Tim249 Member

I highly recommend visiting www.dcrainmaker.com. It's a blog that reviews fitness-related technology, and he does thorough reviews of pretty much every option. And somewhere on there is a link to his bottom-line recommendations for different categories/budgets.

Try Trutein, and thank me later ;) It's tough to find, so you probably have to buy it online. But you can order samples from the company. I ordered them all and they're all great, then I bought tubs of Cinnabun and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. I get it from Netrition or Bodybuilding.com It may still taste "proteiny" to…

I was 305 the day I started. As others have said, just go slowly at first.

Forgot to mention a great site for VFF stuff: www.birthdayshoes.com It'll give you plenty to drool over until your bday :)

I have a pair of of the KSO model that I use on the road, and a pair of Spyridon's I use on the trail. I also have a pair of Merrell Trail Gloves, which are "barefoot shoes" (or, minimal shoes). I wear them a little for running, too. They're also good for promoting a "barefoot" running form, but I honestly feel like the…

I switched to VFFs right after I finished C25K. I did spend a couple of weeks running actually barefoot for some very short stretches (~ 1/4 mile) to help make the transition since I was a big heel striker. It sounds backwards, but many people think it's better to go straight to barefoot first since that really forces you…

I can't help with the treadmill questions since I can't stand running on a 'mill. But if your goal is to run 5 kilometers then I suggest you run as much as possible outside and for distance rather than time. In my case, I'm a very slow runner and going by times I wouldn't have been close to 5K at the end of the program. Go…

I went four days in a row at one point, then a day off and three more straight days. I didn't really plan to, I just felt good and kept saying "I'll just go out and jog about 10 minutes or sp," and kept running. I wouldn't recommend this of course, but I felt great after all of that. Just listen to your body and don't try…

Not much to add except to say that I was a little over 300 when I started and my job was (and still is!) very slow. Takes me about 40 minutes to run 5K, but speed is improving every time I run. And I lost about 20 pounds through the course of the C25K program.

I finished C25K a few weeks ago in traditional running shoes and am now starting to transition into VFFs (the KSO model, which were on sale at REI). Taking it very slow, as others have advised. I have a long history of shin splits and ankle pain when running. So far, no problems in my VFFs. For lots of info about these and…

Here are many apps that do the trick. I used RunKeeper but have since switched to RunMeter, both are similar and there are others as well. It's worth the small investment in my opinion. You could also plot your run at www.mapmyrun.com and then time yourself.

I use a tuneband because I usually don't have pockets when I run.mmworks great. http://www.amazon.com/Tuneband-Grantwood-Technologys-Silicone-Protector/dp/B003ZZKL6U

+1 I had a similar experience. Makes a world of difference!

Be wary (maybe I should say, "tread lightly") regarding running form advice. It seems to be a hotly debated topic, with strong arguments in loud voices on all sides. Heel-strikers seem to say that landing mid-foot or ball-of-the-foot leads to injuries, and mid/fore-foot people say heel-striking causes more injuries. Go…

Many people do fine with "neutral" shoes, such as the typical cross trainers you get at the local sporting goods store. But if you start to get shin splints or other pain, consider getting fitted for proper running shoes. I thought I might not be able to finish after the first 3 weeks, but after I got good shoes I finished…

Hopefully some people chime in with responses, since I know there are a lot of running apps out there. Early in my C25K journey I used RunKeeper and about halfway through I switched to RunMeter. Neither app is made specifically for C25K, but both allow you to program in workout guidelines based on time OR distance (or a…

bump!

Great site, use it to plan all of my runs! They also have a phone app that's supposed to be pretty good, but I haven't used that.

Finshed the last week this past Sunday. Very happy I did it. I lost about 20 pounds throughout the program, but I think a lot of that was from reducing calories--I wasn't burning a lot of calories those first few weeks. I wrote a long blog entry about my experience (shin splints, phone apps, etc) that you can get to from…

I don't know that I have any great advice, but I do think that a big part of breaking through mental barriers is just learning to get out of your own way. I try not to think about upcoming workouts because I don't want to built them up in anticipation. I would just lace up my shoes then look at what the program told me to…

I try to get to the gym to spend a little time on the rowing machine on non-running days. It's a great workout, and easy on the legs. They get a little worke--nough to work out soreness from the last run but still easy enough to give them time to recover.

When I started I was right around 300. I finished a few days ago and I'm down 20 lbs (but to be clear, I think it's mostly from diet, not C25K). I did the program outside, running for distance. This weekend my "long run" will be 3.5 miles. I have a bad history of shin splints but a good pair of real running shoes has made…

I second the suggestion for a phone app if you have a smartphone. Otherwise, I hear the podcasts are good. I'm a big believer in letting the phone/ipod take care of the time. Just run until it tells you to stop, then walk until it tells you to run again. Staring at the time seems to make it feel like it goes forever (at…

I just finished the program a few days ago, but for the first few weeks I didn't think I'd be able to stick with it due to ankle pain and shin splints. I had a nice pair of comfortable shoes that I thought were good for me to run in. But I went to an actual running shop and had them fit me for running shoes (using a video…

I just finished the program yesterday. Would welcome adds from anyone in this thread (or group!)

Budget your calories and go authentic ;) http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/03/guinness-maybe-not-good-for-you-but-not-a-bad-choice-either-.html lol

Sorry for the double post, but if you're curious about gait analysis, here's some very basic info and a short video clip from the site for the store I went to. No, I'm not affiliated with the shop--I'm just a satisfied customer. I'm so happy that I figure they earned a little free advertising :)…

If there is a "real" running store near you, it's probably worth a pretty long drive to get a gait analysis. If that's not an option, maybe read up a little about gait analysis and shoe basics online. I think there are some youtube videos that show how to do it at home if you have access to a treadmill and video camera. As…

Here's the c25k site (though there are many others with the information) http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml And the apps (or podcasts, if you don't have a smartphone) are really helpful. I'm also on week 7 and couldn't imagine running 2.5 miles nonstop when I started out. As was mentioned, get proper shoes…

Ditto the running shop advice. My ankles, knees and shins were killing me for the first few weeks and I wasn't sure how wise it would be to continue. I searched out a running store that does "gait analysis," which means putting you on a treadmill and video your feet while you run, then play it back in slow motion to see…