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

rainbow kirby

hdowney wrote: »

quick question. could ye loverly people recommend somewhere i could go to be fitted for a daycent sports bra. i have quite a lot to manage and don't fancy it bouncing up and down, killing me, for 5k. cheers

If you're big on top, I recommend going to Bramora in Earlsfort Terrace for a proper fitting - they stock the Shock Absorber ones.

matrina2641

I decided to get off my ASS and do something about feeling like ****e about my weight etc and just couldnt hack the gym after being in an office all day! Always wanted to be the type of person to just feel mad and then go for a run and feel better again, so I started Couch25K the other day, did W1D2 yesterday and Im only really feeling it now (almost 30 hours later!!) but i am raring to go again with everyones success stories!!

When do you really start noticing the toning??

babyfratelli_x

heya, 1st time posting in this thread!

Ive a few questions if you guys could shed some light on them for me as Im relatively new to this running craic.

Lived in Galway last year and started going for walks/jogs the odd time, I enjoyed it, wasnt tryin to lose weight, just get fitter, but didnt get a chance to go that often, and wasnt the best at stickin to a routine.

Was at home then for summer, and used to the odd bit of runnin, not sure how much, maybe bout 2 or 3 kms 2 or 3 times a week, but again wasnt good at keepin to any sort of schedule.

So in September I moved to Cork for college, got a free gym membership so decided to take advantage of it. Again wasnt good at keepin to any sort of routine! (I see a pattern emergin!)

Anyhoooo, have started again and want to keep to a routine this time, have been to the gym using the treadmill like 4 times this week, done 4km in 25 mins today, was really happy, and want to be able to do 5 km in the next week or two. speed isnt important at all, its more stamina and fitness.

Thing is, is running on the treadmill as good as actually going outside to run? Is it easier like?

I would just go jogging outside like I used to but I live in the city centre and its really awkward! Bloody traffic lights and bridges everywhere! Only place that seems decent is out by the mardyke but sure if Im out there Im aswell to just go into the gym and take advantage of my membership!

And also does anyone know of any 5km runs going on in or around Cork? Id love to take part in something like that to keep me motivated this time!

allgirlz

First time posting here too! Am also wondering about the treadmill, am training in the gym and am on week 3, 'tis hard enough but am hoping to run a 5k in April. Would love to get involved in any runs in Dublin. Will i find it hard running outside as opposed to the gym?

Bubblefett

Right, I've decided to start the C25K again and actually FINISH IT this time!! Last time I started I stopped after being ill and never started again.
Now it's time to loose some of this christmas weight
Did W1D1 today and wow I'm out of shape.

Oh and does anyone have the podcast links? The ones on page one don't seem to be working for me- I wants the just talking one so I can put my own muscis under it

The Black Oil

If you've an iPod or similar, go to the iTunes store and search for 'NHS Couch to 5k' - include NHS as it will narrow the search. You should then get a list of 13 podcasts.

http://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/nhs-couch-to-5k/id394384987

Sorry, I don't know about the one where you can add your own music, maybe that's an app. This ^^ has some talking/encouragement, but with set music.

olddognotricks

hey all
started/stopped/started/stopped c25k so many times now but finally on Wk6-did day 2 this am
A friend and meself are planning an 8k during summer so this is the motivation to get to end of c25k prog once and for all!!!!

am doing it on a treadmill at home, so like babyfratelli mentioned about road vs treadmill, how big is the difference??
Cheers:)

Duckee

Hi all,

just thought I'd add my two cents regarding the treadmill v outdoor question. I used to run both at the gym and outdoors but having cancelled my gym membership a while back I'm now running outside only.

Anyway, from my experience there are pros and cons to both. Physically, running outdoors is more difficult than a treadmill because of a) the weather (think about running into the wind on a wintry day), b) different surfaces, e.g. running on the road, on sand, on grass can be tougher on the old legs than the treadmill belts and c) different inclines. When you're on a treadmill you set the 'slant' that your running on but depending on where you run outside it could be far more hilly and uneven.

On the other hand, treadmills are harder psychologically as you're basically running to nowhere. At least outside, there is so much to distract you from the scenery, meeting other runners and just get some good old fresh air. On a treadmill I often found it hard to get to 7k when I'd happily run 15k outside.

That said while I'd favour running outside, there can be practical reasons for staying indoors. For me I favoured the treadmill if I was getting my exercise in the evening as I was never comfortable running in the dark. Also, I live in the city centre and sometimes just didn't want to compete with traffic lights etc (although, you can often get around this by planning a route that takes you via a park, sea, river etc which typically have longer stretches of road). And, if you're running intervals (something like the c25k), seeing the numbers clocking up on a treadmill can keep you focused as you can see how much ground your covering (although there are devices that allow you do to this outside also :-)).

eire-kp

Week four day one done this evening, The last 5 minute run was tough but I felt great after it.
I guess I'm pretty lucky as I have a great running track 10 minutes drive from my house which makes it a lot easier.

hdowney

well things went a bit wrong for me. firstly i damaged my achilles before christmas and it flared up again when i went out walking and whatnot, then i got flu. so i am a bit behind for my 5k. however today i joined a gym first session in the morning. i think this will really help get my legs up to the required fitness and will also help my lung capacity (as has the swimming being) because going out in the cold really broke up my chest

Zapperzy

Finished W1D3 yesterday. W1D1 was hell, finding it a bit easier already. We'l see if I'm still saying that on monday W2D1.

FouxDaFaFa

Went running for the first time in a while (have had ankle issues) and it went okay! Not as bad as anticipated anyway.

iguana

Started the C25k today and found it quite difficult. I had a laparoscopy and laser ablations 4 weeks ago, after which my stitches got infected so up until 2 weeks ago I wasn't even able to walk my dogs properly. So I guess part of the reason I found it difficult was that my body is still in recovery. (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) Also I ended up mostly running into the wind which tired me out a lot. I was literally running along happily on my third* bout of running, crossed over the foot bridge and changed direction and it was like all my energy was blown away by the wind.

The other thing was that I really underestimated how much ground I would cover and had plotted a route that was way too short. Despite realising this half way through and adding more ground to my route I still ended up running up and down on the path outside my house for nearly 5 minutes at the end. Which was a bit embarrassing as I looked fully pathetic at that point and was in full view of my neighbours' house and they are brilliant joggers.

I also think I wore too much. I had on a running top with a fleece as I thought the running top looked too flimsy for such a rotten day. I'd been walking the dogs before I went running and I was wearing a t-shirt, woolly jumper, padded jacket and hat and scarf, and I was still chilly. Yet once I started running I really regretted wearing the fleece, even with the wind.

*Which should have been my second but I got mixed up an ran for part of the warm up.:o

iguana

Second day running today. I can't describe how relieved I was to discover that day 2 is identical to day 1. I don't think I could have upped the level of workout yet. Today was better. I think I paced myself much better and instead of starting out fast I just jogged really gently every time I had to run. It was still a work out and the sweat was running off my by the end. I also managed to work out a better route, so until I speed up (ha!) I have my route sorted. I've decided to alternate jogging days with yoga days in order to keep stretched and I'm thinking of starting the 100 push up challenge as I really want to tone up my upper arms.

The Black Oil

Keep going, you'll become one of us.

I started in February 2011, not a chance I thought I'd be still running a year later.

iguana

Day 3 down. The easiest so far, I was grinning so hard when I finished the last jogging part of the session. I'm dreading having to up my game on Friday as I start week 2. I'm not sure if I'm actually enjoying the jogging yet but I do find myself looking forward to my post jog shower even hours before I start out.

I also started to do the 100 push up challenge after my jog. It was a doddle compared to the jogging. I'm glad I've decided to do a yoga session on my non-jog days although I'm finding certain poses really tough going due to the little scars on my stomach.

eire-kp

Just done week 5 day 3..20minutes running

Its amazing how much you can improve in 5 weeks.

barbiegirl

I'm doing mine over 12 weeks cause I have the dogs with me. On week 3 now, and definitely is pushing me and them, but loving it . Only problem I have is having to stop when one doggie decides, always in the last run, to take a poop.

iguana

barbiegirl wrote: »

I'm doing mine over 12 weeks cause I have the dogs with me. On week 3 now, and definitely is pushing me and them, but loving it . Only problem I have is having to stop when one doggie decides, always in the last run, to take a poop.

I'd love to be able to do mine with my dogs but one of my guys is missing a front leg so wouldn't be able to keep up and he'd get very upset if he thought I was leaving him behind. So I have to walk them first, then go out and jog.

snorrie

Discovered this programme thanks to The Lady's Lounge. Started it in April and with a few breaks and a few repeats built in, I finally got to week 9 day 1 on Monday. Day 2 tomorrow. To think that at the beginning I was thinking: "What? A 3-minute jog? When will these 3 minutes end?" And now I'm up to 30 minutes with not much bother. Amazing.

The trick for me is to do it in the morning, just fall out of bed and into the running shoes. If I have too much time to think about it, I put it off and off. I'm lucky enough to have a treadmill for this cold weather, so I don't even have to get dressed properly. I live in Germany and it's arctic outside, don't fancy lungfulls of that air.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks the TLL for the inspiration and pat myself on the back for he perspiration.

I read someone the other day mentioning the 100 push-up challenge. That just might be the next thing. My husband bet me €1000 that I COULDN'T do it as I have zero upper arm strength. Mmmmh... He's right, I don't, but that's the whole point, isn't it, to build up that strength?

Should we start another thread on the push-up challenge? Has anyone done it, or is anyone else doing it?

Seomra Mushie

So, I decided to see for how long could I jog this evening without stopping. Managed 25 seconds.

I am a good brisk walker though, so I'm not completely unfit. But yeah, pitiful! :pac:

iguana

Urgh! I'm supposed to be starting week 3 today but I think I'm going to need to take a few days off. My knee has been hurting for a couple of days now and I need to let that heal up, with a bit of r.i.c.e. before continuing. I thought it was fine on Wednesday after resting on Tuesday but by the end of my run I knew I should have taken at least one more day off. Now I'm going to have to miss a few more days. I'm also going to wait until I get new, proper, runners before continuing. At present my good runners are old and my newer runners are really just suitable for walking and I think they are the culprit behind my achy knee.:(

I'm never going to run a marathon at this rate.:rolleyes:

hdowney

well yesterday in the gym i decided to walk 5k (to see if i could, since i have the optran 5k on sat). i had been extremely behind on my preparation for the event and rather scared that i would fail miserably, and on telly. so i managed it, at a decent speed (i think) in an hour but i am completely broken in bits now

iguana

I'M BACK!

Yay. After 6 days of no exercise at all I finally felt ok to run today. I decided to push on to week 3 because even though it has a minute less walking as week 2, it has the same amount of jogging, just a some longer durations. Toward the end of the second 3min run I was getting a bit 'will this ever end?' but then it did and I'd done it. I probably went a bit slower than usual as the thought of doing 3 min runs after nearly a week off was really daunting and I didn't want to tire out too soon.:o

NCONTHEMC

Hello running types! I've been lurking for ages but in an attempt to inspire / force self off the couch am going to follow this thread and attempt to run run run. Have stupidly signed up for 4k in Marlay Park this Saturday. if I don't embarrass myself terribly I might let you all know how I get on.... GULP

hdowney

NCONTHEMC wrote: »

Hello running types! I've been lurking for ages but in an attempt to inspire / force self off the couch am going to follow this thread and attempt to run run run. Have stupidly signed up for 4k in Marlay Park this Saturday. if I don't embarrass myself terribly I might let you all know how I get on.... GULP

gowan you will be better than fine uber support here. I did the OpTran 5k on Saturday gone in the Phoenix Park. Now I am going to admit that I walked the thing. But hills and all I did it in under an hour, and for me that is like a super achievement. Never done nothing like that in forevers.

So yea gowan, push yourself and you will amaze yourself. Trying to figure out what is next for me

NCONTHEMC

Thanks! I have had a rush of blood to the head and registered for the mini marathon in June. Walked it last year and aim to run some of it this year. I say aim, will depend on how the next few months go.... Phew, am exhausted already;) well done on the Op Trans 5k, that's on my list for next year....

rainbow kirby

Be consistent with your training and you will be fine - start now, get out 3-4 times a week, build gradually, and you'll probably be able to run the whole way at the Women's Mini-Marathon.

hdowney

NCONTHEMC wrote: »

Thanks! I have had a rush of blood to the head and registered for the mini marathon in June. Walked it last year and aim to run some of it this year. I say aim, will depend on how the next few months go.... Phew, am exhausted already;) well done on the Op Trans 5k, that's on my list for next year....

how much does the mini cost, and what is the process for registration? i was considering it for my next milestone, since it is 10k, double the OpTran one, and hoping to possibly jog a little of it.

Signing up for the OpTran was one of them blood rushes, I had just started in on the weightloss and thought it'd be good, til the night before when I panicked

rainbow kirby

The Women's Mini-Marathon is €18, iirc.