Bored of C25K and never get anywhere! Am I the only 1?
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I found to be boring as well. I don't like doing the same thing every day so that is why I cannot do programs like that.0
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this topic kinda scared me as I just started C25K today.... YIKES... fingers crossed that I finish it!!0
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I'm on my second attempt at C25K and am currently in week 4 and bored out of my skull- mostly because I've been doing it on the treadmill. Put me outside and I can run all day, but something about the dreadmill just sucks my will to keep going. Still, I'm going to finish this stupid program even if it kills someone. *shifty eyes*0
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Unfortunately, I think for all that you're saying it's a comfortable speed for you, the way you're experiencing running is suggesting it *isn't* a comfortable speed. You wouldn't be utterly incomprehensibly exhausted if it were a good endurance pace for you. Your body is telling you to slow down....
To be honest I have just started my first week of HIIT and last time I was C25King I was at 10kph and 9.5kph. The 9.5 was way better and that is why I have taken it down again to 9! I have jogged a bit at 9 just for kicks and found it fine! My HIIT is defo like that though! But it is meant to be hard thats why the intervals are short! I get to 30s and feel like I am hitting my stride and then I get to 45s and I am shatered! The 30s intervals were a killer though because the recovery was so short! Thats why I didn't do them for long!! My point really was this, I don't just give up because it is hard. Actually do you know 8kph was the worst for me! 2mins and I was like that! It was way hard! So I just did 2 on 1 off for about a month! I didn't get any better though!0 -
I say try your plan for a while, but don't get discouraged if you still don't like couch to 5K. I think I'm the only person who doesn't think C25K is the greatest thing ever. It wasn't for me, I just went out and ran what I was comfortable doing and that worked for me, so don't feel bad if you get through and still get stuck.
Edit: also now that I've been running for a while I've realized how important taking rest days is. It's hard for me to do because now I enjoy running and I want to do it every day because it makes me feel good, but when I take days off in between I perform much better and feel much better on the days I do run. So now I make 4 days a week my work out days.0 -
Not sure if someone already said this since there were quite a few replies, but I would suggest increasing your strength training if you're not already. I tried c25k in the beginning on this year (24 pounds heavier and barely working out at that time) and it was super difficult for me. Now that I've been getting in cardio 5-7 days a week and strength training 3 days a week it's made a big difference. I can tell my legs are much stronger than they were before. Good luck and just keep going!!!!0
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I've found that shortening my stride length raised my stamina by quite a bit, probably due to the improvement of form. You might want to try lowering your speed and increasing the number of steps per minute; it might help you break through that wall.0
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I found to be boring as well. I don't like doing the same thing every day so that is why I cannot do programs like that.
When you get to mid way through each workout is different! Those are quite a challenging! I do Cardio, Strength, Sardio, Strength, Cardio, Strength each week. Well, I try to! And it means I don't get too bored becasue it is varied!!0 -
this topic kinda scared me as I just started C25K today.... YIKES... fingers crossed that I finish it!!
You will!! You will find a way! Or you may find it really easy!!
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I'm on my second attempt at C25K and am currently in week 4 and bored out of my skull- mostly because I've been doing it on the treadmill. Put me outside and I can run all day, but something about the dreadmill just sucks my will to keep going. Still, I'm going to finish this stupid program even if it kills someone. *shifty eyes*
Lol! Thats kinda how I feel!!0 -
I say try your plan for a while, but don't get discouraged if you still don't like couch to 5K. I think I'm the only person who doesn't think C25K is the greatest thing ever. It wasn't for me, I just went out and ran what I was comfortable doing and that worked for me, so don't feel bad if you get through and still get stuck.
Edit: also now that I've been running for a while I've realized how important taking rest days is. It's hard for me to do because now I enjoy running and I want to do it every day because it makes me feel good, but when I take days off in between I perform much better and feel much better on the days I do run. So now I make 4 days a week my work out days.
Good advice! I mix it up as well!! Cario verses strength and at least one day of rest! C25K is an idea really! I may change some it later on as I find a jump from 10 -20mins really hard!! It is as good a place as any to start though!!
Congrats on you running!! Keep up the good work!!0 -
Not sure if someone already said this since there were quite a few replies, but I would suggest increasing your strength training if you're not already. I tried c25k in the beginning on this year (24 pounds heavier and barely working out at that time) and it was super difficult for me. Now that I've been getting in cardio 5-7 days a week and strength training 3 days a week it's made a big difference. I can tell my legs are much stronger than they were before. Good luck and just keep going!!!!
I do strength train! It is the best thing ever!! I also horse ride and that really does your core and legs!!0 -
My last comment on the subject.
To the OP: I realize that you didn't ask for advice. But honestly, you're throwing out a TON of GOOD, EXCELLENT advice from REGULAR RUNNERS just because slowing down messes up your stride or whatever.
ANY normal person will tell you that GOOD aerobic workouts mean that you can still carry on a conversation. Might be some lulls in it while you breathe, but you shouldn't be so out of breath that you can't utter any words (like HIIT will do to you). The point of the c25k is to get your body used to running more and more. You won't be able to keep the same pace the entire time. Unless you're in super shape and working your butt off and have the willpower of a Spartan. But what you CAN do is take some people's advice, slow down your pace a little, do your HIIT on the side, and see amazing results. I guarantee it.
I believe you are too worried about sticking to one pace and keeping in the "perfect" stride. If slowing down causes your stride to mess up on the treadmill, try moving further towards the back of the belt. I've seen super tall people jog on a treadmill at 4.5 mph without messing up their stride, so I'm sure that you can too.
I'm not knocking your idea out, or saying it's bad. In fact I am going to be working some HIIT into my training in a few weeks. But I'm just saying that instead of continuously telling all of these people who have been there, done that, finished the program, been running for years, regularly run on a treadmill (the list goes on as a lot of people have responded), you should realize that commonalities in all of their posts probably prove a point.
Anyone can do the C25K. There's no reason why you can't get past week 5. If I can do it recovering from a stress fracture in my ankle with my HR maxed out (i'm 25, max at 195 BPM, sometimes I hit 200), then you can as well. When you feel like you can't breathe anymore at your pace, instead of hitting the walk button, slow down to a slower jog. Heck, sometimes I'm jogging so slowly I'm almost running in place. But my body catches up to me and I start speeding up again.
It's against your best interest to just throw all this advice out the window because "I've tried it all before" or "it doesn't work." Stick with your HIIT. Get more comfortable on a treadmill, learn to focus less on your stride and your speed and clear your mind when you run.
Best of luck.0 -
I've found that shortening my stride length raised my stamina by quite a bit, probably due to the improvement of form. You might want to try lowering your speed and increasing the number of steps per minute; it might help you break through that wall.
Erm, I have no idea what you mean!! Are you on about doing power walk type strides?0 -
Nothing to do with power walking.I've found that shortening my stride length raised my stamina by quite a bit, probably due to the improvement of form. You might want to try lowering your speed and increasing the number of steps per minute; it might help you break through that wall.
Erm, I have no idea what you mean!! Are you on about doing power walk type strides?
What I'm suggesting is that you might try increasing your turnover rate. Try taking smaller steps (running steps, that is) more frequently, around 90rpm (180 total per minute). It seems counterintuitive, but it'll decrease your time in the air and help keep you from essentially putting on the brakes every time you land.0 -
My last comment on the subject.
To the OP: I realize that you didn't ask for advice. But honestly, you're throwing out a TON of GOOD, EXCELLENT advice from REGULAR RUNNERS just because slowing down messes up your stride or whatever.
ANY normal person will tell you that GOOD aerobic workouts mean that you can still carry on a conversation. Might be some lulls in it while you breathe, but you shouldn't be so out of breath that you can't utter any words (like HIIT will do to you). The point of the c25k is to get your body used to running more and more. You won't be able to keep the same pace the entire time. Unless you're in super shape and working your butt off and have the willpower of a Spartan. But what you CAN do is take some people's advice, slow down your pace a little, do your HIIT on the side, and see amazing results. I guarantee it.
I believe you are too worried about sticking to one pace and keeping in the "perfect" stride. If slowing down causes your stride to mess up on the treadmill, try moving further towards the back of the belt. I've seen super tall people jog on a treadmill at 4.5 mph without messing up their stride, so I'm sure that you can too.
I'm not knocking your idea out, or saying it's bad. In fact I am going to be working some HIIT into my training in a few weeks. But I'm just saying that instead of continuously telling all of these people who have been there, done that, finished the program, been running for years, regularly run on a treadmill (the list goes on as a lot of people have responded), you should realize that commonalities in all of their posts probably prove a point.
Anyone can do the C25K. There's no reason why you can't get past week 5. If I can do it recovering from a stress fracture in my ankle with my HR maxed out (i'm 25, max at 195 BPM, sometimes I hit 200), then you can as well. When you feel like you can't breathe anymore at your pace, instead of hitting the walk button, slow down to a slower jog. Heck, sometimes I'm jogging so slowly I'm almost running in place. But my body catches up to me and I start speeding up again.
It's against your best interest to just throw all this advice out the window because "I've tried it all before" or "it doesn't work." Stick with your HIIT. Get more comfortable on a treadmill, learn to focus less on your stride and your speed and clear your mind when you run.
Best of luck.
Thanks for all of this! I should say that I am not throwing it out of hand. I just know what works for me. If I need to slow down I will I have no problem with that at all! I have, over the months, tried just slowing for a little while and catching up and then going on etc but I never seem to improve. Even at very low speeds. I am not worried about the perfect pace, just what is good for me. I have weird feet and skeletal things that are very pronounced at low speeds and my feet go one way while my body goes the other. That makes running much harder work. Infact running at HIIT speed my back was straight my feet balanced and everything but I am not going to even attempt running that fast normally! Not untilI can do the whole thing at a slower speed. It is finding the balance between what is too fast and what makes it too much hard work. The HIIT is on the side really I just wanted to lay it out so I had a plan, I like to know what I am doing. I clear my mind of everything but my music when I run because that is my happy place and I love to be there! The only time I can't carry a conversation is when doing HIIT. Last time I was doing C25K I could up to a point. Infact I find it easier if I have someone to talk to. It was just those longer intervals that got very bad very fast!!I will get through it! Fast or slow, no matter what! I have no problem going slower but only if I need to and I will judge it on a workout by workout basis!0 -
Nothing to do with power walking.
What I'm suggesting is that you might try increasing your turnover rate. Try taking smaller steps (running steps, that is) more frequently, around 90rpm (180 total per minute). It seems counterintuitive, but it'll decrease your time in the air and help keep you from essentially putting on the brakes every time you land.
Ok! That sounds very weird! I could give it a try though! But I am very bad on my feet! I tent to fallover! Lol! That would give the guys at the gym a laugh! 0 -
Thanks. My HR recovery is improving and I slowed down a bit to stop it going over 95% of max in the 5 minute runs - actually just 30s of fast run will take me to 100% HRmax but I'm on iron supplements to try and get my haemoglobin up.I sure can explain that better!! Its the 8-10min runs with only 3 min rest! My HR just does not get any lower in that time!
Might be worth having your blood checked if your heart is trying to escape when you run. I went to donate blood and failed the density test, so they did an electronic test and that was low too as was a hospital lab sample. I'm officially anaemic :-)
Your alternate HIIT plan interested me, but the complexity lost me. I run outside, often on grass, so it needs to be simple and memorable / programmable or I'll be like a novice in a dance competition trying to remember the moves.
I think my C25K experience is different to yours 'cos I'm not doing it on a treadmill so vary my pace at will in order to get through the interval. Good luck !0 -
Thanks. My HR recovery is improving and I slowed down a bit to stop it going over 95% of max in the 5 minute runs - actually just 30s of fast run will take me to 100% HRmax but I'm on iron supplements to try and get my haemoglobin up.I sure can explain that better!! Its the 8-10min runs with only 3 min rest! My HR just does not get any lower in that time!
Might be worth having your blood checked if your heart is trying to escape when you run. I went to donate blood and failed the density test, so they did an electronic test and that was low too as was a hospital lab sample. I'm officially anaemic :-)
Your alternate HIIT plan interested me, but the complexity lost me. I run outside, often on grass, so it needs to be simple and memorable / programmable or I'll be like a novice in a dance competition trying to remember the moves.
I think my C25K experience is different to yours 'cos I'm not doing it on a treadmill so vary my pace at will in order to get through the interval. Good luck !
I think everyones experience of C25K is different! I'm glad it interested you! It is not really that complicated. If you use the app or podcasts you just don't use it for odd weeks and run faster for shorter with shorter rests. Then pick up the podcasts where you left off! Thats it really! I have had my blood checked and it is fine! My cholesterol is a bit low though apparently! Lol! Good luck with your C25K!!0 -
Your plan (although it looks complicated to some people) might just work for you so that's good. If you feel it's what you need then go for it... there's no harm in trying eh?!
I completed C25K already so I'll not join in but good luck with it all the same
Unfortunately, I can only give the same advice everyone else is giving which is to (you guessed it) slow down! Lol... Sometimes I was jogging so slow that you literally could've walked past me
I was outside doing it though so my pace was up and down, up and down the entire time - it's probs awkward to do that on a treadmill? Plus I suppose it'd be awful boring on a treadmill too?
Do you have a good pair of running shoes? I got some new ones recently that correct my overpronation (my feet going outwards while I run instead of going straight).
Also, I would agree with someone else who said to take shorter strides... sometimes almost like you're hopping on the spot hehe - don't do long strides (yet), you can damage your legs and it'll puff you out.
Anyhootieandtheblowfish, in conclusion - stick with what you think is best, you CAN do it. Don't let that mental block get ya either (my brain is always telling me I can't do it heehee). I'm up to 12km now and I was most definitely NOT a runner... so if I can do it anyone can.0
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