Starting C325K on Monday w/ Boyfriend - Any Tips?

kaseymei

Hi there.... I used the program and absolutely love it. I was NOT a runner at all and in the first week running that 60 seconds was killing me. But every week I kept at it and it got easier and easier. By the end of the program I was running 30-40 minutes straight. I haven't been running lately because I switched up my exercise routine and now I'm doing 30 day shred.

My advise is that to just stick with it. My husband started with me as well but about 4 weeks into it he lost motivation and gave up. I DID NOT GIVE UP THOUGH. So another piece of advice... if he gives up don't follow suit... just keep going.

Best of luck and feel free to add me for motivation.

BogQueen1

I'm just heading into week 3. Sometimes I have to repeat a day. The biggest hurdle is the mental one. There's a lot of times I find my brain trying to make 'bargains' with itself to stop running this particular cycle early, and on and on. I find if I just ignore my brain, my body usually responds favorably. It's way more of a mental battle for me.

babyshme

Doing week 4 day 1 of my c25k program. I love it. My app isn't free. If you can swing it and like zombies. Check out the app called Zombies,Run!. I love it.

Have fun!

astroteej81

First off, that's great! My wife and I started running last year similar to how y'all did. She liked to run but I didn't care for it (never thought I had the talent for it, being a golfer and other "slow sport" expert. Haha). Now I have caught the bug and enjoy it just as she does!

11 months later I am down 24 lbs and she 22 lbs (both still a work in progress). We are consistently running about 18 miles a week and doing 5k event runs about every 2 weeks at about 33 minutes. Just completed our first 8k last week (have another at the end of March) and have our first 10k on June 1st!

The biggest tip to mention (the RIGHT shoes) you already know about. I can't stress enough how important it is to have a gait analysis done. When I started I knew nothing of shoes and hurt myself (and still have slight residual knee pain after long runs) because of bad shoes.

Another tip is to check out runningintheusa's website (runningintheusa.com) for upcoming events. We have found doing a local run every couple weeks helps maintain focus/consistency, provides tangible results and camaraderie. We've meet runners through events that we now run and hang out with, plus you tend to see a lot of the same people at events, especially smaller ones. Building a circle of like-minded friends has helped us in our quest.

Last, start SLOW and listen to your body. Running through pain can seem macho (esp for us guys), but you may injure yourself and set back your training for days (or weeks)!

Enjoy the journey! #JustRun

jenluvsushi

I'm a newer runner but I have to add that shoes are VERY important. I suffer from horrible shin splints when I wear any kind of shoe with a lot of support (minimal works for me) but everyone is different. Make sure you are striking mid foot when you run and don't tense your feet/ankles. Try to keep them loose and your gate light when you run. Don't run too fast in the beggining....endurance is better than speed when you star. Ice your shins after your runs, stretch a lot and if needed, roll/massage your calves/shins with a rolling pin (it really helps!). Just make sure those muscles are loosened up. My shin splints when I first started were so debilitating I could barely walk and this helped me greatly. They tried to sell me a very expensive tool at Fleet Feet that was basically the same as a rolling pin....so much for that uni-tasker! lol!

Sqeekyjojo

On a human nature point, be prepared for him to do any of the following;

Refuse to take it easy, insisting on galloping off when you're supposed to be walking.

Telling you he can't be bothered with a cool down.

Moaning that it's boring.

Realising there are quite a few good looking guys around and trying to get you to chuck it in, thinking you actually have the time to stop and look around.

Being generally negative towards the programme or your progress.


He could also love it. But he might not. He doesn't like you going out as it is. So he's hardly sounding keen on the idea, he's just doing it because you won't stop.


I don't think I would want somebody with me when I'm working out. It's my time for me, not a relationship exclusive activity.

But some people love sharing those times.


Hopefully, it'll be great for both of you, though.

bostonwolf

I'm on week 7 and am actually doing a 5K sunday.

My single advice to you, especially since you are doing it with your boyfriend, is to remember that speed is NOT the goal. Distance is NOT the goal. Finishing the runs wihout stopping is the goal.

I also found that my legs and my cardiovascular strength would not move in lockstep. I'd have runs where my wind was great my legs were just gassed and later on my legs were strong but I was running too fast and lost my breath. Doing it outside will help that second one. Plus, running outside is a lot more fun than a treadmill.

There is a good C25k group on here too, you should join that for support.

Wende3

I just started this week. That one minute of jogging goes much faster than the minute and a half of walking. I used a treadmill and my legs feel great!