C25K advice

ncl1313
ncl1313 Posts: 237 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just completed week one last night and I felt HORRIBLE afterwards. I am/was very out of shape when I started, so I'm wondering if the pace I've set for myself is too much. I use a treadmill. Should I pull the pace back a little bit and soldier on to week 2 or should I do week 1 over again at the same pace? Or just start week 2 at the same pace and see how it goes? Any thoughts?

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • TheNEWMonicaB
    TheNEWMonicaB Posts: 129 Member
    I think you should repeat week 1 before moving on. I am currently repeating week 2 because although I feel good, I do not feel quite ready to move on to week 3. Good luck! :happy:
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    Pace should not be your focus - your focus should be endurance. So, ease up on the pace (it will come naturally in time) and work endurance (slower, longer runs). I assume that program does it that way?

    Your race pace will be naturally faster than training pace because he adrenalin of the race kicks in. I was training for a 5k at about 12 minute miles (5mph). I did my first 5k and average 10:34 per mile (my fastest ever) just because of the added adrenalin.
  • Nauti_Buoy
    Nauti_Buoy Posts: 135
    For me it was Ice... lots and lots of ice. My shins felt like they were going to rupture. It had a lot to do with me stopping suddenly when I met my goal and wouldn't cool down even if it was a power walk. I would just stop and lean over to catch my breath then everything would start swelling and I would have to pop in a IB Profen and soak my lower legs in ice water (20 gallon trashcan filled with a bag of ice and water) But I can now say it's worth the pain because I just completed my first unofficial 10K this weekend. My first time strapping on my running shoes was March 23 2012.
  • Lindseyelizabeth87
    Lindseyelizabeth87 Posts: 151 Member
    I repeated weeks when I did it. It's not a huge deal if you do, I wouldn't do it for another week after that though. It's intimidating, but you do have to move up to make the progress. :)

    I agree with everyone, the pace isn't what's important, it's the endurance.

    If you're sore, I find pineapple really helps. It's got the right stuff to help heal sore muscles. I always have it after a rough day on my body and it's really a quick cure.
  • BookwomanTerri
    BookwomanTerri Posts: 93
    If it makes you feel any better, it took me 12 tries to complete week one day one - I just could NOT run even at a slow pace for eight non-consecutive minutes I'm so embarrassed to write that but I feel great that I finally completed day one and then day two and am scheduled for day three tomorrow. While I felt tired and sore after finally completing days one and two I didn't feel terrible like I did the first few times I tried to do it. I've been following a lot of C25K threads and most of the advice that I've seen is to really scale back the pace and worry about speed later. Since it sounds like week 2 is not that different from week 1, maybe try moving to week 2 but changing your pace?

    Good luck with your running! Are you signed up for a race yet?
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    I can't imagine doing it on a treadmill but that said I repeated weeks all the way through. The goal was to get in shape and run 5K not do it on anyone elses time schedule. Do be careful about pushing the pace you can always focus on speed once you can go the distance.
  • ncl1313
    ncl1313 Posts: 237 Member
    I run on a treadmill because I live in WI and it's 6 degrees out with a negative something-or-other windchill. I haven't signed up for a race or anything because that's not what really interested me about the program (weird, I know). For me, it's more about being able to sustain heart-pounding activity for 20 minutes or more. I already feel like I'm going at a snail's pace and barely running, but I justify that with the excuse that I have short legs ;) My biggest struggle is not so much my legs as it's my feet...they get really painful with about 10 minutes to go (5 min run/walk and 5+min cool down). I've been icing them after and taking one day off in between. I probably just need better shoes...
  • BookwomanTerri
    BookwomanTerri Posts: 93
    Yes, that is another piece of advice I picked up - get good shoes. I went to the local specialty store and bought some super comfortable running shoes and that really made a difference in my feet and my knees.

    I'm with you on the treadmill - we've had windchill below 0 for the past week or so. I had also read to use a slight incline on the treadmill to better mimic outside conditions. I tried that but found even a small incline was tough - I told you I'm out of shape! I'm hoping to work that in sometime soon.

    Good luck!
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    I just completed week one last night and I felt HORRIBLE afterwards. I am/was very out of shape when I started, so I'm wondering if the pace I've set for myself is too much. I use a treadmill. Should I pull the pace back a little bit and soldier on to week 2 or should I do week 1 over again at the same pace? Or just start week 2 at the same pace and see how it goes? Any thoughts?

    Personally, I would repeat week 1.

    Everything is difficult when you attempt it for the first time, running is definitely up there near the top of the list regarding effort expended too lol.

    Take that c25k at your own pace and if you feel completely uneasy after any of the weeks, just repeat them.

    So you will be behind a week or two, so what, at least you will be training intelligently and not just going ahead even though you don't feel right or healthy afterwards!

    Think about this, after six months running training, you will barely remember feeling not so good as you do now as you will be well into your training and will be able to manage whatever you set your mind to.

    Your main concern should be not giving up, just take your time though.
  • LemonMint6
    LemonMint6 Posts: 76
    I would definitely agree that if it's your FEET that hurt and not your lungs, heart, or legs, then shoes are the issue.

    However, if any of the other were an issue I would say pull back on pace. I'm currently in Week 5 Day 2, and I run outside. I mention that because I used to always run on a treadmill, but I was never successful because I would set the pace too fast and my body couldn't train up to a speed, I just made it start there. If I were you I'd definitely be on a treadmill too, but I'm glad I have something to compare it too.

    I've never been able to get past week 5 on a treadmill, and now it's like week 5 is easy. (In the sense that running for someone who can't run 3 miles would be easy.)

    I read somewhere that if you can't talk while you run you are running too fast for your fitness level, and the best thing you can do is slow down, and keep running. Since following that advice I look forward to every run, and I improve every week.

    Something else that has helped a lot is I walk out the rest of the "hour" at a moderate pace 3.5ish? It's a great cool down, I don't have sore muscles, and it keeps training your heart rate, which helps with overall ability.

    Good luck!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Slow down until you can manage the runs. I ran at the same pace I walked at first. You might want to repeat the last day to prove you can do it, but I wouldn't repeat the entire week. My rule of thumb is if you could complete a run, then you're read for the next one. The program is set up that way. Join us on the Couch to 5K group on the message boards.

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