Couch to 5k Anyone?

RushinBruisette

HELP!!!!
I'm seriously struggling with C25K. I started the programme a week ago and had trouble completing all the running sections and on the third day pulled my inner thigh muscle on the first run cycle then walked the rest of the programme. I started w1d1 all over again today and only managed 4 of the 9 runs. I feel like I'm going to be on week 1 forever!
In my pre-fat life I was a really good runner so I'm now getting really frustrated with myself and my tredmill. Does anyone have any tips they can give, or motivation?

Best bet, take you time. Maybe slow down a bit more, don't push too hard. I had a friend that took 3weeks to finish the first week. It's ok to have to repeat a week. Listen to your body. Also, if you are on facebook, search for Couch to 5k and coolrunning as they both have fan pages and often post tips. Hope this helps a little bit.

RushinBruisette

So, one more day til graduation!!!! I think I'm taking off tomorrow and gonna finish up Wednesday. I have 2 friends that want to start the plan in a few weeks, so I told them I'd start it with them again. This whole time I've been outside and by myself, well, my droid and I. Not sure how it will be with two people, the one I haven't seen in a year and the other is an old friends new girlfriend I recently met. Both want to talk, a lot...I can't run and talk! Maybe a quick 'Ok ladies, 10more sec' or so but that's about it. I didn't go very far tomday, seems like I'm getting slower the longer the run gets. I haven't made it to 3miles yet, but again, I'm taking it slow, but I remember a time not too long ago when I couldn't run past 60sec without thinking I would get sick. Can't wait to post my official graduation See ya all soon!! XoxoxoX Bru

amysj303

Ok, so I did Week 7 Day 3 on Saturday but there was a festival setting up on my route so I turned around, it was about halfway anyway, but I don't think I ran for 25 mins straight. today I will try for the 28 minutes but if I can't I will keep repeating week 7 until I can go 25 mins.

kelly_a

hey all..completed W8D1! I still can't believe I am doing this!!:happy: I am looking forward to graduation day as well!!

Bru ~ Many yrs ago I walked with a friend that talked. It was very frustrating for me and I was always in a bad mood when I returned home b/c I didn't get the workout I had intended. Anyway, it worsened so bad that a few times I became ill afterwards, nauseated, lightheaded. My cardiologist told me I was getting dehydrated from all the talking while walking! :huh: HEY, you're doing awesome!!

jr ~ Yay!! you did it!! Don't you feel amazing!! I am so happy for you! Do you have any races lined up? What's next on your exercise goals?

those struggling....Like Bru said, take your time with this. There is no need to hurry. Support IS necessary! just focus on your run for that day...don't worry about next week.

skittles ~ LOVE the chart idea and the big ol X's and anything to keep motivated!!

Keep at it folks.....you will finish someday and soon be able to share your C25K journey!!:bigsmile:

mamagooskie

I just finished week 8 day 1 too!! I was so proud of myself, I never ever have been able to run even like up the stairs without almost dying so this is amazing to me.......next week is going to be a breeze too......then once I'm done the 9th week I'm going to go back and work on speed and who knows where I'll go from there.

jrkingery

I've decided to hold off on continuing to the gateway to 8K program for now and instead work on speeding up my runs. I'm going to stick with the 30 minute final run time but try to extend the distance I run. I'm also now doing the 30 day shred 3 days a week along with running 3 days a week.

I don't have any races lined up yet. But I'm looking forward to the 5K charity runs my company hosts several times per year. Between those and the ones Walt Disney World has for charity I'll be running several races over the course of the next few months. I just want to get my time down a bit first so i can make a good showing.

To those of you nearing graduation keep at it! It's a great sense of accomplishment when you finish that final 30 minute run , especially if you manage to cover more than the alloted 3 miles in that time!! If I can start running again after 20 years and finish the program you can too!

EmilyV80

I did week 4 day 1 yesterday. It is still going really well. I'm surprised at myself. I'm only running at 5.0 but I figure once I get the duration up, I can work on speed.

amysj303

I did not do week 8 day 1 last night as planned. I got a spray tan for my trip to the Oregon coast and couldn't sweat for 12 hours. I will have to do my running Tues, Thurs, Sat this week. Thurs and Saturday will be in Oregon, maybe on the beach, can't wait!

dmgaloha

asjerven - that is the best excuse I have ever heard for not exercising!! :laugh:

wmchick81

Didn't think I would make it, but I am proud to say I survived Week 4 Day 1!!! I started all my runs at 5.5mph and worked up. At one point I even did 9.0mph (even though it was only 10 seconds). I set the treadmill for an hour and put my Couch 2 5K in the middle of the time, so that I burn more calories and get a longer workout. Toward the end, I ran for 60 second intervals at 8.0mph. I felt great when I was done.

RushinBruisette

Well, happy Bru dance time!!! I officially graduated tonight!!! I never thought that I'd be able to complete this plan without repeating any days/weeks. I feel so great finishing this!! I now plan to start it over again in about 2weeks and work on speed. Keep going to those who are still going, you will feel great by the end, sweaty, but great!

RushinBruisette

Well, happy Bru dance time!!! I officially graduated tonight!!! I never thought that I'd be able to complete this plan without repeating any days/weeks. I feel so great finishing this!! I now plan to start it over again in about 2weeks and work on speed. Keep going to those who are still going, you will feel great by the end, sweaty, but great!

Here's my blog on it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BrunetteWife/view/could-you-graduate-in-9weeks-i-did-33877

jrkingery

Well, happy Bru dance time!!! I officially graduated tonight!!! I never thought that I'd be able to complete this plan without repeating any days/weeks. I feel so great finishing this!! I now plan to start it over again in about 2weeks and work on speed. Keep going to those who are still going, you will feel great by the end, sweaty, but great!

Congratulations!
Keep it up!

I'm working on upping my speed now too. I ran an 8 minute mile this morning then finished out the other two miles at a 10 minute per mile pace.

dmgaloha

:drinker: CONGRATULATIONS BRU!!! :drinker: **happy dance** :drinker:

Wmchick81 – I am so glad to hear you survived Week 4, Day 1! It’s coming up on Saturday for me! Although I will be running at a snail’s pace compared to you - I’m still working myself up to 5.0! (As an aside, do you get a lot of people telling you that you look like Piper Perabo? Or is it just this particular picture of you? I seriously thought you were posting a celebrity picture for privacy reasons until I looked at your other photos! Who needs to post celeb pics, when you look so amazing yourself! :happy: )

jr – way to go on increasing your speeds!

I completed Week 3 this morning. I didn’t enjoy it, but I did it.

wmchick81

Wmchick81 – I am so glad to hear you survived Week 4, Day 1! It’s coming up on Saturday for me! Although I will be running at a snail’s pace compared to you - I’m still working myself up to 5.0! (As an aside, do you get a lot of people telling you that you look like Piper Perabo? Or is it just this particular picture of you? I seriously thought you were posting a celebrity picture for privacy reasons until I looked at your other photos! Who needs to post celeb pics, when you look so amazing yourself! :happy: )

I was so happy to survive. Before I started, I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it. I have to come enjoy the "high" I get from completing each session!! I have never been told that before. I have heard Jessica Simpson and Hayden Panettiere which are the two celebs I used for facebook celeb look a like week. :-) I wouldn't mind looking like Piper though :-) Gotta love Coyote Ugly!

dmgaloha

Earin, I guess Piper came to mind first, as I've been watching her new tv show Covert Affairs the last few weeks. And yes, I can totally see the Jessica resemblance for sure. I'll let you know how I do on my Week 4 run later this week!

wmchick81

What is Covert Affairs about? I might have to check it out. I do like her. When I was in college, I worked at the tanning bed and people would come in a lot and say you know who you look like. :-) I guess I am glad they picked someone pretty. Let me know what you think about Week 4. I don't know if I'll be able to do more than 5 minutes of running straight. Good thing I have two more days of Week 4!

kelly_a

Well, happy Bru dance time!!! I officially graduated tonight!!! I never thought that I'd be able to complete this plan without repeating any days/weeks. I feel so great finishing this!! I now plan to start it over again in about 2weeks and work on speed. Keep going to those who are still going, you will feel great by the end, sweaty, but great!

Good job Bru!! Congratulations!! Couch to 5K Graduate! :drinker: Yay, you did it!

kelly_a

I'm working on upping my speed now too. I ran an 8 minute mile this morning then finished out the other two miles at a 10 minute per mile pace.

Awesome!! You are a running machine! I am still working on a 10 min mile :ohwell: encouraging and a real challenge!

kelly_a

W8D2 completed!! can't believe how drenched in sweat I am during and after! :sick: but a good kinda :sick: .....:bigsmile: My distance and cals burned increased from Monday!! improving!

everybody......no matter what week you're on, keep pushing forward....you are doing a great job and nothing can stop you now!! You're gonna do this!! Woot woot! :happy:

jendykstra67

I just finished w3d2, but I had to walk the last half of my second 3-minute run. I am really disappointed that I wasn't able to do the whole thing. I have been sick with a stomach virus, so I think that's why I felt so weak. Hopefully when I do day 3 on Friday I'll be feeling better.

gmchevere

So I'm in decent shape, but there's no way I could run a 5k. The most I've ever run at once is 2.5 miles and I felt like death after. When I run (which is rare) I just run 1-1.5 miles. I wanted to try C25K, but I feel as though the first few weeks might be a little slow. Would it be okay to start the program on week 3, or is really a good idea to do the whole thing?

mamagooskie

I think you could start at week 3 for sure especially if you already run.

I am a never before runner and I did week 8 day 2 today.....I even upped my speed a bit for extra calorie burn

gmchevere

Alright, I'm gonna give it a shot, starting at week 3!

JulieSue

Hey guys!!! I cant believe I found this group!!! I love couch to 5K (although I have taken a few breaks from it and am only on week 2) but I am planning on restarting couch to 5k with my new iphone app on August 5th!!! ) and now I have a place to log it!!!

when I figured out that in week 1 I was only really running 8 minutes and walking 22...I was pouring the sweat but only burned like x amount of calories...did anyone else feel like that was not right?? or am I just nuts???

I just sat here and read a bunch of your posts and am soo excited to have this group!!! I hope ya'll are just as excited as me!!!

jendykstra67

Julie Sue,

I wonder if we're burning more calories than we think we are because we're alternating walking and running. I've read that alternating helps you to burn more calories. I'm on week 3 and I've been consistently losing about a pound a week even though a lot of times I eat more than my calories for the day, so I must be doing something right!

Jen

wmchick81

I agree with Julie Sue. You would think you would burn more calories because of the change in heart rate. I just bought a heart rate monitor (Polar F6) off ebay, so I will have to see if the calories match.

kelly_a

I bought a HRM in March of '09 for that reason alone....and was surprised to learn that I WAS burning MORE than what MFP would say. This increased my calorie level, so prior to getting one, I was under my daily total. I wear it all the time when I exercise, even push mow! It is the Polar F6...I love it! I can look at it and know if I under-at-above my target heart rate OR at what % of my HR I am at. I would suggest getting a HRM if possible...or maybe even reward yourself with one down the road. The ones with the chest strap are more accurate as well. good luck everyone...get off that couch and start 5King it!

wmchick81

Kelly- I had read great things about the Polar F6 so that's why I ordered that one. I can't wait to see what it says after my workout.

Finished (barely) Week 4 Day 2- although it was the same workout as day 1, I had a much harder time today. I couldn't keep my speed at 6.0 or higher for the runs. I was okay with the 3 minutes, but the 5 minute jogs were killing me. My feet were hurting even though I was wearing the same shoes I've been using.

JulieSue

yeah I heard the same thing about interval running like going from running to walking and so forth and I am completely drenched in sweat when I run!! no matter if its outside or inside...so I am now looking into the ploar f6 heart monitor wih the chest strap after reading soo many good things about it on here!! i actually just might go ahead nad get it but its not so cheaply LOL but if it helps me then it will be WELL worth it!!! )

I am headed to FLA today and will be home Wednesday the 4th and that is when I am starting the couch to 5k program again!!! I think I am going to take some advice that I read on here and make myself a sticker chart soo I can place a sticker on each day when I finish it !!! YAY!!! LOL I think I am going to do couch to 5k along side ChaLEAN Extreme!!! sooo we will see wish me luck!!! I need to do this and I want to do this and I am signed up for my first 5k in November soo I need to get trained and READY!!!!