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

Cerulean Chicken

Lidl specials on Thursday are running related, runners, tops, leggings, shorts, socks, mp3 holder, sports bra, etc. After I only buying leggings and a top last week!!

x Purple Pawprints x

Starting this in the morning. Should be interesting to see how I get on.

I've signed up to walk the mini marathon too.

Lyaiera

I appreciate Vitani's warning about rest days and they're recommended everywhere I've read about the C25k. I do understand that the stress of going from the couch to activity on roads can take a toll and they're important, but I actually feel like I want to go out and do the week one plan again today.

x Purple Pawprints x

Day 1 is done. Found it okay but I am very unfit. Afterwards I was wrecked but I'm fine now.

Scarinae

Don't worry PP, your fitness will increase and you'll notice it quite quickly!

I'm just annoyed with myself because I went over on my ankle on Friday night when I was out running. I've been wearing an ankle support and tried icing it and elevating it over the weekend, I hope it gets better soon because I really want to get back to this as soon as possible.

Pembily

Went out tonight really didn't want to, W7D1, found it hard!

JimmyCrackCorn

Have a month left before tough mudder again. Body fat finally way down and diet finally in check. This time I'm focusing on running unlike last time as I know what to expect.

Last week I managed to put in 22k which last May I would have cried at the though of 2k.


So if I can keep this rate up for the next 5 weeks I should finally be the man I was when I was 19 and fit.

Lyaiera

I did W1D3. I am very pleased with myself. I followed the advice I found in runners forums about not trying to go as fast as you can manage in each running section while still completing it. Instead slowing down your running and keeping your heart rate at a good average level for the whole thing. At the end of all the running stages bar one of them I felt like I could have gone on for another small bit, and at least wasn't desperate for it to be over. It meant the total I ran was slightly down, but I was walking faster through the rest stages, so I had covered the same amount over the total of the intervals while feeling better about myself in general. This meant I could do the warm up and cool down walk faster. Including the intro and outro 5 minutes walk I covered and extra 300m in total. So I am very happy about all this.

I do want to look at a good stretch routine for before and after each day's run/walk though. I didn't do any the first day and was very stiff after. I did a warm up stretch yesterday and was a little better. Today I did a warm up and cool down stretch but I'm only doing whatever I can remember from school PE. I feel a little twinge in my right hip, so I figure I'd better get onto this before my next day on Friday.

And again I'm actually looking forward to it, after being a bit doubtful seeing the drizzle before I went out today.

quaalude

I did W9, D1 yesterday - 30 minutes.
It was not too tiring, but I did notice my speed hasn't picked up at all in the last few sessions (I've been monitoring them with Runtastic).
I think I may be holding back too much, because I'm concerned about not being able to complete the session. I could possibly put my foot on the gas a bit more, and, with time and confidence, I hope I will.

My app tells me I've graduated, that yesterday was the last day, but I'm going to do the same session on my usual days this week, as everywhere else suggests Week 9 has 3 days, just like all the other weeks.
I think I've got a touch of Stockholm Syndrome with the C25K program - 2 months ago, I couldn't wait for it to be over and done with, and now I don't want to finish it!

Lyaiera

On the forums I'm reading I've heard people say that the end of C25k is a killer, and loads of people stop because they have nothing to aim for.

How about you pick an official 5k run somewhere and do it? You can smugly look at all the people walking it while you fly by. :P

quaalude

Lyaiera wrote: »

On the forums I'm reading I've heard people say that the end of C25k is a killer, and loads of people stop because they have nothing to aim for.

How about you pick an official 5k run somewhere and do it? You can smugly look at all the people walking it while you fly by. :P

Hi Lyaiera - Thanks for that. I have signed up for a 5K, but it's not till June. It was the only one I fancied (i.e. right beside my gaff)!
The C25K is so structured, so incrementally rewarding, and so hand-holding that it does feel like I'm being abandoned at the end of the week! I've to figure out exactly what to do next.

Lyaiera

quaalude wrote: »

The C25K is so structured, so incrementally rewarding, and so hand-holding that it does feel like I'm being abandoned at the end of the week!

Yeah, I can totally see that. There's a big drive in a lot of psychology and work performance areas for "gamification." They've known for ages that if you turn a big problem into lots of smaller ones then people manage it easier. Then computer games came along and people were going up a level, or seeing a small stat increase and loved it. So now with gamification they want to mix the two. A big end goal, divided into lots of smaller goals, with psychological rewards for getting to the smaller goals.

I've seen people mention Zombies, Run! a bit. It's a mix of game and training app. Where you're collecting supplies and running through missions in the game. The game adapts to whatever workout you want to do and fits in accordingly. It might be worth a shot. I hope to eventually need it. :P


Site:
https://www.zombiesrungame.com/

Review:
http://toucharcade.com/2012/03/02/zombies-run-is-an-undead-app-with-a-soul/

quaalude

Lyaiera wrote: »

Yeah, I can totally see that. There's a big drive in a lot of psychology and work performance areas for "gamification." They've known for ages that if you turn a big problem into lots of smaller ones then people manage it easier. Then computer games came along and people were going up a level, or seeing a small stat increase and loved it. So now with gamification they want to mix the two. A big end goal, divided into lots of smaller goals, with psychological rewards for getting to the smaller goals.

Indeed - as a (reformed) MMO player, I feel like I've been levelling up this whole time.
I've heard about Zombies, Run, and it sounds like fun, but as I originally started running for the Zen-like calm I was told running brings, the distraction of it is not exactly what I'm looking for right now!

Actually, I think I've solved my own dilemma just now. I started the C25K 8 weeks ago so I could run for half and hour, forget about everything, and feel great doing it. So that's just what I'll do - just go out 3 times a week and run for half an hour.

This has been helpful, thanks Lyaiera!

Lyaiera

quaalude wrote: »

Indeed - as a (reformed) MMO player, I feel like I've been levelling up this whole time.
I've heard about Zombies, Run, and it sounds like fun, but as I originally started running for the Zen-like calm I was told running brings, the distraction of it is not exactly what I'm looking for right now!

I will definitely say, "Gratz!" to your C25k Wk9 "Ding" then. :P

quaalude

Lyaiera wrote: »

I will definitely say, "Gratz!" to your C25k Wk9 "Ding" then. :P

Hah, thanks! I've to think about it like hitting level cap, I suppose - I've got to get stuck into end-game content.

Lyaiera

quaalude wrote: »

Hah, thanks! I've to think about it like hitting level cap, I suppose - I've got to get stuck into end-game content.

Will I try and tank this run or go for DPS?

quaalude

Lyaiera wrote: »

Will I try and tank this run or go for DPS?

DPS - but bring a healer.

Cerulean Chicken

Just back from W7D2. It went pretty well, I found it much easier because I knew roughly where I should end up give or take a few feet so was much easier to pace myself. By the time I was at 24mins 30 secs I was already at the point I was at at 25mins on Sunday, so I must've sped up somewhere along the way The hill didn't kill me so much today, I did a better pace going up it and got my breathing under control faster (I have this hangover from stress related anxiety that means I find it difficult to take deep breaths, so after the incline can be difficult).

Happy with that now. I'm going away this weekend for 4 days, which really upsets my c25k routine! Should I finish W7 this week before I go, or should I leave D3 of it until next week, so I'm not facing straight into longer runs after a tiring drink and food filled weekend?

liliq

Ok, so I did one day of c25k a couple of months ago and that was it...
I started back last week- signed up for the mini marathon, and started c25k on Monday last week, and I finished w2d2 tonight.
Took it really easy tonight as one of my knees wasn't feeling great. Apart from that I've found it ok so far.
I find the second sets of jogging easier... I'm not sure why, maybe it's just because I've warmed up over the first sets?

The runners I'm using aren't ideal though... I got them pre pregnancy, never used them, and my foot shape seems to have changed and not changed back post pregnancy.
Apart from getting the runners sorted, any quick tips for someone who's never run before?! (I've played loads of sports and used to be fit, so warming up/ stretching are all ok )

Unregistered39

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Have my first pair of 'new' runners since I wore out my first pair (been running for a year) and they are killing my mid-foot area! Just really aching after a couple of km. They are the super-fancy new Adidas Boost ones so am really hoping it's just a case of getting used to them and that they haven't been a waste of money...

Cerulean Chicken

Went to Lidl to get the running stuff, feck all left Only shorts which I don't want, and the longer leggings and tops were only left in the massive sizes. Sigh!

quaalude

How's everyone?
I finished the C25K last Friday, I'm so happy to have completed it.
For now, I'm just going to continue running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 30 minutes - basically just doing the last week of C25K every week, until I figure out what to do next.
I'd love to know - what others have done after finishing C25K, or what you plan to do when you've finished?

lemon_sherbert

quaalude wrote: »

I'd love to know - what others have done after finishing C25K, or what you plan to do when you've finished?

Congratulations!

I did two weeks of continuing the 30 mins, then did a week of 33, then a week of 36 minutes - which got me to running 5k, which was my big goal at the time. Then I went on and did the Hal Higdon Novice 10K plan, though fairly loosely.

quaalude

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Congratulations!

I did two weeks of continuing the 30 mins, then did a week of 33, then a week of 36 minutes - which got me to running 5k, which was my big goal at the time. Then I went on and did the Hal Higdon Novice 10K plan, though fairly loosely.

Interesting - that might be a good way to go for me too: aim for the 5K in the short term.
I'm not near 5K yet - 4.65K (including the 10 mins warm up/cool down) is my best (and most recent).
Thanks lemon_sherbert!

Cerulean Chicken

Hey everyone! I was looking at the thread last night but couldn't bring myself to post, because I was the last one to post last week, had ye a quiet non running weekend like myself??

Just did W7D3. The last 7-8 mins of the run were tough, I covered 4.6km, but when you take into account the fact that I did D2 last Tuesday, and spent 4 days this weekend eating ALL the fried things and washing it down with ALL the vodka and beer that's not so bad! It was definitely a bit lacklustre to start with, I'm physically and emotionally exhausted :P But I got there in the end!

W8 so is next, eep. Need to find a longer route!

Actually I've something very silly that ye might appreciate. Friday night I was in the pub, and had to make my way from that pub to another pub, down the road in a very quiet, dark, foreign town. I ended up running/jogging the distance In my cute dress and flats, it was only about a 60 second jog but A. it made the time spent in dark strange streets shorter and B. made me very happy that I could do it after burgers and pints and not die!

I'll stop the essay now

vitani

quaalude wrote: »

How's everyone?
I finished the C25K last Friday, I'm so happy to have completed it.
For now, I'm just going to continue running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 30 minutes - basically just doing the last week of C25K every week, until I figure out what to do next.
I'd love to know - what others have done after finishing C25K, or what you plan to do when you've finished?

Well done!

I'm following a 10k plan at the moment, but having said that, I was running 5k within the 30 minutes when I finished C25k. I think lemon_sherbet's suggestion is a good one. Especially if you sit down and write out a plan beforehand. I'd be lost if I couldn't tick something off after finishing each run

Once you're running 5k, if you're looking for a race before June, there's a Parkrun in Malahide or Marley Park every Saturday morning at 9.30am. It's 5k and free to take part in.

eviltwin

quaalude wrote: »

How's everyone?
I finished the C25K last Friday, I'm so happy to have completed it.
For now, I'm just going to continue running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 30 minutes - basically just doing the last week of C25K every week, until I figure out what to do next.
I'd love to know - what others have done after finishing C25K, or what you plan to do when you've finished?

I was still shy of the 5k by the end so I worked on that, once I was able to run the 5k easily enough I moved up to training for 10k. Still working on that at the moment. Well done on finishing.

quaalude

Thanks everyone!
Working on 5K in 30 minutes is a fine goal for me for the moment then.
I've been using Runtastic Pro to keep track of what I'm doing.
Keeping up the regime of 3 times a week, no matter what, is the important thing for me right now.

msbusterpuss

I have just continued running for half an hour 3 times a week. My length including the 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down is usually 5.20km. I am going to check how many ks im doin in the 30 mins tonight to see if im near it. If not ill work on it till i get to 5k within the 30 mins. After that ill try the bridge to 10k app.

ultra_other

quaalude wrote: »

How's everyone?
I finished the C25K last Friday, I'm so happy to have completed it.
For now, I'm just going to continue running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 30 minutes - basically just doing the last week of C25K every week, until I figure out what to do next.
I'd love to know - what others have done after finishing C25K, or what you plan to do when you've finished?

Well done for finishing C25K:)
I kept up the 30 minutes for a few weeks after as well, but I kept picking up injuries and this stopped me running
I went and joined a running club to help see what I was doing wrong, and in my case there was a few issues to sort out.
People of all ability from beginners to elite are catered for.
Just another alternative to look at
maybe have a look at this page
http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?page_id=3156