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

rainbow kirby

Strength training isn't great for flexibility - I find yoga very helpful for that though.

For what it's worth, I've found bridge pose where I grab my heels to be a very good stretch for my quads.

vitani

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. How often would you practise yoga?

Pembily

I think yoga is the best for flexibility. I started 6months ago and it helped me so much. I go twice a week.

Went for a run today, my God the wind, I only barely managed 4km, I thought I was faster!!

Lucyfur

Pilates is great for strength and flexibility!

rainbow kirby

vitani wrote: »

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. How often would you practise yoga?

One ashtanga class a week (was there this evening) plus a few other bits at home (maybe 10-15 mins at a time focusing on areas that I feel need to be loosened out). Usually run 4 days a week and lift at the gym another day.

JimmyCrackCorn

Got back in the GYM with for the first time since mudder at the weekend.

Hit the treadmill for a 15 minute warm up and I still have some muscles that are a little unhappy.

I also now weigh the same as I did when I was 15 so I think i need to up my calorie intake as I wasn't expecting to have dropped that low.

Team have decided the goal is to knock a half hour off the course time in October so let the pain begin. Big run this evening followed by a beer.....

southsiderosie

Made it to week 3 without getting injured - usually by now, I've developed horrible shin splints. I've been very careful about stretching and doing different calf and ankle exercises. I've also switched to a new kind of shoe, and am wearing compression leg sleeves after my runs. Dunno if one or all are making the difference.

I also ran through a walk accidentally and felt fine - I think I could have kept going, but I knew that I had a few hills on the back end, so I stuck to the program.

I want to do a 5K in early July and saw something that looks like a goofy version of the "Tough Mudder". It is something to work towards, anyways...

foreverbright

I did Week 5 Run 1 on Sunday which went fine did each of the 5 minutes but God I am running so slow sometimes think I'd be quicker walking fast!!!!!

TeletextPear

Week 1, Day 1 just completed Found it a lot easier than I expected to be honest, I'm completely unfit so I was delighted to be able to get through it ok. Bring on Day 2!

realgirl

TeletextPear wrote: »

Week 1, Day 1 just completed Found it a lot easier than I expected to be honest, I'm completely unfit so I was delighted to be able to get through it ok. Bring on Day 2!

Just did Week 1, Day 1 this morning and found it harder than I expected! Managed to do it all with a good bit of effort needed towards the end but collapsed on the couch when I got home. Great to get started though, hopefully I can keep up the motivation to continue...

tk123

The shame the shame!! I started c25k a YEAR ago!!
Round one - got to week 6 or 7 and got a job for 3 months and no time for gym...finished job and got to week 7 before xmas but got a chest infection so had to give myself a few weeks off..then got another job in Jan so stoppped completely. Started again 3 weeks ago in the gym down the road from work - handy to get out at lunchtime and have my exercise done for the day but I've been having problems with tight/knotted calves so often have to stop because my legs are crapping out

Pembily

I ran for 32min straight last night. It's the first time in 2weeks that I've been out and the longest I've run non stop since before Christmas so I'm delighted. My new aim is to run 5km in 35min.

Well done to everyone starting back!

quaalude

Pembily wrote: »

I ran for 32min straight last night. It's the first time in 2weeks that I've been out and the longest I've run non stop since before Christmas so I'm delighted. My new aim is to run 5km in 35min.

Nice one, Pembily!
I'm able to run 5K now, although it takes me 40 mins. I'm also aiming for 5km in 35 mins, I hope to be able to do this in the next couple of weeks.

JimmyCrackCorn

Been out to ramp up training after 2 weeks of beer pizza more beer, kebabs, whiskey, steak, chips,KFC, women and karaoke. (post event relapse):D


Monday was interval training as i felt like punishment. I did 5k of sprinting and waking intervals until I thought I would pass out/throw up.

Today was a fast paced 5k, not as fast as id like and had a few moments of bad language and very tired legs.

Roll on Friday for a slow paced long run.....
Saturday and Sunday is Gym time......

southsiderosie

Took ten days off due to knee soreness, but am now back on it and have added two lift/swim days per week. I like that even on days when things are hectic, I can at least do a Couch-to-5K session and feel like I got some exercise in; it takes longer on lift/swim days to do a workout. Unfortunately, I got back in the pool just in time for them to switch to long course (i.e. 50 meters per length rather than 25 yards).

lubie76

For those suffering with bad knees after running- try this light massage around the knee before the run. I think its normally lack of flexibility of the knee and surroundings tendons etc that causes this pain.

Relax one leg at a time while sitting down and keeping knee slightly bend and using your thumbs and index and third finger rub all around the knee cap gently for a few mins getting right into side of kneecap where a lot of tendons are. Remember gentle massage as its a delicate area. Then straighten leg while still keeping it relaxed and GENTLY move the front of knee cap side to side slightly for a minute. Now using both hands rub the whole area including the side of your leg and above and below the area too.

This should make a big difference if you do it before each run and its no harm to do another quick similar massage after your cooldown. I learned the benefit of this by accident after doing a group bio energy session before my run recently- for first time I didn't suffer knee pain after my run and figured out this what it was down to. Now i use it all the time and no more knee problems- delighted!

_ariadne

I ran my first 10k!

took me 1hr20mins and was mostly on dodgy trails in the blazing sun but I did it! had to share

I'm not really following the official c25k program but its near enough to what i've been doing.

(hoping by resurrecting this thread people will be motivated to keep up their running!)

How is everyone else getting on?

vitani

Well done!

I started a yoga class a couple of weeks ago after reading some advise on this thread. I don't know yet whether it's helping my running but I'm really enjoying the yoga in and of itself. I'd only planned on taking the one course to learn the basics, but I'm thinking of keeping it up now. I love seeing what my body can do.

quaalude

_ariadne wrote: »

I ran my first 10k!
...
How is everyone else getting on?

Nice one, _ariadn!

I'm still getting out there 3 times a week - I run about 5.5km in 40 minutes and I'm trying to work on getting faster rather than running for longer. I've my first 5km race coming up on 20th June.
I wanted to do something else strengthening to complement my running, so I'm doing simple bodyweight exercises twice a week in my gaff while I figure out what to do next.

Shelga

I have a reason to post on this thread for the first time!

Have signed up for a half-marathon in October but am a new runner so was aiming for 5k first. Have been doing it fairly regularly but half-heartedly, maybe twice a week instead of four times a week, that sort of thing. Have only been running outside, no pedometer, not really taking note of times etc.

Well this evening I hopped on the treadmill at the gym for the first time in months and months due to bad weather and ran for 20 minutes with no problem! :eek: Have never ever run on a treadmill for more than 9-10 minutes, sad I know but like I say, new to running

Is it just that treadmill jogging is way easier than outdoors?? Hadn't thought I was making much progress tbh!

rainbow kirby

Shelga wrote: »

Is it just that treadmill jogging is way easier than outdoors?? Hadn't thought I was making much progress tbh!

I find treadmill running physically slightly easier, but *much* harder mentally! I get so bored in the one spot.

Everything accumulates over time too, so you are getting fitter - enjoy it

IvyTheTerrible

I've decided, I'm going to do the C25K! First step, this evening!

IvyTheTerrible

Ok so I did Week 1 Day 1 on Saturday morning, first half was grand, second half was tougher, especially as just by chance, all my running intervals started at the bottom of hills, and all the walking ones were on the downhill bits! Had sore muscles yesterday but today I'm grand.

W1D2 is this evening.

Pembily

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Ok so I did Week 1 Day 1 on Saturday morning, first half was grand, second half was tougher, especially as just by chance, all my running intervals started at the bottom of hills, and all the walking ones were on the downhill bits! Had sore muscles yesterday but today I'm grand.

W1D2 is this evening.

Well done. You're better off running up hill and walking downhill. Running downhill isn't great for your knees. Did you stretch after?

I've only been running once a week as busy with work and cycle training. I'm hoping to get out twice this week. Still not running 5k but 4k is more than ever.

IvyTheTerrible

Pembily wrote: »

Well done. You're better off running up hill and walking downhill. Running downhill isn't great for your knees. Did you stretch after?

I've only been running once a week as busy with work and cycle training. I'm hoping to get out twice this week. Still not running 5k but 4k is more than ever.

I did not know that about running downhill! I'll keep it in mind, because where I live is very hilly!
Yep I did stretch after, the same stretches we do after our aerobics class.

4 K is great!

Pembily

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I did not know that about running downhill! I'll keep it in mind, because where I live is very hilly!
Yep I did stretch after, the same stretches we do after our aerobics class.

4 K is great!

The route I run is flat but I changed it recently and only run up the hill. A friend is ex army and he said the army generally run up hill, walk fast / jog on the flat and walk downhill. I never knew the reasoning until RK explained it here. Also if I do run downhill I feel it much more on my legs.

Thanks, you'll be there in no time.

seosamh1980

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I did not know that about running downhill! I'll keep it in mind, because where I live is very hilly!

I learned this the hard way. I did c25k a few months ago, I ran downhill for a chunk of it 3 or 4 times. The second last time I did it my knee got a bit sore but as it was week 9 I didn't pay much attention, it was my first few times running for that long. The final time I did it my knees were so sore I had to stop the run. That was about 6 weeks ago, and since then I have run 3 times, each time only running uphill and trying to run gently, each time my knees hurt for 1-2 days despite stretching, icepack/heating, knee support, etc.

Yesterday I went for a long walk because I've given up on running for now, after 5-6k walk my knees hurt So for now I'm stopping completely, not even going to go for walks, I'm so mad because I had done really well doing c25k from nothing, only to cause this when I just finished it because I didn't know how bad it was to run downhill.

IvyTheTerrible

W1D2 done yesterday evening. It was slightly easier than the first day (I'm taking that as a good sign!) even though it was a lot hotter yesterday (getting on 28/29 degrees). I have no muscle soreness this morning either! Dying to go on day 3!

IvyTheTerrible

W1D3 done yesterday evening. Lovely session, much easier than the first day. No muscle soreness, and I'm almost tempted to start week 2 tomorrow instead of Saturday!

Pembily

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

W1D3 done yesterday evening. Lovely session, much easier than the first day. No muscle soreness, and I'm almost tempted to start week 2 tomorrow instead of Saturday!

Well done Give yourself the break, too much too soon can result in injury.