Beginning runner using C25k

Program: C25k Week 8 Day 1
Date: 11/29/2014
Start time: 5:33 pm

Goals:
  • Complete run portions of program
  • Increase my pace
  • Take advantage of terrain

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 56:37 (21st out of the 22 I have done)
Ave Pace: 18:17
Change from last attempt: +08:27
Change from W1D1 (Oct 7, 58:58): -02:21
Change from fastest time (W7D3, Nov 24: 48:10): +08:27

This day was one 28-minute jog.

I went from my fastest run on November 24th to my 2nd slowest on the 29th.

So this is what happened. I have said before that I am not a runner and that I do not really enjoy running. What I have enjoyed in the past is weight training. However, being as unfit as I am I knew that I could not just jump into weight training and see the results that I wanted to see (losing weight steadily and to be honest, I wanted to achieve a goal of running for distance). In addition, I did not want to join a gym (too self-conscious to work out in front of people) and I did not have the equipment at home to begin lifting. A few weeks ago, I finally was able to save up the cash and I bought a power rack, Olympic barbell set, and a bench.

I put together the equipment the weekend before last and did my first workout on the evening of November 25th. That night I did not feel too bad, my inner thighs were sore but I figured that since I had been doing so much running that I had strengthened my legs. The next morning my inner thighs were VERY sore, so while I normally would have gone for a run that night, I decided to put it off until Thursday evening. I was traveling for Thanksgiving and was going to be in a hotel, so I had planned on using a treadmill for the first time. However, when I got up Thursday morning, from my knees to my hips I felt like I had been beaten with a stick, every muscle was sore.

It was not until Saturday that I was able to go out and run again, it took me 5 days to recover from a 30-minute weight workout. When I did go out, my legs felt like they weighed a ton… each. It was not an easy day, however, I did complete the entire run portion.

This morning (Monday December 1st) I did do a weight workout (my 1st since last Tuesday). I did it in the morning with the hopes that if I move around during the day and stretch periodically I will not be as sore. Oh, and before anyone talks about stretching and reducing weight, I did (and do) stretch and I can’t reduce the weight any lower as I am just using the bar (during the warm-ups for squats I don’t even use the bar, just put a broom handle on my back).

Here is a question for those of you who do organized 5k’s. I have 20 days until my first race. How much rest do you give yourself before race day? The race is on Saturday December 20th and I was thinking about doing my last workout (which would be a run) on December 16th, then resting for Wed-Fri. The run is at 8am Saturday morning, does that sound like enough or too much rest time?

Goal Achievement:

• Complete run portions of program
  o Completed all the run portions.

• Increase my pace
  o Not even close on this one. My legs were very tired, but that is only a partial excuse. I also felt like I did not have any mental toughness on this day, something I need to work on.

Ceci_O_K wrote: »

Personally, that sounds like too much rest to me. I would do a shorter (easier) run or other workout 2 days before and rest the day before. (I sometimes do an easy bike ride or such the day before a 5k, but nothing that taxes the muscles.)

Also, make sure you hydrate well the day before and get to the race early enough to warm up (and restroom break) before race time.

Most of all, have fun!

Thanks for the input. What I plan for my current workout cycle is weights on Mon, Wed, and Fri with cardio on Tues and Thurs. My want is to leave Sat and Sun for recovery at this point. However, I usually go play with the kids on the weekend so I will get some exercise.

If I do as you suggest, I would do a run on Thursday and rest on Friday. I think I can swing that. Up to this point (except for last week) I had been doing a 5k (walk/jog) every other day. So this seems feasable.

Thanks again!