Bored of C25K and never get anywhere! Am I the only 1?

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  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    Running is a mental game as well as physical, I know when my runs get hard my mind starts telling me "You cant do this", "you have ran far enough" ect ect ect.

    How high is your heart rate getting?

    Yeah I know!! It is so easy to give up but I never do until I feel like I am totally unable to go any further!! As in I am about to fall off the treadmill because I am so tired!!

    My HR is getting up to 190 during the running/jogging stages and I am 29 so that is borderline not good!! It defo doesn't feel good!! About 160-170 is a really good HR for me to work in and that is where the hard HIIT comes in!
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    Ok, so I had to Google it, but it is showing that is about 5.5 mph. If that's correct, you could stand to slow down a bit to increase your endurance. I used to run cross country in high school. Even though I haven't been jogging in over 20 years, I do remember that you don't build endurance through speed. Build endurance first, then speed will come after it.

    That sounds about right! 8.5kph even is too slow. I can't get a rhythum at that speed it just feels too odd!! 9kph really is optimum for me! I really am not bothered about speed though! That is just the treadmill settings I use! If I feel the need to lower it I will! I have tried C25K inside, outside, slower, faster everything. That is why I am trying something new and mixing it up a bit!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    5.5 is *FAST for a beginner runner.

    I think that's why you're having trouble getting through the programme. You're racing it.
  • airbent
    airbent Posts: 150 Member
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    Your plan looks super complicated.... I started C25K about a month ago, doing it every other day religiously. I've never run before and right now I'm only at the beginning of week 3 because I repeat days/weeks if I don't feel comfortable. Not sure I want to go more hardcore than that.

    on Monday I did week 3 day 1 and the second 3-minute jog I could only do 2 minutes of, it was the first time I didn't finish a running interval and it felt terrible. I'm going to take the advice in this thread to heart and decrease my speed until I can run for longer. I've been doing it at 6mph and it's NOT fun.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    Your plan looks super complicated.... I started C25K about a month ago, doing it every other day religiously. I've never run before and right now I'm only at the beginning of week 3 because I repeat days/weeks if I don't feel comfortable. Not sure I want to go more hardcore than that.

    on Monday I did week 3 day 1 and the second 3-minute jog I could only do 2 minutes of, it was the first time I didn't finish a running interval and it felt terrible. I'm going to take the advice in this thread to heart and decrease my speed until I can run for longer. I've been doing it at 6mph and it's NOT fun.

    I think it looks more comlicated than it is!! it is just a few weeks with faster intervals mixed in with C25K! Not really complicated!

    6mph is fast! Any tiny increase can feel like death!! I found that before!! I do 5.5mph because I am tall and I have really big strides!! 4.5mph is what most people recomend as a start! Give that a go!!
  • nickhuffman74
    nickhuffman74 Posts: 198 Member
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    5.5 is a 10:30 ish pace. Which to be honest is a pretty fast pace for a new runner. In fact my long distance comfort pace (pace I can run indefinitely) for distances 13.1 + miles, is a 10:00 minute mile. Part of the running game is adjusting your pace when your feel you are hitting that wall. Also what is your diet before you go run? Are you getting enough carbs?

    I applaud your plan to spice up your routine, regardless of what anyone in here says its your plan to work. Good luck.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    5.5 is a 10:30 ish pace. Which to be honest is a pretty fast pace for a new runner. In fact my long distance comfort pace (pace I can run indefinitely) for distances 13.1 + miles, is a 10:00 minute mile. Part of the running game is adjusting your pace when your feel you are hitting that wall. Also what is your diet before you go run? Are you getting enough carbs?

    I applaud your plan to spice up your routine, regardless of what anyone in here says its your plan to work. Good luck.

    Thank you. It is different but where I know I struggle I am sure this will help. Then way I run at the mo I could do C25K at my HIIT speed but I would never get past week 4 or 5 that way! that's why I opted for 9kph. It feels easy for me! If later in the program it doen't then I will reduce it down no problem! I don't care how fast I go as long as I get there!!

    I do eat plenty of carbs! it is getting harder now I am gluten and lactose free but I am getting to learn what I can and can't have! I can't function without carbs! I would keel over dead! Lol! I eat an hour before a run because I can'tworkout on a full stomach! And I normally eat within an hour of finishing aswell even if it is just a snack!
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    What do you mean when you say you can't get past week 5? You can't run the amount they tell you, you find yourself finishing week 4 and jsut never turning the app on again....what?
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    What do you mean when you say you can't get past week 5? You can't run the amount they tell you, you find yourself finishing week 4 and jsut never turning the app on again....what?

    I don't use an app! I just follow the instructions! When I say I get stuck I mean I do week 4 over and over and each time I try week 5 I can't do the intervals and I don't get any better!!
  • Claire594
    Claire594 Posts: 357 Member
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    I don't know why people are being so judgemental. You were only asking for anyone interested in trying your plan with you. I too did c25k plan running outside. I ran slow (under 5 mph) and got to week 7 and was bored. Tried running with my own music but I seemed to stall at 20 mins running. I recently joined a gym and started running on the treadmill. I found I could still only run for 20 mins but at a faster speed (9.5 kph). I missed running outside so I went for a run on Sunday and found I ran for 29 mins non stop. I only stopped as I reached my house again (i run in a loop) but I felt I cud have run further. The only thing I can think is that by running faster on the treadmill I increased my stamina so that when I took it back outside and was running at a lot slower rate I cud run a lot longer.

    Despite what people are saying here, I found that doing shorter higher bursts of speed on the treadmill has helped me run for longer outside albeit at a slower speed.

    Good luck.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    I don't use an app! I just follow the instructions! When I say I get stuck I mean I do week 4 over and over and each time I try week 5 I can't do the intervals and I don't get any better!!
    Do you try? I don't mean for that to come across as harsh if it does but everyone thinks of "can't" as something different. I haven't gotten to week 5 yet (I'm finishing week 3) so do you mean that you can't run/jog the amount of time they tell you too? What if you walk for 15 seconds or something half way through then try again for the rest of it?
  • ChrissyLpwe
    ChrissyLpwe Posts: 22 Member
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    I just ran. I was 120 lbs over weight. Every time I stopped to do the "walk" session it was harder to restart. So I just stopped using it and ran. :) slow 12 / 13 minute miles... but I can run 5 miles now.
  • JustAGirlyGeek
    JustAGirlyGeek Posts: 149 Member
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    If you think integrating HIIT into your workout will help then go for it... have you considered using podcasts while running? The NHS C25K podcasts are REALLY good.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

    She will talk you through the walks/jogs to help you improve your pace, etc. Give it a shot. You can either download them from iTunes or at this link:

    http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/couch-5K-running-plan.aspx

    I got to about week 7 before I got sick with a nasty chest cold and ended up stopping. Good luck!
  • daylily2005
    daylily2005 Posts: 203 Member
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    Just my $.02

    I am on week 8 day 2 of c25k. i run outside (in 80-90 degree humid heat) and my HR gets to about 190-195 when I'm running. Right now I'm jogging 28 minutes straight, and my pace is about 11:50/mile. I didn't start from scratch, I've been running 1 mile to 1.5 miles a few times a week for the past like 4 months, but in June I started the c25k (knowing that I could run more than it was asking me).

    When I run on the treadmill--which isn't often because it bores the crap outta me--I start at 4.5 mph. And it wears.me.out. It wears me out because it is a constant pace. You have to keep the exact same pace the entire time. Which isn't how my body works. When I'm running outside sometimes my pace is a 7 minute mile and sometimes it's a 13 minute mile. I found that's better than HIIT, because it's almost HIIT inside my jogging training. When I'm going faster (or uphill!) my heartrate increases. Then I slow my pace a little to compensate and let me HR level out a little.

    Kudos to you for trying to get past week 5, however you want to do it. Just some thoughts from an almost c25k graduate. Who's starting a 10k training next week. outside. in the burning august heat. :)

    best of luck!
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    Do you try? I don't mean for that to come across as harsh if it does but everyone thinks of "can't" as something different. I haven't gotten to week 5 yet (I'm finishing week 3) so do you mean that you can't run/jog the amount of time they tell you too? What if you walk for 15 seconds or something half way through then try again for the rest of it?

    Excuse me!? Really? Do you try? Have you read the above posts at all? What I think is that I should be able to do it so why the heck can't I!? Why am I having to stop now!?

    Everything else you are saying is stuff I have already done at varying speeds. That is why I am trying this. If you don't want to join in then don't put in your 2cents thank you.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    I just ran. I was 120 lbs over weight. Every time I stopped to do the "walk" session it was harder to restart. So I just stopped using it and ran. :) slow 12 / 13 minute miles... but I can run 5 miles now.

    Wow! That is amazing!! Well done!!
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    If you think integrating HIIT into your workout will help then go for it... have you considered using podcasts while running? The NHS C25K podcasts are REALLY good.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

    She will talk you through the walks/jogs to help you improve your pace, etc. Give it a shot. You can either download them from iTunes or at this link:

    http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/couch-5K-running-plan.aspx

    I got to about week 7 before I got sick with a nasty chest cold and ended up stopping. Good luck!

    I can't stand the podcasts! I hate running with some idiot talking at me and music I hate!! I have my MP3 on and I get in the zone! It just doesn't last as long as I would like!!

    I hope you are better now!!

    Edit to say thanks for the suggestion!
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    Do you like running?

    Do you like running long or short, fast or slow? Do you like running on the treadmill or outside?

    It's completely okay to choose your own program and do what works for you. Maybe you like a program like C25K, maybe you like to just free run, or maybe you like to make a detailed plan.

    Work the way that you like to. There's no rule that says a beginner must start with C25K and cannot be a "real" runner until they "graduate". If you like HIIT, go for it! If you preferred running long to running fast, you could do that.

    If you're trying to hit a particular pace (either faster or slower), you might want to try using a podcast or app with a metronome (like iSmoothRun).

    But don't worry if you are doing your own program. There's nothing wrong with training yourself under your own plan.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    Just my $.02

    I am on week 8 day 2 of c25k. i run outside (in 80-90 degree humid heat) and my HR gets to about 190-195 when I'm running. Right now I'm jogging 28 minutes straight, and my pace is about 11:50/mile. I didn't start from scratch, I've been running 1 mile to 1.5 miles a few times a week for the past like 4 months, but in June I started the c25k (knowing that I could run more than it was asking me).

    When I run on the treadmill--which isn't often because it bores the crap outta me--I start at 4.5 mph. And it wears.me.out. It wears me out because it is a constant pace. You have to keep the exact same pace the entire time. Which isn't how my body works. When I'm running outside sometimes my pace is a 7 minute mile and sometimes it's a 13 minute mile. I found that's better than HIIT, because it's almost HIIT inside my jogging training. When I'm going faster (or uphill!) my heartrate increases. Then I slow my pace a little to compensate and let me HR level out a little.

    Kudos to you for trying to get past week 5, however you want to do it. Just some thoughts from an almost c25k graduate. Who's starting a 10k training next week. outside. in the burning august heat. :)

    best of luck!

    You are so lucky to have heat!! I hope you do really well with B210K!! I wish I could run outside but for many reasons I just can't at the moment! Keep up the good work you!!! :)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    each time I try week 5 I can't do the intervals and I don't get any better
    - can you expand on this. I've just finished week 4 and the 5 minute run intervals are a push, sometimes I have to walk for a few steps. My heart rate is generally around 90% of max / 158 which is an improvement from the 170+ when I started. My pace today was in the 10m35 : 10m50 area for the runs.

    What gives in week 5 - the run interval duration exceeds your limit ?

    Could you also explain your HIIT thing a bit - what speed would you do the walks and runs in the intervals.

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