Couch to 5k Anyone?

This is my first post on MFP - so glad to see there are so many C25K-ers out there! I finished the program a couple of months ago, and believe me, if I can do int ANYONE can! I'm doing 30-35 minute runs now, and am just starting to think about increasing my speed a bit. I'm a slow runner, but I know that was the secret to my being able to finish the program and to be able to do 30 minutes of non-stop running.

So my advice to anyone just starting out - take it slow!! As the runs get longer its okay for you to decrease your speed - that was the greatest piece of advice I got when I was doing it.

Off to the gym now - there's a treadmill there with my name on it!!

How do you record your c25k sessions in your exercise diary? I had hoped to find THE sessions and calorie counts available
Thanks

Hi all, do you mind if I join you guys? I've been looking for a C25k group on MFP, and I didn't start at the same time as any of the other groups.

I've just finished Week 4, but I've decided to redo week 4 for one or two more sessions--the 5 mins is still a struggle, and I had 2 failures during the week due to knee pain/asthma (I can usually handle one or the other, but the two together are too much!)

Keep going strong on your hard work everyone!

I've been trying to charge up my MP3 player for my run that is scheduled for tomorrow morning, but it's been acting all weird. Oh well, the run will get done either way, with or without my podcast.

I have been doing my runs on my treadmill, so I added an exercise called 'Couch to 5k', and log it with the number of calories my treadmill spits out at me.

Hello, fellow C25K-ers! How was everyone's weekend?

Starting W5, D1 today and I am COMPLETELY terrified of Day 3! I know I'm not doing myself any favours, but I just really don't see me being able to run 20 minutes non-stop!!! BAH! Postive thinking needs to kick in!

I played ultimate frisbee for the first time yesterday and my legs are now a bit sore, but I did notice how I was able to run circles around some of the players on the field...I was pretty proud of that and knew it was from the previous weeks of C25K. If it were a month ago, i wouldn't have been able to do it at all so I KNOW there's some good things going on with the program! I just can't help being scaaaared!

I finished it a month ago and I loved it! Push yourself to do every routine, if you do everything the podcast says, you will get through it! I was amazed that I could accomplish it all!

I started this program in January 2010. I have never really been a runner since I was a kid. But, so far this year I have ran in 3 5K's and a 4-mile Race. I absolutely love it. I don't finish anywhere near the top but that is my goal for next year (to metal in at least one race). I am now training for a 10K in September. After that a half marathon sometime late next spring. Who knows - maybe a full marathon after that???

Hi Everyone!!

I guess you could consider me a C25K graduate. A friend and I started in February, and we definitely took a lot longer than 8 weeks. We decided to repeat a few weeks to make sure we were ready to move on to the next week. We had actually planned for and registered for a 5k race that was 12-13 weeks away from our start date, and we were still in the middle of week 5 when we got to it. I was able to run 30 of my 38 minutes of that race, and it felt good! Our second 5k came after we finished the program and I was able to knock 2 minutes off my time! Our third race was this past weekend, and another 2 minutes, gone! We have another one this Sunday, and I don't think that there will be a 2 minute difference this time, but I'll just push to come in a second better!

This program really does work. I sometimes think back to when I started and I can't believe that running 1 minute was so hard! You really do come a long way, and it's a great feeling to cross that finish line at a 5k race!

Good luck to you all out there!

Athina

re the shin splints...I have only had them a few times in the past ( many, many yrs ago ) and it was from walking incorrectly. also, I do not stretch prior either...just the 5 min brisk walk, and 5 min post C25K. if I stretch it is after a workout...when muscles are warm and more pliable. when I do this, I don't have the horrible pain that can occur when first starting any exercise program. I am no expert as well, but I have read that stretching when muscles are cold is what can cause injury and pain. Everyone is different, so what might work for one, may not another. You know your body better than anyone.

I did Day 1 of Week 6 today. I think it was easier than jogging for 20 mins straight. Not easy, but I managed it better than day 3 week 5.

I just completed Week 2! I'll start Week 3 on Saturday.

Birmingham - As for shin splints, chances are you are like me when I started running several years ago. I found several things ended up helping, and when I started running again two weeks ago (after a VERY long break), I didn't experience any issues with my shins.

First of all, make sure you are warmed up before you start running. Be sure to stretch out your calves afterwards, since tight calf muscles are usually the cause of shin splints - I do a variety of lower leg stretches, including hanging my heel down off the edge of my treadmill or a stair. I also made sure I had the right kind of running shoe. If you have flat feet like me, you need to make sure you have a stability or motion control type running shoe. If you go to a running store, they can analyze your gait and tell you which type is best. How to check your arch: if you look at your wet footprints, and see your whole foot - your arch is flat (most common to get shin splints), if you see only heel and the ball of your feet, you have high arches, somewhere in between is normal and causes fewer running problems. Also, breathing correctly helps! Try the following: breathe in for 3 steps, then out for 2. You typically exert more pressure on breathing out, and may land harder on your foot, so this balances out the pressure, by always breathing out on alternating feet.

And finally, this may sound silly, but try to run 'lighter' on your feet. I still catch myself really clunking down on my feet, creating more impact than is necessary - if you are running properly, your feet should make very little noise when they land.

Happy running!

I just looked the couch to 5k program up and im going to do it. I was wondering what pace people we starting at in week one? I can run a mile at about 7.30 but thats it. Icant run much further than that. So when i do the intervals in week one, should i do the jogging sections like i was running a mile, or bring it down a few notches? Any feedback would be great

Finished W5D2 last night and going to try for Day 3 today. Too much waiting time before the run tonight gives me too much time to think, so I'm pretty much working myself into a stressed out, scared frenzy. Even though I was able to do Day 2, I just can't see how I can do 20 minutes straight!! But a friend of mine reminded me that I say the same thing before every new week and every new day so I just need to just get out there and do it.

Great job to everyone who's finished their days/weeks!!!

Didn't make it through W5D3 today! Going to keep at D3 until I've got it under my belt! how's everyone else's runs going?

Don't let it get to you, just listen to your body.
I repeated week 4 when the final run was tougher for me than I thought it should be.

Today I finished Week 8 day 2, a 28 minute run and could have gone for more.

Keep it up, don't get discouraged if you have to repeat a week.

I would like to join this thread too! I downloaded the app and did my first workout July 2. Did Week 3 Day 1 yesterday but backed down to Week 2 Day 3 (for the second time) today. I am using the treadmill, and I think I am doing too high of a speed for the run portion. Any ideas what a good pace would be? So far I have done between 3.8- 4.0 for the walks and then between 6.0-7.0 for the runs.

If I run more than 3 times a week, should I just repeat that weeks workouts? Technically I should still be on Week 2 because its only been 2 weeks, but I had moved onto to week 3 yesterday. I have never been able to run more than sprints without my lungs feeling like they were going to explode. I also got shin splints after Day 1 probably from not stretching before or after.