Couch to 5km Graduates!!!

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  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Great job Jan - 17 miles is awesome! What an inspiration! Indoor or outdoor cycling? Just curious!

    I officially started Week 1, Day 1 of Gto8K today. (Friday was a practice day). I found that keeping pace with the music was a bit of a challenge (which is good - I've needed a challenge since finishing Cto5K). By the 3rd running interval at that pace, I was getting tired, and by the 4th, I had slowed down, but I ran it all. My goal is by the end of this week, to be able to push it through all 4 without slowing down to snail pace.

    Glad to be on board, let's all have a great week!
  • JPriceGA
    JPriceGA Posts: 508 Member
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    Smiles - that's great! Good for you!


    I was going to go run today, but got out of work late and decided to chill instead. But... notice my ticker... I broke the 50 lb to go barrier!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Smiles, I found that I adjusted to the pace quickly. A lot of it is form and breathing. I actually was ahead of the pace for the first week but then as it increased it became challenging, and my first day on Week 8 was tough. But day 2 wasn't bad and I'm thinking day 3 will be doable (cutting carbs though, so it'll suck :laugh: ).

    Congrats JPrice!!:happy:
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    I just checked and the Myrtle Beach Half I hoped to do in Feb is 91% full.....I am really scared to preregister with weather being one issue - training wouldn't be done til 1 or 2 weeks before IF I am able to maintain the schedule as it is.....what to do??????????
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Smiles, I found that I adjusted to the pace quickly. A lot of it is form and breathing. I actually was ahead of the pace for the first week but then as it increased it became challenging, and my first day on Week 8 was tough. But day 2 wasn't bad and I'm thinking day 3 will be doable (cutting carbs though, so it'll suck :laugh: ).

    Congrats JPrice!!:happy:

    Thank you for the encouragement..... my main challenge seems to be lung capacity. I was pretty much a couch potato before I started Cto5k (so the program was fitting, :blushing: ) and I found an enormous sense of accomplishment in sticking with the program. From your picture - you look like you are in fantastic shape - (definitely an inspriation!!!) - maybe by the end of this, I can also say that I was ahead of hte pace somewhere!:laugh:

    When you say you're cutting carbs, what's that about? (Sorry to be clueless....)
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Smiles, I found that I adjusted to the pace quickly. A lot of it is form and breathing. I actually was ahead of the pace for the first week but then as it increased it became challenging, and my first day on Week 8 was tough. But day 2 wasn't bad and I'm thinking day 3 will be doable (cutting carbs though, so it'll suck :laugh: ).

    Congrats JPrice!!:happy:

    Thank you for the encouragement..... my main challenge seems to be lung capacity. I was pretty much a couch potato before I started Cto5k (so the program was fitting, :blushing: ) and I found an enormous sense of accomplishment in sticking with the program. From your picture - you look like you are in fantastic shape - (definitely an inspriation!!!) - maybe by the end of this, I can also say that I was ahead of hte pace somewhere!:laugh:

    When you say you're cutting carbs, what's that about? (Sorry to be clueless....)

    Ah, see I am on the other end. My legs can't turn over fast enough to really get me out of breath! :tongue: It's definitely a HUGE accomplishment to go from a sedentary lifestyle to regular exercise. When I was a freshmen in college and told my parents I was becoming an ESHE major, they said 'But you never get off the couch!" And then I came home after a semester and they saw that I had indeed gotten off the couch LOL

    I'm cutting carbs, meaning reducing my dietary intake of carbohydrates, especially from grains. Now I take in less than 20% of my calories from carbs and they are almost all from starchy veggies (mostly peas). I'm doing it this week to deplete my sugar stores so that the first few hundred cals of carbohydrates will be used to replenish that (glycogen) rather than being shunted towards fat-making pathways. And I'm just a glutton for punishment. :wink:
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Looks like our thread needs a jolt! No posts in 5 days?!?!? Does that mean no runs in 5 days either? Yikes!

    Does anyone else ever get a panicky feeling when the routine gets thrown off and you haven't ran or jogged in a few days? I've got this silly mental trip happening telling me that I'm backsliding and can't do this anymore - all b/c i haven't been out in a few days, and on schedule.....

    Common sense tells me that's not true, I may need an extra push to get back out there before I really DO backslide.... my shoes are on, got the running gear on..... it's time to go. I just need to GO.
  • osmium
    osmium Posts: 107 Member
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    I finished the C25K on the 1st April 2009. It's given me a whole new addiction - running! I love it! I run ~30-40km per week now. It's amazing when I look back to the beginning of the year when running 60sec was hard :)

    smiles - I definitely feel so strange if I miss a run or take a rest day. I make myself do them though and I always feel better for it. I'll bet that your next run is one of those magic runs, where it just flows! I often think that I've swapped one addiction (bad food) for another (running). At least this addiction is easier to monitor and is better for me!
  • shinybonnie
    shinybonnie Posts: 357
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    Hi guys,
    I'm in W9 of the C25k, and not sure what I'm going to do after this. I'm not really interested in running for longer than 30 minutes 3x/week, but, to be honest, when I started doing the C25k, I wasn't too interested in running 30 minutes. So anyway, I don't think I'll do a 10k program, but maybe this 8k that Songbyrdsweet spoke of... How many miles is 8k? And how many minutes do they have you working up to?
    The other thought I have is that my speed sucks big time. In 30 minutes, I am only doing 9 laps around the track (2.25 miles), so that is like, what? 4.5 mph? maybe? When I started C25k, I was running like 6mph. But when I got to the point where you have to run 3 and 5 minutes, I could not maintain that speed and was almost puking, etc. So I slowed down big time, thinking, "I will build up the endurance to be ABLE to run for extended period of time, then work on speed later." Now that I'm running 30 minutes, I'm not sure HOW to speed up! Isn't that totally newb-ish? Sounds dumb: I don't know how to speed up. Does anyone have any suggestions for increasing speed? I like the interval training of c25k. Do you think I could incorporate that into my quest for speed? Like, I was thinking, flat-out RUN for 60 seconds, then drop down to jog for 90 seconds (basically W1 of C25k only jogging instead of walking) and do that for my 30 minute run?
    Any suggestions would be appreciated :)
  • JPriceGA
    JPriceGA Posts: 508 Member
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    Hi Shinybonnie! Saw you over on the wannabe runners thread too! I'm right with you on the speed, confusion or what to do next etc. You can see my struggles of the past couple of weeks if you want, but the condensed version is this...

    From what I've read, speed comes with interval training, so I've been doing earlier weeks of c2 5k on the treadmill with higher speeds for the "run" part. The shorter the time I have to run, the faster I set the treadmill speed.

    I also share the "I don't wanna's" on longer runs, but as I read, it seems like every 5k training program associated with speeding up also includes longer runs, either by time or distance. So the choices seem to be...

    keep running 30 min 3x/wk (which isn't a bad option - and I agree, didn't seem possible 9 weeks ago)

    Move up to longer runs by adding 5 minutes a week or starting gateway to 8k (haven't found good podcasts for this yet - the ones I downloaded are techno-blah-boring but good for not thinking about anything) which starts with 7 minute intervals alternating with 1 minute walks

    Vary the running routine with shorter faster intervals on some days, with one longer distance run a week (most say add 10% or 1/2 mile each week, and don't worry about how long it takes to get you there)
  • shinybonnie
    shinybonnie Posts: 357
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    Hey Jan, thanks for your response. Hmm, I think I like the third option: varying the running routine. I'll be thinking it over during the upcoming week. Let me know how you fare with doing the earlier weeks of c25k!
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Shiny Bonnie and Jan - I'm with both of you - it's like you peeked in my journal! I too, have been wondering "how to speed up". I can do the 30 minute jog, (and on a good day, 40 mins without stopping) but it really is a jog pace, not a real RUN. (Which, I should say, is impressive considering I truly was a couch potato before Cto5K). I have no idea what my real speed is - since I run outdoors and change the course almost every time.

    I've been wondering though, what's next. I started Gto8K with the intention of keeping pace with the music. I've found that it does require me to move faster than when I just go at my normal pace. So, I'm increasing there. (But also worrying about failure!) I agree Jan, the music isn't my pick - and I don't think I can listen to the same podcast more than 3x/week without going off the deep-end. But, it's a place to start!

    I did go the other day after my post. I ended up walking for about an hour (to warm up - normally it's only 5 mins!) then ran the first 2 running segments. Then... slowed to a walk. Yesterday was a rest day, tomorrow is a run day. I can do it! Looking forward to runnin' w/y'all. :)

    Osmium - thanks for the encouragement - I love your profile pic! :) too cute!
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Oh, and I googled 8k - it's 4.97 miles.
  • maddiebabe
    maddiebabe Posts: 193 Member
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    Ok...Good news, we started posting again. I was sitting on the couch (shhhhh) on the weekend checking on here and I was a little sad that no one had really posted anything, myself included.

    So on that note, I got out yesterday morning and went for a 4km run which i figured isnt too bad considering I havent really run other than the odd 10 minute jog in the last few weeks so I was happy. It was the last day of the month, and in my job its always our most stressful/high pressure day so I definately needed an extra boost...and it worked, I had a GREAT day and didnt get down at all (which usually happens to me the last day)

    wooo running!!!!!

    Im so glad to see everyone moving along on their programs. I am struggling, I want to do the Gateway to 8km but I HATE the music. I am still trying to figure out if there is a way to make a pod-cast over my own music because If I could do that, it would make everything wayyyy better :love:

    Anyway, I just really wanted to check in and say great job to all of you guys, you ROCK!!!!
  • JPriceGA
    JPriceGA Posts: 508 Member
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    So we all hate the gateway to 8k podcast... wish I knew how to make one. I'd make a "Run in the Country" series :-)

    I tried using the gateway to 8k on the treadmill yesterday and it was really dreadful. Warmed up for 5, ran for 10 and couldn't take it anymore - had to make a pit stop anyway, and when I returned the treadmills were all full, so I picked up again on a stationary bike and rode for 30 minutes. For some reason, it's easier to tolerate the music cycling than running. I think I'll use it for that, but go back to the Ullery podcasts for running. So I got in 45 minutes between the two!

    For the bike I started at level 8, and ended up lowering it back to level 6 after the first 10 minutes, but I finished out the last 5 at level 8 again. I'm going to try to pick up a spin class at the gym this week or next to see how I like that.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I don't hate the G28K podcasts LOL...not my favorite, but they're free, so I'm not going to complain!

    I did Day 1 of Week 9 on Thursday, but have only done elliptical cardio since then, so I am going to run Day 1 again today and start the week over again. I should be finished up with this by the second week of December, at which point I'm starting the Highway to 10K. Woohoo!
  • shinybonnie
    shinybonnie Posts: 357
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    Hi guys,
    Tuesday's my resting day, so I was just checking in to see how others were doing. Tomorrow I'll be doing W9D2 of c25k, so I'm almost done! After that, I am going to look into what Jan suggested: a varied program of running where I'm still running 3x/week, but one day it will be faster, shorter runs; another day will be longer, and I guess the 3rd day will be even longer/slower.... I want to find a "proven" program that tells me exactly what to do. Hehe! I'll let you know what I find.
  • shinybonnie
    shinybonnie Posts: 357
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    Hi guys,

    I did look into "speed work" training, and found some interesting ideas. The coolrunning.com website has some good training programs. They have programs for "beginners," but describe "beginner" as someone who runs 15-25 miles a week, runs the 5k in 26 minutes or more, and has been running for 6 months. I decided that I am not even a beginner yet. I "run" 6 miles a week and have been doing this for like 3 months. So I am going to wait until I've been running 6 months, and then I'll start the coolrunning speed training program for beginners. I don't want to end up hurting myself.

    Hope everyone is doing well.

    Oh, I did do my run today, and it went well. I posted about it on other threads and I'm sure you ppl are sick of seeing my avatar! The only issue I had was the recurrence of an ache in my left knee and right hip. This had started about 4 weeks ago, and I bought fancy new runner's shoes which seemed to have corrected the problem. Today the pain was back. :frown:

    Take care!
  • JPriceGA
    JPriceGA Posts: 508 Member
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    Today is a rest day for me :-)
  • Jessica68
    Jessica68 Posts: 2,419 Member
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    Just dropping in to say HELLO! Cant wait to graduate up to this thread! Im barely on c25k week 3 day 1. But one day I'll grow up and be here!

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