Couch to 5K Running Program (C25K)

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C25k: It begins again!

TeachTheGirl
TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
edited December 2024 in Social Groups
(Week One, Day One.)

I started C25k a few months ago and found I couldn't keep up with the program due to my commitments to my children. Now my son is in Kindergarten, I'm starting again. (I felt bad expecting him to keep up or telling him to stand on the stroller as we jogged!)

I have a few questions.

~ When I hit week 2 last time, I had awful shin splints which made completing the run difficult. Any way I can prevent this?
~ Is there an easy way to log calories burned via C25k here on MFP without wearing a HRM?

Thanks and I look forward to updating this thread periodically!

Replies

  • kimpossible471
    kimpossible471 Posts: 268 Member
    Good for you getting back on it. Starting is the hardest part.

    Shin splints - I had these too. Some of it passes with time as the muscles strengthen. I did a LOT of walking before starting the program - 4-5 miles several times a week, which helped strengthen some of that up. The ones I had in the early weeks would subside within a few hours of finishing the workout and became less pronounced with time. I had additional issues with them when I got to the longer runs - around week 6 or so. Ended up getting some inserts for my shoes for more arch support, which alleviated them nearly alltogether. Otherwise, ice and compression. I also had a friend recommend compression socks to wear during running - he had a great deal of success with them relieving shin splints. I never tried that though.

    Calories burned - if you are running with a smart phone - look into the Nike+ app. It will use your pace & weight to calculate calorie burn, and factor in the varying pace of the intervals. I have also used jog log - which has the voice prompts, and will give you average speed over the entire workout. Early on, I used that average pace and logged it as walking in MFP.

    Good luck!
  • jessc4343
    jessc4343 Posts: 214 Member
    I don't know what to tell you about shin splints but to track my cardio done with C25K, I downloaded the free app JogTracker (& more recently Endomondo). Assuming you have a phone with GPS capabilities, either of these apps helps because at the end of your session the app will tell you your average speed and time (along with distance, but when tracking cardio in MFP, it only requires time and pace).

    It's a little frustrating using two sites that don't "talk" but it's also really neat to see your stats.

    Good luck in week 2 - and remember to pace yourself; "if you can jog any slower, you're going too fast!"

    I finished week 6 day 2 this morning and looking ahead, apparently I'm done running intervals (read: I'm terrified!). Throughout the program I've purposely repeated each week and taken my time - injuries do not make for a successful C25K completion, right?! I feel great and I know you'll be feeling like a million bucks soon, too!
  • FloridaAimee
    FloridaAimee Posts: 295 Member
    Welcome back!!! :drinker:

    OK, first- let me tell you I am the slowest C25k'er in the history of C25k...I've had more setbacks and injuries and attacks of the lazy beast than anyone around! LOL So, i've got tons of advice! HA!!!

    First, if you're starting over after not having done at least some fast paced walking in a long time, I would spend a week just walking. What I did was I followed W1, but did it ALL WALKING... when the voice said 'begin running', I would walk faster... when she said 'begin walking', I would slow my pace down a bit....

    Also, I am a firm beleiver in repeating what you need to. If, once you start adding the running, it's super hard and you want to die, do w1d1 for an entire week. YES, do that DAY 3x that week, then the next week move on to w1d2...and so on, until you feel strong.

    If you can't breath, think, see straight when you're jogging, SLOW DOWN...at one point my jogging pace was slower than my walking pace, but the mechanics of the movement are so different, you're still building the stamina, no matter how slow you are going.

    Shin splints- I had them horrible...so bad that I ended up having to take a week and a half off, and not even walk.... it was bad, and I was on my way to a stress fracture.
    How to help them- STRETCHING!!! OMG it helps so much! If you go Here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml
    and do these stretches before you head out, you will save yourself a LOT of pain and agony and setbacks. I saved the page on my iPhone, in my 'health' folder (this is where I keep MFP and my C25k app, along with my pedometer app), so I have easy access to it. I go out into my back yard, spend the 10 minutes stretching, then start my warm up walk. When I get home, I sit on the couch for 10 minutes with ice packs on my shins. I haven't had a shin issue in quite awhile!

    When I start walking, I launch my pedometer app. I use Pedometer Pro...I started with the free version and just recently paid the couple bucks to get rid of the ads :bigsmile: When you get it set up, you enter your height, weight, sex, blah, blah. When it's running, it tells you: current pace, average pace, calories burned, time you've been out, distance, and number of steps. It will run in the back ground while I have the C25k app up and running...Then when I log it in MFP, I log it as: C25k/pace (I use the AVERAGE pace)/distance in the title, then the time where MFP wants it, and calories burned where MFP wants it. A few weeks ago I had to change my wieght in the app, so the calories burned has changed some for me :tongue:

    I don't use the built in Nike app cause I have issues with Nike LOL

    When I finsh the program, I will move onto the bridge to 5k program....My ultimate goal is to be a marathoner!! :love:
  • Lisame11
    Lisame11 Posts: 58 Member
    Well done for coming back to it. It's not easy to start again, good for you! I started before, and found all kinds of reasons to stop - especially when winter came, then never got back into it until this summer.

    I did Run 2 of Week 4 today, which I confess I did find hard. I had trouble with shin splints before, and I know what to do to avoid them this time. Though I weigh even more this time than last, and I worry about the stress on my joints, I am much more determined. I find that as well as stretching well before jogging, a shorter stride helps as its less jolting. Laura (the podcast narrator) says not to be too bouncy either. She says imagine your friend is on the other side of a hedge. If they can see you bobbing up and down you are too bouncy. Now I find myself imagining how much I might be bobbing up and down. :-)

    Thanks for your post. It inspires me to know there are other folk out there in similar situations. I have only recently found this site, and find its a massive support. I'm sure it will help us succeed! I keep reminding myself that every step I take, no matter how small, is a step closer to my goal.
  • mayberry310
    mayberry310 Posts: 146 Member
    Wanted to say good luck!! I hope you love it as much as the rest of us do. It has become my favorite time of day to go for a run. Being a mom like you, it's my *ME* time and I get to zone out and just focus on my breathing and speed and find I'm super relaxed by the time I get done. Feel free to friend me if you'd like!
  • jessc4343
    jessc4343 Posts: 214 Member
    Wanted to say good luck!! I hope you love it as much as the rest of us do. It has become my favorite time of day to go for a run. Being a mom like you, it's my *ME* time and I get to zone out and just focus on my breathing and speed and find I'm super relaxed by the time I get done. Feel free to friend me if you'd like!

    This morning my son wanted to know why I wasn't taking him to school (dad was); for the first time my answer was "I need my 'me' time!" and was referring to more than waxing my upper lip or painting my toenails. I've been really enjoying my morning runs but will have to adjust my "me" time to evening runs when old man winter rolls in.
  • loril13
    loril13 Posts: 320 Member
    Good luck!

    I just use the C25k app. I take the distance and mph and use whatever that corresponds to in MFP's exercise database under walking, very brisk pace. I'm hoping to shave enough time off that I can enter jogging, slow pace pretty soon. :laugh:
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