Couch to 5K ~ Anyone doing it?
 

I just started yesterday! It was tough...but I got through. Anyone else doing this?

Not now, but I did last year. You will love it; stick with it! It really does turn you into a runner (amateur, of course, but still...it's a great program) :)

I was the kid who would play sick on gym days and who was always dead last running the 600-yard dash in school. Now I run 5K twice a week, on average. If I can get there, anyone can.

Yesterday was only Week 1, Run 1...I thought I was going to die. LOL The poor kid next to me on the treadmill, not wearing ear buds, probably was all "WTH?" I was breathing so hard! I hope it gets easier. I was - and am - so proud of myself!

You can always stretch it out if you need to...some folks repeat weeks just to give themselves a chance to get used to it. I think I did around weeks 4 and/or 5. Just take it at your own pace and you will do it. You've got great motivation and I'm sure you'll have success. It does get easier; you are training your body to get used to it bit by bit.

I will repeat weeks if I need to. I don't want to over push myself...that will only make the process less enjoyable...and therefor may make me quit. So as badly as I want to do this in 9 weeks...I'll take 10, 11, 12 or more if I need to! Its a marathon...not a sprint! ;)

Hi SmileyAmy, I wrote a long one but i lost it. Bummer.
BTW, I did this last summer. I had never run a couple feet in my life. I did start in Jun,2010. At the end of the summer I decied to train myself to run 10 miles. By November, I can run 9 miles. To be honest, I love long run. You will find out soon, people call runner's high. It's really amazing. I feel like I can run forever.
But I didn't run very much in the winter. Now, I train for 13.2 miles in 12 weeks. I run 2-3 times/week and a long run. I have to say, I love running.
Good luck with your training. You can do it.
mai

Thanks Mai!

Great job! I've been dipping in and out of this programme for a while. I keep having to take breaks from it because I have feet issues, but it's hugely motivating and fun. Back on it now, @ week 4.

I always sucked at running - was actually given running as HOMEWORK for gym class when I was a kid! - and am pleased as punch at being able to do it now. Also love that running is free!

Check out Runner's World for great tips. I agree with those suggesting to stick at a given week if at any point you find it hard going - takes a while for your feet/calves/knees to get used to it.

Also would say (from my experience of various injuries) to avoid going harder than the programme advises; make sure you have good shoes (see RW for advice on that); switch up terrain to prevent overuse injuries - run on concrete as little as poss, if you can; and check form (at eg RW, again). Oh yeah and running outside is more difficult than the treadmill - no shame in staying on the mill for a while (if you do want to run outside, I'd go back a week). And strength training on off days can help with joints too.

Awesome, happy running!

Yeah my church is doing it. Of course it is participate at will but I would love to do it. I have some health problems but if I lose ALL my weight by next year maybe I can run just a few hundred yards. That would even by nice. They all have my support.

You mentioned the couch to 5k and at first i was like "you do that. im not" but I looked it up and im starting it on tuesday! :D Very excited, but you said it was HARD. Am I going to die on tuesday? lol.

Lastri's response it what sold me on the program. I'm glad you (lastri) love running soo much or I may not be doin it! :D

Hi Little Monkey, I didn't do the program by that name, but it's pretty similar to my running history - I never thought I'd enjoy moving, and now, a run makes my day good. It's amazing once you get into it, go for it!

Abby

I did Couch to 5K late last year. I had already been walking for a couple months but I really couldn't jog more than a city block or two. Couch to 5K got me to jogging 3 miles by the 5th week. The really cold days of winter set in and I stopped before reaching the end of the program. I'm re-starting it this week.

Hi, I tried to start jogging/running on my own with a HR monitor to decide when to walk then jog/run. I found I advanced my time too fast and have some pain now in both legs. It's hard to describe. I am not giving up just yet though. I am starting back up walking while I wait until I am 100% and then plan to try the C25K. One thing I read about this program is that you should not advance faster than what the program dictates even if you feel ready. I think I will follow this advice this time around as my ambition is what side lined me in the first place. I HOPE to start next week. :D

Quick question - has anyone found this program to accelerate their weight loss? I have read about a few people either not losing or even gaining weight. I suspect the water retention in the muscles might cause some weight gain. Thoughts?

I don't know that it "accelerated" weight loss, but once I added running into the mix, my legs toned up a lot more quickly, in ways they never had before. I did not notice a gain.

Take it easy, listen to your body, and enjoy!

Thanks Cassie. Natually the next question probably everyone has is do you remember how long it took until you started to notice changes?

I don't remember; sorry. It's been a year since I've done it. My guess would be once you start getting into the part where the running outweighs the walking, though.

Wow...didn't expect to come back in here and see so many replies.

I am starting Week 2, Run 1 today. I'm nervous. I had some family issues last week that kept me from hitting the gym, so it took me a few extra days to finish Week 1. I should have started Week 2 Monday, but I'm doing it today. I'm nervous. I finally got to the point where I could handle - although hard - the 60 seconds of running. Now I have to do 90. Ack. I'm gonna push through though. BUT if I feel like I really honestly can't do 90 seconds, I'll do Week 1 again.

I can remember trying to make it through those first weeks. I thought running for 90 seconds and beyond would kill me. I was running through my neighborhood and I would use mailboxes as goal posts, thinking if I couldn't last the 90 seconds or whatever I was going for then I could just shoot for the next mailbox or two. I thought to myself "just get to that next mailbox", and when I would make it to that mailbox I would push on to the next one if I could. Pretty soon I was running past miles of mailboxes.

A quick question--when we say "running", what speed are we talking about to start? I can do my first mile at a "jog", then alternate walk and "jog" the remaining mile for a total time of around 27 minutes for the two miles. Is this really "running"?

Thanks for any feedback!

Regards,
Michael

I can only speak for myself. I imagine it all depends on a persons condition when they start. For me, I'm 49 years old and I smoked for 28 years, had a desk job for 6 of the last 12 years and had done nothing for the past 5 years. When I started I was about as bad as it gets. I also tend to use the word running interchangeably with jogging.

When I first started C25K I was jogging at a pace of 12 minutes per mile or 5 miles per hour. I suspect there some people that can speed walk at that pace. Whn I walk I go at 4 miles per hour. Today, I jog at a pace of 6 miles an hour or so. Once I get back up to running a full 5K I will then start to work on the pace.

I can say, at this stage of my conditioning, my lungs and breathing are no longer an issue. It's my legs (muscles and joints) that give out first.

Hi everyone. :) As far as speed and running vs. jogging I think you should consider if you are using a treadmill that not all treadmills are created equal. I never realized this until I went from the one I had at home to one at my Dad's house. 3.5 MPH on mine felt like 3.0 MPH (or less) on his. :confused: Weird...Anyway I think a good way to determine a speed that works for you whether using a treadmill or jogging/running outside is to incorporate a heart rate monitor. That way you can determine what speed is challenging but not too difficult for your personal fitness level.

Btw, I was waiting to start my C25K until an injury I had healed. I feel like I am almost there and can't wait to start!! I think I will give it a go on Sunday. :D

Hey Michael,

Can't help you define jogging v. running. But my tack is to take as long as it takes, and go as slowly as I have to, to get to 30 mins... It's seriously not worth the injuries to rush! Speaking from experience... I'm happy for my lower leg mechanisms to gently acclimate to this kind of pressure. Been SUPER careful - have stayed at week 3 for three weeks! And may slip back further: did my first run outdoors in a while yesterday. After the first running round, I knew to go right back to week 1 - still, my calves are wicked sore today. Good thing: no joint pain this time! Will be slowly moving my runs outdoors, 1 run per week. (Hate missing out on the miserly amounts of sun we've been getting!) So may start all over again. Fine!

OP: If 90 seconds scares you, there's no shame in doing 60 for another week, or until those 60 seconds are a breeze (breezes?).

Legs: Am finding totally unanticipated definition along lower thighs and calves. Saddlebags and top inner thighs still resisting though.

Well, it was almost 70 in Maine today and after my couple 10ths of a mile warm up I jogged the entire rest of my two miles. Now I won't say I jogged at the same speed for the second mile, but jogging I was!

51 weeks ago, I literally could not walk more that 50 feet w/o stopping to catch my breath (and sometimes having trouble doing it). It's amazing what the body can do to heal itself if you give it half a chance!

Regards,
Michael

Congrats, Michael!

I have short legs. So I start jogging when I hit about 4.5 miles per hour. However, that's on the treadmill. When I pace myself outside, I usually run at a 10 minute mile...but I walk at a 12 minute mile.

The other day my hubby (who has recently been exercising) went for a walk and I accompanied him. I wanted more of a calorie burn, so I jogged very slowly...but it was still a jog. We were probably at about 4 miles per hour.

I consider it jogging or running as long as both feet are off the ground at any one brief period of time, no matter what the speed.

Unless you're the Six Million Dollar Man, running in slow motion to that clicking music...that's not very fast ;).

That is an incredible achievement, Michael - congratulations!

(I'm trying to keep my plantar fascia happy, is all - hopefully I'll be able to run alongside you soon :) )

I am very interested in starting this. I have never run an inch in my life but I would love to change that!

One thing--I am pretty uncoordinated. Is this going to be a problem? Does anyone know of any exercises that help improve balance and coordination?

Thanks!!!

I don't think it's a worry at all. I'd never run either (played sick to stay home from phys ed during track and field), but I did it. Running is a pretty natural motion; just don't overthink it. And make sure you have a good pair of shoes to support you. Enjoy it!

running or jogging
 

Hi,

I am going to start this program on Monday. I was running/jogging almost 2 miles at the end of the summer last year. I think that as long as you are not walking, you are jogging. Running is a faster pace that comes after this program. Based on the site I was looking at, jogging is all that is required for this program. In the end, you are jogging a 5K in 30 minutes flat. Hope this helps.

what come's After Couch to 5K?
 

I just started to do this exercise and was curious what you guys think which exercise program would come after this one. I really like how this one is set up and think that I will be able to do it! :o I am writing my long-term goals down and would like to see a little more into the future. Any suggestions?

It's up to your goal. If you just want to run for fitness you can just stick with easy 5K 3-4 times a week.
If you want to go longer, train for 10K, half marathon, a marathon.
Or you can train to go faster.
My goal is going longer, not faster. I want to be able to run for a long time.
Mai

How long do you want to run for?

Newbie here - hello to all. I hope I've posted this right. After a few years off I started running again last week - slightly modified version of the couch to 5k. Now I'm up to 10 mins run and 1 min walk x2. At first I was dragging my butt doing 1 min run and 1 min walk x20 but it is getting easier. By the end of next week I'm hoping to get to 12 minutes run 1 minute walk and finish the 8 minutes. Twenty minutes is long enough for me right now - and less than a 1 minute walk break makes me want to throw in the towel. Would love to hear from people doing the couch to 5k...would be a great motivator. Good Luck!!

--

I just did W8D1. Unfortunately, I am one who did gain weight....I seem to be between 3-6 pounds heavier than when I started. I am not noticing any loss of inches either which completely bites....the fat is looser and flabbier.

However the legs are definitely showing signs of definition, a couple of coworkers asked if I am losing, and I ran for 28 minutes straight which I would not think possible in week 2. I have more energy, and actually see the potential of another marathon in my future.

I had started C25K, but I allowed school to get in the way. Nothing like the present to start up again! After a 4 month hiatus on EVERYTHING, I've only gained back 2 pounds from where I left off! Not too bad! I'm ready to start the program again today and am curious to see how W1D1 is going to be!! I'm also using Wii Active 2 to help me along, b/c here on the East Coast, USA it is SCORCHING HOT!! Kudos to all those just starting, and for those who are continuing on their journey!! I <3 hearing success stories!!