BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

[Purple Rain]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

It was a nice morning, cloudy and windy. It felt so good! I completed Rung 4, Day 1.
It was a good run. I'm not out of breath when I run, just my legs start killing me between my calf and my ankle. But, I suck it up and finish my run with a lot of stretching! I think I need to do a warm-up before I start and the stretch for 5 or 10 minutes. Right now, I'm just doing a light stretch before I start.

Great job Heidi! The first day of each rung always seems the hardest for me, then it's not so bad. I'm with you Heidi, I have no room for a treadmill or the money for one right now. I want one, but definitely won't get one until we move.

Evermind, your doing great! Slow and steady wins the race!
I don't know about the college, maybe I'll check that out when I have the time.

[hopejoy]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Hi everyone! I took your advice and slowed it way down yesterday.. it was better and only took 2 minutes longer... I enjoyed it more that time... did 3 minutes jogging, 90 minutes walking... (rung 4) and it was doable... gonna stay there for a bit... just enjoy the process... after skipping rung 2 on accident (on account that I can't read!) feel I don't need to push myself... Hope to be running 3 miles by Halloween... that would be cool! really cool! super cool! amazingly cool.... That would be a dream come true! lol!
liz

[Sweet Strudel]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Ok C25K'ers...I don't even know which Rung I fit into.

Here was my workout for today.

Brisk walk, 5 minutes 3.0 mph
Jog 5 mins 3.3 mph
Walk 5 mins 3.0 mph
Jog 5 mins 3.3 mph
Walk 5 mins 3.0 mph

Jello legs after that, but felt good and was do-able.

So, like I say, this doesn't fit into any Rung that we have on our list but I'm calling it Rung 4...so thats 2 workouts in Rung 4 this week so far.

I'll stay on this level for one more workout then perhaps trying moving to Rung 5, if that seems like too much I'll back off to Rung 4 for another couple of weeks.

I'm really proud of us all!

Great job Liz...you on your way to being a runner!!! YAY!

[jamikins]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Where's Elizellen? I hope she's still here.

"Sillygirl" honored me with the "Silly's Exerciser of the Week" award on behalf of our challenge. I share the award with all of you! Congratulations for sticking with us so far.

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

HOORAY FOR JAMIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

You're the one who got us all going, so you can't play modest mouse.

[Elizellen]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

I am still with you all, just not been able to get online much lately.

On Monday I discovered that on the days I do weights as well as C25K I need to do the weights first as after doing my run/walk session I felt too feeble to do my whole usual routine.

Did #2 of rung 2 last night and even though I had just spent the previous 2 hours at pilates and body conditioning (aerobic/weights) classes I still had enough engergy to do a 20 minute stationary bike session after my 30 minutes of run/walk before the gym closed.

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Good grief, Elizellen, are you ever in shape! Running after 2 hours of conditioning?????????????? WOW!

You are amazing.

[floydgirl]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Congrats Jamikin! Thanks for getting this C25k thread started. We appreciate you!

[2BME]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Good morning, runners! Yesterday I bit the bullet and finished R1D1 exactly according to the C25K plan. Only 2 more to go to get my custom running shoes! I know many of you are much further along, but I have been struggling to get this running/walking in! I don't know how you all manage it so well. Awesome job, everybody!

I think once I move to the next rung I will slow the pace down a bit. It seems to be the magic ingredient in much of the successes posted here. You all are so great, thanks for taking the time to post the trials and errors. They do help!

Have a fantastic day!

[floydgirl]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

2B, I am very proud of you! This program is a "do it at your own pace" type of program. So what if you are a little bit ? You are doing it on YOUR terms. You are doing fantastically!

What you said -- yes -- slowness is definitely the key!

[D-Termined]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Hey all. I ran Rung5 Day1 last night and was surprised at how well it went. This run has a 5 min jog/3min walk/5/3/5 pattern. I'd been struggling to get through the last run on the previous rungs but this time wasn't a problem. Moving through the rungs is paying off for me. I think for me having the runs broken up so much made me think about it too much. I'd constantly look at my watch and couldn't wait to be able to walk. Knowing it would be a while this time made me try to not pay attention. Tomorrow's run is 8/5/8 so it'll be interesting to see how an 8 minute jog goes. Next is a full 20 minute run! I'm actually looking forward to just running without bothering with breaks and times.

I'm hoping to be able to participate in 5K or even 10K races that go on. I was curious what the pace for those races were. Boy was I shocked. The winners usually are on 4 to 5 minute paces! Holy crap. Those people run twice as fast as me. I can't even sprint that fast. It's amazing to see how some people can run so quickly for so long. I know that the Cool Runnings website has speed training so when I do get to the point where I can run those distances comfortably (and I will) then I'll work on speed. Until then, like so many here are saying, I'll just take my time. Running that fast looks silly anyway.

[Elizellen]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Good grief, Elizellen, are you ever in shape! Running after 2 hours of conditioning?????????????? WOW

I dont know if anyone would have called it 'running' if they had compared me with my next door fellow gymrat on the treadmills last night!! His legs were going at least twice as fast as my lumbering ones!! and he had started before I did and finished at least 10 minutes after me.

[jamikins]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Elizellen...glad you're still hanging with us! I think you're doing an awful lot at the gym though. I admire your tenacity!

D-Termined...You really ARE determined! Way to go with the program.

[Elizellen]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

My problem is that the only times I can get to the gym to do some 'real' exercise are Mon, Wed and Fri evenings after about 7 pm till 10 when it closes, so I feel I have to make the most of my 'me' time there!!

[Evermind]

Re: BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K Challenge

Morning, y'all!

I did my Friday run today (because it's Friday.......) and ran two miles. I felt a little heavy and sluggish at the beginning and the middle, but the last 1/2 mile went fast and I felt good.

I'm noticing that my ankles get tired. That's the only part of my body that still bothers me when I run. Even though there's barely any impact, it's clear that I need to strengthen those ankles. I'll ask a trainer at the gym. Or maybe (an experienced runner might jump in here?) it just gets better as we go?

I'm finding that the slower music on my mp3 player is just as fantastic to run to as the faster - I think as long as it has a rhythm and a melody, I'm great with it. I am very relaxed when I run and since I run slowly, there's no need for songs that are zippy.