Couch to 5k

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clarekeating857
clarekeating857 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
is anybody doing this? Just started and could do with some support or happy to support someone. Only completed week one and found it really hard!
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  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    It gets better. Hang in there and remember to slow down if you need to.....just don't stop running.
  • clarekeating857
    clarekeating857 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thank you PaytraB. Hoping it gets better, can't believe how unfit I am! Will note your advice, much appreciated. X
  • Angelfire365
    Angelfire365 Posts: 803 Member
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    Hang in there! You've got this!

    The thing I love about C25K is that you can re-do any weeks you need to. Which is awesome for me, because I'm pretty sure I would have just dropped it otherwise. I couldn't even do the first week when I started, I was so out of shape! It's taken me quite a while to get to the second week, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be doing it for more than a week. But I keep telling myself it doesn't matter how well I'm doing, what matters is that I'm on the track doing it!
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    I've been doing it on the treadmill (too freakin' cold here) and I'm on my last week. The one thing that helped me was taking the run as slow as I needed to. I didn't do that my first attempt and failed miserably.

    This time, the progressively longer runs were much easier. I've already upped the speed so that I will be on pace to finish 5K in my next week.
  • clarekeating857
    clarekeating857 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thankyou for comments, I may have to redo week 1 going to try week 2 noticed running is 30 seconds longer each time doesn't sound much but considering my legs felt like jelly and could hardly breath it sounds impossible right now lol.

    Good luck SgtH let us know how it goes! I run a little faster than I should because I'm embarrassed I'm sure some people can walk faster than my 'gentle' plod
  • clarekeating857
    clarekeating857 Posts: 16 Member
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    Angel good luck with 2nd week let me know how torturous it is :# I have a charity fun run in May (5k) with my sporty 10 year old so doing this secretly to surprise her. Well that is the idea anyway... X
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
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    When I started, I felt as if I was dying the first two weeks. It gets easier though, and it's actually fun. Keep it up, it is a great tool to get into running! I actually ran my first 5k after completing 5 weeks of the program (and survived, too :P)
  • kdoodlethug
    kdoodlethug Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm on week four and it is very difficult! But it felt difficult the first week too. At this point I think I could do the first week quite easily, because now I'm doing 3 and 5 minute runs (well, I've done one day of that, week 4 day 2 is tonight!)

    Just keep at it. Every week will be a challenge and you'll just barely make it- or you might not make it and you can keep on doing the previous week until you're ready. It's great because it's so adaptable!
  • kdoodlethug
    kdoodlethug Posts: 24 Member
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    Also- don't run faster out of embarrassment! Everyone is there to improve themselves, not judge you. If you push yourself too hard you might get shin splints. I was getting those last week and had to force myself to take it easy.
  • eddiedamn
    eddiedamn Posts: 17 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I had a lot of luck using this take on the same idea: http://www.djsteveboy.com/intervals.html

    Don't be afraid to repeat weeks as needed. I certainly did.
  • THenry8
    THenry8 Posts: 62 Member
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    I'm doing a 5k walk next weekend in Colton! It's my first time doing this. My main goal is to just finish the race! I hope I achieve my goal!
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 Member
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    I know EXACTLY what you mean. But it turns out the more you do it, the easier it is to scale up. So the difference between Week 1 and Week 2 is actually HARDER than the difference between Week 6 and Week 7. It seems like completely illogical, but there it is - it gets easier not harder as you go on.

    So congrats - you just completed the hardest week.
  • tri_bob
    tri_bob Posts: 121 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I'll echo some of the other ideas here. When you're just starting, go slow, in two different ways. First, don't worry about your pace on any given day. Running too fast, too soon, can invite injury and leave you feeling frustrated. Second, try not to be in a hurry to add more miles in any given week or speed up the transition from walking to running. Every runner everywhere can tell you, probably first-hand, how ramping up too quickly leads to problems. If you find that you enjoy running, you've got ... well, forever to run faster for longer distances.

    And make sure to get fitted for a good pair of shoes, preferably at a specialty running store. And eat your veggies! And would it kill you to call your mother once in a while? </nagging>
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    clarekeating857 wrote: »
    ......could hardly breath....

    Slow down. It is possible to feel that you're running slower than you walk. At this point, speed doesn't matter.
    A quick test: if you cannot speak a short sentence out loud while running, you're running too fast.

    When I started C25k, I thought I was going slower than humanly possible but I found out that I had to go slower yet. It's a weird feeling at first, to slow down that much.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    THenry8 wrote: »
    I'm doing a 5k walk next weekend in Colton! It's my first time doing this. My main goal is to just finish the race! I hope I achieve my goal!

    You're going to do great!! Let us know how it goes.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,425 Member
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    There's a support group in here which is really nice: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k

    I found it using google as you can't really search for groups here at the moment. But it's a very nice group. I just finished Week 3 and got some really nice encouragement for week 4, which sounds seriously touch for me.
  • DeeTee68
    DeeTee68 Posts: 198 Member
    edited March 2015
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    C25K is a really good programme, im on week three but decided to keep going yesterday and ended up running for 1hr 31 mins over 6.56 miles in the hills. So it defo works building up running stamina. :D

    I must add im a previous runner just havnt done it for five years so be careful if your new building time and mileage to prevent injuries.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
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    I've started it, but I have to take a break again. Although I got fitted for running shoes and inserts, I am still getting shin splints and bad lower leg pain. I cannot seem to get past W1D2. I've been doing it on a treadmill, so maybe I'm setting it too fast (first time 6.0 mph, second 5.5 mph). I am able to do the intervals breathing wise, but not my legs. I'm going to try working on my lower leg muscles in the meantime while I heal. Keep up the good work, and PLEASE slow down/repeat if you need to!
  • clarekeating857
    clarekeating857 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi everyone thank you the tips, week 2 day 1 later during my lunch break feeling nervous as was sick this morning (very random no idea why) so going to take it easy. Aubrey I run outside, lucky as I live in a rural area but 'speed' if that via the linked fitness so says 12mph if that helps?

    Thenry keep us posted! And good luck, that's reassuring Dee, there is hope
  • jwoods8706
    jwoods8706 Posts: 11
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    I just started c25k the other day I'm on wk1 day 2 and I understand it's tough! I'm a smoker whose trying to quit and I about died doing day 1 haha so good luck!! I'll prob be repeating week 1 also.

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