/cool-down, don't forget to relax DURING your runs. Mentally go down your body from head to toe, and try to run with the least amount of effort. I found that I was really tensing up, which was affecting my breathing and giving me muscle cramps.

My last few runs, my shoulders and neck got very tense. I tried very hard to relax but couldn't. Two times, I got headaches and I think it was from tension. Not sure why. Maybe the cold was getting to me? If you have any tips on relaxing while running, I'd love to hear them. I couldn't relax.

Running and weight. I have not lost weight by running. I am much more heart healthy and toned, but the scale has remained the same, mostly because running makes me ravenous!

When I started C25K and throughout, it actually did speed up my weight loss. I only had 16 lbs to lose to get to my goal and it wasn't a fast loss even at 1300 calories. Once I started C25K, it took off and kept going. I never did eat all my exercise calories back and it didn't make me ravenous oddly enough. Exercise usually does so I'm not sure what that was all about!!!

Run outside if you can. Cause, nature.

Totally agree with this. I'm not a nature person and I had to force myself outdoors. I live in a trafficky area so sometimes my walks/runs kind of make me anxious, but it felt good getting outside. Now that the weather stinks I've done a few runs on the treadmill. Not a fan, but it sure is convenient.

Anyway, I really enjoyed your post and I hope I can continue with jogging/running soon!

DancingMoosie

Couch2 5k taught me how to be a "runner". I love that I can go out and just run now. Losing weight definitely helped with aches and pains while running. I agree that running outside is the best!

doodlebeh

Yeah, running outside is awesome. I've seen all sorts of critters - deer, fox and herons - and I'm in the middle of a city.

@CMNVA - Instead of looking at my phone for stats, I've set all of my running apps to talk to me on a periodic basis. They tell me all sorts of things, from current heart rate to time to pace. If I'm running really early and alone, I'll just broadcast it through the phone speaker for safety reasons. Otherwise I use earbuds.

As far as tension goes, when it's cold outside I stretch my upper body while I'm doing my walking warm-up (neck tilts, shoulder rolls, waist twists, etc) . I also do a little bit of yoga during cool down, which helps in the long term. When running, I'll occasionally take a huge deep breath in and contract my shoulders up to my ears. Then let it out and shake my arms out. Another tip I learned from yoga is breathing visualization. Imagine that your torso is made of 4 walls (chest/stomach, back, ride side, left side). When you breath, you want to gently push all 4 of those walls out, and then let them relax inward. At first it feels weird, especially while running, but after a while it usually relaxes my upper body.

lorrpb

Congrats! I did c25k last year and ran my full 5k in Aug at age 61. It is an amazing accomplishment but it felt like 40 min of torture so I've been swimming since, lol. I might give it another try this spring.

bbinoa

This is a great post! I'm just getting back into running after a year and a half off after an injury/surgery. It's difficult starting again and was thinking of using the C25k app. Your post made me want to go for a run!!! Thanks

bketchum1981

I ran my first 5K (age 53). It was the Hockeytown 5K a farewell to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. 6,000 participants. Huge! We ended center ice of the Joe. What a thrill!!!

I also did two other 5Ks and a Tough Mudder after that.

I began running in June and did my first event in Mid-September. Never, ever, ever in a million years did I think I would do any of these!!!

A good running store for good shoes is the first step. A must!!

I use the MapMyRun app and was running 3 days a week. If I was too sore, I rested. I also work out at a studio doing cardio and strength training (much variety!!)

Then I just kept running...

endlessloser

I appreciate this post - I've been doing basic walk/runs all last fall from Sept through to December, but January through March really struggled with tendonitis in my ankles (old car accident injury) and got out of running, just walking.

I go to an indoor walking track - easy to count my laps to know how far I've gone.

With that said... back in September my daughter and I decided we're going to run a RunDisney 5K in April.... well by the end of October, my hubby said, why stop at 5K since I was already walking it (and jogging part of it)...

so we challenged ourselves, cancelled the 5k (can't afford 2 Florida trips in the same year lol) - and we're instead doing the Disney Epcot Wine & Dine Festival 10K in November of this year.

I'm excited, but with too much going on I didn't get back to the track much in April and nothing in May. We've done a bit of outdoor stuff but not a lot.

So now that it's down to the crunch time (23 weeks to the run) - I am clamping down and restarting the track membership on Tuesday. (Monday=holiday here, they're closed).

My question: with the nice weather finally here, I considered doing the walk/run outside, but my biggest issue is (and not to be "TMI" but...) a bathroom! How on earth do you do it??

For me to do this outside, there's no bathrooms anywhere around our subdivision or even close, no stores etc with the way our city is laid out.

When I'm at the track, I find I have to take a short break around 10 laps (1 km=5 laps, 1 mile=7 laps). I'm LUCKY to get to 12 laps without having to stop.

So what do you ladies do if I might ask?? Or is this not an issue for anyone else?

Trying to decide if I just spend the $100 for another 6 months at the track or enjoy the outdoors... but only if I can figure this issue out.

doodlebeh

Hi endless. Are you drinking a lot before you run? I run every other morning, at the most, so I try to hydrate a lot the day *before* and drink no more than 1/2 cup the morning I run. If I drink any more than that I feel waterlogged and, yes, have to go to the bathroom. I tend not to run in the evenings because of fatigue and hydration issues. It's also more difficult for me to get to sleep.

spiriteagle99

Endless - most of the time I manage my runs without needing to stop by peeing a couple of times just before I go out. However, I know where I can go if I need to, from a gas station or grocery store, to a new housing development that has portapotties for the builders, to a small park with a POP, to patches of woods, to an old tumbledown barn I can pee behind. I keep an eye out every time I run. Mostly I end up in the woods, since my long runs are usually in the country, but sometimes I get lucky.

DebLaBounty

I'm 57 years old and started Couch to 5K last week. I have a C25K app on my phone and find that very helpful. I went to a runner's store and an employee spent a half hour with me having me try on 5 pairs of shoes to get the right fit. He even had me jog outside for every pair so he could evaluate my stride and whether the shoes gave me enough support. I cannot recommend that enough! Good shoes makes a huge difference!

Cat6808

Very inspirational. Started to run "properly" with a local running club in February. Graduated 8 weeks later.
I can ran on my own, but would highly recommend joining a group or go to your local park run.
Running is mental and mind set. Hate when I have to go for a ran, the absolutely love it when I finish. Running posture really helped me. I used to lean forward but changed that now.

If I can change anything is those bloody hills. Somehow they sneak in most routes.
My next step is to move to 6k

AliceDark

I've been doing 5Ks for a few years, and I've never heard anyone talk about #6. That's a wonderful tip. Thank you!

senor_jeff

Hi Great post!

I'm 57 and I started running Nov 2015, but only started taking it seriously this year after a hernia operation at the gym ( ps. I don't gym at all now, just run ).

I can help with some insight as a first 10k timer myself just 3 weeks ago. What I can tell you from my perspective is, its a different type of race. For me the 5k feels like quite a fast cardio run where the 10k feels more like an endurance for your muscles event. The 5k pushes my breathing and my heartrate. The 10k was easy cardio-wise, it just stayed at a steady 130-138bpm but it was hard on my leg muscles, and I had a lot of little knee and ankle twitches along the way. But I persevered and didn't stop and I did it in about 1hour and 8 mins :-). It made me very weak the next day, and I had a bit of a cough and runny nose but then I shook it off and now I run that distance for the last 2 weeks once a week and it's been much easier. My main advice would be to run it slow... slower than you do a 5k at a comfortable talking pace and just get use your metronome to get into a pace, and it's not really that much harder. Running the first 5k is the hard part, this is just an extension of this now.

Couple of things I can add/reinforce.

1, Having done a lot of Parkrun events ( Its a 5k saturday morning fun run ), I noticed most people always start up too fast then blow all their energy. Start slow and build up if you feel you have the energy.
2. Make sure you get the right shoes, pronaters, supinators, support, minimalist shoes, make sure you know what suits you. My first pair were completely the wrong shoes as the sales person didnt even know what they were selling.

IzzyBooNZ1

thank you so much ! I am 41 and have been considering this .... I just need to do it. Be good workout for my dog as well

I used to do a lot of exercise but as I recently adopted my dog, I am dedicating my after work time to train and exercise her , plus I can't afford the muay thai gym I used to go to. My clothing is feeling tight and I feel a bit jiggly so I am feeling a bit bummed about that. Feeling a bit down from not exercising like I used to.

Curious about technique, any tips? I will google but appreciate any advice.

RoteBook

I'm joining the not-old ladies club! I'm 42 and started c25k many times over the last 10 years but stopped each time when I got sick (I have asthma and young kids-I get sick pretty frequently). That was during the years when my whole weight loss philosophy was "perfection, not progress," and now I'm altogether more well-rounded mentally and less well-rounded physically.

Now I'm on week 8, and found a way to work around travel, illnesses, unexpected schedule changes, etc. Not expecting perfection from myself has been life changing for me.

firef1y72

When I first started using C25K I couldn't even run, I used it on a treadmill and instead of running I had faster walking intervals. Then once I'd completed it I did even faster walking intervals. Then I finally started running, watch out though this running lark is addictive, I still jeff (run/walk intervals) but did a half marathon a couple of weeks ago with another planned in two months and can now easily run for 10 mins before I need to walk. (Vandersofts 21k training app is brill for taking things a little further, you start at similar intervals as C25K and by week 20 should be able to manage multiple 12 min run intervals.

Also if you're like me you'll run faster outside than in, I easily manage >10km/hr outside but it feels much harder on the treadmill. I've been doing occasional sessions on the treadmill to help pace myself for the longer run intervals.

CPFitnessIsFun

I am currently doing the zero to running program of Jenny Hadfield's on Pear for Samsung. I'm on week 3 maybe week 4 and really enjoying it even more so then the C25K program due to the added motivation that Coach Jenny mentions throughout the workout.

shrcpr

Great post!

I'm 47 and am just finishing the 10k trainer extension of C25k from ZenLabs. On Saturday I ran for a full 60 minutes without stopping (5.2 miles). I never thought I'd be able to do that. It's awesome.

Echo getting fitted for good running shoes! The running store I go to even showed my how to lace my shoes to fit my foot shape and keep them stable throughout the run.. I've had bouts of plantar fasciitis and good shoes and insoles are a lifesaver.

WandaVaughn

I'm 49. I finished the C25K program back in 2015 and ran the local Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. January rolled around and I started having health issues. By May I was on thyroid medication and on August 2, I had a complete hysterectomy. Needless to say, 2016 was a wash!

Entered 2017 by walking. Got the go-ahead from doc and started C25K again in February and ran a 5k race May 13th. Am now using the C210K app and just started week 12. My goal is to run a 10K in November - when I turn 50! Running is addictive!