Couch - to - 5k Running Plan

kelly_a

I just started this 2 days ago, and so far it is ok. I will do most of mine outdoors, on blacktop and rock roads, with hills ( small town ). but today it is raining and I will have to use my treadmill, which I really don't care for. It just seems like it is a harder workout...anyone else notice this or is it just me? Thanks to all who are cheering us on and your great support! You are SOOO appreciated! I can't wait to finish and be able to do 3 MILES!! :bigsmile:

RecliningFigure

Well I got up and started the run tonight, and I was really disappointed with myself!! By my third run interval, I thought I was going to absolutely DIE! I had to walk through the fourth one, but then I finished out and ended up running a minute and a half my last run! I guess maybe I shoulda walked the whole 5 minute warm up instead of skipping ahead to the running part! I really want to stick with it, but I see now just how tough its gonna be!

Good luck to everybody else thats starting and thanks to all those that are way ahead of me, your a huge encouragement to keep on going!

Not only is the 5 minute warm up walk important before running, but my trainer has me do it before I do my strength training as well. She says will will help me to do more.

RecliningFigure

I'm still having a hard time with moving from the two 10-min runs to the one 25min run. It seems like a big jump, but I'm going to try today.

countindowntothin

Well I got up and started the run tonight, and I was really disappointed with myself!! By my third run interval, I thought I was going to absolutely DIE! I had to walk through the fourth one, but then I finished out and ended up running a minute and a half my last run! I guess maybe I shoulda walked the whole 5 minute warm up instead of skipping ahead to the running part! I really want to stick with it, but I see now just how tough its gonna be!

Good luck to everybody else thats starting and thanks to all those that are way ahead of me, your a huge encouragement to keep on going!

Not only is the 5 minute warm up walk important before running, but my trainer has me do it before I do my strength training as well. She says will will help me to do more.

yeah I really messed up by not doing the complete 5 minutes, I only walked about 3.....you can bet I do the whole 5 minutes next time though!!!

m2kjenn

I just started this 2 days ago, and so far it is ok. I will do most of mine outdoors, on blacktop and rock roads, with hills ( small town ). but today it is raining and I will have to use my treadmill, which I really don't care for. It just seems like it is a harder workout...anyone else notice this or is it just me? Thanks to all who are cheering us on and your great support! You are SOOO appreciated! I can't wait to finish and be able to do 3 MILES!! :bigsmile:

I agree, the treadmill is so much harder. I don't know if it is just the boredom or what, my legs always feel heavier, hmmmm.

RecliningFigure

Yay! I did it, I did it!!! I was able to do the whole 25 minutes of running (it took 3 1/2 weeks from the two 10 minute runs to make it to the whole 25 minute run). I think it's the tail end of week six of the Couch to 5k plan.

m2kjenn

Yay! I did it, I did it!!! I was able to do the whole 25 minutes of running (it took 3 1/2 weeks from the two 10 minute runs to make it to the whole 25 minute run). I think it's the tail end of week six of the Couch to 5k plan.

Congrats!!! Can't wait to get there too.

RecliningFigure

Thanks. It was frustrating, but if I can get there, so can you.

re_define

I am LOVING this program so far. Just finished out week 2 this morning and I can't wait til week 3 starting monday!

VardaElentari

WOW great job everyone! I am glad to see so many are in this program like I am!

To update my own progress: I started week 2 while in sunny San Diego on vacation.

I'm worried that it will be much more difficult to run back at home, at 9000 ft...... but I guess I'll have to find out!

countindowntothin

I completed week one day 2 yesterday and walking that first 5 minute warm up really made a world of difference! I completed all my runs instead of having to walk through a few! I am getting so excited already being able to stretch past my previous limits!

Good luck to everybody else this week, no matter what level your on remember WE CAN DO THIS!

m2kjenn

I completed week one day 2 yesterday and walking that first 5 minute warm up really made a world of difference! I completed all my runs instead of having to walk through a few! I am getting so excited already being able to stretch past my previous limits!

Good luck to everybody else this week, no matter what level your on remember WE CAN DO THIS!

Congrats to you!!! Glad that made a difference. Last night I decided to go for my usual 2 mile walk which I take on my "off" days. However I was feeling so good after about 5 minutes that I decided to throw some jogging in, I thought "I'll just go as long as it feels good" I was amazed how far I went, I ended up jogging at least 2/3's of the 2 miles. I never could have done that a month ago, and I never would have believed I could do it. Feels great to feel my body changing as I continue to challenge it. So to everyone giving this a try, keep at it, it really does work.

Fausttt

almost finished week 2, but my knee hurt after mowing my yard. So i went about 10 minutes into the run and it started hurting again. So i gave it a break and will continue my running tomorrow.

Melissa_123

I finished Week 2 yesterday. I am really loving it but by the end my calves are locking up! Other than that I feel fine...but I am worried I won't be able to do the Week 3 three minute run with my calves locking up. I tried stretching first and drinking a lot of water and even waited an extra day between day 2 and 3 (usually run Mon, Wed, Fri and I waited til Sunday) but it still happened the last five minutes or so. I finish the run but it is miserable! What am I doing wrong? What should I do? My husband thinks I need a better shoe.

Fausttt

are you landing on your heel or the ball of your feet. I think it works your calves more if you land more on the ball of your feet (i'm no expert, I just started myself). I do know that better shoes do make a night/day difference. Specially if you go to a "running store" and get them to measure your feet. They will determine whether you over or under pronate and recommend an appropriate shoe based on that. It may help.

countindowntothin

bump for others looking for this plan!

mommared53

I finished week one after starting the program a few times with my daughter and not contnuing because things keep coming up to sidetrack us. She finally starting running on her own so I decided to download week one on my I-pod and run on my own. For some reason, using the program I downloaded was harder to finish than running with my daughter timing us. I'm going to repeat week one again and see how I do the second time around.

Good luck to everyone. :flowerforyou:

biochemnrd

Love Couch 2 5k. It's the best!

jkroc

I started this today. On my treadmill. Did a warm up for 5 mins. on 3. Then would jog for 1 min. and walk for 1 min. I was using level 3 and 4 for this. I did this for 20mins. Then a cool down on 3 and then 2 for another 5 mins.Does anyone else use a treadmill, if so what numbers are you using? Do you think it's ok to do this daily? I know it say 3 times a week....Thanks

maddiebabe

So I have to admit...Im a little scared now to try week 4. i strugglled a little bit with the 3 minute runs but i repeated it a couple more time and it didnt get any better lol. I hope that week 4 gets better....Does anyone else struggle wiht the longer runs? Im not sure if its just my weak cardiovascular or if I jus thave a hard time pushing through!!!!

pettmybunny

So I have to admit...Im a little scared now to try week 4. i strugglled a little bit with the 3 minute runs but i repeated it a couple more time and it didnt get any better lol. I hope that week 4 gets better....Does anyone else struggle wiht the longer runs? Im not sure if its just my weak cardiovascular or if I jus thave a hard time pushing through!!!!

I started week 4 a few days ago. I couldn't complete the 5 minute runs(4 minutes the first one, 3.5 minutes the second), so I added a couple of minutes on at the end before I did my cool down walk. I tried again yesterday, but the humidity got to me, and I couldn't even complete 3 minutes, so I just put my Zune on shuffle, and I would run as long as I could to each song, then finished walking it out, then started again on the next song. I'm gonna try it again tomorrow. I had to repeat week 3, and I'm guessing I'll be repeating week 4. I don't care how many times I have to repeat it, I'll make it through eventually.

robbienjill

:blushing: I have looked everywhere...can someone one please tell me where the podcasts can be found to the c2 5k??

pettmybunny

:blushing: I have looked everywhere...can someone one please tell me where the podcasts can be found to the c2 5k??

Evidently you missed the first page of this post, because I had a list there :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Anyways, I cut and pasted for you"

Here's the link for the Suz podcast. http://www.kissmyblackass.org/?page_id=86

I used hers at the end of last week and I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time. The strong beat and faster music really got me moving! Up until then, I'd been using the Robert Ullery one. I have continued to use hers this week as well.

Here's the link to his: http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/index.html

I also did a google search, and there's several others:

http://www.djsteveboy.com/1day25k.html (podrunner also has podcasts to go further, with an 8K podcast and a 10K podcast)

http://www.buriedtalentsband.com/C25K/ (This one is Christian music, there are a few extra downloads on this site)

http://gonicoleyourself.blogspot.com/2008/06/couch-to-5k-podcast-page.html (This one has a 5-4-3-2-1-0 countdown and then the music completely changes for each interval, but the sampling I listened to had good music. I kind of hated it sometimes when the song changed right in the middle)

Hope these help!

robbienjill

:huh: ty!! I did miss it...not sure why

maddiebabe

thanks pet!| Its good to know that Im notthe only onestill struggling with the longer runs. I might have to try your technique of adding a couple minutes onto it at the end beforewalking becaues I have a huge fear that I wont be able to run the whole 5 minutes!

there is probably nothing wrong with doing that since its helping you out in the end right? Thanks again. Now Im not quite so freaked out to go do it in 10 minutes!

meanness67

I started this Monday and it was so much harder than I thought but I did it! Shins were achy when I finished but feel ok today. Week 1 Workout 2 will be tomorrow morning. I'll have to check out the podcasts 'cause I was just playing my own music and watching the timer on the treadmill. I walked at 3.0 and ran at 5.0 on the treadmill. I would like to be walking at 3.5 instead of 3 but I wasn't able to recover well enough at that speed. Hopefully this will change quickly.

Keep it up everyone!

maddiebabe

well i ran week 4 run #1 today and couldnt finish the last 5min interval but i kept walking, then running for 1.5 min then walking then running again for 1.5 to finish the last five min!!! grrr i hope thursdays run is a little better!

mommared53

I may have to run in the rain tonight unless the one treadmill in the workout room at my apartment complex is available. :ohwell:

pettmybunny

Maddie, you can do it! I had problems with week 3 and repeated. By the second run in my repeat week, I was able to do the program twice! I started week 4 on Friday, and that was the one that I couldn't finish, then Sunday was soooo hot and humid I couldn't even do 3 minutes, so I adapted and did shorter runs. I went today, and completed all the intervals. I won't say I wasn't struggling, so I'm going to repeat this week again, but it does get easier:drinker:

Meanness (ha ha, funny name-I feel like that some days), if you're on a treadmill, try putting the incline up to 1 or 2%, it might help with the shins. When I started, I couldn't run a 5 mph pace (not sure what I'm running it now, since I'm outside). I started walking at 3.3 and running at 4.5. If you find as you're going along that 5 mph is too much of a struggle, try slowing it down a bit. As you get better, you can add speed on. When I left the Y, I was up to 4.8, after only two weeks.

Mommared, depending on where you are, it might be fun to run in the rain. Just throw on a baseball cap to keep the rain out of your eyes (a bit of advice I picked up on the runners thread, lol)

Melissa_123

are you landing on your heel or the ball of your feet. I think it works your calves more if you land more on the ball of your feet (i'm no expert, I just started myself). I do know that better shoes do make a night/day difference. Specially if you go to a "running store" and get them to measure your feet. They will determine whether you over or under pronate and recommend an appropriate shoe based on that. It may help.

Thanks, I am not really sure...I think I land on my heel and roll to my toe but I swear I have blisters etc and could be compensating for that. I will try and check it out. I am going to try different shoes, too.