C25K week one day one just kicked my sorry ***

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sweetteadrinker2
sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've heard lots about C25K on here and out in the real world, always figured it wasn't for me because I have no interest in running competitively. My lab partner suggested I give it a try because I was having issues with forming a structured workout/getting in my 3 per week. Good golly was this harder than I expected, I could only get through a little better than half of this thing. I'm definitely liking it. Anyone else not able to get through this at first? I can't be the only one this out of shape :p
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Replies

  • anashnyc
    anashnyc Posts: 39 Member
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    I'm also starting and yes...I am that out of shape. If you can't finish day one then stay on day one till you can finish it. Good luck
  • teede3bee
    teede3bee Posts: 6 Member
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    I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I started it today too thinking it should have been easy. So wrong! I'm not a stranger to working out or cardio but I have never been a runner. Recently one of my girlfriends challenged me to run a 5k this spring with her which is why I started. Not to sound like a baby but I feel like I already have a shin splint on my right leg just from the tiny little week 1 day 1!
  • teede3bee
    teede3bee Posts: 6 Member
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    What's the best way to stretch for shin splints?
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    joleneee421 wrote: »
    Shin splints are tiny stress fractures in your shins which is why you will need to ice them. Stretching your legs will help you with soreness.

    What? No. Shin splints are caused by stress, but they are damage to soft tissue, not bone. Ice won't help bone problems. It *will* help reduce inflammation of soft tissue (muscles, tendons), which is what shin splints are.

    Tight calf muscles can contribute to pain in the front of the shin and in the feet, so stretch your calf muscles.

    The other thing to do is either slow down your running pace, or reduce the time you're in motion. Even if that means adding a couple of weeks to build up to the beginning of C25K. If you haven't even been walking that far, start with that.

    You might also need better shoes.
  • BruceHedtke
    BruceHedtke Posts: 358 Member
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    My advice is to just repeat days/weeks as many times as you need to. Move on when you feel ready to move on. That's the beauty of C25K. You can finish the program in as little as nine weeks or take six months if you need to. Don't feel as though you have to move on just because the program says you should be doing week X/day X.

    Good for you for taking the initiative! I don't particularly like running either and I use jogging as a means to burn calories (no desire to run a race). C25K was a good program to build up my endurance and stamina. As you're finding out, it's not a cakewalk and it doesn't necessarily get easier...you just get more fit, so running those longer intervals becomes easier to do. Keep it up! You can do it!
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    I had been doing brisk walks for months before I even attempted it and I still had to create a week 0 and a week 1/2 for myself before I was able to do week one! And even then… It's not easy. But it was doable. Same with every week after that. I completely freaked out starting Week 3 (tomorrow is day 2 of Week 4 for me). For me it's gotten to be a mental thing. I simply have to set my mind to it and freaking make myself GO no matter what my legs are telling me or my lungs are telling me. I agree with making sure you are not trying to start out running too fast. Personally, I figure I'm going about as slow as I possibly can and still be jogging.
  • upsaluki
    upsaluki Posts: 553 Member
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    My tops are: Go slow. Get fitted for shoes at a running store. Join the c25k group on mfp and post in the daily thread. Getting fitted with a stability shoe has cleared up my chronic shin splints.
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    It whipped my butt too. I finished, but there was far more walking than running. And I picked a way too hilly trail to start on.
  • KGill67
    KGill67 Posts: 87 Member
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    It gets easier - promise! Nothing is ever harder than that first week. Go slow, keep moving, and know that it will get better.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Every new runner feels like you do right now.

    At 80lbs heavier, 1min running felt like an attempt on my life.

    Now though, today I couldnt sleep so I went for an unplanned 6 mile run with the dog. I can do that now :)
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    Thanks for the encouragement and advice guys! I'd never considered getting running shoes for this, all I did for cardio before was walk. I guess my beat down dr scholls aren't gonna cut it for this. Anyone know of a discount place to get shoes? I wanna do this, but no way do I have 100+ for a pair of shoes.
  • kari_selph
    kari_selph Posts: 19 Member
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    I didn't have too terrible a time, but that's mostly because my cardio was DDR for the longest time before that. Week 2 is beating me to death however...
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
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    The greatest advice I ever had given to me when I started to run was " slow down and then slow down some more" . Go slow and build up your distance - don't worry about the time to complete the distance. Once you get some miles under your soles the speed will start to naturally increase.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited January 2015
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    sweetteadrinker2 wrote: »
    Thanks for the encouragement and advice guys! I'd never considered getting running shoes for this, all I did for cardio before was walk. I guess my beat down dr scholls aren't gonna cut it for this. Anyone know of a discount place to get shoes? I wanna do this, but no way do I have 100+ for a pair of shoes.

    Kohl's (online) or DSW (online or store)

    Asics and Nike are both high-end running shoe manufacturers who have a bang-up discount product line. I'd start there, then move on to other brands (Brooks, adidas, Saucony, New Balance) if you don't like the way those fit. (Like I cannot wear Asics, period.)

    Even Skechers is trying to be a legitimate running shoe brand right now, if you are looking for multipurpose shoes. :)
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Slow down. Make sure that when you "run", it is the slowest possible pace that qualifies as running. If you cannot talk or sing during the running intervals, you are going too fast and you need to slow down. It might look and feel like you are slower than a snail, but it is ok and pushing yourself to go faster as an absolute beginner is an almost guaranteed way to get injured. You need to realise that no one doing the c25k program as an absolute beginner will be running actually 5k at 30 minutes by the end of this program, so the program's name is misleading. You will not be anywhere close to this, nobody is. But it will get you into running and you can work your way to longer distances gradually. If you absolutely cannot run at all at any speed right now, then try walking for a few weeks. You can get tips here: http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/how-to-start-walking
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    Slow down bears repeating.

    Also check out the C25K group here, there is lots of activity currently with many on weeks 1-3.
  • tlskim
    tlskim Posts: 16 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I like c25k. Had it for a few years. The first time (1st week) using it i couldnt wait to walk! Thought it was pure torture and thought i would die! LOL.
    I kept repeating the same days until comfortable all the way to the finish line. Every winter I re start the program to be fit and ready before summer hits. ;) and this app syncs with my other apps.

    tlskim or scrabplayr@yahoo.com on MFP.

  • cstark00
    cstark00 Posts: 4 Member
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    I started c25k on the advice of a friend of mine who went through the program and had tremendous results. I am planning to run a 5k at the end of April. Hearing all of these replies is a tremendous encouragement and urges me to go forward. Thanks for all the posts.

    I do have a couple of questions. I had a knee injury over 5 years ago and is starting to flare up right now. Will this go away as I keep running? What sort of foods give good fuel on the days I run?
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
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    BruceHedtke wrote: »
    My advice is to just repeat days/weeks as many times as you need to. Move on when you feel ready to move on. That's the beauty of C25K. You can finish the program in as little as nine weeks or take six months if you need to. Don't feel as though you have to move on just because the program says you should be doing week X/day X.

    This so much! Bruce has hit it on the head! You can stay on week one until you are comfortable moving forward. Take your time and enjoy being out in the open air. If you are miserable doing this, you won't do it long, so just enjoy the process and do the program at your own speed. You are doing more than 90% of the population just by going out there and trying! Congrats! :smile:

    Also, may I suggest the Zombies Run! C25K app? It is well designed for people who have never run and for people who are already running, and there's a fun story line you get to follow through the progam to keep you motivated. You are only asked to run 15 seconds and walk for a minute the first week.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    Don't sprint the running segments. Do a slow jog. It doesn't matter if you jog slower than you can walk. The talk test is a good metric to use for how slow to run. Slow way down. It will help you in the long run. This program is about building stamina, not speed.

    Also, repeat weeks as necessary. There were several weeks that I had to repeat before I was ready to move on.

    Slow and steady wins the race.

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