Opinions from C25K lovers please

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mamaDaisyJ
mamaDaisyJ Posts: 395
in Fitness and Exercise
I am planning to attempt running, Within the next week, just quit smoking, so perfect time to use the lungs lol.
Anyway, I am trying to decide which days to 'run' and whatnot, basically make a little workout schedule.
What I am wondering from those that have succeeded with C25K, is whether you did extra cardio on run days, or maybe did some strength training on those days. I know C25K just calls for 3 days a week, so I already plan to do other cardio at least 3 of the other days. Just looking for some ideas/suggestions/opinions. Thanks so much for letting me pick your brains :drinker:

Replies

  • sundinsgurl
    sundinsgurl Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I just started C25K a few weeks ago.. I am currently on Week 3. I am also doing the 30 day shred right now. my run days are Mon, Wed and Fri. but I also do the shred everyday. I play soccer once a week.. and I try to get a rollerblade in once or twice a week. I would suggest doing something else on a couple of the days your not doing C25K.


    Good Luck with the C25K program.. so far I am enjoying it and it is a nice and slow introduction into longer running times
  • debwilson
    debwilson Posts: 24 Member
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    I walk 4 miles the days I don't do C25K. A High School Cross Country Coach told me pay attention to my body. If I am up to walking do it, if not then take the day to rest.

    I have found that I really miss it if I don't do one of the other every day!! Even if I have to wait until 10:00pm when the humidity and temps are down a little!!
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    I do basicly a double C25K on the days I do hte work out. Its usually the first 30ish mins are reserved for the program. The following 30-45 mins are a walk run combo done listening to my body. I have done weights after the c25K workout and i wear out easier but it still feels solid.

    Starting this week *hopefully* i will be doing rugby practices on my non-C25K days. So I will probably pull back on the the doubles and add the weights in.

    I am in week 7 now, and play on starting a 10K training program when I finish the 5K.
  • CMenendez
    CMenendez Posts: 62 Member
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    I am currently starting my third week on C25k and i do my run on my weight days.
  • freedMan
    freedMan Posts: 68
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    Honestly, enjoy your rest days. I would run my C25K in the morning and the evening perform more cardio (run 3 miles or bike 16miles). By the end of the day I am exhausted and am thankful all the next day for having time to recover because then the next morning, Im ready and energized to run again!

    Rest is just as important!
  • HeatherMN
    HeatherMN Posts: 3,821 Member
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    I personally didn't do any other workouts on the days that I did C25k. I made sure to stretch out a lot when I finished a run. On the days I wasn't running, I did circuit training (think Jillian Michaels) or other cardio workouts (walking, tennis, kickboxing).

    Best of luck to you!
  • mamaDaisyJ
    mamaDaisyJ Posts: 395
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    Well, I decided that if I want 60 minutes of get up and go, then I will have to still do some other cardio... duh right~
    I think on 'off' days, I'll take the dog for an extra long walk though. Anyone have their dog as a running buddy? If I keep him on the same program as me, will he be able to keep up too? He is young, but really wants to give up on just the walk sometimes.
    Any other advice? Favorite stretches? Right now, I plan to run in the evenings, but am gonna work towards moving it to mornings before kids get up. O and it is sooo hot here, like been 106, friend mentioned waiting till actual fall. Do ya'll run outside? I really got questions eh~
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    I STRONGLY recommend stretching before AND after you walk/run. I didnt for the first few weeks and I hurt so bad. The stretching helped alleviate a lot of the pain and stress I felt while running. I dont have a specific set of stretches but I make sure to stretch out my quads, calves, back, arms, neck, and the my groin area.
  • Robin1109
    Robin1109 Posts: 231 Member
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    I attend spin class the days I don't do C25K. I've altered the program a little bit in that I sort of stopped following exactly what they told me to do at week 5 because I was getting mega bored. I would also stare at the clock on the treadmill or the mileage. Ugh. So, I started to skip the treadmill and do my C25K training outside early in the morning MWF. I would try to stick to a similar plan as C25K but I would also try to push myself. Within the last week I returned to the treadmill because it's been so hot and I've had trouble waking up that early (oops :/). I found that I could run 25 minutes straight! I definitely wasn't doing that outside! I really think spinning the other two days has helped me with the running program though.
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
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    I'm on W9D1 and my run days are every other day mostly. On run days, I usually keep to just the running and LOTS of stretching. It's so weird how I used to hate stretching but once you get into running, it feels GOOD! I use stretching as a motivation to keep running. When I start to feel my legs hurt and want to stop, I promise myself it'll feel EXTRA good when I get to stretch AFTER the run is finished.

    On the days that I don't have a run scheduled, I usually try to do something else, ie. yoga/pilates or a workout DVD (Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs) or something active on the Wii (Just Dance, Wii Fit).

    But I've only just added these extra workouts after I hit week five and six. When I first started C25K, I'm not exaggerating when I say I came straight from the couch. I couldn't finish the last 60 second jogging interval on day one and later on when I was getting on in weeks, I was feeling pretty good and tried to do more by doing Turbo Jam on the same day as a run day. I was feeling great that day but the next day I was sore and stiff and it almost ended up backfiring because I had to take the next run day off and thought I was going to be behind on my weeks.

    So just listen to your body, ease into it and try not to overdo things - even though it feels like you can do it at the time. Most of all, just keep at it! Have fun on your runs!

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