Couch to 5k starting 7/15

jrh5249
jrh5249 Posts: 28
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I researched the program, and it looks like its gonna be a fun journey. After the program I plan on running a 5k. I downloaded the Iphone app on my touch and went out at lunch and bought the arm band for it. I am going to load my playlist tonight, and start tomorrow morning before work (will normally do it after work). Is there anyone who would be interested in joining me. I will be posting feed back often and would like others to do the same.

wish me luck =]
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Replies

  • TabiHerbalifeCoach
    TabiHerbalifeCoach Posts: 691 Member
    i have no idea what this is, can you explain more?
  • jrh5249
    jrh5249 Posts: 28
    Couch to 5 K is a program, on coolrunning.com that sets out how to learn to jog for 30 mins straight over 10 weeks I think it is,, it's very good, it's for absolute beginners to basically get fit quickly and learn how to jog.
  • DanOhh
    DanOhh Posts: 1,806 Member
    I'm a C25K graduate. Your going to love it. At first I was thinking that I was never going to be able to finish this. BUT, about a month into it I found my breath and now I go running every other day 3-4 miles. Good luck and don't give up!
  • TabiHerbalifeCoach
    TabiHerbalifeCoach Posts: 691 Member
    hhhmmm sounds intresting i'll have to check it out tonight after work/ and working out...
  • RushinBruisette
    RushinBruisette Posts: 2,109 Member
    WTG for starting this!! I think you will rock it for sure!!! I'm staying in the other thread til I'm finished, but I'll keep up here every so often :)
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    I just started the program last Saturday. I'll be doing W1D3 tonight. So far it's been tough but I love it. I'll probably do week 1 again before moving to week 2. I'm not quite ready to run more than 60 second intervals yet, but I'm much closer than I was last week =D.

    There are a lot of podcasts available online that coach you through. There are a few links at http://www.c25k.com/ Right now I'm using the week one podcast from http://runningintoshape.com/

    I'm really impressed with C25K so far. I have NEVER enjoyed running, but I think I could get used to this.

    Thanks for starting this thread. It will be nice to have someone to compare notes with.
  • nopeekiepeekie
    nopeekiepeekie Posts: 338 Member
    I'm up to W3D2 today. Never in a million years did I think I could run (okay jog haha) 3 mins at a time. Even when I was fit in high school I was a sprinter and not a long distance runner. But I really enjoy this and take my dog with me while I'm doing it (unless it's raining, like today when I have to go on my awful treadmill), and she seems to enjoy it more than just walking too.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    I was considering starting this tonight. I'm going to look into those podcasts, see if I can get one on my mp3 player, as my phone doesn't have apps and my main set-back was "How am I gonna track 60sec and 90sec without staring at a watch the whole time?!?"

    So for now, go ahead and count me in!
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    Actually most of them download as mp3. I just converted them. My son has a Disney mix stick, which uses mp3 format, and I was able to put it on that so he could do it with me.

    They are great! They prompt you at each change of pace...no stop watches.
  • nopeekiepeekie
    nopeekiepeekie Posts: 338 Member
    This site is what I first started using:

    http://www.djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html

    click on Mixes in the left menu, then the Red Podrunner Intervals icon in the middle of the screen. Then pick which version you want to do. He's got Couch to 5k, Gateway to 8k and Freeway to 10k
  • johnjely
    johnjely Posts: 99
    I was doing this, but just spent a week on my lazy bum. So count me in :) I'll definitely need to find some podcasts/tracks that you guys are talking about -- the stopwatch kills me!
  • jrh5249
    jrh5249 Posts: 28
    Completed W1D1 and i feel fantastic. I woke up stretched then did the program before eating anything.... which i won't do again. I came home, napped for ten minutes, hopped in the shower, ate and headed to work. I feel great. I did however run during the 60 second jogg intervals. So day 1 down. working till 4:30, going out on the jetskis tonight, and then to dollar imports for a xx or two. Feeling great, bring on workout two on saturday =]
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    I went to do W1D1 yesterday evening, but by the end of the warm-up, my ankle was feeling irritated. Since it was in a compression brace all last week, I figured I'd let it rest. So it might take me an extra few days or even a week to work my way up to W1D1, but that's better than doing it now and then being in a brace again for another week or more. Also, I need new tennis shoes, so this will give me a chance to buy some and break them in first.

    I did get one of those podcasts, and enjoyed what little I listened to, so thanks everybody! :smile:
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Well, I went this morning and actually managed to complete the entire W1D1! :happy: And it felt so good to cross off that block on the training schedule! I'm going to do W1D2 Monday, so I'll talk to y'all next week!
  • RushinBruisette
    RushinBruisette Posts: 2,109 Member
    Good job to those doing the plan!! I remember my W1D1...yikes, I decided to start in the middles of the day outside in the midwest...not a good idea! But since then, it's been early mornings only and after I ate something, like a banana or granola bar. I usually eat something small about 30min after I completed that mornings walk/jog. I completed week7 on Wed, Mon brings on Week8 (28min jogs all week), depending on heat/humidity/rain. I'm headed out for the weekend, enjoy yours :) Bru
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    I've decided to do week 1 again. I can't do all 8 intervals comfortably yet. I think I can get it down by day 2, surely by day 3. Congrats to everyone who made it off the couch this week!:bigsmile:
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    My ankle was feeling irritated when I got up this morning, probably from the hour-long walk I took both Saturday and Sunday, so I didn't do W1D2. I'll hopefully get to it tonight or in the morning.
  • jrh5249
    jrh5249 Posts: 28
    Lol i messed my cycle up. I was checking the app to see what i had in front of me, and didnt even think to look at week i was on when i started. I was 2 minutes and thirty seconds into the first run interval, and thought, well this isnt right. So i ran the week 5 day 1. After getting done Ive decided to keep going from there. I will probably repeat week five at least once, but i felt so great after the run that i decided i cant go back to lower intervals. I will still be posting on this thread, cause i started it lol =] Good luck to all that are pushing through the program
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    @jrh5249 - That's awesome! Good for you! I wouldn't go back either =D

    @PixieGoddess - I sprained both ankles awhile back, 1 in September the other in February. I didn't even think about it before starting this so after doing W1D1 they were killing me. I've been using the darned braces ever since. It has really helped. BTW I LOVE your 145 goal. I haven't been able to shop there in years. I've added that to my list of things to look forward to =P
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Well, I completely spaced on updating but I did run W1D2 Monday evening. Still slowing to a near-crawl by the end and feel like I'm going to die, so I'm already planning on doing a fourth day of Week 1 on Friday, maybe next week too.

    @Chani56 - Yeah, I've never actually gotten a bra from VS, just The Lacie and some lingerie for special occasions. I want to get a good, quality bra that fits me, but not until I've reached my goal weight! :)
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Ran W1D3 last night. Still feel like I'm dying, so definitely need to do Week 1 again. My muscles aren't very tired (heck, they're not even sore yet today!) but I'm having difficulty breathing....being a mile high probably doesn't help....
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    Keep at it Pixie you're doing great! I just finished W1D3 round 2 last night. I didn't feel ready to move on to W2 last week, so I repeated week 1. I guess you could say last night was actually W1D6 =) It's getting easier. I think I'm going to go ahead and try W2 starting tomorrow. Good luck to you! You can do it!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Well, I was a complete slacker and didn't run Friday :embarassed:

    So I'll start Week 1, Round 2 (or W1D4) tonight. I just hate that I have to go home and have dinner and keep myself occupied all afternoon, then drag my butt away from whatever I've been doing and out to run after it's cooled down from 90+ degrees to 80+ degree. :grumble: I've tried running in the mornings a couple times, but I keep missing the early bus. I'm not technically "late" for work, but I prefer the early bus.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Ran yesterday evening, felt pretty good. I didn't *quite* feel like dying afterwards, and I never felt the least bit dizzy or anything during the run. Since I knew my muscles could take care of themselves--what with not even getting sore last time!--I focused on my breathing and on keeping tension out of my muscles, mainly my face and arms, during the running intervals. I think it really helped. Also, I tried keeping my running at a slower pace so that I wasn't moving at a crawl by the end. Worked pretty well, I was still walking at a pretty good pace even when I started the cooldown. I think I'm doing good :happy: I'll probably be able to do Week 2 next week.

    My other annoyance has been my headphones. I aparently have funny-shaped ears or something, b/c I can't wear earbuds at all. I can be sitting perfectly still and they'll fall out for no reason! So I have two different pair of headphones w/the earhooks, but they tend to get jostled loose during the running intervals, especially the right one. I'd been wearing one pair last week, so I tried the other pair yesterday. The left one stayed in better, but the right one was worse: I couldn't run 4 steps before it'd fall out. However, I found out about halfway through the workout--when I'd gotten sick of it!--that it clips to my shirt fairly well. So I might wear the left one and run one-eared. My only other thoughts are trying to find a pair that works better for running (which I really don't have the money for) or duct-taping the headphones to my ears......yeah, I think I prefer the one-ear approach! :laugh:
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    That is great Pixie! You can do it! I finished W2D2 this morning. I think W2 is actually easier than W1. That extra 30 seconds on the recovery seems to make a world of difference. That was what held me back on week 1. The podcast would cue me for the next run when I wasn't yet recovered from the previous one. I hope you find W2 easier as well.

    I have the same problem with the ear buds...the same ear even! I find the JVC earbuds don't fall out quite as easily. Today I made it half way through the podcast before it fell out anyway =P I think I paid just under $10 for them. I've seen some with a gel-like cone shape that you stick into the ear canal. I'm thinking I might try those next time I need to pick some up. Not sure what they'll cost.

    I can also empathize with you on the difficulty of finding the best time of day to exercise. I am so not a morning person and I'd rather do it right after work than go back out after I've been home and relaxed. I live in Phoenix, AZ. It's been 110+. If I wait until it cools down, I'm not going out until after 9 PM. There was a night during week 1 where I went out when it was still 108. Crazy I know. After that I decided I just needed to force my lazy butt out of bed earlier and get 'er done. Wish I could say that's gotten easier but it hasn't. It's been a struggle.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    I live in Colorado. It'll be too hot until it gets too cold. :ohwell: Plus, sprinklers. They're pretty much ALL on at 5am! :grumble:

    And I've heard the JVC marshmallow ones are good, but I've been looking online and can't find any in stores near me, so I'm thinking I might try the Skullcandy ones for now. If they suck, I'll order some JVCs online.

    Get 'er done! :bigsmile:
  • RushinBruisette
    RushinBruisette Posts: 2,109 Member
    I officially completed the plan :D Keep pushing everyone, you can do this!! I posted my thoughts on it here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BrunetteWife/view/could-you-graduate-in-9weeks-i-did-33877
    XoxoxoX Bru
  • NoelleLou
    NoelleLou Posts: 35
    Thanks SO much for the info on C25K! I just printed it out & plan on starting the 1st one tomorrow! Great info! Thanks again!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    So I got the JVC Marshmallows (walmart's website lied to me - my local store DID have them! :grumble: ) and wore them on my W1D2 (Round2) run yesterday. The right one only fell out once (hooray!) and the left one fell out about 4 times, but I was expecting that. I figured that since my right one usually falls out, it needed the smaller size (which I was using) but that the left one might need the larger size. So I replaced the left one with the "medium" piece and I'll see if it works better on my next run.

    I didn't like how I felt I couldn't turn my head though. I had the cords looped over the top of my ears, then cinched behind my head under my ponytail, and the cord ran under my tshirt to my armband. I could very often feel a pull when I turned my head or lifted my arm, especially if I did both at the same time, like when I went to adjust the volume or something on my mp3 player. I adjusted the "cinch" tightness a few times, trying to make sure that they were snug but not going to get yanked out. It probably didn't help that I had my hair in a ponytail at the base of my neck, so it was basically sitting/swinging on top of the cord. Maybe I should put my hair up?

    The only other problem I had was that they just constantly felt like they were falling out when they weren't...not necessarily anyway. I guess they'll just take some getting used to.
  • Chani56
    Chani56 Posts: 23 Member
    @Bru - You are fabulous! Thank you for sharing!

    @Pixie - I'm glad those are working a little better for you. I'll let you know if I come across anything better.

    I struggled getting out of bed this morning so I didn't get my run in. That means I MUST do it tonight. I really hope we get some rain so it cools down a bit before I go out =P
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