Couch to 5k

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  • lettuceb
    lettuceb Posts: 207 Member
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    tttthumper,
    Best of luck with your attempt to quit smoking! I bet you'll feel a lot better once you start feeling the effects of quitting. Lol, well I have never even smoked a single cigarette, but my dad has been a smoker on and off.. started when he was a teenager, quit around 25 but then picked the habit up again at 35 or something. A couple of years ago he "quit" again - two months smokefree but then he started again. Oh well, that was a bit off-topic...

    I'm SO happy today! I managed to finish the fifth week today which means that I did run for 20 minutes :smile: Yeah, me, I did it. I still can't believe it, haha :noway:


    fanta014 Congrats on running for 20 min! That is great! I am doing day 2 week 4 this evening!
  • kdanderson05
    kdanderson05 Posts: 147
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    I am going to be starting this today probably! Depends on how much homework I get completed, because I have to work this afternoon, so I willl probably be doing it this afternoon. Anyways I am very excited to start this program, and a friend of mine is going to start running more often too. We are hoping to do a 5k marathon this fall, as I have always wanted to do one, and I feel this would be the best way to train for one. I used to love jogging in high school, and I want to get back to that point, and then hopefully my husband and I can do it together one day too. I am going to be doing a marathon probably when it is snowing here in MI, but that is okay. There is one in Detroit for Thanksgiving, and I think it would be so cool to do that one, such an accomplishment for me. I am oging to make this work. Anyways I wish everyone the best of luck, and here is to me just starting out.
  • fanta014
    fanta014 Posts: 56
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    How have you guys been doing with your running? I amazed myself today by completing Week 6. 25 minutes was tough but I made it! I felt like such a super woman afterwards :happy:
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    Hills are my next task - I finished the program on a track - so now it's time to tackle the terrain.

    Yeah, I ran at the beach this past weekend where it was nice and flat and I went a lot farther and faster. You don't realize how hilly some places are until you run on them. Still, finishing is fantastic!
    [/quote]

    I've been tackling the terrain and doing great! Haven't timed myself but I really don't care about the speed so much as being able to say - I jogged up that hill!!
  • lettuceb
    lettuceb Posts: 207 Member
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    Having a set back with knee swelling and pain. This is very frustrating! Never thought I would get so upset about not being able to run :sad:
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    Daughter and I are back doing the couch to 5K again. We finished week one and will start day 1 of week 2 tonight. I'm so excited. Hope we don't have any more setbacks.

    Lettuceb, I hope your knee gets better really soon. :flowerforyou:
  • fanta014
    fanta014 Posts: 56
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    Is your knee any better, lettuceb? It must be really frustrating - trying your best to wait until the pain goes away but at the same time wanting to go on with the program.

    If I go on this way, running every second day (which makes one week 6 days long instead of 7), I'll be done with the program a day before I go on holiday! :smile: I finished Week 7 today so only 6 more runs to do and at the moment I feel like I'll be sure to finish the whole program :smile:
  • sheilamatt2005
    sheilamatt2005 Posts: 12
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    just tagging this thread :smile:
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
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    I too am doing Couch to 5k- I will finish week 4 tomorrow. I just want to remind everyone that Couch to 5k is meant to be run 3 days a week. I run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday. Of course, you can choose to follow this or not- just a friendly reminder! :smile: I don't want anyone to become injured from pushing too hard when your body isn't used to running:ohwell: . Here's the link to where it explains Couch to 5k if anyone wants/needs it: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

    It explains:
    "Each session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, three times a week. That just happens to be the same amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimum fitness. This program will get you fit. (Runners who do more than this amount are doing it for more than fitness, and before long you might find yourself doing the same as well).

    Be sure to space out these three days throughout the week to give yourself a chance to rest and recover between efforts. And don't worry about how fast you're going. Running faster can wait until your bones are stronger and your body is fitter. For now focus on gradually increasing the time or distance you run."

    Happy running :flowerforyou:
  • Nlongenecker
    Nlongenecker Posts: 765
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    I just finished Day 1 Week 5. I tell you what, I never thought I would get this far. I am really proud. On day 3 of this week I am supposed to jog/run 20 straight minutes. My thought is, "Yikes, I don't know if I can do that." But everytime I have that thought, I prove I can do it. Now I can actually see the goal in sight, in 4 wks I will be running a straight 5K. Who would've thought!!
  • sheilamatt2005
    sheilamatt2005 Posts: 12
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    Just started the program on Monday! yay for me! :wink: I was pooped after 15 mins but I did it!

    I was wondering what pre-walk/jog stretches ya'll are doing to warm up?

    I have read conflicting info on whether it is better to stretch before or not...any thots??????? I always stretch afterwards, tho.

    thanks!:flowerforyou:
  • fitgal411
    fitgal411 Posts: 668
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    I just finished Day 1 Week 5. I tell you what, I never thought I would get this far. I am really proud. On day 3 of this week I am supposed to jog/run 20 straight minutes. My thought is, "Yikes, I don't know if I can do that." But everytime I have that thought, I prove I can do it. Now I can actually see the goal in sight, in 4 wks I will be running a straight 5K. Who would've thought!!

    Doing Day 3 tomorrow!!!!!!! (of Week 5)

    I almost couldn't last through Day 2. I was at my limit, but I knew if I just held on for onnnne more miniute, I would be proud of myself. And I was!:bigsmile:
  • Nlongenecker
    Nlongenecker Posts: 765
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    I just finished Day 1 Week 5. I tell you what, I never thought I would get this far. I am really proud. On day 3 of this week I am supposed to jog/run 20 straight minutes. My thought is, "Yikes, I don't know if I can do that." But everytime I have that thought, I prove I can do it. Now I can actually see the goal in sight, in 4 wks I will be running a straight 5K. Who would've thought!!

    Doing Day 3 tomorrow!!!!!!! (of Week 5)

    I almost couldn't last through Day 2. I was at my limit, but I knew if I just held on for onnnne more miniute, I would be proud of myself. And I was!:bigsmile:

    Good Luck! Let me know how it goes, I'll be thinking about you.
  • re_define
    re_define Posts: 39
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    I just did day two of week one today and I'm so incredibly excited to keep going. I'm definitely looking for a 5k I can do by the end of this and then I'd love to move into lengther runs. I have some wild hopes ahead of me :smile:
  • vanessa915
    vanessa915 Posts: 68 Member
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    I tried to do W1D2 today, but I just couldn't keep up with it for some reason. I've been recycling through the first week for a while now because I can't seem to stay consistent with it. I'll do fine for a week, then I miss a week, etc. Or like this week, I did Monday just fine, and it was almost easy, but today was killing me. Ugh. I really want to get into this whole C25K thing, but my body isn't liking it much.

    Vanessa
  • fitgal411
    fitgal411 Posts: 668
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    I tried to do W1D2 today, but I just couldn't keep up with it for some reason. I've been recycling through the first week for a while now because I can't seem to stay consistent with it. I'll do fine for a week, then I miss a week, etc. Or like this week, I did Monday just fine, and it was almost easy, but today was killing me. Ugh. I really want to get into this whole C25K thing, but my body isn't liking it much.

    Vanessa

    How fast are you running? Sometimes it's good to start off at a slower speed and then gradually work up to about 6mph. Do you have enough time to commit to a program like C25K? (20-30 minutes, 3 times a week) Also, are you exercising at different times? Sometimes that may have something to do with how well you exercise.
  • vanessa915
    vanessa915 Posts: 68 Member
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    I tried to do W1D2 today, but I just couldn't keep up with it for some reason. I've been recycling through the first week for a while now because I can't seem to stay consistent with it. I'll do fine for a week, then I miss a week, etc. Or like this week, I did Monday just fine, and it was almost easy, but today was killing me. Ugh. I really want to get into this whole C25K thing, but my body isn't liking it much.

    Vanessa

    How fast are you running? Sometimes it's good to start off at a slower speed and then gradually work up to about 6mph. Do you have enough time to commit to a program like C25K? (20-30 minutes, 3 times a week) Also, are you exercising at different times? Sometimes that may have something to do with how well you exercise.

    I have the time, and I'm pretty consistent with my exercise. My girlfriends and I go after work on Mon, Wed, and Fri and often on Sat too. (I only do the C25K on 3 of those days). I think the trouble is that we're also doing a small group personal training on Mon and Wed. So on Mon. this week, I did my C25K workout for 30 min (alternating between walking at 3.5 and jogging at 4.5) and I did just fine. But then we worked out for an hour w/ the trainer doing lots of different squats and a variety of other things. So I think my muscles were still a little worn out today. I guess maybe I need to ease into it a little more since I'm coupling it with the other class.

    Vanessa
  • nueta1922
    nueta1922 Posts: 21 Member
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    Quick question to the other C25Kers...

    I am on my second day of week 4 and I cant make it through the 5 minutes. I can only make it to 3. should I go back to week 3 or just keep doing week 4 until I can finish the full five minute run?

    Let me know,I kind of feel like a big huge failure.
  • fitgal411
    fitgal411 Posts: 668
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    Quick question to the other C25Kers...

    I am on my second day of week 4 and I cant make it through the 5 minutes. I can only make it to 3. should I go back to week 3 or just keep doing week 4 until I can finish the full five minute run?

    Let me know,I kind of feel like a big huge failure.

    You are not a failure! Most everyone has some trouble with the plan sooner or later. If week 4 is tough-but-doable, then keep repeating the week until you can complete it. But if week 3 seemed hard for you too, then I would suggest going back to get some more practice. Just go slowly, and you'll be fine!

    Oh, and the whole point of becoming a runner is to have fun! If you're sick of doing a week over and over, try changing the speed or doing a higher incline (if you're on a treadmill) If you're running outside, try a different route.

    Good luck!:flowerforyou:
  • pettmybunny
    pettmybunny Posts: 1,986 Member
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    I would go back to week 3. Push yourself a little during the runs. You can complete the times (thus not feeling like a failure), and because you're pushing yourself more, when you retry week 4, at your regular pace, it'll seem like a piece of cake. There are several people on this site who have had to redo weeks. One lady on the runners thread said it took her an extra month. I'm on week 3 right now, and am having trouble with the last 3 minute run, so I know I'll be repeating it for sure!

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