Loungers on the run: Couch to 5k to marathon and beyond

Scarinae

Any tips on the best way to stretch out your calves? I've been using all the stretches I know and my left calf in particular has still seized up, I was having trouble running on it towards the end of my jog today

sullivlo

Have you tried stretching it in a position similar to how you would be tying your shoelace?

Sauve

Scarinae wrote: »

Any tips on the best way to stretch out your calves? I've been using all the stretches I know and my left calf in particular has still seized up, I was having trouble running on it towards the end of my jog today

If stretching isn't helping, maybe a good massage would sort it out?

Scarinae

sullivlo wrote: »

Have you tried stretching it in a position similar to how you would be tying your shoelace?

I have, no luck though! and it hurts when I try to do that today. I'm walking quite strangely today, nobody has commented on it though

Sauve wrote: »

If stretching isn't helping, maybe a good massage would sort it out?

I think I'll have to try massaging it myself and see if that helps... Hopefully it will wear off in a day or two. It's probably my body's way of telling me not to go out two days in a row

rainbow kirby

Maybe try standing on the edge of a step and try and lower your heels over the edge? Usually a stretch used by people with achilles issues, but if your calf is tight lower down it might help.

x Purple Pawprints x

Week 7 done. Only stopped if I had to cross the road. Including the 5 minute warmup I did 4.2km.

highly1111

So, I did it - reached week 9, day 1. Jogged for 30 minutes!! unfortunately my run didn't map correctly - something went a little crazy with my gps - said I did 7k - which I really didn't!! but I think about 4k! I'm pretty slow still - about 9 minutes per kilometre. I'm going to keep going with the 30 minute runs over the next while and work on my pace. I don't really want to progress to 10k - especially too soon - I don't enjoy running my self so I'm going to keep going with my 30 mins and then join a running club with my sister. Mind you, if you'd told me 9 weeks ago when I couldn't run for 60 seconds that I'd be running for 30 minutes I would never have believed you!! So pretty chuffed if I do say so mayself!

Tabitharose

*might* be of interest to some of you ladies, special k have an offer for a new balance active wear top, works out at €6 (2 boxes of bars with promo codes, and €2 p&p) I sent off for one yesterday, so I'm not sure what it's like, but it's red & looks good in the pictures

Scarinae

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Maybe try standing on the edge of a step and try and lower your heels over the edge? Usually a stretch used by people with achilles issues, but if your calf is tight lower down it might help.

Doing this absolutely killed me yesterday, so it must be getting the right muscles! I'll do that in future when I'm jogging and hopefully it won't happen again. I've been massaging my calves too and they're still stiff, but definitely better than yesterday

sullivlo

Tabitharose wrote: »

*might* be of interest to some of you ladies, special k have an offer for a new balance active wear top, works out at €6 (2 boxes of bars with promo codes, and €2 p&p) I sent off for one yesterday, so I'm not sure what it's like, but it's red & looks good in the pictures

I got it. It's nice enough, a good material. A bit short in the length but other than that no complaints!

fits

Scarinae wrote: »

Doing this absolutely killed me yesterday, so it must be getting the right muscles! I'll do that in future when I'm jogging and hopefully it won't happen again. I've been massaging my calves too and they're still stiff, but definitely better than yesterday

Don't stretch too much in one go if it really hurts.
Also maybe look into foam rollers. Using one has made all the difference to me with my tight hips and sciatica type stuff

fits

Did 5 km yesterday. Was feeling really good in the middle so pushed the pace for 500m and then paid for it the next km. Still almost a minute faster than my last one.
Contemplating the three step in blackstairs adventure race next weekend. We'll see. Lovely part of the world and close enough to Dublin if any of you interested. Www.blackstairsadventurerace.com. That'd be 10km run over the mountain and 15km flattish cycle followed by 500m sprint to finish. Kayaking in 5and 7steps but I wouldn't be fit enough yet.

Ice Storm

Went for a run today - my first in over 6 months!

Was very slow but managed to keep moving for 30 minutes. I'm a little sore now and my face has turned a very unattractive shade of pink.

I feel great having done it.

sammyjo90

Made some bad decisions today!
1. Go out when its ridiculously hot
2. Change the way i go(convinced myself going left outta my house would be easier..i was wrong.)
3. Put phone in non zippy pocket of new thing..fell out after the warm up and had to start again

Not a good day! Wont be making those mistakes again!

Chattastrophe!

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Don't overthink it. Just go out and do it, it doesn't take a long time and you'll feel a lot better afterwards.

I get up at 6am to do my runs before the boyfriend goes to work. I'm literally half-asleep doing them, so I just follow the instructions on the headphones telling me when to walk and when to run, and I've my run over and done with before I know it. Also the traffic is a lot lighter then, I hate plodding along with a row of cars stopped in traffic, it's silly but I feel really self-conscious. And it's a lot cooler then too - hate running in the heat!

Like you say, it's best not to think about it, just go out and do it. I can't say I particularly enjoy running, but it's a means to an end for me, I need to lose weight and get fit and I can't afford to join a gym etc.

username123

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I get up at 6am to do my runs before the boyfriend goes to work. I'm literally half-asleep doing them, so I just follow the instructions on the headphones telling me when to walk and when to run, and I've my run over and done with before I know it. Also the traffic is a lot lighter then, I hate plodding along with a row of cars stopped in traffic, it's silly but I feel really self-conscious. And it's a lot cooler then too - hate running in the heat!

Like you say, it's best not to think about it, just go out and do it. I can't say I particularly enjoy running, but it's a means to an end for me, I need to lose weight and get fit and I can't afford to join a gym etc.

Oh Id love to be able to do this. I am the absolute worst at dragging myself out of bed in the mornings. I literally feel like Im being dragged up out of a pit. I would LOVE to be able to get up at 6am and have my exercise for the day done before work!!

I used to get up at 7am and get a swim in before work in my old job because the pool was right by the job, now I work miles from my gym........

rainbow kirby

username123 wrote: »

I would LOVE to be able to get up at 6am and have my exercise for the day done before work!!

This is something I'm working on, I'd like to be able to get 2 workouts in a day done a little more often than I do so trying to start getting up earlier or else run or cycle to commute. I find I can't have much intensity in the morning or else it's just horrible. Morning swims are lovely though, even if they do sometimes result in gorging on food afterwards.

There's also something really satisfying about sitting down at your desk in the morning knowing you have a workout done already.

coffee_cake

I definitely prefer doing it in the morning and then using the evening for other stuff. Gym is much quieter in the morning also which is a big incentive

fits

Doing this tomorrow. For the craic like....
Www.blackstairsadventurerace.com

eviltwin

fits wrote: »

Doing this tomorrow. For the craic like....
Www.blackstairsadventurerace.com

Fair play attempting that! Are you doing the whole thing?

x Purple Pawprints x

Only on week 8 but ran my first ever 5k last night!

fits

eviltwin wrote: »

Fair play attempting that! Are you doing the whole thing?

Nope. Doing the three black steps. So 11km run on lanes and across side of mountain. Then 15km cycle and 500m sprint to finish. Gonna walk the steep bits of running route and generally just focus on completing it.

highly1111

I've finished!!! On Friday I did 4.7k in week 9, day 3!!

chuffed to bits - my aim now is just to keep on running.... (said Dory style from Finding Nemo!) - I'm going to keep up the 3 jogs a week and call my sister later to find out more about the running club.

I'm delighted with myself - I can't believe that I can run (well, jog!) non stop for 30 minutes! it was one of my 2014 new years resolutions and after 33 years I can finally say I've kept one of them!!

IvyTheTerrible

I finished week 6 yesterday!
I was away for four days, and I went running twice, my goodness it makes SUCH a difference running where it's flat, I beat all my records. Back home now, tomorrow's run will kill me with the hills!

sammyjo90

I did that today too! No hills and got a star for best pace!

fits

fits wrote: »

Nope. Doing the three black steps. So 11km run on lanes and across side of mountain. Then 15km cycle and 500m sprint to finish. Gonna walk the steep bits of running route and generally just focus on completing it.

Did it . Could barely move legs for last 'sprint'. But survived and feel ok today. Walked steepest uphill bits but ran about 7 of the 11 km.

fits

Went for a 4km run this evening. Legs are a bit weary but seem to have survived Sunday relatively unscathed thank goodness.

SarahBeep!

Felt really crappy yesterday, came home after less than 2km. Don;t feel so bad now...found out today I have mumps!

FouxDaFaFa

SarahBeep! wrote: »

Felt really crappy yesterday, came home after less than 2km. Don;t feel so bad now...found out today I have mumps!

Oh God, you poor thing. That is awful. I had the mumps when I was 20, got them the day after I finished my college exams.

IvyTheTerrible

Well the hills killed me this week (I'm in the middle of week 7) but my speed is improving!