Couch to 5k Anyone?

1679111217

Replies

  • gmchevere
    gmchevere Posts: 11
    Screwed up a little today. OOPS!

    I have a C25K app on my iPod Touch, and I guess I pressed the wrong day. I'm on day 2 of week 3, but I pressed day 2 week 6!!! I did the 5 minute warm up, then started running and got suspicious around 7:30 when I was still running (the first interval is supposed to be a minutes and a half...) When I noticed I mistake, I went back and selected the right day and then started with the first 90 second walking interval. So I was a little off (cause I stopping moving all together to fix this), but since I ran extra on accident, I'll count that as a successful run!
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
    W8D3 completed today. Went a lot better than D1 & D2. I also had 2 days of rest from D2 to D3....might be something to that 2-day rest theory....Anyway, ready for W9 and graduation day!

    Keep at it you guys....you're doing great no matter what week you are on!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I think I am going to start this week back with week 7, I never was able to run a consistent 25 minutes-well, just once and that was week 6 day 3 on the treadmill. I ran Monday last week, I don't think it was 28 minutes straight, then I ran on the beach in Oregon Thursday and that was hard! I am kinda bummed not to move forward, I guess I will just see how it goes and if I can run the 28 minutes I'll start with week 8 again.
  • jendykstra67
    jendykstra67 Posts: 252 Member
    I've completed w3d2, but I haven't run since Wednesday. So I'm not sure if I should just start week 3 all over again tomorrow, or if I should do w3d3 tomorrow and start week 4 on Wednesday. What do you all do if you miss workout days?
  • nikki_zav
    nikki_zav Posts: 320 Member
    Hi All. I had commented on this thread a ways back and glad to see everyone is going so well with C25K! I was doing great with it then had a skydiving injury over 4th of July weekend.

    Last week, started back on week 3 and moved back up to W4D1 tonight. I was a little hungover today, so went a little slower than I would have liked, but still made it through. I'm also doubling up on every run, so really did two rounds of W4D1 tonight, went 3.5 miles in 47 minutes! Feels great to burn all those cals and love looking at my HRM after a run to see over 600 burned!

    Happy running!
  • nikki_zav
    nikki_zav Posts: 320 Member
    Jendy,

    I would continue with your next run and see how it goes if you need to repeat another day or not before moving on to W4. I've gone back and repeated weeks a lot. From reading plenty of C25K threads, a lot of people end up doing this for various reasons. IMO, it doesn't matter how fast you finish it or if you repeat weeks, more it's a matter of getting out there and running!!
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
    Week 9 Day 1 DONE!! it went pretty good, altho I need to work on speed, and I plan on doing that when I am finished w/C25K.

    Jendy, I agree with nikki...just try it and see how it goes. I missed a whole week and took the next workout slow, and did not have to repeat a week, but I would have been done LAST week. Go by how you feel....listen to your body. There is nothing wrong with repeating weeks or doing days over....I actually think it's more beneficial. Distance or speed can wait for when your body is fully ready and your bones are strong.

    Keep at it folks!! you're doing great!
  • wmchick81
    wmchick81 Posts: 273
    I repeated Week 4 Day 2 today because I had to walk in the middle of one of my 5 minute runs. I was able to complete the full thing today but did start my running speed at 5.5 and then slowly moved up the speed as the 5 minutes progressed. I am still setting the treadmill for a total of 60 minutes. I walk for the first 10, do the program, then alternate walking and running intervals for the last 20 minutes. I ran at 6.0 mph for a minute, walked, then ran 7.0 mph for a 90 seconds, walked, then ran at 8.0 for 90 seconds, walked, and ended with 30 seconds of 9.0 before walking the last three minutes.

    My Polar F6 came in the mail today, so I'm anxious to see how many calories I am actually burning in the hour!
  • Just checkin' in with my progress!

    I started last week, starting on week 3 because I'm already in okay shape. Week 3 Day 1 was mildly difficult, but by W3D3, I was feeling AWESOME! I have tried running in the past by trying to push myself to run a quarter mile longer each time I ran, but it did not work well, and made me want to give up. This program is designed very well. Looking forward to starting Week 4 Day 1 on Wednesday!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I ran most of 3 miles last night. I started back to week 7 day 1. I was running outside so there were times when I had to stop for stop lights, crosswalks, or when it started to rain and I had to put on my jacket, but overall I think it went alright.
  • dmgaloha
    dmgaloha Posts: 467 Member
    Hey everyone - I went to my mom's on the weekend, since my sister was home for a visit. She convinced me to go for a bike ride on Saturday morning as an alternative to my c25k W4D1 workout. It was my first time on a bike since I was a teenager. It was a nice change. So I had planned on just skipping this run, and continuing with W4D2 to stay on track.

    However, on Monday, I should have been running again, but it was a holiday here, and I was so supremely lazy that I did not run. I forced myself to go to Pilates tonight, in the hopes it would jolt me out of this funk. I should be running tomorrow morning - I guess I'd better get to bed so that I can't use a late night as an excuse. According to the calendar, this should be W4D3, but really it will only be W4D1... I think I should just focus on the next workout W4D1, even if they are spread out more than they should be... (I think it was SillySkittles with the sticker calendar's plan?)
  • dmgaloha
    dmgaloha Posts: 467 Member
    I got up early, and attempted W4D1. I say 'attempted' as I did not quite complete the planned workout.

    Instead of doing R3 / W1.5 / R5 / W2.5 / R3 / W1.5 / R5;
    it was more like R3 / W2 / R5 / W3 / R2 / W3 / R4.

    I extended and slowed down my walks, as I was really struggling, and even then, I couldn't finish my last two runs. I wasn't even going to attempt the last 5 minute interval, but I had the radio on, and a Black Eyed Peas song came on, so I decided to run for at least the length of the song... So, in the end, my running time didn't turn out too bad - I skipped 1 min on each of the last two runs, so I'm only out 2 min. I just hope that Saturday will be easier!

    Jen / Earin - how are you ladies doing with Week 4?
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    (I think it was SillySkittles with the sticker calendar's plan?)

    You would NOT believe how motivating it is to keep a chart with check marks, stickers and gold stars. Now, I can NOT rest if I don't have a check mark on one of the run days of the week that I'm on. The days that were harder to run or that I had to repeat a few times got HUGE smiley faces or victorious words *LOL*

    yeah.jpg

    I have this hanging up at my desk at work where a bunch of people can see it too. My co-workers enjoy hearing my progress, so it also ups the accountability factor when I know there are people expecting to see a check mark on a run day!

    DM, YEEEEAH for your run!!! Congrats everyone!
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    P.S. I finished Week 8, Day 1 yesterday!

    For fun, I went back on my blog while on lunch yesterday and started reading my entries from when I first started thinking about starting C25K and it was a really good idea for me. It's so uplifting and motivating to read about how I couldn't even IMAGINE being able to run 60 seconds (and then later on actually NOT being able to - I had to quit the last 60 second jog interval when I first started W1D1!) and then to see how far I've actually come!

    I have actual entries where I was so scared silly to go out and do another day of running because I was finding it SO HARD, so going back and reading that just makes me feel really proud of myself and actually gets me wanting to GO FOR A RUN! *LOL* So really, for everyone who's just starting it, KEEP IT UP! Like they say about "nothing tasting as good as skinny feels", nothing feels better than finding out how far you've come from something that felt so challenging!
  • I got up early, and attempted W4D1. I say 'attempted' as I did not quite complete the planned workout.

    Instead of doing R3 / W1.5 / R5 / W2.5 / R3 / W1.5 / R5;
    it was more like R3 / W2 / R5 / W3 / R2 / W3 / R4.

    I extended and slowed down my walks, as I was really struggling, and even then, I couldn't finish my last two runs. I wasn't even going to attempt the last 5 minute interval, but I had the radio on, and a Black Eyed Peas song came on, so I decided to run for at least the length of the song... So, in the end, my running time didn't turn out too bad - I skipped 1 min on each of the last two runs, so I'm only out 2 min. I just hope that Saturday will be easier!

    Jen / Earin - how are you ladies doing with Week 4?

    Jumping in because I just finished Week 4 Day 1 too.

    Don't feel bad about struggling. I just barely did it myself. I have to say, Week 3 Day 3 is a big jump to Week 4 Day 1! I bet you'll get it next time!!
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
    W9D2 completed!! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! One more to go! It will either be Friday or Saturday. I am gonna work on a faster mile starting next week.

    Skittles...I wish I had done a sticker, check mark, & gold star chart! Visuals really help me! I am thinking of startiing JM 30 Shred next week..so the chart would be great for that! love the idea! **thanks**:bigsmile:

    I think writing your feelings down about the whole process is very motivating! just to go back and feel those emotions again....and to see now how far you have come!! POWERFUL!! keep it up everyone....you're doing great and soon you will be finished and very proud!! :happy:
  • wmchick81
    wmchick81 Posts: 273
    Skittles- I love your calendar!!! I haven't gotten around to do doing it, but I am repeating days I can't complete entirely. (any day I pause or walk in a run, I am repeating) I just finished W4D3 today and was very proud to see my HRM say I burned quite a bit more calories than the treadmill said. I am scared to move on to week 5. It is hard enough to get through the 5 minute jog let alone an even longer run!!!
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    W9D2 completed!! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! One more to go! It will either be Friday or Saturday. I am gonna work on a faster mile starting next week.

    HAPPY C25K graduation week!!!!!!! That's so awesome! Can't wait to hear from you after you finish W9D3!

    wmchick81, I also keep repeating days that I don't run through completely. I had to do W5D3 several times. I couldn't fathom such a big jump, from 8 minutes to 20 straight through! But once I finally finished day three, it was hard for me to go back to intervals in week 6. I was finding once I stopped for a walk, it was harder to get going again. The other thing that I thought to motivate me to keep going is that I would tell myself that if I took time to stop running, I would have to repeat the WHOLE day again from the beginning, so I might as well keep going!

    Good luck with week 5 and good luck to everyone else on your C25K journey! I can't believe I'm almost finished with this...for someone who starts many things and never sees anything through to the end, this is definitely a turning point for me.

    Wherever you are in the program, you should definitely feel PROUD of yourselves!!! YAY US!
  • JulieSue
    JulieSue Posts: 242 Member
    I am starting this program this weekend....soo I just have a quick question...if you do this program more than three times a week is that bad (I mean I know its not but which days to repeat or what??) or for best results is it good to just do toher things on other days?? LIke for example if I am going to run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays shoudl I do other things on the other days or what???
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    actually, JulieSue, the program says do not do it more than three days per week, the problem is working up slowly so you do not get injured or your body doesn't "rebel". I don't do any other exercise, some people do. it says "It's easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. Don't try to do more, even if you feel you can"
    and
    "Be sure to space out these three days throughout the week to give yourself a chance to rest and recover between efforts. And don't worry about how fast you're going. Running faster can wait until your bones are stronger and your body is fitter."
  • JulieSue
    JulieSue Posts: 242 Member
    ok thanks so much!!! for the answer!!! i will just do it that way and follow the program!!! I am looking to lose some weight so I wanna workout more than 3 times a week...soo I think I will do 3 different things at the same time and it will be 3 different things...thanks so much!!!!
  • wmchick81
    wmchick81 Posts: 273
    I do the Couch 25K three times a week. On my off days, I either do the elliptical for an hour or do the shred. I can't take whole days off.
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
    I do the Couch 25K three times a week. On my off days, I either do the elliptical for an hour or do the shred. I can't take whole days off.

    I graduated the C25K program but still run 3 miles 3 times a week, do the 30 day shred two days a week, and run the stairs (20 flights X2) one day a week.

    I take one day off with no scheduled exercise, other than pushing my lawn mower around the yard for an hour. :tongue:
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    The running did not go that well last night, I started to walk after 15 minutes and then when I tried to run again I had this horrible pain in my abdomen. I would walk until it went away, then try running again but it always came back. I wish I hadn't let myself start walking! that was supposed to be back to week 7...
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    The running did not go that well last night, I started to walk after 15 minutes and then when I tried to run again I had this horrible pain in my abdomen. I would walk until it went away, then try running again but it always came back. I wish I hadn't let myself start walking! that was supposed to be back to week 7...

    Awww, I hate that feeling! Everytime I end up stopping, I'm always mad at myself because later on, I have a hard time getting going again. Nowadays, when I feel like I want to stop, I just remind myself that if I do, I would just have to do the WHOLE RUN again the next day from the beginning, as opposed to just keeping going from where I already am at the moment. That's usually enough to keep me going because I don't want to run again the next day! *LOL* When that doesn't work I start to ask myself some questions that my friend used to tell me to keep me going.

    She had said that puking, passing out or dying are the only three good reasons to stop (obviously this isn't ACTUAL advice for everyone LOL). So when I used to look close to quitting, she would ask me if I was going to puke or pass out or die...if the answer was no, then I had to keep going, etc. I have to employ a lot of tricky mind techniques for myself to keep going. My mind would rather be sitting on the couch so it always starts trying to convince me I want to stop just when I've gotten started or it zeroes in on something uncomfortable and I have to really force myself NOT to focus on whatever it is that's uncomfortable (ie. tight calves).

    But there are good days and there are bad days. Last week, for Day 1, I felt like I was running with wings on my shoes it all felt so easy, Day 2, I had to decrease my treadmill to ZERO and practically trudge myself through it. It felt so hard that I thought I was going to quit and when I ended up finishing it, I almost burst into tears in front of whoever was at the gym!

    *hugs* Here's to a better next day run!
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
    C25K Graduate!! Yay! I did it! I feel so happy right now...I want to call and tell everyone! Actually, what I also want to say, is I feel better than I ever have....at 44. Forty-Four! I was never out for sports and was just a rah-rah cheerleader back in the early '80's...even cheer leading is more active nowadays! I will continue on with my jogging routine. I want to improve my mile times and am looking for a 5K to run this fall, my first EVER! Gonna increase the incline of my treadmill and pick up the speed a little....jogging does NOT stop for this gal...

    So, for those of you at this, no matter what week, just starting, struggling, even considering it, DO. NOT. GIVE. UP. However long it takes.....you will feel much respect for your body when you cross that finish line!

    You really CAN do this and you really WILL finish it.....no matter how long it takes! One of my mantra's was...go....just go....just KEEP going. DO NOT STOP. It became more mental towards the end....

    Good luck everyone! I know everything you are feeling, thinking, just keep hanging on..... soon you will be on that last and final day with a huge smile in your heart!:bigsmile:
  • jrkingery
    jrkingery Posts: 107 Member
    Congratulations Kelly_a! Way to go!

    The rest of you still working your way through the program, keep at it! If I can start running again at 42 after dropping in excess of 70 pounds and make it through then so can you!

    I remember week 1, wondering how long could a minute possibly be, maybe the guy who made the podcast fell asleep, maybe he's lying and it's really been 3 minutes.. etc.

    Now here I am, running three miles a day, three days a week, and it's FUN!
  • kelly_a
    kelly_a Posts: 2,010 Member
    Now here I am, running three miles a day, three days a week, and it's FUN!
    :drinker:
  • dmgaloha
    dmgaloha Posts: 467 Member
    Ack! I didn't do my scheduled run on Saturday; and I went to bed late last night, so I slept in this morning instead of getting up early and running. So now I need to force myself to run tonight, so that I don't get too far off-track. I'm considering letting myself run the W3 workout again, because W4 has me so freaked out. Where I didn't quite complete my first attempt at it last week, I feel like somewhere in the back of my head a little kid's voice is saying "well, I don't want to play then!". Plus I was PMS'ing all weekend (sorry for over-sharing, boys)... (*frustrated growl*) :mad:

    I am at that all-important cross-road: am I going to quit? or am I going to keep at it?!
  • RushinBruisette
    RushinBruisette Posts: 2,109 Member
    Congrats kelly_a!!! Such a great feeling huh?

    Keep it up to those who haven't quite graduated yet...it's so good to get that sense of accomplishment!

    Well, I've taken off a week for some rest (well, just from C25k, I did plenty of exercises) as last week was my bday. I call in tonight to see about Jury Duty, depending on that will depend on how soon I start C25k again. I'm not sure if I will start completely over (was suppose to have a friend joining me, but her school schedule is rough) so I'm thinking about starting from week 5 or 6. Not sure just yet.

    Anyway, Congrats again kelly and good luck to all still going at it, you will get there!!

    XoxoxoX Bru
This discussion has been closed.