for anyone considering the Couch to 5K...

AlyssasMommy

Arewethereyet- That app sounds awesome. Do you have to purchase a new one with each week or do you get all of them. It would be nice not to stare at the clock the whole time!

amylynne26

Hey everybody!

To answer a couple of questions....

Lauren, I run Tue/Thur/Sat. I fill in with walks one or two days a week, but not every week. I've started walking a route around my neighborhood I mapped on www.mapmyrun.com so I know EXACTLY how far 5K really is... I'm walking it no problem (3 months ago I would've never made it) and looking forward to the end of this program when I can RUN it!

Sometimes I take the kids to the park on an "off" day and do some push ups, sit ups, or something like that, but in all honesty the couch 2 5K is really all the exercise I get and somehow I still lost 10 inches! (5 from hips, 4.5 from waist, and unfortunately .5 from my bust!) The first few weeks, especially once you get used to it, it's easy to think "oh I can go farther, I can do more..." well I do very little in addition to this program and I can't believe how far I've come!

You can google Couch to 5K podcasts and there are at least 3 or 4 free ones.... One is hiphop, I think one electronica, I personally use a Christian indie podcast. I'm sure there's something for any taste. :happy: I also heard about an iPhone app that you can use your own music and a program talks over your playlist telling you when to run/walk.

I hope this helps.... keep those success stories coming! We can do this!! :bigsmile:

AlyssasMommy

Week 1 Day 2- Done :bigsmile:

I used the hip hop podcast and it was so much easier. I concentrated on my form rather than the clock. I feel so good. :happy:

Thanks again AmyLynne! This thread got me going!!!

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

m2kjenn

Such great reports from the weekend!!! Congratulations to everyone. I ran W4D1 on Friday evening, but had to cut out the last interval due to some other committments. So On Saturday i felt so good I thought I would go ahead and run it again, thought 24hrs might have been enough for my body to recover.

Well, it wasn't. .....I made it through, but it was as though my legs were filled with Lead!!! i think the non-consecutive days is really a must, especially as you get to the longer runs. So I took off yesterday completely, and will go for it again tonight!!!

amylynne26

YAY! I'm so glad you ladies are enjoying this as much as I am.... I agree on the "rest" day I tried running 2-3 days in a row and it was rough! :laugh: I'll stick with the schedule at least through week 9 and see how I feel after that.

Keep it up!! :drinker:

loren

I tried to start did good the first week and a half and then my life went crazy and I quit! I'm hoping to pick up again at Week 2. It is so hard!! Right now I can't imagine running 20 min straight. GREAT JOB!

amylynne26

I tried to start did good the first week and a half and then my life went crazy and I quit! I'm hoping to pick up again at Week 2. It is so hard!! Right now I can't imagine running 20 min straight. GREAT JOB!

That happened to me too!! Luckily I got back on track but it took a while. You can do it!!!

mommared53

Yeah, after a few "false starts" we finally got back on track. I ended up doing week 1 twice before finally proceeding to week 2. Now I think I'm ready for week 3.

Amy on the other hand, took off and left me eating her dust. :laugh: :laugh: Go Amy Go!! :laugh: :laugh:

chrissyh

Way to go Couch to 5kers! I loved the program!!!!!

AlyssasMommy

M2kjenn- are you training every other day or just sticking to 3 days a week?

What schedule is everyone else on?

If I train every other day it ends up being 4 days a week.

Is it better to stick to 3 days?

AlyssasMommy

Loren- when are you planning on starting again?

I will help keep you motivated if you want me to. I love this program already.

AlyssasMommy

AlyssasMommy - Awww - baby is sooo cute. I have an Alyssa too, she however is now 16!!!! Miss the baby days.

Aww thank you! I never noticed this post before. I had no name picked out for her. I named her the night I had her and I am so happy with my decision. Her name fits her perfectly.

m2kjenn

M2kjenn- are you training every other day or just sticking to 3 days a week?

What schedule is everyone else on?

If I train every other day it ends up being 4 days a week.

Is it better to stick to 3 days?

With teen age daughters my schedule varies a bit. I just try to make sure I get it in 3 times during the week. sometimes I have two days inbetween, try to not go any longer than that. I think the main issue is not doing it two days back to back, at least for me, my body needs that day of recovery. I will usually do something, either go for a walk, or do JM shred, just no running.

meeb2494

I was inspired to start this running program due to all the posts on MFP.
I started this morning. Wow, it was hard but I made it. :happy: I hope to stick with it.

I have a question about entering Week 1 as exercise. Do I just put in the time I ran and then the time I walked? I don't have a heart rate monitor so I am guessing I have to enter it this way. What does everybody else do in regards to entering the exercise?

Thanks

loren

I'm hoping to start back tonight! I'm just going to start over Week 2. Hopefully I can actually complete my 3 days this week and move on. It's not too hard for me. I just always seem to get too busy by the end of the week to finish my 3 days! I'd love some motivation!

loren

meeb... I've been doing it on a treadmill, and I believe you are going to burn about 130 cal walking+running in week 1 and 150 cal walking+running in week 2. If you eat back your work out calories then I'd just eat back 100 to be on the safe side!

mommared53

I run three days a week. My days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

AlyssasMommy

Loren- let us know how tonight goes. You must be in pretty good shape already since it is not very hard for you. I am struggling in week one :blushing: Today is my rest day. I am already looking forward to my next run.

Keep us posted!

P.S. I love your name :happy: my daughter's middle name is Nicole.

loren

Haha that's a beautiful name Lauren! I like both of your names!

I guess I'm somewhat in shape. My problem is I've done the eliptical and some cross stairstepper/eliptical type machine (no clue what it's called) so running is a bit harder.

msarro

Running a c25k group now, actually. Its amazing... when you go through once and you get results, don't be surprised if you get a couple friends asking you to help them through it as well :laugh:

Its awesome! 6 months ago, if you told me I'd be running a 5k I'd have laughed in your face. I've also lost about 20lbs since I started, dropped 2 pant sizes (almost 3 now), and dropped 2 shirt sizes.

meeb2494

Thanks for the advice Loren

amylynne26

I'm so happy to see this thread still alive. :bigsmile:

How we doing? Loren? Alyssa's Mommy? Anybody?? :laugh: Day 2 of week 6 for me tonight..... if I have any strength left I'll check in when I get home. Running at 7 pm with the hubby and mom!

loren

I started Day 1 on Week 2 yesterday! Then this morning did my eliptical/stairstepper cross machine thing for 28 min. I'm trying to do cardio everyday so maybe it will be easier for me to run when it's my day. So tomorrow I hope to continue Week 2 so I can move on to Week 3 FINALLY! You're almost done!!! I hope to lose some inches!

AlyssasMommy

Hey everyone! I am doing week 1 day 3 tonight when hubby gets home. I might do one extra day of week 1 because the first day I had to walk through one of my 60 second runs. I want to be able to complete 3 full days before I move on to the next week. i am already nervous about 90 second runs but I won't let that stop me.

Loren- good to hear that you started back! Keep it up girl!!!

I will let you guys know how tonight goes.

:happy: :happy: :happy:

AlyssasMommy

I had company come over and they were here until 11pm. I will be doing my workout tomorrow.
How did everyone else do?

mommared53

I'm so excited! I'm getting ready to go to bed but just had to log in. Amylynne26, John (S-I-L) and I did our running tonight. I started week 3 day 1. Two 90 second runs alternated with two 3 minute runs with walking in between. WHEW!!! Those 3 minute runs (especially the first one) were killers. I almost gave up and started walking but I pushed through them. Holy cow that was tough! But it's really exciting too. It wasn't that long ago when I could barely run to catch the bus and now I'm running for 3 minutes at a time! :happy: :happy: I'm telling you, Amy is my hero! I can't even fathom running week 6 which is what she ran. :noway: Two 10 minute runs! She assures me I will get there but I don't know. :laugh: :laugh:

Good luck to everyone who is doing this. I'm saying it's addictive! :laugh:

Happyoceangirl

Hi all,
I just found this thread and would love to join in... is there room for more? Like a lot of you, I also thought "If only I could do that"..... and finally decided to JUST DO IT.

Week 1 was okay, transitioning from week 1 to 2 was scary, and I started week 3, day 1 today! I do it outdoors, and quickly learned that for the first run of the week I need to plan it so much of the course is level or downhill, by the end of the week, I have the confidence to add in more uphill.

Not sure what's the proper pace - I'm doing more of a jog than a run, really, but considering I was afraid to pick up my feet a few weeks ago - it feels like flying.

Hoping to accomplish this goal - and would love to check in with you guys often... you're inspiring!!!

Happyoceangirl

Running a c25k group now, actually. Its amazing... when you go through once and you get results, don't be surprised if you get a couple friends asking you to help them through it as well :laugh:

Its awesome! 6 months ago, if you told me I'd be running a 5k I'd have laughed in your face. I've also lost about 20lbs since I started, dropped 2 pant sizes (almost 3 now), and dropped 2 shirt sizes.

Out of curiosity - did you incorporate other exercise to your routine on the "off" days? I'm wondering what to do about my beautiful extra storage around my middle... if the running doesn't whittle it away.

LMRoses

Did my second workout of week one tonight. It was hard, again, obviously. But I don't think quite as hard as the first one was. My body feels so much better for being pushed and active! I'm feeling quite apprehensive about moving onto week two, and maybe should do week one twice. We'll see...

xx

loren

Lauren, I was SO nervous about starting my 90 sec run because week 1 was rough for me, but since you get to walk for 2 min to recover it's not too bad. I would do an extra day with you and definitely stick with it. You can do it!