C25K for super overweight folks
ZombieSwimmer
Posts: 23
I am going to try C25K ... any adivce?
0
Replies
-
Buy good shoes and get them properly fitted. I went from 340 lbs to 270 on c25k program. Stopped running regained the weight started running again. On week 2 at the moment.0
-
make sure you get into some decent shoes..do NOT worry about speed..its about finishing each workout not how fast you do them.
pay attention to your body...if it starts screaming at you with real pain listen to it.0 -
I second the going slow part...if you can go slower, go slower.
Also a great playlist makes ALL of the difference in the world! Go get 'em!0 -
I'm just starting this myself.
Don't be afraid to repeat a week if you need to. I'm going to try and start the second week today (I'm on Week 2, Day 1), but if I can't or if it gets too difficult, I'm going to drop back a week and start over again until I feel I can handle it. But I'm not giving up, no matter what.
You can do this.
0 -
Also, don't feel bad if you have to repeat a week. Sometimes the jump from one week to the next is a little tough and you can need a little extra time to get there. That's okay. Take it at your own pace.0
-
Pay attention to your body! When I first started C25K I had terrible knee pain that I (at first, foolishly) tried to run through. It turned out to be an IT band issue, which is super common and easy to work around, but I nearly injured myself trying to 'ignore the pain'. I did some research, learned some stretching and foam roller techniques, purchased a compression sleeve, and always RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate) after runs. Also, I only run every second day - never back to back. By taking the proper precautions and listening to my body I can pretty much run pain-free now.
In short - listen to your body, and take care of it. Everyone is different. Best wishes! :flowerforyou:0 -
Thanks for the advice you guys! I think I am going to ask you all to be my friend also! hee hee0
-
I have been doing C25K this past couple of weeks and I find a flat road without hills or inclines is far easier on the knees, particularly to begin with. It is a great app and I sometimes didn´t feel like doing it but I was so glad I did once I am out there.
Good luck 0 -
Also, don't feel bad if you have to repeat a week. Sometimes the jump from one week to the next is a little tough and you can need a little extra time to get there. That's okay. Take it at your own pace.
This! For sure.0 -
This is all wonderful advice! I would like to add that you can always run less than the scheduled run times if needed. I started off very heavy and very out of shape, so running 60-90 seconds was impossible. I modified the first week so that I started at 30 seconds of running and then worked my way up from there. Repeat weeks if you have to and make sure to take those rest days! I lost 55 lbs doing C25K and have since ran 4 half marathons. 0
-
I'm just starting to run and best advice is to listen to your body. Carrying extra weight is hard on your knees. I walked/jogged 4 miles on Saturday morning and my calves still hurt lol Good luck!0
-
I wasnt super overweight when I started but I did have the uncomfortable bouncing sensation/pain of my jiggly parts trying to keep up. It goes away after a few weeks though so if its uncomfortable at first, it will get better! Running is great for weightloss and tightening.
And I second the slow part. For the most part there is very little difference in my treadmill setting between the walking and running parts. I work on getting the time in and not getting cramps or knee/arch pain. And if I am tired or having a bad run, I go back to the previous weeks of the program and do what I can. I try to go 30 seconds beyond what I think I am capable and more often than not when I get to the end of that 30 seconds I do another and then another. No shame in doing your best.
Shoes: it is amazing the difference a good pair of shoes will make. They dont have to be expensive but they do need to provide the support your foot needs.
Water: Have a big drink of cold water about 10-20 minutes before you start unless this makes you sick. Its amazing the difference in my endurance when I drink cold water first. I also have a mouthful or two during my walking stretches.
And stretch! If you get muscle cramps later you might need more magnesium, but generally speaking stretching before and after should help prevent pain and cramps.0 -
Two things helped me get through the first couple weeks of C25K:
1. Slow down. Now slow down some more. Am I slow enough? Yes! OK, slow down even more.
2. Push through the burning lung bit at the beginning of the run. I think I am going to die for the first 30-60 seconds but then I find my stride and it gets easier to get the oxygen I need with out feeling like my lungs are ripping apart.0 -
I just did week 1 day 1 of C25K today. I'm doing mine indoors but i do not owe a treadmill. I just walk/run in place.0
-
Hey, this is my second time doing c25k. I am not a runner but I find that this is kind of fun. I ran my first 5k about two years ago in 32 minutes I was so proud. I have started again and am on week 3. The advice everyone is giving to take is slow is the best thing you can do. I have pain in my shins and I found that stretching them helps a lot. The kind of shoes you wear is important. I drink lots of water before during and after. Take breaks as needed. Good luck. I am going to do another 5k in May.0
-
I agree with what was said above, specifically to go slow and get good shoes. I waited until after week 5 to buy actual running shoes and couldn't believe how much they helped. Good luck - you can do it!0
-
SHOES !!! It makes a huge difference. And not just getting shoes, go to a running specific store and have a run analysis done. They will be able to help you find shoes to correct most running issues that will affect you.
And also second the slow down part....speed will come with time and better fitness.
ETA..check out the C25K discussion group here on the MFP site..tons of excellent advice and tips as well as support.0 -
I am in a similar boat. I have over 100 pounds to go and I have done the first 4 C25K workouts, and I repeated one of the week one's. I am REALLY struggling today after doing one Saturday and another Sunday. My knees are killing me, so I think I have earned a day or two off, at least from walking/jogging. I had my first outside run on Sunday and the hills made it MUCH harder for me.
Based on some of the advice you have gotten 8 weeks might be 10-12 for me.0 -
This is all wonderful advice! I would like to add that you can always run less than the scheduled run times if needed. I started off very heavy and very out of shape, so running 60-90 seconds was impossible. I modified the first week so that I started at 30 seconds of running and then worked my way up from there. Repeat weeks if you have to and make sure to take those rest days! I lost 55 lbs doing C25K and have since ran 4 half marathons.
WOW!! ^^^ I guess there is some hope for me too! :bigsmile:0 -
I started at almost 300lbs. I took it slowly (I could walk quicker than my 'running' pace at first and my 1st 5k took me 50mins, my PB is now 32:29). I also found my knees wouldn't take 3 sessions a week so did 1 or 2 sessions and then went swimming or did weights or used the elliptical/ cross trainer for another 2 or 3 sessions a week to improve my strength and cardio fitness. I also made a deal with myself that if I quit during a session because I was tired then I had to re do that session - its one hell of an incentive to manage those last 2 mins so you don't have to repeat the previous 18mins LOL. I also iced my knees after every run as I found this sped up my recovery between sessions.
It took me around 15 weeks to get to the end of week 7, by about week 5 of the plan I realised I liked running, by week 7 of the plan I loved it and ditched the rest of the plan. I now do my local Park Run on a Saturday morning, on a Sunday regularly run 5+miles (longest to date is 8 miles) and am signed up for a number of 10k races, a 5 miler and a half marathon in the autumn. As you can see from my banner I'm still 60+ lbs from target but I run 4 days a week on average now.
Best of luck and enjoy your running!0 -
SHOES !!! It makes a huge difference. And not just getting shoes, go to a running specific store and have a run analysis done. They will be able to help you find shoes to correct most running issues that will affect you.
And also second the slow down part....speed will come with time and better fitness.
ETA..check out the C25K discussion group here on the MFP site..tons of excellent advice and tips as well as support.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k
Very supportive group!0 -
I just did week 1 day 1 of C25K today. I'm doing mine indoors but i do not owe a treadmill. I just walk/run in place.
How's that working for you I want to give it a try too but have no gym access or treadmill and prefer something like this that I can do at home0 -
Like many others have said, go very slow. If you can't run for 60 seconds, then run as far as you can and walk. You have to give your body time to get used to it. Your muscles, joints and ligaments aren't used to this yet and you need to try to prevent injury! You're going to do great, just don't ever give up!0
-
I am on Week 3. Finished Day 1 this morning. I am a 6' 320 lbs man (started c25k at 335). All I can say, is 1) find good shoes. 2) get knee or ankle braces if you need them, they help 3) don't quit.
I challenge myself on the treadmill and alternate between 6 MPH and 7 MPH. I walk at 3.2 MPH.
My first session I ran at 3 MPH. It gets better and you get stronger.
Get some music, don't look at the clock and push, push, push.
One of the things I do, is I don't allow myself anything it drink until I hear the "You are halfway" message. Then every its a countdown to being successful.
I hate running, but this program has been great for me.
One more piece of advice, get a hear monitor, if you are larger you will probably see taht you burn more calories than MFP gives credit for.
Good luck!0 -
As someone who has been sidelined twice with major shin splints here is the advice I can offer you.
1. IMHO the most important thing you can do when you start running is go to a running shoe store and get a run analysis done . you need to find out if you over/under pronate, heel strike, etc. Get shoes that fits how you run.
2. download a C25K app and follow it ! You will be tempted at some point to do more than you should....dont. excessive distance and speed before you're ready can cause injury quickly.
3. Focus on form. spend the first few sessions noticing how straight/bent your back is. Learn to land mid foot, dont make tight fists, etc. try and find your 'groove'
4. Stretch after your run. Later that day ice down your shins, calves. 10 min cold, 10 min no cold for 30 min total.
I have made all of the mistakes one could make starting running, but kept with it. I wish i had asked for advice in the first place and saved myself a lot of problems. And if you finish the 9 week program in 10 or 11 or even 12 weeks..so what ? With injury and then recovery, and having to re-do weeks it took me almost 14 weeks to complete my C25K, and then another month of regular running before I could get to 5K......but stick with it and you WILL get there !!0 -
I'm currently working on the Couch to Not Couch program - later I'll focus on C25K. Sounds like a lot of great advice here, love this place!
About all I can say beyond good shoes is good socks - your feet will be happier with nice socks that handle moisture well.0 -
Another vote for the importance of good shoes. Also clothes that hold in the wobbly bits and won't chafe. For me I went from actually doing very little into the c25k and my knees just couldn't take it (I was 270ish at the time) I was a bit silly and was running laps around the house while my baby was having his nap so some of the knee thing was likely because I was turning corners so much!
I am about to start again but in the lead up I have increased my walking a lot to build up my leg muscles to hopefully keep my knees a bit happier this time! I figure if I can walk 2 hours at a time I should be able to manage the running part ok.
When I first started my running was slower than my walking but I actually didn't find it that hard. A good workout but I didn't feel like I was going to die and I think it was just because I was keeping my running nice and slow.
Good luck!0 -
Hello, im 118 kg (260lb) I have been trying to build up my fitness for a little while but have never been able to run even when I was a kid, Ive always wanted to be able to so decided to try this.
On my first day…oh boy those 60 seconds are tough and that 90 goes awfully quick, but I was determined to stick it out for the full 60sec and sometimes that was a challenge, Like others have said try not to run too hard allow your body to gain strength. Wish I had read this 2 weeks ago!
I did mine on the treadmill at the gym and its summer here so I’m literally a hot mess at the end, standing next to all the fit gym bunnies! and im breathing hard.
After that first day I decided I would do each week twice I don’t care if it takes me twice as long if I can run/jog 5k by then end I’ll be thrilled. Im now on my second go of week 1, interestingly I’m finding my regular walking is just that little bit easier or maybe it just seems so much easier by comparison. :happy:
Best of luck0 -
I read a lot of these so some of my advice is just seconding and third-ing others, but here's my advice!
1. Eat something with good carbs and some protein 1-1.5 hours ahead of time. If it's a morning run, at least have a banana beforehand-- but my typical pre-workout snack is whole wheat bread with a nut butter and half of a cut up banana.
2. Eat something again when you finish within a half hour-- again, good protein and carbs. There's a lot of sites that have recommendations!
3. SLOW slow slow. Sometimes I run even slower than I walk. There are certain days, like the end of week 4, where I was going much faster than usual and I didn't even mean to. The speed will come, focus first on getting through the time.
4. Get an armband for your mp3 player or phone! Being able to listen to songs that pump me up has changed my exercise routine, and it flies by. It also is so nice to have it on an armband because I just don't worry about it flying out of my pockets or anything.
5. Hydrate all the time. Really, if you can stand it, try to drink mostly water and cut out the sodas and stuff. If you're generally well-hydrated, it'll make a huge difference in your runs. Still drink shortly before your run, but your body wont be starving for water if you drink a lot of it anyway.
6. You can get away with whatever shoes at first, but once you're into week 5 you really need some decent running shoes. I went to a local store where they watched me run on a treadmill and found THE PERFECT shoe for me. I love my running shoes and they, like music, totally changed my exercise routine.
7. Stretch before and after your run-- but only lightly! If you over-stretch you could injure yourself, but if you don't stretch at all you could hurt your foot, too. Just do some leg stretches for a couple minutes before you go.
8. FORM is really important and can make what would have been a crappy run an okay run.
-Keep your head up and your gaze facing the horizon or the ground a couple yards ahead of you. Relax your face. I have to remind myself of this a lot because my jaw clenches up when I run, so try shakin yr face out every once in a while if you need to.
-Your shoulders should be relaxed, not hunched or rounded. Shake them out every once in a while.
-Keep your arms in a ~90 degree angle, at your sides. Don't swing them in front of you, but swing them at your sides in the 90 degree angle. Shake them out when you run longer distances because muscle tension can build up.
-Keep your hands in relaxed fists. Someone once told me to pretend I had an egg in my fists-- don't crush it or let it drop! That'd be nasty!
-Lean your torso forward a lil bit, just a lil bit. I do this naturally and have never had an issue with it.
-Especially for c25k, knees do not have to lift very high. The slower you're going, the lower your knees will come up
-LAND ON THE MIDDLE OF YOUR FOOT. Not your toes, not your heel! You want to land directly beneath your body, and doing so will reduce the chance of getting injured as well as expending excess energy. Running of the front of your feet/toes is more for short distance but fast running (can cause overextension of the leg and it just aint economical, energy-wise, for a distance run), and running off of your heels kind of slows you down like a stopper.
9. Leave a rest day between runs. You can get burnt out really fast or injured if you don't (like me!). and you shouldn't be increasing your mileage by more than 10-20% a week (an arbitrary number but I think it's a good rule of thumb for new runners). C25K is made for those of us who were on the couch at first, and you can train harder when you're done with the program!
10. If you're running on a track or around a block or around your house, change up your direction often. You can really hurt your legs by doing the same corners. I run in the opposite direction of the last time I ran every time I run.
11. Running socks!!!!
That's my advice! Eating and drinking properly, listenin to music and watching my form has made running really fun for me!0 -
I LOVE C25K. I signed up for a 5K at the beginning of May and started training like December 29th or something like that. I've been doing the program for five or six weeks now, but I am currently running week 3. Like everyone else said, go slow! I run the same path every time and I like to measure how much farther I am running, but I don't ever push myself to go extremely fast. I also will only progress to the next week when I feel like I have a good handle on the week I am currently running, and the next week seems like a challenge, but not impossible.
Good luck!! I really, really like the program thus far.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions