BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

You betcha, sws!

Jamie's got the program all laid out. All YOU have to do is map your route, or find your treadmill, and get started on the first step.

When we say "go slow", we mean it. Tiny, tiny steps, heel to toe, with hardly any impact, and if you try to go faster than 3 mph, you're going too fast!

We're all learning as we go - none of us were runners until we tried it, and we all managed to do the first day of week one without dropping dead. <grin>

Post after you run, and post any questions you have.

[hopejoy]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Hi Everyone!
Whew! Just got off the treadmill! 2 miles in 36 minutes! Yeah! Started out warming up at 2.5 for 5 minutes... then upped it to 3.5 for the running part. did rung 4... the 3 minute interval one... just can't keep track of 90 seconds... it makes my brain hurt. but I felt ready to move up and feel good... stretching feels good. At one point I ran at 4.4 for 2 minutes just to see how long I could do it for! lol! I was entertaining myself I guess! It sure is different running on the treadmill than outside. Both have their good points... ie. no body's watching so you don't have to look good. lol! score for the treadmill!
Anyways, yes I know! I better slow down, but I did do my last 5 minutes at 2.5 again... I feel good. that's what's important. and am happy to be doing the miles under 20 minutes each.
liz

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Wow, Hopejoy! That's terrific! Isn't it amazing how well we do?

Alarm went off at 5, I jumped out of bed and went for my run. I was so into it that I wasn't really paying much attention - I know I ran for a mile, then I think I walked maybe for a minute, then ran another 1/2 mile, then walked about a minute, then ran the rest of the way home.

I'm going to change my route. The bike path I follow is great, but the second section (for the second half mile) is pitch dark and a bit disorienting at 5:30 in the a.m. I think I will do the first half and come back, then go down the other way for another 1/2 mile and back, starting Wed.

Can't tell you guys how GOOD it feels to do this. (or maybe you know!) I'm not at all out of breath, my legs feel better, I don't stiffen up too much after, and I have great thoughts and ideas running through my head as I go (in addition to music in my ears) so that I'm no longer counting or judging distance. Just.......running.

[Sweet Strudel]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Great Job both Liz and Evermind.

I'm heading down to do mine now on the treadmill. I'm going to remember to go S L O W. This is NOT a race!

I haven't gotten to that point where I'm just running and not thinking about time yet. Maybe soon I'll get there.

I'll post my workout when I'm done.

[hopejoy]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Hi Sweets,
Guess I overdid last night... dreamed my legs were amputated... they were hurting in my dreams... what a relief to wake up and find them still there! I guess I better slow down too!
liz

[Sweet Strudel]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Hi Liz...yes I made the mistake of trying to go too fast and it just doesn't work...for me anyway. Slow down and you will find this all the much more enjoyable and still get the same energy rush when its over. Just keep saying, this isn't a race...we are trying to build endurance.

OK...So here is my C25K Workout report for this morning.

I was trying to make excuses why I couldn't get down to do my run, but then the responsible part of me took over and so I just went and did it.

I thought I would try something different today and for the first time I think I can actually *cough cough* say I enjoyed the workout.

I walked for 5 mins at a pace of 3.0 mph, then I jogged for 5 mins at a pace of 3.3 mph, repeated this for the 25 mins. It was GREAT. I couldn't believe I could actually jog for 5 minutes at a time, I even went over by about 20 seconds once...sheesh!

Ok..so I think I can safely say I'm back on track with this. I'm calling this session Workout 1, Rung 3...and I know I'm not exactly following the program, but that isn't what this is all about...right? Your own body, your own pace!

[jamikins]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Aren't we awesome? I'm so proud of us all!

Welcome, SWS! Go to page 11, post #105 of this thread to read the "rules" of the challenge (and the C25K plan). Remember to give yourself a "Kiss" for completing a workout ("x x x . . . o o o").

[hrgillespie]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Welcome SWS ............. this is an awesome program but I'm about to whine so skip reading this one .......... LOL

I just did my first run of week 3 so 90sec run 90 sec walk, 3 min rum 3 min walk. I have to tell you all I thought I was gonna die .......... Lordy I was praying the whole way through the 3 min run it felt like 10x harder then the 90 sec ........ I did it I finished it but Afterwards my lungs burned my legs felt like jello and I started to question if I was ever going to make it as a runner, I mean who was I kidding ............ But then of course I log in here and read back through all the encouraging posts and the recent ones about slowing down and not over doing it................ and I know I can go on ..........it's gotta get hard to get easy right? LOL

Ok no more whining. I run again Wednesday and will stick with this rung and pray my way through it again!

AS always thanks for being here everyone!

Heidi

[Sweet Strudel]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Heidi....I'm very proud of you for hangin in there girl. It does get easier...I promise.

Make sure you aren't trying to run too fast...its not a race and we are trying to build endurance.

If you run on a treadmill keep your running speed to between 3 and 3.5 mph. Today I surprised myself...hehehe

Keep up the good work

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

heidi -

On Wed, go REALLY REALLY SLOW. SHUFFLE, like Jess says. I mean SLOW. Like, you could walk faster than you are running. Tiny steps, one in front of the other, heel to toe, no impact. We're talking turtle running here, ok?

See what happens.

[floydgirl]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Yay, everybody! Yes, slow and steady is the only way to go. I am a novice runner, but I am on week 8 of the C25K. I would not have made it this far if I didn't run very slowly. You know what happens next? You'll find (and it takes weeks, trust me), that you will start to run faster. Your body gets conditioned and it just happens naturally.

Keep up the great work everybody!

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

ooooh, thanks for that piece of news, floydgirl! I was wondering when and how it would happen.

[Purple Rain]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

I didn't run Sunday or Monday because I was too busy and I was going to run this morning, but it's raining. So, for those of you who don't have a treadmill, what so you so when it rains? Would running in place be a good substitute? I really want to run today. Any ideas?

[hrgillespie]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Good Morning my fellow runners!!!!!!!! It's a new day and I am feeling great!!!!!!! Thanks to all of you and your encouragement i woke up bright and early this moring for my run and decided to tackle day 2 of week three and guess what???????? It was fine!!!!!!! Monday I didn't know how I was ever going to move on and today it felt great and like I could go further! I think I figured out a few things ......... number one ........ for me time of day is crucial ....... I need to run in the morning. I don't do heat well and I don't do afternoons well so for now on I have to get my butt out of bed bright and early and run before the big kids head off to school. Secondly I found out that having music makes it SOOOOOOOOO much easier! I am going to try and figure out how to work my MP3 player so I can control whats in it ........ all I know how to do now is plug it in and it sincs with all my music and alot of the songs are just to slow and not right for walking or running so my goal today is to work on that. And Thirdly I have decided that the first day on a new rung is just going to be hard ........ so if I can just get through the change then it's better

Purple Rain I a have no advice for you on the inside thing I am in the same situation if we have a week of bad weather I don't know what I will do as I have no indoor alternative .......... If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it. I wish I could get a treadmill but aside from No room , money is a huge issue too. UGH .......... Ijust keep praying for good mornings after 7 it can rain all day!!!!!!! LOL

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Good morning, all!

I got up at 4:30 this morning to run, because it's taking me about 40 min to do my runs, plus walking to and from the bike path, and I need to be out of the house by 6-ish.

It was nice and cool this morning, and I tried my new route, which went really well. I never got out of breath, so I think I could run further, but I'm not going to do that until I can do 2 miles without stopping even to cross the street.

I'm finding that I get into an easy lope very quickly now - ok, not really a "lope", because I'm going slow and take tiny steps, but you know what I mean. And I don't even pay attention to how far I'm going once I get into that rhythm. I just run, and I'm not tired, though after awhile I feel it in my calves and ankles.

So here's something I noticed today. After 1 1/2 miles, I walked briskly for about 200 yards. And you know what? I walk faster than I run. Food for thought. I think that really substantiates this whole thing about "shuffling" or running really slowly. Remember, we're going for duration, not speed.

Heidi - I'm so glad that today's run was good!

Purple - boy, that's a tough one, if you don't belong to a gym. Do you live near a college that has an indoor running space?