Couch to 5k thread

Really? it feels to me like i'm going pretty slow. However i'm going at a pace that allows me to go at that speed consistently all the way through.

I think i'm gonna do the 30 mins for Week 9 Day 1 + Week 9 Day 2, but for the last one stick on a distance tracker and keep going until I reach the 5k!

Week 5 Day 1 done. Three segments of 5 minutes running, decided to see what was left in the tank after no. 3 and managed another 3 easily enough. Chuffed.

pcuser wrote: »

I reckon I have caught the bug, Im seriously considering running the Limerick Marathon on 30/04/2017 I have being looking at this plan http://www.runireland.com/sites/www.runireland.com/files/Training_for_marathon.pdf It seems feasible.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. It might be physically possible, but that's not a long time to go from the couch to a marathon and I could imagine the outcome being that you'd either be injured, come to hate running, or both. It's a lot of pressure to put on yourself this early on.

There's a lot of running to do between 5k and the marathon and I think if you targeted a half marathon around that time, that would offer a gentler progression and a great sense of achievement in itself. My first half marathon was my favourite race so far. Just my two cents anyway.

Definitely agree with Max, building milage too quickly is a sure recipe for injury.

My advice would to gradually build to running 20 miles a week over the first half of next year and then signing up for the novice thread here for DCM 2017 and take it from there. The mentors then will be better place to advise you based on data from your runs.

Just my 2c the best of luck with whatever you decide to do

pcuser wrote: »

Muppet I just read your report on the DCM 2016. Take a bow Sir. Im going to follow the above advice and either train for a half marathon in April or the DCM in 2017.

You should be so proud, What a massive achievement.

Thanks again, I did C25k in 2013, I didn't feel ready for the marathon until this year, that's not to say it takes everyone that long we're all different with different fitness levels and histories, some of this years marathon graduates are only running a year or so. .

The Muppet wrote: »

Don't get too fixated with time, everyone is different . Some will be running the 5 k in 30 minutes and some less. The big picture is running non stop for 30 minutes . That's really what it's all about .

Was coming in here to ask that question. As in what should the next goal be after completing c25k? Do you continue to run for 30 minutes and gradually up the pace or aim for 5k in less time or a combination of both?

Northern Monkey wrote: »

Was coming in here to ask that question. As in what should the next goal be after completing c25k? Do you continue to run for 30 minutes and gradually up the pace or aim for 5k in less time or a combination of both?

It really depends on what you personally want to do next. C25k gives you a nice base from which to embark into a new hobby and whether that means going to the local parkrun for a jog on Saturdays, training for longer distances, or anything in between is down to your own preference.

I'd advise maybe signing up for a 5k race because it's a ton of fun and you can get together with people doing the same thing as you, go hell for leather and put yourself to the test.

Personally in my first year I ran races of ever increasing distances 5k, 5 mile, 10k, 10 mile, half marathon, culminating in the Dublin marathon on Sunday. Now I might go back and have a crack at 5k again and see if I can get faster. Other people are content to just go out and run alone a few times a week, others might join a running club and get into track running, there's also mountain running, ultra long distances, etc.

Have a think about it and decide what you'd like to try. Whatever it is, there's plenty of folk around here who will be happy to give you tips and advice.

Just popping in to say hello to everyone going through the c25k program. You are doing a great job, stick with it, DONT WORRY ABOUT SPEED! I can't emphasize this enough, keep tipping away at a nice comfortable pace, a conversational pace, be patient, pace and mileage will come. You have gotten some great advice from Maximus and The Muppet (my fellow 2016 DCM Graduates) and lots of other great posters in here and they are spot on.

Max and TM probably don't know this as I have never mentioned it on the Novices thread but I started up a log a few years ago on here when trying the c25k out and I am ashamed to say it only lasted a few weeks. I didn't take on board the advice I was given at the time and got injured very quickly and then made my excuses in my head and stopped running until last year. I was too obsessed with times and wanting to break records, etc, etc... and this caused me to get injured and QUIT.

October 2015, I decided to try c25k again, I didnt post in a log about it or anything like that but I read everything in here and took it all on board this time, it didnt go perfectly, there was a few hiccups but i'm proud to say that a year later, I am now a Marathon runner. I couldn't run 200 yards back then without having to stop, c25k has changed my life, follow it correctly and forget about pace and distances while going through it and it will change yours too.

I will try contribute in here as much as I can as I feel I owe this thread a lot even though I didnt really post in here, I read and took so much from it when I really needed it.

Don't forget to smile while you are running :-)

Week5 Day3 After a chat with the coach doing the C25K I had a go at 20mins this evening instead of Sunday. ( I need to catch up with others on the program to make the 5k event)

22mins solid running!
Thought of all the marathon reports here and made it. Incredible eyeopener the way I felt worse at 8 mins than I did at 18.

pcuser wrote: »

Well done Franice, I have noticed that the start of the run is tougher. After 10 mins it gets easier.

I thought it was just me.

Week 6 Day 1 and only I know I am on a plan, I would feel like I had regressed. Ran 5 - 8 - 5 and the 8 minute section was really tough. I was king of the world after my 20 minutes! Work to do still.

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Week 6 Day 1 and only I know I am on a plan, I would feel like I had regressed. Ran 5 - 8 - 5 and the 8 minute section was really tough. I was king of the world after my 20 minutes! Work to do still.

Was your 8 minute run faster than your previous runs though?

I finished the C25K programme and really felt like I was getting nowhere for a while, but speaking to some running friends, its quite common apparently to hit a plateau, so I'm now doing interval training and hill work, which is having an affect. A PT friend came up with a plan for me, 3 sessions a week, 1 session of hills, 1 interval session and then 1 session of a 7km run instead of 5km. I did my first 7km yesterday and could have kept going, was very tempted to do 8km, which is 5 miles, but as it was torrential rain and I was soaked through, I decided to stick with the plan.

MrStuffins wrote: »

I had this exact same experience. I can only think that this 5 -8 -5 leg is a step back on purpose.

The runs since then have been tough for me..... but never so tough that I've had to stop!

A few weeks ago I was running 5 mins and thinking "this is tough". Now I'm running 25 mins and thinking the same thing, it's amazing when you think about it! Keep it up!

muddypaws wrote: »

Was your 8 minute run faster than your previous runs though?

I finished the C25K programme and really felt like I was getting nowhere for a while, but speaking to some running friends, its quite common apparently to hit a plateau, so I'm now doing interval training and hill work, which is having an affect. A PT friend came up with a plan for me, 3 sessions a week, 1 session of hills, 1 interval session and then 1 session of a 7km run instead of 5km. I did my first 7km yesterday and could have kept going, was very tempted to do 8km, which is 5 miles, but as it was torrential rain and I was soaked through, I decided to stick with the plan.

Cheers. Hope I didn't sound downbeat, no intention of giving up. The benefits even after 6 weeks are too great.
Thanks for chiming in, great to see that others are having and had similar experiences.

The Muppet wrote: »

But you got through it , well done, If it was easy sure it wouldnt be worth doing. You probably still had some tireness from the 20 mins which is quite a bit of a step up. If you're finding a run tough just slow down and work your way through it, You can't run too slow at this stage> Remember runs should be easy enough that you can hold a conversation with youself, just dont let anyone catch you talking to yourself.;)

You're doing really well.

Do you mean I shouldn't be out of breath?