Couch to 5k Anyone?

wmchick81

I am back.... well sort of. I definitely haven't made it to the gym at ALL this week. I am officially back in the classroom teaching, and it's been a rough week. I have 29 fourth graders in a trailer~ I am at a new school and a new grade, and it is killing me. I hope to get back to the gym sometime this weekend and definitely next week. I am hoping maybe the exercise will help with my stress level and make me less emotional and frustrated at everything!

JulieSue

Hello Everyone!!!

I hope you all have had a GREAT weekend!!! :0) I have done all of my workouts this weekend BUT have not eaten the best this weekend....sooooo I must be stronger when I am with friends....ughhhh oh well...today has been good but Friday and Saturday EHHH LOL

well today I got up and completed Week 5 run 2 and I did it...I ran 8 minutes twice!!! ) and next (on Wednesday) is 20 minutes of running with no walking...OMG thats a big jump from 8 to 20....soo we shall see!!! but today my heart monitor was not working accurately sooooooo sad...... its new too!!! soo I was a little distracted during my ru so I wonder if thats why I had no problem running 8 minutes twice LOL soo we shall see on Wednesday....

I hope everyone else is doing good and wmchick you can do it!!! and best of luck this school year!!!

PickyNikki

Hi C25Kers! I just joined MFP a few days ago to take control of my bad eating habits and complete lack of exercise and I think C25K would be a great program for me. I've never been much of a runner but I played soccer in high school and intervals I can do! I hope to start week 1 either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on if I'm still sore from the intervals I did today. Now that I've said hello there's no turning back, so I'm counting on you guys to hold me accountable!

quirkyone

Julie Sue, I think we're on the same schedule. I did W5D2 at the end of last week and tackled W5D3 today. I wasn't feeling well this weekend and didn't quite have the ooompf to go the full 20 minutes. I DID run over a mile straight for the first time EVER, which was awesome enough that I don't mind staying on Week 5 a bit longer! In the end I ran 13 minutes, walked 1, ran 2, walked 1, sprinted 2. I think the challenge is really mental at this point and I just wasn't quite "there" this morning.

I did feel good enough to hop in the pool for a quick 1/4 mile afterwards, so I think I'll be able to do the full 20 mintues later this week.

andeegirl, I was around 250# when I first tried C25K and just plain hated it, but I'd also never run before. Now that I'm a bit under 200#, it's much, MUCH easier! Hang in there!

meggonkgonk

I would suggest running more slowly to get past the time block. I run like a damn snails pace (between 4-5.4 mph) compared to my bf who just jumped in doing about 6-7.5, but he gets exhausted in 15 min and I finished my first 5 k distance (not a race, just the mileage) last week-- it took 40 minutes. He's all "how can you run for that long?"-- its cuz I start pretty strong and any time my body tries to convince me to stop, I slow down and make myself run for 1 more minute. you can always speed up later:flowerforyou:

andeegirl

thank you JulieSue!

PickyNikki

I did W1D1 today and it felt great! I'm really, REALLY not a runner but I'm looking at this as a challenge that I CAN tackle. I've been getting better with my calorie goal as each day goes by and I'm feeling really positive about losing the extra weight and getting in shape

dmgaloha

Week 6 Day 2 complete! (Deja Vu, anyone?)

It's been 2 weeks, but I have finally bought a new MP3 player, and started running again! I didn't figure I'd be able to run W6D3 (25 min straight) after 2 weeks off, so I decided to do the same workout as the last one I completed: 10 min run / 3 min walk / 10 min run. This was after my Pilates class, so I've had a productive evening, and starting to feel better that this may be the turning point where I get back into focusing on my health.

Great to have some new faces - welcome Nikki and Andee. Keep posting with us to share your progress - it really helps with the motivation!! It would have been so easy for me to stay off the wagon, but I knew my fellow C25k'ers were waiting for me to jump back on. It's so great to have a supportive team!

JulieSue - I am DYING to hear how your 20 minute run went!!! Quirky, it's so true about the 'mental' challenge. There were certainly some mind games going on with me tonight! Anyway, let us know how your next run goes - I know you can do it!

Meggon, I am a fellow snail: 4.7 is currently my favorite pace. A lot of people have a goal of running faster, but me, I just love being able to say "I ran for X minutes!". Eventually, I'm sure I'll start working on increasing my speed, but for now, I'm happy to be the tortoise. He did win the race, after all...

Gotta hit the showers! (Anyone else hate working out at night for the sheer annoyance of dealing with wet hair? I have long-ish hair, and don't normally use a hair dryer, but it drives me crazy to go to bed with wet hair. I toss and turn most of the night, and my hair is still damp in the morning. I guess I'll have to dig out the dryer! :grumble: )

JulieSue

Hello Everyone!!!

It is Wednesday and I DID IT!!!! I ran for 20 minutes straight!!!! ) I made myself a chart to check off when I complete things etc so I can see it at work and at home and today I wrote YAY!!!! with a smiley face.....I cant believe I did it and I felt that way when I was doing it too...I am sure it is a mind game but I started strong and finished strong in the middle I had to slow down some but since my 5K isnt til November...I am hoping I finsih these last 4 weeks then go back and work on speed and distance!!!! I am honestly just proud of myself...I never thought in a million years I could run for 5 minutes straight much less 20...now I know I dont need to get too excited becuz next Wednesday is 25 mins and it keeps going up from there!!! eeekkk but anywho I will be beginning Week 6 on Friday!!! )

DMG!!! YAY for the new MP3 player.....I love new stuff...I bought a polar hmr and its not working soo greatly when I am outdoors :0( and that makes me sad!!! but YAY and YAY for running...cant wait to hear how your week 6 day 3 goes.... )

Nikki!!! I know you can do it...I never thought I could do it either....soo just stick it out!!!

Meg....speed aint nothing but a number!!! at least you are doing it and that is more than most people in this world can say!!! soo YAY for you!!!! first comes endourance (or however you spell that) then comes speed....you can do it!!!!

Andee...your welcome!!!

Quirky....YAY we are close together!!! and way to go on the sprints...i havent tried those yet....I was only a sprinter in HS and never attmepted anything more than one to two laps....soo this is a feat that I am really enjoying and I am sure you will too!!! way to go and way for motivating me...I am planning on starting over again for speed and maybe I will throw some sprints in there too!!!

Happy Running Everyone!!!! )

clioandboy

Hi haven't posted on here for ages, I have been missing in action resting my calf / Achilles and then got back on to week 4- was a little anxious coz I really do not want to pick up an injury especially one that could prevent me walking and biking (where most of my cardio is coming from......
but hey week 4 is repeated and complete Wk 5 days 1 and 2 are completed whoop whoop,

oops day 3 today 20mins!!!!! YIKES here we go , apprehensive I must say and I have so noticed the difference between going uphill and down it sure pulls on my calf so the plan is I walk uphill for about 20mins to warm up turn around n then jog down pass my house n keep going down then walk back up as my cool down. As plans go it aint bad! I do worry that I am only going to run in one direction then have to walk back lol! but plenty of time to sort that one out!!!!

reading this thread is such an inspiration come on girlies (and chaps but aint noticed many of you) we are going to be 5kers at least! well done for work so far and good luck to all for your next runs

RushinBruisette

I DID IT!! I DID IT!!! I just completed my first 5k !!!!!!! I ran half and walked half, I made it a point to run across the finish line!! Woot woot!!! GO ME!!! I won't know official time and place til Monday, same for pics, none til Monday. HAPPY BRU DANCE!!!!

I could not have done it without everyone's support, thank you sooooo very much!!!! Bru

jrkingery

I DID IT!! I DID IT!!! I just completed my first 5k !!!!!!! I ran half and walked half, I made it a point to run across the finish line!! Woot woot!!! GO ME!!! I won't know official time and place til Monday, same for pics, none til Monday. HAPPY BRU DANCE!!!!

I could not have done it without everyone's support, thank you sooooo very much!!!! Bru

Congrats on the 5K run! Thats a great accomplishment!

I've yet to do anything competitive but I've upped my workout routine to five days a week now. I'm to the point that I can maintain a 7MPH (8.5 minute mile) pace pretty much indefinitely and am going to push the speed up to 7.5 MPH (8 minute mile) probably next week and see how it goes from there. I've stuck with the 30 minute run time but have been gradually increasing my speed over the past few weeks starting from 6MPH (10 minute mile) after graduation.

I never would have believed it on week two or three of the C25K program but here I am!

To those of you still working your way through the program toward graduation. Don't give up! If I can do it then you CAN do it!

Hoosiermomma

Gonna jump in here if I may. I have started the Couch to 5K a couple weeks ago. I am on week 3 but really have had to jump ahead. For some reason my pod casts have been disappearing from my I-pod after a couple runs. :ohwell: Weird, huh?? anyone else have this? So far I have been able to keep up. Hopefully that doesn't happen for me at a real critical point!! :laugh:

I plan to run tomorrow for my second day of week 3. I'm having a bit of a pirifomis (butt muscle) issue. Usually feels best to keep moving. It's the sitting that does me in! And here I am at my computer! Thanks for letting me be a part. That will be a big day when I can run a 5K!!

Cheilsea

I just came across this today actually and am starting tomorrow morning. I'm so excited about it!

RushinBruisette

Just got the results of the race...out off all the females, I was 50 out of 71. That's just the females, they do not have a current list of men and women combined. I finished at 44:24 and I averaged a 14:19min mile walk/run and my friend Bernie was 10sec after me! First 5k for both of us Woot Woot!!

PickyNikki

Hi guys! Congrats on everyone's hard work and double congrats Brunette on your first 5k! I haven't been around in a few days but I'm still sticking with the program! I completed week 1 last week and am doing W2D1 tonight. I had a long weekend of bad eating choices and no exercise and I am really looking forward to shaking that off tonight when I run Keep it up everyone!

mrsrunnerchick

Couch to 5k is how I learned to run. I completed my first marathon 1.5 years after starting couch to 5k so it definitely works.

clioandboy

Hi there runners! I am an aspiring 5ker BUT I have a problem, I am getting injured in my right calf EVERY time I am running uphill. I had to take a 4 week break during week 3, and now after 18 mins of my wk 5 day 3 run it went again AS SOON AS I WENT UPHILL, I wasn't out of breath infect I was feeling great and then I was devastated, so what to do now, give up the running and just walk..... Or repeat and repeat week 4 when my injury is mended.... How do I sort this problem of my r calf I thought it was the Achilles but it is deep in my calf muscle about halfway up , is v painful and lasts ages!

Please help! Thanks in advance!

quirkyone

Well, I still haven't done my W5D5, but I've definitely been running! Last week I ran my first-ever full mile (11:30 min), so the next session I thought "why not try for two?". I did, both at the same pace, with a 5 minutes walking in between. Then Saturday I headed out to a local park with a .9 mile loop. I did a 5 min warmup walk, then ran to my starting point, walked 1 min, ran the loop to the same spot again, walked another minute, then finished my final loop running. That was *close* to a 5K (about 2.7 miles) and it took me under 35 minutes.

Of course, I'm not sure where this leaves me for C25K. I'm very content with my current plan to walk about 1-2 min of each mile I run, and feel that's a very reasonable way to complete a 5K. I'm going to keep running for speed and increase stamina, but now that I know I CAN do it, I don't feel nearly as motivated to push myself to run the full thing.

Anyone else swim? I'm seriously looking into aquathlons for next summer. I don't mind biking, but really don't want to invest in the equipment, so triathlons are out. I'm trying to up my swim training on my non-run days to prepare.

So far this week:
Sat 9/18: 2.7 miles, 5 min warmup walk, 28 min jogging with 2 x 1 min walk breaks
Sun 9/19: 1 mile swim
Mon 9/20: 5 mile bike, 1 mile run, 1/4 mile swim
Tues 9/21: REST!

EmilyV80

I haven't posted on here much but I started C25K at the end of June and I'm on my last week! Tomorrow will be my last official run. I am so proud of myself and I have to say, I am actually enjoying running now! I usually run on the treadmill but over the weekend I ran my three miles outside and finished in 32 minutes! It was such a great feeling. I'm doing my first 5K next month! Now I'm not too sure what to do next.

sgcorrie

Before I took a week vacation, I was on week 6. I was struggling with my stamina, but little walking breaks help.

Now I'm afraid to try again! What if I can't pull off 25 minutes anymore?

wmchick81

I have definitely temporarily at least quit the C25K. I just couldn't get past Week 5 Day 2. I haven't quit for good; actually I'd like to start the program where I left off. I have been running/walking intervals on the treadmill. It alternates from 3.0 to 6.5 to 4.0 up to 8.5. I have no problem doing that and actually enjoy it. I found I was just getting so bored during my 8 minute run that I was watching the time countdown on my iPod. I think I was probably trying to go too fast for the entire time. 6.0+ which isn't really fast~ but it sure feels that way after 4-5 minutes.

jrkingery

I haven't posted on here much but I started C25K at the end of June and I'm on my last week! Tomorrow will be my last official run. I am so proud of myself and I have to say, I am actually enjoying running now! I usually run on the treadmill but over the weekend I ran my three miles outside and finished in 32 minutes! It was such a great feeling. I'm doing my first 5K next month! Now I'm not too sure what to do next.

Gateway to 8K!

Umpire57

Today was Week 5 Day 2 for me and Friday is a 20 min non-stop. That should be interesting. - What is funny is I have went 2 hours before non-stop on the elliptical and not be as wore out as I am trying this.

EmilyV80

I haven't posted on here much but I started C25K at the end of June and I'm on my last week! Tomorrow will be my last official run. I am so proud of myself and I have to say, I am actually enjoying running now! I usually run on the treadmill but over the weekend I ran my three miles outside and finished in 32 minutes! It was such a great feeling. I'm doing my first 5K next month! Now I'm not too sure what to do next.

Gateway to 8K!

This is perfect! Thank you!

Hoosiermomma

Did a couple more days of C25K. Tomorrow I start week 4. I am running a little less than 6 mph and walking about 4.5. Wonder if I can keep up the pace when the runs get longer! Love hearing about you who made the 5 K! That is awesome. Keeps me going!

dmgaloha

wmchick, I am right there with you ... I haven't kept up the consistency in running, and can't seem to get past W6D2. My last run was a disaster. I could barely run 5 min, let alone 25! I ended up increasing the incline on the treadmill and walked instead. I'm a bit discouraged - I probably need to backup and re-do a few days to get back any losses I've suffered over the last few weeks.

quirkyone

So I wasn't sure what I'd be doing when I started my run today. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I might do my W5D3 run. It's less overall than I've been running, but more in one burst. I ended up doing 2 miles straight at a slower speed (5.0 MPH), for a total of 24 minutes running. I took a 2 minute walk break, then finished up my first time going a full 5K with another jog. Total time was a smidge over 40 minutes.

I printed up a copy of a different 5K program a while ago (Prevention Magazine's, maybe?) and it has the first day of the final week as run 25 minutes/walk 2/run 5. That means I almost did a workout from the FINAL week?! I'm going to try the same thing again later this week and if it goes OK, heck, I'm going with the program that I've apparently almost finished! :-P

So far this week:
Sat 9/18: 2.7 miles - 5 min warmup walk, 28 min jog with 2 x 1 min walk breaks
Sun 9/19: 1 mile swim
Mon 9/20: 5 mile bike, 1 mile jog, 1/4 mile swim
Tues 9/21: REST!
Wed 9/22: 3.1 miles - 5 min warmup walk, 24 min jog, 2 min walk, 9 min jog

amysj303

hi, MFPs! I decided to move onto Gateway to 8k, my first day was Monday and it went well. I am sure there will be a week that I get hung up on, like Week 7 of C25K, but I like having a program and think I can work on speed while increasing my distance. Anybody graduating soon who wants to join me on G28K?

wmchick81

Attempted W5D2 for the umpteenth time and actually finished it. I stopped for water half way through the first 8 minutes but did NOT stop during the second 8 minutes. Funny thing is I thought it was 3 8 minute runs. Thank goodness it wasn't. I did a total of 4.3 miles in my 45 minutes on the treadmill. After doing my 31 minutes of C25K, I did intervals from 3.0-9.0mph. Definitely am not ready to try running for 20 minutes though.