any big people do Couch 2 5k routine?

Michaelsdin

I am currently around 340lbs I started this routine about a week ago before that i mostly just walked about everyday 25-30min at a brisk pace 3.2-3.6mph. Here is the thing though I don't see myself moving on to the next phase of couch 2 5k because my shins start to heart really bad after about the third 60second run and not at the beginning of the run more towards the last 20seconds so i can push through it.

Just curious if any other bigger people have done this with success on their routine not ur own as in doing it 3times a week for 2months and being able to jog the whole 5k thanks.

Michaelsdin

bump ^

jbwegner

I tried it a while back....like a year ago and couldn't do it. I'd love to try it again and actually succeed, but I think I need to lose more weight first just by walking. Good luck though! Let me know how it goes!

enigmachik

I did the c25k when I was still morbidly obese. When I first tried jogging, I got the shin pain so I went back to just walking and worked on losing a little more weight. After I'd lost a little more, I tried jogging again. Once again, I got the shin pain, so again I went back to walking and lost a little more weight. On the third or fourth try I found I was able jog without pain. This is when I really got into the C25K program and I finished it in the allotted 9 weeks. It is an awesome program. I highly recommend it. Just be careful. Shin splints can really mess you up if the damage gets too bad. It's better to take it slow and easy, rather than risk injury. Good luck!!

moran1917

When I finally decided to add exercise into my weight loss program I chose C25K. I was 250lbs and 5'7" so very heavy. In order to actually run 5k in 30 mins you have to run 6.2 mph during the intervals. I absolutely could not do this. My conditioning would not allow it at the time. So instead I made it work for me. I found that I could manage 5 mph for the running segment and 3.2 mph for the walking segment. By going at my own pace I was able to complete the program- and let me tell you that first complete 30 minute run without stopping was worth everything to me. I was proud of myself.

I have since done bridge to 10k at the slower pace, then I did C25K again at the 6.2 mph pace. Now I am finally working on bridge to 10k again to see if I can really run 10k in 60 mins.

It all happens in good time, and progams can be adjusted and still give great results!!

nellyett

I like the app because it tracks my distance and times. it's great for marking progress so even if you're not able to complete a week in the time period they specify, then at least you can see the progression.

I would repeat weeks until I could through them without stopping. no one says it has to be done in 9 weeks

Congrats on starting and keep up the great work!!

pinkgumdrop123

I agree with doing the program at your own pace. I am on week 6 now and it came slowly for me.

One thing that I find that helps is building on endurance rather than speed. I started off really slow and that helped me quite a bit.

Feel free to add me.

Mokey41

Regardless of your size you need to make sure you have properly fitted running shoes to support your feet and minimize impact. Make sure you go to a running store and get them to assess your gait and recommend a shoe. Shin splints are often caused by landing hard on your heels, with extra weight it makes it even worse. Take small steps and land midfoot. You can help to strengthen the muscles in your shin by doing toe raises or stand on the edge of a step with just your toes on the step and raise yourself up and down. A shin splint is just the muscles in your shins rebelling like any other muscle not used to be worked.

saraann4

I think you should do it if you feel like you can and want to. If you are getting shin pain, try checking your form or getting new fitted shoes. You may also have to lose more weight.

I was having a lot of trouble with shin pains while jogging on pavement. I knew it wasn't my weight because I ran in college at the same weight and had no issues (also, didn't run regularly). I switched to treadmill last week and it was like "hallelujah!!" no pain. I've already been told that I need new shoes, but that's not happening right now.

Also, a great thing about the program is that you do it with your own pace in mind. So, you don't have to follow it exactly. If you need to repeat a week, then do so.

jwalworth

When I started in August I was 353. I did not use the Couch to 5k program, but I did train for a 5k (training for my next one on December 8). Training for a 5k and running have really helped my weight loss. I've lost just under 55 pounds since mid-August.

Colstriper

Maybe you need some better shoes? I started running at 275 lbs and good running shoes made my runs better. New Balance 1012 - great shoes. Now at 250 I run 3-5 times a week at my own pace. I love running. I started by fast walking and then added jogging in as much as I could. It's not a fast process but it sure has boosted my weight loss.

Do you have good shoes? It may even make your walking better till you get to an easier running weight.

kdeaux1959

At 344 down to the 280s I had not much luck doing any running; but I did do quite a bit of cardio on the treadmill and am now 232. I suggest... Do what you can do. Don't sweat it. Well, Sweat it out and get the weight down and then as you get your weight down, perhaps the run will be easier. Remember, as you are heavier, it is actually easier to exercise your weight down. It takes a lot of energy just to more.I would wait until I was ready to start the run... for me, I still walk and lift...

freew67

I jogged my first 5K when I was about 255-60 lbs. It took me maybe 2-3 months after I started to jog to hit that. Now, I am currently 218 lbs, lost 122 lbs (340 start) and still cant do a 5K in 30 mins. I did one today in 33:08 but I am not 100% right now. At your size, I highly suggest just slow and steady. Lots of pounding on those legs/joints/anything below the neck and your body needs to get adjusted to this new form of torture. I cant also stress enough dont worry about your speed. Speed will come with more miles under your belt and less weight. Push it to hard to soon and your just asking to get hurt. Everyone is built dif. I have seen 300+ lb manage to run at 5K in 30 mins. It blows my mind but I am just not built that way. lol I walked for 9 months before I started to jog. End of May begin of June was when I started to jog 3-4 days a week. A few weeks ago I jogged 10 miles in 2:21. Slow? Yes... Do I care? No, I just jogged 10 miles without stopping while burning 2369 calories!

Slow and steady and watch the lbs fall off bud. Good luck!

http://freew67.blogspot.com/

EnchantedEvening

Regardless of your size you need to make sure you have properly fitted running shoes to support your feet and minimize impact. Make sure you go to a running store and get them to assess your gait and recommend a shoe. Shin splints are often caused by landing hard on your heels, with extra weight it makes it even worse. Take small steps and land midfoot. You can help to strengthen the muscles in your shin by doing toe raises or stand on the edge of a step with just your toes on the step and raise yourself up and down. A shin splint is just the muscles in your shins rebelling like any other muscle not used to be worked.

This this this this this. It is SO important that you get fit for the proper shoe, and if they don't have a shoe for you (not likely), they'll combine shoes + orthotics.

I'm looking forward to starting the program, but I'm going to wait just a bit longer. I don't get shin pain anymore, but I do have pretty bad knee pain. I can walk about 3.8 mph for a good clip but average 3 - 3.4 mph, up from 2 mph when I started. Once I can walk 4.0 mph consistently, I'll start the program. I'm excited, but not so excited that I want to ruin all of my progress with an injury. The top of my left foot gets cranky for some reason, so I definitely need new shoes.

sdmomof2

I know that when I started the C25K program the first time I needed to have better shoes with better support. I also needed to stretch each time before starting... and I made both of these changes at the same time so not sure which helped more but the runners that I asked advice about the shin pain told me about stretching. So that is what I recommend. My pace when I finished the program was not as fast to complete a 5K in 30 min. but that was ok. I looked at it as endurance for going a longer time to complete the distance. Currently I use an elliptical in my basement on a fat burn interval, resistance 3. I burn about 420 calories in 30 min.

Michaelsdin

thanks everyone for the replies so it sounds like i need new shoes, take it a little slower, and drop some more weight....well damn lol oh well guess ill take it slower and hopefully get new shoes monday. and the obviouse weight will go on its own hopefully long as i eat right and exercise daily

kristarablue2

I tried at my heaviest and it was not even a little bit successful the way written, Surpried 911 was not called on me as i was trying to run all out of breath, red faced looking like i was having a heart attack. I had to modify it and it took much longer, however it will also depend on your athletic ability, at the time I had none, I cried when I ran a mile for the first time. Big thing when I was that heavy was injury, make sure you go to a running store and are properly fitted. Also take your time do not run everyday. You can do it, if you need to modify do it, maybe you need to spend twice as long doing it maybe not, but I always felt the program was written for the firm couch potato, I was the mushy couch potato with butter and sour cream, it just took a while to firm me up. So you can totally do this, I think I was about 230 when I finally ran the 5k.

EnchantedEvening

If you use a treadmill, set the incline to 1% to mimic running outside. Treadmills do the propelling for you, so you run a bit faster than you would if you were outside propelling yourself. Most runners set the incline to 1% to make up for that.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8887211

dvisser1

When I started running this past Spring I looked long and hard at the C25k program. It's a great program, but I decided to do something similar on my own. Run / walk intervals are great for getting used to running and building endurance. Don't worry about speed at first, you'll naturally build speed as you build endurance and strength.

April 2011 I was at least 300 lbs (at 6' 2") when I got my dog and started walking between 1.25 and 4 miles every day. I was still 278 lbs when I joined MFP in January 2012. Working out at the gym on the elliptical or stairmill in addition to strengthening my legs doing leg press or squats and other full body exercises got me down to 255 or so in March. In March I started jogging and could barely run at 12 minute miles (5 mph) and struggled to do 1/4 mile non-stop. I think because of all the walking the dog and time on the elliptical, I didn't have the shin issues you're having. Kept working at it, build endurance. I still remember how good it felt to run 1 mile non-stop. I looked back and it was Mid-April when I ran 1 1/2 miles non-stop, in 18 minutes. Well, in late June I ran my first 5k in 27 minutes and another in early July in 26 minutes.

The point is it's not important how far or how fast you run, just that you go run! Soreness is normal, pain is bad, and the two are very different. If you can jog 1/2 mile or 10 minutes or whatever it is without pain, do that! Then walk. Don't try to just push through the pain, because pain means something is wrong. Build endurance, build strength, lose weight and just keep at it, but stop short of causing pain / damage!

As several others have mentioned....shoes! Get good running shoes and be prepared to replace them often. If you have a good running store near you (not a general sporting goods store) see if they do custom fittings. About every 3-4 months of regular use you'll want to replace them as the padding will compress and breakdown. Heart rate monitors and MP3 players are nice and all for running, but shoes are the only piece of equipment that you should not compromise on when running!

Michaelsdin

no treadmill for my i run at work while i do my patrol and i run at home around my mobile home park roughly .3miles per circle I want a treadmill just don't have the money for one so that will have to weight i like being outside anyway for the most part i would only get a treadmill if i lived somewhere it snowed/rained ALOT.

petemeep

I think the shin pain has less to do with size and more to do with doing too much to fast. I started the program at 220 and had no shin pain but at 180lbs I was pushing myself harder and started to get pain from doing too much. I would go at your own pace and build on what you can. there were several times I would walk a little longer if I needed to and then start running again when I was ready, I would just repeat the runs until I completed it. I still can't do the whole 5 k in under 30 min but I'm still way healthier than I was before the program! good luck you can do it!

KFuerst27

I was going to do it but found I didn't need to. I have been exercising a lot at the Y since January, and sometimes have been asked to run as part of a workout such as for bootcamp. I ran what I could and walked the rest. I never pushed myself to run farther. I joined a weight loss challenge in September, and our team coach told us at our group workout that we were going to be running a 5K as our group training. Oh, the grumbling and grouchiness from me, because I hated running. That first day, I ran some and walked some. On my own, I ran a bit more. A few days later, I powered through the first mile I have run since high school. The next night, I did a mile and a half. At the next group workout, I had no idea how much I'd be able to run. Well, I ran it all. I use "run" loosely, because I'm incredibly slow, but I'm getting faster. The other night I ran a mile and a half, and I realized I had barely broken a sweat. Time to put a bit more effort into it I guess!

One of the trainers gave me a great tip about preventing shin splints. She showed me what I guess are toe lifts. Put your weight on the bottom of your heels and alternatively lift your toes/ball of the foot off the ground. Do that throughout the day to help prevent them.

I also agree about getting good shoes. There is nothing better than finding a salesperson who knows their stuff and can make solid recommendations to you.

Good luck and keep at it. You can do it! I am finding that the weeks that I get some good miles in are my best weight loss weeks. I have a long, long way to go, and I hope that running will help get me there a bit faster.

laureenkinnaman

Maybe it's Shin Splints? Make sure you have really good shoes with good support. www.roadrunnersports.com recommends certain shoes for heavier runners. Also, start doing some "Hell-Walking" and "Toe-Walking" exercises--they will help prevent shin splints (I'm a runner and a personal trainer). You can also ice your shins after you walk/run). Maybe double the time for your C25k program...run half as much as each week the first week, then as it is written the second week. Just some ideas that may help.

laureenkinnaman

*BLUSH* I meant "HEEL-Walking," not "Hell-Walking," sheesh.

141by2016

Take it slow, but I highly recommend the program. At your current level I would do each week for 2-3 weeks before moving up. You can do it!

Michaelsdin

*BLUSH* I meant "HEEL-Walking," not "Hell-Walking," sheesh.

about to say what is hell-walking im good lol sounda dangerous! lol

Michaelsdin

Maybe it's Shin Splints? Make sure you have really good shoes with good support. www.roadrunnersports.com recommends certain shoes for heavier runners. Also, start doing some "Hell-Walking" and "Toe-Walking" exercises--they will help prevent shin splints (I'm a runner and a personal trainer). You can also ice your shins after you walk/run). Maybe double the time for your C25k program...run half as much as each week the first week, then as it is written the second week. Just some ideas that may help.

what are heel-walking and toe walking exercises?!

SASSYnCHICago

thanks everyone for the replies so it sounds like i need new shoes, take it a little slower, and drop some more weight....well damn lol oh well guess ill take it slower and hopefully get new shoes monday. and the obviouse weight will go on its own hopefully long as i eat right and exercise daily

I was not big by the standard that others have stated above, but I never was able to run until I did the C25K. I think what helped me the most was learning to lap swim first as it was easier on my joints, and because I was over weight less stressful on my bones.
I also did a clean diet for a few weeks, which was a killer after I have lost 16 lbs, and was training for my first (and only triathlon).

And speaking of Triathlons, I was amazed, simply amazed at all the overweight - but obviously cardio fit women who participated (no offer intended to anyone). I actually was proud to be part of a group of people trying their hardest to make achieve a fitness goal!

Keep making strive to a better you! You can do this, it will only take time - and time is on your side.

Michaelsdin

thanks everyone for the replies so it sounds like i need new shoes, take it a little slower, and drop some more weight....well damn lol oh well guess ill take it slower and hopefully get new shoes monday. and the obviouse weight will go on its own hopefully long as i eat right and exercise daily

I was not big by the standard that others have stated above, but I never was able to run until I did the C25K. I think what helped me the most was learning to lap swim first as it was easier on my joints, and because I was over weight less stressful on my bones.
I also did a clean diet for a few weeks, which was a killer after I have lost 16 lbs, and was training for my first (and only triathlon).

And speaking of Triathlons, I was amazed, simply amazed at all the overweight - but obviously cardio fit women who participated (no offer intended to anyone). I actually was proud to be part of a group of people trying their hardest to make achieve a fitness goal!

Keep making strive to a better you! You can do this, it will only take time - and time is on your side.

Yea i have been trying to eat healthy for the past 2 months went off a couple days but usually nothing major, i love to swim but no gym membership and no swimming pool at that. Thinking of weight training to cut back some weight along with still jog/walking routine maybe just do phase 1 2weeks phase 2 2weeks or more/less as needed.

chubbygirl253

I started in august And I was right around 300lbs at that time. I need much more than the 9 week suggested timeline. I take it a month per level. Aug was week 1, sept wk 2, etc. I do a day per week because I believe as I move through the program the jog time will start to increase each day but so far it's been the same all month but when it does begin to progress with each session I'll be ready. So far I'm liking it. I can jog for 5 mins now. Never thought I'd be able to say that! Especially since I'm still 285 lbs.

happycauseIride

My thought is that it is a training program to just start running. I'm still 250 and Im on week 3 of the program and loving it. To me its not about being able to run a 5K in 30 minutes. To me its being able to run at all and psyching myself up to "suck it up" and do it anyway.

Give it a shot. The shin splints and leg cramps will go away with time. Wear good shoes and I run on a shock absorbing treadmill, but others prefer outside. What ever you enjoy that will get you to do it.

Have fun with it, do your best and Good Luck.