On W1D2...when does this get better?!

tinkermommc

I hurt and I feel like I'm doing terrible. When did it get better for you?

sweet110

Around the 3rd or 4th day. (I usually spend 1.5 - 2 weeks on each "week.") Don't' be afraid to stay on a week if you don't feel comfortable doing more. Some people have argued that its good to push yourself, but, as a beginning runner, I think its better to err on the side of slow progression. Two tips:

1. Make sure you are not running on consecutive days.
2. And don't be afraid to slow down the pace a notch. Even if you feel like a turtle. As a beginner, you are working on your endurance, not your speed. Go as slow as you need to in order to keep running.

Disclaimer: I'm no expert...I'm only on week 2 myself. However, this is my 3rd time doing Cto5k, so I have quite a bit of experience in the pains of getting started!

tinkermommc

I don't feel as sore post W1D2 and I did post W1D1, so I guess that's promising. Running W1D2 was terrible because even after a rest day and a swim day I was still so sore. Hopefully I won't be as sore tomorrow after a rest day so then W1D3 will be better :-)

amyram

I just did w1d3 for the second time and for the fist time completed all the jogging parts and set a personal best for my 2 mile loop at 35:50. I wouldn't have guessed I could do it today after working a long nightshift and only 4 hrs sleep. So it does get better even if it doesn't feel likely. My question is should I continue to push and try w2d1 or since this was the fist time completing all the jogging parts in w1 should I stay there and repeat w1d3 again?

sweet110

I just did w1d3 for the second time and for the fist time completed all the jogging parts and set a personal best for my 2 mile loop at 35:50. I wouldn't have guessed I could do it today after working a long nightshift and only 4 hrs sleep. So it does get better even if it doesn't feel likely. My question is should I continue to push and try w2d1 or since this was the fist time completing all the jogging parts in w1 should I stay there and repeat w1d3 again?

I don't think there's a *right* answer. I have chosen to progress slowly, because as much as I enjoy the challenge of running, I don't like feeling uncomfortable. So I'm more likely to quit if I push myself too fast. However, its also true that you make gains when you push (within reason). And I've been on enough Cto5k boards to hear people talk about being on the fence and deciding to push forward, and feeling glad that they did. Are you excited about the possibility of moving forward? Or dreading it? Let your mind be your guide.

freew67

I would say keep repeating that day till it feels comfortable. You push to hard to soon (and Im guessing your overweight since were on here) you could end up getting hurt. I just finished W1D3 and it was easy for me. Now, Ive been walking for 9 months while pushing 1 or 2 kids. Anywhere from 30 to 60 lbs extra and with hills. I started to jog last month just 10-15 mins at a time. Granted Ive lost 80 lbs by this point. Started at 340 and was low 260s when I started. I talked to a few other folks who are in the same shoes I am in and said this is still worth doing. Your body needs to get used to the pounding on your legs. ESP if you havent done this for a while or ever. C25K helps your body get used to this new form of torture.

Curious have you been walking a while before starting this?

Also congrats on even getting this far. You see lots of folks who dont get past day 1.

briebear77

I am on week 3 day 2 and I think it just depends for me. Week two was hard one day then easy the next. I was having pretty bad shin pain during day 1 week 2 but it went away and hasn't come back since.

amyram

I'm thinking I should probably repeat w1d3 at least one more time to make sure before I go to 90 sec jogs. I have athsma as well so I'm also experimenting with the medication so I don't run out of air before the end. I guess it took me 50 years to get this far out of shape I shouldn't be suprised if it takes the next 50 to catch up. :happy:
I was doing 30 min on the elliptical at work 3 or 4 times per week before I started this new form of torture.
Thanks for your input.

freew67

You could just start Week 2 Day 1 and if you cant make the full 90, just stop and walk. If its to much, rinse and repeat W1D3. You could always do a Week 1 day 4 Jog 70 secs walk 1:20. On your days off, are you walking or doing the elliptical?

FYI, Im no expert just trying to help. Ive been in your shoes when I first started this so I know exactly how you feel.

marduffson

First of all, congrats on doing it in the first place! It's not easy...especially if you are sore. I'm not expert either but, I my back was terribly sore after the first week. I found that the 5 minute cool down was not enough and that I needed to stretch my hamstrings, hips and quads much more than I had been. Maybe some good stretching after will help with the soreness.

opus649

I'm sure everyone has different experiences and advice, but just in case this particular answer isn't covered, I'll tell you what is the truth for me: it doesn't. You just have to suck it up and decide if it's worth it. I believe it is. I describe it like this... running still makes me miserable, but I can be miserable for longer and longer periods of time.

I finished C25K a couple of weeks ago and I'm still running. Overall I enjoy it and it makes me feel good. But five minutes into any run, I'm ready to quit. It's HARD. Maybe 6 months from now that won't be the case.... I don't know. But I do know it's made positive changes to my body... I feel better, I have more stamina, I've lost lots of weight (with proper diet)...

I guess what I'm saying is, if you're waiting for it to get "easy", it might not. It hasn't for me. But your body *will* adapt and your stamina *will* improve and soon you'll get to be miserable for 20 minutes instead of 8... and then 25 minutes... and then 30...

It's totally worth it. Good luck!!!

phillieschic

Every run gets better. Pushing yourself to slowly accomplish each session of each week is such a huge accomplishment. I finished the program about a month ago and I remember back to when I first started...I would tell myself "Just 10 seconds more...just 30 seconds...if I can do one minute then I can do 30 more seconds..."

For me it was all about setting the tiniest of obstacles with the devil inside of me that wanted to quit. I refused to let him win!

Keep at it...before long you'll be a runner. And, if you're anything like me, you'll be addicted to it. You won't remember a time when you didn't want to run.

opus649

For me it was all about setting the tiniest of obstacles with the devil inside of me that wanted to quit. I refused to let him win!

This is great advice!!!

amyram

*freew67 - I haven't been at this long enough to have developed off day habits yet, but I have walked on a couple of them and since I'm on nightshift tonight we have a bow flex gym and dumbbells at work so I was thinking of an upper body workout tonight.
Thanks for your input.

tinkermommc

Thanks all! I asked my husband if he thought it was like when I started pilates and I just hurt after the first day, then went the 2nd day and It was awful because I was sore and day 3, I started to like it, he just told me I'm weird. But sure enough yesterday after a minute of running when it beeped I was like "what, already?" And then instead of checking the time to see when I could switch back to walking, I was looking for running. Yayy!! I still am sore and it's still hard but it's just not painful and miserable :-)