Couch to 5k thread

Gremlin2011

W3D1 done. It is freezing out there! I had images of me slipping on frozen leaves and ringing the hubby to pick me up! Thankfully it didn't come to that

Ive mastered the art of avoiding shin splints since my first day of hobbling about. Now I've knots in my glutes... is this common? Is there anything that I can do to prevent it?

The Muppet

Gremlin2011 wrote: »

W3D1 done. It is freezing out there! I had images of me slipping on frozen leaves and ringing the hubby to pick me up! Thankfully it didn't come to that

Ive mastered the art of avoiding shin splints since my first day of hobbling about. Now I've knots in my glutes... is this common? Is there anything that I can do to prevent it?

Well done , Re the knots you could try stretching after your run, that may help. Here's a article which will help if you chose to give it ago.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/how-to-stretch-after-a-run.aspx

Ososlo

Gremlin2011 wrote: »

W3D1 done. It is freezing out there! I had images of me slipping on frozen leaves and ringing the hubby to pick me up! Thankfully it didn't come to that

Ive mastered the art of avoiding shin splints since my first day of hobbling about. Now I've knots in my glutes... is this common? Is there anything that I can do to prevent it?

Hey Gremlin and well done for getting to W3D1!

I think it's pretty normal to get little niggles in the first few weeks of the programme. You're using muscles you haven't used before so they're bound to get a bit sore and tight. The key is to listen closely to your body to distinguish between normal muscle soreness, and potential injury. I think it's really important to take the rest days between runs as prescribed in the programme to let things settle between runs and take a day more between runs if things are particularly tender/sore. If you feel you might be getting injured, just back off altogether for a few days.
Foam rollers are great to iron out muscle soreness and they are a great investment for any runner and can potentially save you a lot of money on physios etc if you get into a good habit of foam rolling regularly.
Best of luck with it.

wavehopper1

Week 9 run 3 today. So I guess I'm an official graduate of the programme. Feel really good about it.
I know its a common mistake for fresh enthusiasts to go buying expensive kit when they start something, but I wanted to know the distance I was actually running this week, so I bought a GPS device at the cheaper end of the scale. Didn't go for the fancier models with heart monitors etc, took a look at some boards reviews here and am very happy with what I got (Garmin ForeRunner 10).
On today's run, watching the Ks tick over was more motivating than time, I got to the 30 min and was on 3.5 K and thought what the heck, I'll make the 4.
Had to laugh, the first time I used it (run 2) when I clicked "finish" it congratulated me on setting a new individual record. Then today, I got another "record", I ran a 1 K split faster than I'd done before. I have it set up on K, but it helpfully told me that I'd done a mile in 14 min 40 seconds. If I can get to a mile in sub-14 minute, I'll feel like Roger Bannister
The gadget obviously isn't necessary for beginners like me, but if any of you are thinking of it - they may be going cheaper on the Cyber Monday, and it does add a bit of fun.

The Muppet

/\

Brilliant well done. The watch is a great investment .I used a smartphone when I started but got a watch after a few weeks too. On my 3rd one now .

FrancieBrady

Ran my first 5k race today in 37 mins. Tough hard nervous Km's. That's it done now, to hell with that, what's next!

FrancieBrady

wavehopper1 wrote: »

Week 9 run 3 today. So I guess I'm an official graduate of the programme. Feel really good about it.
I know its a common mistake for fresh enthusiasts to go buying expensive kit when they start something, but I wanted to know the distance I was actually running this week, so I bought a GPS device at the cheaper end of the scale. Didn't go for the fancier models with heart monitors etc, took a look at some boards reviews here and am very happy with what I got (Garmin ForeRunner 10).
On today's run, watching the Ks tick over was more motivating than time, I got to the 30 min and was on 3.5 K and thought what the heck, I'll make the 4.
Had to laugh, the first time I used it (run 2) when I clicked "finish" it congratulated me on setting a new individual record. Then today, I got another "record", I ran a 1 K split faster than I'd done before. I have it set up on K, but it helpfully told me that I'd done a mile in 14 min 40 seconds. If I can get to a mile in sub-14 minute, I'll feel like Roger Bannister
The gadget obviously isn't necessary for beginners like me, but if any of you are thinking of it - they may be going cheaper on the Cyber Monday, and it does add a bit of fun.

Have you a link Wavehopper?

wavehopper1

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Have you a link Wavehopper?

This is a thread discussing different GPS watches:

MrStuffins

I went out on Saturday evening and did my first out-of-programme 5k!

Took it VERY slowly and completed it in about 40 mins! I think going as slowly as possible so as not to get wrecked will help me improve over time if I just keep doing 5k over and over again!

Going to go out tonight and do another

pcuser

Well done MrStuffins

Hesh's Umpire

My first 25 minute run (week 6, run 3) scheduled for tonight. Pray for me!

Kylo Ren

Hello everyone.

Has anyone had any experience with groin injuries during this? I was on week 4 last week and completed the day one run without too much hassle and enjoyed it. The next day I had a pain in my upper thigh. I iced it for the next couple of days and decided I'd hold off until the next week and redo week 4.

I felt good during the run and completed it again without much hassle. That night and now today the pain is back. I don't know what to do. Continue through the pain and keep running?

Thanks in advance.

Penfailed

wavehopper1 wrote: »

I think it was on here that someone recommended upping by 10% at a time, so for me that would be starting from a base of that 3K and adding 0.3 K each week.
I think that makes sense, if anybody sees a big flaw in it - advise away.

If you start at a base of 3k and add 10% each time then the distance will be as follows -

Day 1 3k
Day 2 3.3k
Day 3 3.63k
Day 4 3.99k
Day 5 4.39k
Day 6 4.83k
Day 7 5.31k etc, etc.

The Muppet

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

My first 25 minute run (week 6, run 3) scheduled for tonight. Pray for me!

I said a novena for you, How'd it go?

The Muppet

Kylo Ren wrote: »

Hello everyone.

Has anyone had any experience with groin injuries during this? I was on week 4 last week and completed the day one run without too much hassle and enjoyed it. The next day I had a pain in my upper thigh. I iced it for the next couple of days and decided I'd hold off until the next week and redo week 4.

I felt good during the run and completed it again without much hassle. That night and now today the pain is back. I don't know what to do. Continue through the pain and keep running?

Thanks in advance.

Don't run if you are in pain. Starting running after being inactive is tough on the body , rule number one is listen to you body , pain is your body telling you something is not right. IMO at this stage its best to err on the side of caution by taking a day or twos rest between sessions if necessary.

Hesh's Umpire

The Muppet wrote: »

I said a novena for you, How'd it go?

It must have worked! I'm sore all over but feeling great. Even managed to up the pace for the last minute as suggested by the podcast narrator!

It's a fantastic feeling.

The Muppet

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

It must have worked! I'm sore all over but feeling great. Even managed to up the pace for the last minute as suggested by the podcast narrator!

It's a fantastic feeling.

Brilliant ' well done . Are you using the nhs choices podcasts. Laura's a hard task master.

FrancieBrady

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

It must have worked! I'm sore all over but feeling great. Even managed to up the pace for the last minute as suggested by the podcast narrator!

It's a fantastic feeling.

Well done!

Hesh's Umpire

The Muppet wrote: »

Brilliant ' well done . Are you using the nhs choices podcasts. Laura's a hard task master.

I am. I like Laura but I have called her some undeserved bad things from time to time!!!

messy tessy

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

I am. I like Laura but I have called her some undeserved bad things from time to time!!!

I started the first run of week one yesterday and man did I curse her when she said there was just two more 60 second runs to do. Just! I could have dropped there and then!

Haven't started reading much of this thread yet but I love it already!

The Muppet

Hesh's Umpire wrote: »

I am. I like Laura but I have called her some undeserved bad things from time to time!!!

One day, possibly a few miles into a tough run you will remember Laura fondly and miss her words of encouragement .:)

messy tessy wrote: »

I started the first run of week one yesterday and man did I curse her when she said there was just two more 60 second runs to do. Just! I could have dropped there and then!

Haven't started reading much of this thread yet but I love it already!

We all remember that feeling , Well done on making the start, that's the toughest bit of all. Keep us informed on how its going and the best of luck with it.

pcuser

messy tessy wrote: »

I started the first run of week one yesterday and man did I curse her when she said there was just two more 60 second runs to do.

Well done Messy,

The first run was the hardest for me, After that it got a bit easier each time.

Hesh's Umpire

messy tessy wrote: »

I started the first run of week one yesterday and man did I curse her when she said there was just two more 60 second runs to do. Just! I could have dropped there and then!

Haven't started reading much of this thread yet but I love it already!

Well done - keep it going. The night I did that first set of one minute runs, I could never have thought I'd get to the 25 minute run I did last night.

messy tessy

pcuser wrote: »

Well done Messy,

The first run was the hardest for me, After that it got a bit easier each time.

Thanks!! Yeh had a huge smile on my face when I finished the last 60 seconds (well after I eventually recovered!) I am massively unfit but thrilled with myself for starting, and completely agreed with Laura when she said about deserving a pat on the back :P Definitely will stick with it

wavehopper1

Penfailed wrote: »

If you start at a base of 3k and add 10% each time then the distance will be as follows -

Day 1 3k
Day 2 3.3k
Day 3 3.63k
Day 4 3.99k
Day 5 4.39k
Day 6 4.83k
Day 7 5.31k etc, etc.

Doesn't your formula mean that at some point in the future I'd be running to the moon? :P

Maximus Alexander

wavehopper1 wrote: »

Doesn't your formula mean that at some point in the future I'd be running to the moon? :P

No because if you run in the direction of the moon you'll die of asphyxiation after about 8km or so. The problem sorts itself out.

FrancieBrady

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

No because if you run in the direction of the moon you'll die of asphyxiation after about 8km or so. The problem sorts itself out.

Ah righty ho. Scratch that plan then.

The Muppet

wavehopper1 wrote: »

Doesn't your formula mean that at some point in the future I'd be running to the moon? :P

That's the spirit aim high.:D

Maximus Alexander

Don't listen to him. He's trying to get you killed.

Hesh's Umpire

Did my first week 7 run last night. Loads in the lungs at the end but not in the legs. Covered a slightly shorter distance than week 6, run 3 too. Never thought I'd be looking forward to running, but I can't wait to get out again tomorrow evening.