C25k day 1... nearly killed me!

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  • Kadoober
    Kadoober Posts: 289 Member
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    Thanks everyone.

    Think I'm getting over excited with exercise (it's addictive) but I need to take it a bit easier esp as I want this to be part of my lifestyle so the last I want is for this to feel a chore.

    Just walked today and did a lot of it outside which was great as it brings fresh air and other benefits. Trying to get 10 thousands steps each day just so that I'm active and moving. This is working and I'm realising that it can be achieved lots of different ways. Was sedentary until recently!!!! :o

    You seem to have the right attitude to hit your goals! Sometimes you just need to adjust your expectations a bit. Good on you :wink:
  • GemimaFitzTed
    GemimaFitzTed Posts: 260 Member
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    I embedded the good advice and reduced the running speed down to 6-6.3kph on day 2 and managed to finish the routine comfortably. Wasn't dying at all! The weather in UK right now is not great for running outside and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to run outside. Think it's a confidence thing being a beginner and it's also exposing.

    The incline thing was great advice (did this on rest day to make walking more interesting) Really worked my buttocks and legs. Felt it when I got into bed as my body was aching but that means I'm working hard and my body is adjusting?

    Feeling really energised by c25k and looking forward to day 3.

    Careful on the whole run outside thing. :)
    I did the C25K starting in Jan 2017 on the treadmill in my basement. Beat the poor thing to *puppy* as I was ~265 lbs. Started running outside in April. Now I hate the treadmill and only use it when outside is real bad (you know, Canada in January). Much rather run outside.

    If you want to try outside, look for a local ParkRun. I know they are big in the UK and probably the most judgement free (and cost free) run you can try. 5K Saturday mornings.

    Started doing C25K outside and like you, the treadmill looks less appealing. The outdoors is so much better. The main benefit is fresh fresh air
  • zorbaru
    zorbaru Posts: 1,077 Member
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    i dont do it on a treadmill but i vary rarely do two days in a row. definitely not at the start anyway. I think i did it once in week 4 because i was angry at myself at my performance for one of the days so i went out the next day and smashed it.

    doing week 6 day 3 tomorrow. no more walking for me
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
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    Wow, this is amazing op!

    I thought i was the only one doing this to become a better runner. I have never heard of c25k before, but get the concept.

    When i started running back in 1998 i did my own build up training. I ran in intervals. I also used incline on the treadmill. After 5 months i could run, I treadmill, 45 min at 7.2 mph pace. Lol.
    So it's
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
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    zorbaru wrote: »
    i dont do it on a treadmill but i vary rarely do two days in a row. definitely not at the start anyway. I think i did it once in week 4 because i was angry at myself at my performance for one of the days so i went out the next day and smashed it.

    doing week 6 day 3 tomorrow. no more walking for me

    I did the same thing doing it the next day because of my failure the day before.

    Best of luck on the 20 minutes! You can do it. Someone told me once you can do that it will be easier. I thought that was an odd comment but it is true. I never really struggled after that at all - Only with the boredom. Smash it tomorrow dude!
  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
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    Anyone know how many calories 1 session of c25k burns? I'm not sure I trust the number on my treadmill.

    PS completed week 1! Woo! First session of week 2 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be with more time running. Think the speed is key as everyone has said.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited February 2018
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    Anyone know how many calories 1 session of c25k burns? I'm not sure I trust the number on my treadmill.

    PS completed week 1! Woo! First session of week 2 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be with more time running. Think the speed is key as everyone has said.

    You could calculate it. A first week session is basically a 30 minute session with 8 minutes of running and 10 minutes of warm-up/cool-down. Now calculate your walking and running speeds (easier on a treadmill) and see how many calories you burn. Depends on your weight and speed.

    An example 200 lb person using this calculator (make sure to use the "Net" value not "Gross" and don't forget to switch "Run" to "Walk" when calculating walking):
    warm-up/cool-sown at 3 mph for 10 minutes: 37 calories
    Walking sessions at 3.5 mph for 12 minutes: 51 calories
    Running sessions at 4 mph for 8 minutes: 78 calories
    Total: 166 calories for this example person at these example speeds, but could be a tiny bit lower because it doesn't account for acceleration and deceleration.

  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
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    Anyone know how many calories 1 session of c25k burns? I'm not sure I trust the number on my treadmill.

    PS completed week 1! Woo! First session of week 2 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be with more time running. Think the speed is key as everyone has said.

    You could calculate it. A first week session is basically a 30 minute session with 8 minutes of running and 10 minutes of warm-up/cool-down. Now calculate your walking and running speeds (easier on a treadmill) and see how many calories you burn. Depends on your weight and speed.

    An example 200 lb person using this calculator (make sure to use the "Net" value not "Gross" and don't forget to switch "Run" to "Walk" when calculating walking):
    warm-up/cool-sown at 3 mph for 10 minutes: 37 calories
    Walking sessions at 3.5 mph for 12 minutes: 51 calories
    Running sessions at 4 mph for 8 minutes: 78 calories
    Total: 166 calories for this example person at these example speeds, but could be a tiny bit lower because it doesn't account for acceleration and deceleration.

    Thank you for this. Really helpful. Going to use against the calculator. Need to change kph to mph first.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Anyone know how many calories 1 session of c25k burns? I'm not sure I trust the number on my treadmill.

    PS completed week 1! Woo! First session of week 2 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be with more time running. Think the speed is key as everyone has said.

    You could calculate it. A first week session is basically a 30 minute session with 8 minutes of running and 10 minutes of warm-up/cool-down. Now calculate your walking and running speeds (easier on a treadmill) and see how many calories you burn. Depends on your weight and speed.

    An example 200 lb person using this calculator (make sure to use the "Net" value not "Gross" and don't forget to switch "Run" to "Walk" when calculating walking):
    warm-up/cool-sown at 3 mph for 10 minutes: 37 calories
    Walking sessions at 3.5 mph for 12 minutes: 51 calories
    Running sessions at 4 mph for 8 minutes: 78 calories
    Total: 166 calories for this example person at these example speeds, but could be a tiny bit lower because it doesn't account for acceleration and deceleration.

    Thank you for this. Really helpful. Going to use against the calculator. Need to change kph to mph first.

    You can pick your units in the calculator. No need to convert them separately (I used kilometers, too but I thought you were from the US).
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Anyone know how many calories 1 session of c25k burns? I'm not sure I trust the number on my treadmill.

    PS completed week 1! Woo! First session of week 2 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be with more time running. Think the speed is key as everyone has said.

    As a new runner it's very easy to overcomplicate the calorie expenditure question. Personally I would suggest for the first four weeks use the total distance that you covered and calculate as walking, and for the last half, calculate as running. If you start messing around working out run portions and walk portions you don't really gain in accuracy as the differences aren't that great.

    Essentially:
    • Walking calories per mile = 0.3 * bodyweight in pounds
    • Running calories per mile = 0.6* bodyweight in lbs

    I appreciate that I'm a pretty experienced marathoner, so my paces aren't representative of were you are, but to illustrate:

    W1D1 has a 5 minute walking warm up, 8 minutes of running, 12 minutes of walking followed by a 5 minute cool down. For me that would mean a mile of running and mile and a half of walking. As a new runner I'd be very surprised if you're running at an 8 minute mile, so these figures are going to be inflated

    At 160 lbs that would mean c75 cals of walking and c100 cals of running. A total of 175 cals.

    If you calculate all of that as walking, you're on about 125 calories, so a bit of an underestimate, but not huge. It equates to an apple, or half a banana.

    Roll forward to a later week with a total of 10 minutes walking, with 20 minutes of running you'll have c40 cals walking and 250 cals of running, a total of 290 cals. Using the running calculation you'd get about 310 cals.

    What you're seeing here is that the differences aren't great, in Week 1 it's probably most pronounced, later on it's really not making any difference at all. There is no point in getting too involved in spurious accuracy.
  • Shainie028
    Shainie028 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have found it easier to run with a like minded friend. We have set running days which we more or less stick to. We motivate each other and congratulate ouselves and it really works. We run in the evenings as it suits our family arrangements. Speed is not as important to us as the regularity of our committment. We always adhere to rest days. We have just completed W9R1 and can't believe that we can run for 30 minutes! We are at 3.05km so you can see that speed is not of our essence, but it matters not a jot to us. The smug feeling when you get into that hot shower afterwards is great! The endorphin rush incredible. It also feels great to see the 370++ calories added onto your MFP 'allowance' automatically, when you link Endomondo.(which I obvs don't then fulfil by eating!)
    I am addicted to running and can't imagine not doing it now. Previously I was not an active person. I am 50 and probably need to lose around 3 stone+
    Good luck but DON'T run on rest days or when you are exhausted. I promise that by waiting an extra day to recover, you will massively benefit.
  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
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    Sorry if this is a silly question but can c25k be considered as hiit because of the slow/quick intervals?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited February 2018
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    Sorry if this is a silly question but can c25k be considered as hiit because of the slow/quick intervals?

    NO.

    It could be run as HIIT, but it would not be appropriate for the C25K audience. And even then, only week one fits within the commonly accepted HIIT parameters
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Sorry if this is a silly question but can c25k be considered as hiit because of the slow/quick intervals?

    It's interval training. The higher running intervals are too long to be used as HIIT.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Sorry if this is a silly question but can c25k be considered as hiit because of the slow/quick intervals?

    Go ahead and tell your friends you are doing a HIIT workout.

    Shoot, they are probably telling you they are doing some hour long HIIT video workout at home.

    None of you are, but if it makes it seem like your workouts are at some special level by calling it HIIT, go right ahead and feel better about them.

    Then a year down the road, when you are doing HIIT hill sprints - you'll look back and realize how foolish those early workouts were to be called HIIT.

    And then you'll sound like us when someone asks.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Sorry if this is a silly question but can c25k be considered as hiit because of the slow/quick intervals?

    Maybe if you're sprinting the 'quick' intervals all-out, as hard as you possibly can every time.

    Which brings with it a distinct possibility that you'll drop dead before you finish the workout.
  • pcw65
    pcw65 Posts: 31 Member
    edited February 2018
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    I started c25K this week. I think for me the way to modify it was to simply select walking/running speeds that work for ME. I am walking at 3.4mph and running at 6mph. I am tall with long legs so that might equate to something slower for someone shorter in the same (un)fit condition.

    My objective at the end of the 30 mins is to be sweating but not dying. I track my heartrate throughout and try to aim for 110 bpm at the end of the cool down. When I hopefully get fitter that 110 will be 100 or lower. I think from memory it is around 135 when running which I am happy with.

    So, just do it at YOUR pace would be my advice and make sure you do the warm up.
  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
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    Thanks. Just started week 3 and its quite a step up running for 3 minutes.
  • nilimel
    nilimel Posts: 70 Member
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    hahahaha i remember the first time I did that app in 2014. I could not run the 30 seconds lmaooo. Took 2 months to finally run without stopping for an hour.