C25K Questions

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Mamakatspokane
Mamakatspokane Posts: 3,098 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My questions are for those who have completed it or at least have a good knowledge of C25K. I just finished "week 2" of c25k. My questions are:

1. Am I supposed to take a whole "real" week to complete one of their 3 day weeks?
2. Did you plow through it and do it daily?
3. If I am only supposed to do it 3 days a week what did you do on the other days?
4. Did you repeat any of the days or weeks to make it easier?

I'm not in great shape and reading about "week 3" is a little intimidating but I'm excited to try it. I signed up for a 5k on Sept 28th, so that is my target date. Any advice or hints/tips would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Replies

  • stephaniejones262004
    stephaniejones262004 Posts: 6
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    I'll start week 8 tomorrow.

    1. I think you're supposed to do it 3 times a week with a day of rest in between each day. I guess you would get two days of rest if you were doing like a M-W-F or a T-Th-S.

    2. I was trying to catch up with a friend so I did it daily for about the 1st 5 weeks. Now I repeat the day I did before on what should be my rest days.

    3. I can't help with this one because I run every day now or take a rest day like I'm supposed to.

    4. I didn't in the beginning, but I do now, not to make it easier but for the fact that I feel like I should be doing cardio everyday and I like running.

    The only tip I have is to not worry about the distance at first. Worry about the time first and complete the program. Then worry about your pace so you can increase your distance.
  • Mamakatspokane
    Mamakatspokane Posts: 3,098 Member
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    Thanks Stephanie!:drinker:
  • doriharvey
    doriharvey Posts: 89 Member
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    I am in week 2, but had been doing cardio walk/ jog using a dvd in my living room for a couple of months. I plan to walk dvd (leslie sansone) and some yoga stretching in between days for at least 5 days a week. I have had ALOT of leg muscle pain/ stiffness in my efforts to add the jog on the pavement and just got fitted for a good running shoes and am pacing myself better with c25k music. I find the lower intensity walk in between days keeps me from being so stiff in the muscles, just did a beginner yoga leg stretch for the first time last night and plan to keep this - it was helpful.
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
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    My questions are for those who have completed it or at least have a good knowledge of C25K. I just finished "week 2" of c25k. My questions are:

    1. Am I supposed to take a whole "real" week to complete one of their 3 day weeks?
    2. Did you plow through it and do it daily?
    3. If I am only supposed to do it 3 days a week what did you do on the other days?
    4. Did you repeat any of the days or weeks to make it easier?

    I'm not in great shape and reading about "week 3" is a little intimidating but I'm excited to try it. I signed up for a 5k on Sept 28th, so that is my target date. Any advice or hints/tips would be appreciated.
    Thanks!

    congrats on starting the program!! I am such a fan of C25k :) I NEVER thought I could be a runner and now I LOVE IT!! :)

    1. The program is designed to do the 3 days per week training, but if you feel like you can do more, then by all means, get out there and enjoy! Once I started seeing progression (which was almost immediately), I was excited to get out there!

    2. Some days were back to back for me, some times there were a couple of days in between.

    3. I was also going to a bootcamp on my off days or would run on the same day....The first few weeks you are only out on the road for less than 30 minutes....and who can't find 30 minutes in their day??? :)

    4. After several weeks of steady progression, I hit a couple of really bad runs and felt really down about it. I was thinking "is this as good as I'll ever get?" I think it was around the run for 20 min straight part of the program....lol I would repeat the run the next time until I had completed it properly.

    Most of the time, it's our minds' that slow us down. You will have good run days, bad run days, and the most amazing run days!! Now if I'm out there and I'm "just not really feeling it", I do what I can and get over it because I know that sooner than later I am going to have one of those days where you feel like a total machine!! Strong, free, unstoppable! It is so exhilerating!!

    When I started this plan I was smoking a pack per day and still completed the program....I've since quit smoking and have started working on the 5k to 10k bridge. No one is more surprised than I am that I actually love running!! I never thought I was one of those people! But I can proudly say that yes....I am a runner!!

    And you are too!! :):):) Good luck!
  • Mamakatspokane
    Mamakatspokane Posts: 3,098 Member
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    Thank you! I completed week3 day 1 today and am considering doing day 2 tomorrow then resting on Sat...any opinions?
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
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    I've always taken the approach that if I feel like going out, I'll go....if I'm not really feeling it, I try not to stress about it. There have been several times (especially in the winter) where I've been planning to go out for a 30 min run, and only made it about 15 min and said forget it!! LOL

    Another time early in the first few weeks, I had one day where I felt so great that I did two of the scheduled run 'days' right after the other....some weeks got repeated because I didn't feel ready to move on.

    It took me several weeks longer than the 9 week guideline to work up to a 5k, but I didn't care....the fact that I was out there enjoying it was all that mattered. :)
  • cwsikes
    cwsikes Posts: 86
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    1. I would recommend spacing out the run days and following the week plan. Going in too much, too soon usually leads to injury with running. You may not get injured today or tomorrow but you want to not get injured period. When you start running, there's so much that has to develop in addition to just your muscles and cardio. Tendons, joints, connective tissues, etc all have to get used to the stress of running.

    2. Most people start off running like 3 days a week and then slowly add an additional day of running per week until they are at a level they like. Some of us do go a little nuts though and start running streaks (Day 432 here!)

    3. Rest or crosstrain. Yoga, weights, cycling, swimming, walking, whatever fits your fancy.

    4. Repeat as often as you feel necessary. No harm in doing so.

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