Couch to 5k: Early Difficulties

ordinary_girl

Basically I've been using the Couch to 5k app for a few weeks now but I'm really struggling, I can just about do the 30 minute running needed for Week 1 but my problem is I think I might be over exerting myself too soon? I'm able to push myself to do the 30 minutes but when I stop running and finish cooling down I get really light-headed and it genuinely feels like I'm on the brink of fainting, every time.

I'm aware it's only Week 1 and that could be it, and obviously I'm not looking for medical advice. I was just wondering if this is a common experience for people who take up running and does it ease off eventually? For what it's worth, I'm not overweight and have a reasonably healthy diet, I'm just not as active as I'd like to be!

Stench Blossoms

Happened me when I started it many years ago. If you find it too difficult repeat week 1 before going onto week 2. Drink plenty of water.

Best of luck.

RasTa

You don't run for 30mins during week 1. Think it's 2 or 3mins max.

fits

You might be running too fast? Repeat it until you do it comfortably.

ordinary_girl

RasTa wrote: »

You don't run for 30mins during week 1. Think it's 2 or 3mins max.

Probably should've specified I'm doing the 30mins that I'm directed to do on the app, so obviously I wasn't running for the full 30mins. I guess I didn't make that clear in the OP. Sorry!

Stench Blossoms, did you get the light-headedness as well? Did it pass after a while? I don't want this to be a reason for me to stop trying to get fit, especially if (as I suspect) it's really just symptomatic of me being fairly unfit.

rosie16

Hey, I'm doing the ck5 as well, on week 6. I used to get really light-headed and weak during runs but it passed (am i allowed to say that here?).

Stench Blossoms

Yeh the first two runs I did I was completely out of breath and pretty much lay on the bathroom floor for about 30mins afterwards in a pool of sweat.

It does get better.

I actually found my post about it here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67361259&postcount=12

quaalude

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Yeh the first two runs I did I was completely out of breath and pretty much lay on the bathroom floor for about 30mins afterwards in a pool of sweat.

It does get better.

I actually found my post about it here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67361259&postcount=12

Jesus, I was in bits when I started too. I was light-headed and all over the place. Don't worry ordinary_girl - just slow the pace right down, trust the program and follow the instructions to the letter, and you'll get through.

I dug out my first post about it too: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82684694&postcount=1856

(It's crazy reading that back. I was totally unfit, never did any exercise, and a size 22 or 24 when I wrote that post 2 years ago - but I really wanted to change. I kept with it, and I love to run now - I run 6km three times a week, and I'm very active with lots of other things too, and I'm a size 12 now, have been for almost a year).

Stench Blossoms

I read that thread and laugh at the food I thought was healthy

Dortilolma

I remember when I started Cto5K I was a wreck after each run. The first 5 minute run nearly destroyed me but I'm so glad I kept it up.

One thing that I found helped was slowing down. I pushed my self very hard the first few weeks but it just wasn't sustainable for the longer runs. Finding my pace was key to being able to keep it up.

I've happily run 5K and in warmer months run 3-5 times a week.

Sunny Dayz

It's so tough starting C25K! I found myself struggling to run a minute or two and wondering how I was going to be able to do any longer! I found that if I am not happy with a week, I repeat day 3 the following week and then if I'm happier with that I move on. You will look back in a few month's time and see then how much you've progressed. Plus you will get a little buzz when you realise how much you have progressed. You just need patience. It took me a year to get to the stage where I am comfortable running 5k.

DM addict

It is definitely tough when you start it! I was running with my husband next to me - who at the time was training for a marathon - and I felt like I could barely breathe after running for a minute.

My handful of tips -
- Make sure you're getting enough water. For my first week or so, I made my husband run with me a lot, so he was actually carrying water for me. If that's not a possibility, get a small bottle and stash it in a pocket.

- Take it easy afterwards. Do a few stretches, and then just chill and sweat it out. I was totally wrecked at the start. I used to throw an old towel on the couch and watch TV until I had stopped sweating - nothing worse than showering only to discover you're still sweating afterwards!

- Repeat days or whole weeks if you need to. If you try a new day and it's too tough, stick with it until it's easier.

- Find a good pace. For my first few weeks, I was trying to run hard during my running segments, which inevitably meant I couldn't keep that up for very long. Slow it down if you need to. Be worried about stamina, not pace.

Best of luck! It does get easier, and although I'm still not much of a runner, I do get a couple of runs in a week and it's made a big difference to my fitness.

I tried the couch to 5km before and found it really difficult, I now know it was because I was creasing myself on the running and wearing myself out. Next time I did it with a group and ran super slow and I was so much better able for it. That was last year and I've been running ever since so stick with it!

The point about repeating weeks above is a very good one, if you really struggled on a day then absolutely no harm in repeating it, if you move on to the next one too quickly and you can't complete it, you might lost interest and you don't want that to happen.

Best of luck

The Muppet

Slow down for your runs. You should be able to hold a conversation while running . I found the c25k podcasts on the nhs choices web site to be very good when I did it 2 years ago . They help me through the tough days and I'm still running .

RonanP77

I did it last year bit followed my own plan, I couldn't run for more than a minute at a time. It took me about 6 weeks before I could run a full 5k, what did it for me in the end was researching breathing techniques.

It took another 8 weeks to get to 10k and doing Duathlons. I overdid it though and now I haven't run in over 3 months due to injury and it's 6 months since I ran regularly and at pace. Take it easy, build up slowly and don't worry about pace. Get plenty of miles under your belt first, even if some of that is walking.

Rest days are as important as exercise days so make sure you actually rest on them.

kevpants

People start of feeling very uncomfortable with the feeling of being out of breath, to the point where it almost elicits a panic attack. Have you tasted the blood yet? That's another good one.

ordinary_girl

Great, thanks everyone for all of your advice. I'm going to stick with it, you're all inspiring Hopefully a year from now I'll be talking about running 5k with ease! Is it typically after the first two weeks then that the lightheadedness and everything stopped?

kevpants wrote: »

Have you tasted the blood yet? That's another good one.

:eek:

Hannibal Smith

After my first run I thought I'd damaged my lungs! I felt like crap...but found it completely addictive. The whole point of it is to move on when you're ready. If you have to repeat a week so be it. Its all building blocks

DM addict

ordinary_girl wrote: »

Great, thanks everyone for all of your advice. I'm going to stick with it, you're all inspiring Hopefully a year from now I'll be talking about running 5k with ease! Is it typically after the first two weeks then that the lightheadedness and everything stopped?

I wouldn't guarantee that you'll feel fine and dandy after two weeks, but from my recollection that's about how long it took for me to feel comfortable with what I was doing.

Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll get there

rebel girl 15

Doing it with my department at work, started with two of us for the first two weeks and now four of us doing it - had to take two weeks out because of shin splints and being ill, so gone from week 4 back to repeat week 3 this week. Invested in new trainers, my good asics ones were about 5 years old, but didn't want to invest in them before I was committed.

Definitely the pacing - don't kill yourself, my partner did this, but I slowed her down and it made it much easier. Did the five min runs but it nearly killed me. Drinking plenty of water - a little dehydration can have a big effect. Stretch all the major muscle groups afterwards, makes a huge difference to the soreness afterwards and the day after!

If you do a week and you struggle with it, repeat it until you get a little more comfortable with it, then move on. Went back to it yesterday to do week 3 I think, it was difficult. I'm not exactly following it - doing whatever my partner tells me what it is. Think its the NHS app she has. I just found it fairly difficult to balance a hectic job, running/gym and cooking properly - thats going to be a challenge until Easter!

sconhome

Most important thing is managing the pace of your 'running' sections. Don't be pushing too hard but it should be hard enough to stop you being able to talk properly.

A trick that my group used this year is after week 1 not to walk. Slow right down for the recovery but continue to use the jogging motion, almost like running on the spot but moving forwards. You are still exercising the running muscles and it makes it much easier to start the next running interval rather than from a walking position.

And never be afraid to repeat a week. You are starting a running journey that will last for years, an extra week here and there won't be any loss to you.

dearg lady

I'm in week 2 of c25k, so this is all very useful! I'd have a reasonable level of fitness due to cycling, but running really takes it out of me, I'm exhausted and sweating after every run. It's kind of a nice feeling though! I'm kind of apprehensive about jogging for 3 minutes in week 3, but I think I might be going a little fast during my running segments, so I will take on board everyone's suggestion to slow down. I can see how people end up addicted though...I really hope I keep it up

sconhome

Good on you dearg lady for starting.

If I can give you a bit of advice try not to look past the next session. As long as you make room in your life, knowing that you are going out 3 times per week for 35-40mins is all you need to do for the next 7 weeks. Take each session as it comes, don't think about next week or the week after in terms of the workouts because it will become daunting.

Once you get to week 5 or 6 you will really see yourself starting to get the knack of this running and your body will be responding to the fitness demands. Then is the time to start thinking of 5k and further!! :

NIMAN

OP, you sure you need to do 30mins in Week1? Seems a lot.

30mins running would nearly do the full 5k, and thats in Week1 !!


Think you need to review your plan again, sounds wrong.

seamus

As per AKW's last post in February, I'm convinced that the early difficulties in "learning" new exercise like the C25K is learning to manage your pace/level of exertion than it is about becoming fitter in those first 8 weeks.

Obviously there is fitness involved, but in theory there should be a level of exertion that a person should be able to maintain where they're sweating with an elevated heart rate, and they can maintain that level of exertion for a reasonable amount of time. Even if they haven't gotten off the couch in years.

The problem is that if you're not used to pushing yourself, you won't know where that point is and you're likely to over-exert yourself. Even if you are reasonably fit at other sports, your body isn't used to this one, so you're likely to hit it harder than you should.

And as AKW says, don't keep looking ahead to the next weeks. Treat the plan like you're learning to play an instrument or something, where each week is a lesson. If you don't feel like you've really grasped a specific lesson, go back over it. When you feel like you've got it, you move onto the next lesson.

dearg lady

Nice one for the responses, good advice! I am insanely impatient, so I definitely just need to focus on the here and now and enjoy it! I don't want to end up injured so I'll take it handy
I actually quite like the sweating/increased heart rate feeling, my other forms of exercise don't have that effect.

justback83

I've just started this - last night. I can seriously not imagine myself ever running 5k. Any tips on getting rid of this negative attitude?!!

Alf Veedersane

justback83 wrote: »

I've just started this - last night. I can seriously not imagine myself ever running 5k. Any tips on getting rid of this negative attitude?!!

You don't have to worry about running 5k yet. Just concentrate on taking each day's plan as it comes. It's worked for many people so there's no reason why you should be anny different.

But I will say this: if you go out with a negative attitude and give in too easily, you'll make it harder to get where you want to be.

The Muppet

justback83 wrote: »

I've just started this - last night. I can seriously not imagine myself ever running 5k. Any tips on getting rid of this negative attitude?!!

Take it one day at a time. Take it slowly, dont worry about distance, Time running is where its at for now , Stick to the plan , enjoy the eureka moment when you realise you can complete the program, for most people that'll be in week 5.

justback83

justback83 wrote: »

I've just started this - last night. I can seriously not imagine myself ever running 5k. Any tips on getting rid of this negative attitude?!!

Like Alf said, there's no need to worry about the attitude right now.

Just do each run one at a time. Don't think about the bigger picture just yet. It will come, like it has for many many people before you.

The programme is succesful because it works.

Well done on your first run, starting is the hardest part

fartyarse

Week 4 Day 2 for me today, for some reason I found it much easier two days ago than I did today (today I trained much later in the day, that's probably it).

This is the week with the five minute runs and I literally feel like I will NEVER be able to run for any longer than five minutes, currently as the clock counts down to zero I'm gasping to walk again... I think I might be repeating this week! Heading in the right direction though and that's the main thing

mel.b

I've recently finished the C25K programme. I recommend slowing down - it's not a race...do it at a pace where you know you will be able to get through it. I also say to myself things like 'ah you've run 4mins already, there's only another minute go, that's easy you've done 4' etc. i did my second parkrun on the weekend and said similar to myself...this time when i was starting to stress about the 5km, i told myself to just think of it as 3.5km, that i'd done two 3.5km runs during the week and that is a nice short distance. I soon forgot about the 5km and when the 3.5km mark came around it was easy to tell myself i only had 1.5km to go as i'd already done 3.5 and 1.5 was nothing!

Username here

Guys, I started a C25K on Monday. Ran Monday morning, Wednesday morning, went swimming this morning - this is all exercise that I wouldn't normally do.

I feel absolutely RAVENOUS most of the day - is this to be expected? I'm eating about the same amount of food as I usually would.

Thanks.

justback83

Almost done with week 3 - 3 mins running was actually ok....seriously can't imagine doing 10 mins let alone 5K!

The Muppet

Well done. We've all had those thoughts . That's the genius of the c25k plan it builds a little bit each week . I found it pushed me to my limit every week and never believed I would be able for the next weeks run but I always was.
Just take it nice and easy and you will definitely get there

fartyarse

I'm still plugging away, completed Week 6 Day 2 today and haven't had to go back and repeat any yet, which I'm both shocked and delighted about.

It's all in the mind people, I swore up and down I would NOT be able to run for 20 minutes non-stop and guess what, I managed it! Onwards and upwards, only a little over two weeks left and I... AM... SO... PROUD!

justback83

Just finished week 4 and I can't complain....I even took a week off while I was overseas and got back and went straight back into it!

Just with those damn cramps in my calves would go!

DMcL1971

Started week three today. Found it tough going but I'll stick with it.

justback83

I'm on week 7 now. If I can do it - anyone can! I have absolutely no ccommittment skills when it comes to exercise but I've managed this without missing a run! I'm now running for 25 minutes!

Username here

Username here wrote: »

I feel absolutely RAVENOUS most of the day - is this to be expected? I'm eating about the same amount of food as I usually would.

Thanks.

Has your hunger eased off?

Just be careful not to trust mapmyrun or the like for calorie counting.

The average calories burned from running are around 100cals per mile, this will vary slightly from person to person, but it's a good number to go by. You will see much higher numbers on the apps. So you're talking approx 300 calories burned for a 5km run.

You often hear of people putting on weight when they take up running and this is the reason why unfortunately.

Dial Hard

I've plateaued at week 3 about three times now. Just seem to have a mental block about moving on to week 4. It's been so long since I've done it that I'd probably have to go back to square one at this stage. And I think I'd actually kill myself if I had to do week 3 for a fourth time.

voodoopigeon

I just focus on the distance and try to get better at running that distance before bringing time into it

The Muppet

voodoopigeon wrote: »

I just focus on the distance and try to get better at running that distance before bringing time into it

How strange 4 posts and then closed account.

Anyway I firmly believe in the c25k program which is based on time running. I wouldnt even think about dhistance until s few weeks after you have completed the program.

A lot of it is mental so prepare mentally for it. I used to plan it the night before . Slow down and enjoy your running.

I like the c25k program. Got to week 8 and then had to take a break because of various reasons. Started again, but with a new plan called Zombies, Run 5k, which is a similar idea, but based around Zombies. It's actually a lot of fun!

Charlie19

I was at this stage a few years ago and I had loads of little niggling injuries, I found that my main problem was trying to beat my 5k time. It got to a stage were I was unable to run for weeks, even months..

Find your pace and stick to it, I'd gradually add distance rather than speed.

Username here

Deleted User wrote: »

Has your hunger eased off?

Just be careful not to trust mapmyrun or the like for calorie counting.

The average calories burned from running are around 100cals per mile, this will vary slightly from person to person, but it's a good number to go by. You will see much higher numbers on the apps. So you're talking approx 300 calories burned for a 5km run.

You often hear of people putting on weight when they take up running and this is the reason why unfortunately.

Ah deadly! Cheers for the reply - I thought my Q had just slipped under everyone's radar.

Yes, the hunger has definitely eased a little - I'm still hungry most of the day, but I'm not climbing the walls for food like I was when I originally posted. I didn't manage to keep up the swimming (would love to, for the health benefits, but I just get so bored in the pool), but I continued running 3/4 times a week, and actually completed a 5K for the first time last week (delighted to be able to say that!)

I'm using a Fitbit and the Fitbit app, rather than MapMyRun. It provides a calorie count alright, but I'm not paying much attention to it really - it's grand for having a rough idea of how many calories have been burned, but I'm not relying on it for anything - certainly not an eating plan.

Although maybe I need to come up with a better eating plan, as my clothes are beginning to hang off me a little - that's not a good look at work in a suit. I'm consistently down about a stone since (pretty much) ruling coke, chocolate, sweets, cakes and that kinda rubbish out of my diet earlier this year. Fruit or veg is the way to go when I need a snack at home!

Username here

Dial Hard wrote: »

I've plateaued at week 3 about three times now. Just seem to have a mental block about moving on to week 4. It's been so long since I've done it that I'd probably have to go back to square one at this stage. And I think I'd actually kill myself if I had to do week 3 for a fourth time.

Have you actually tried week 4? I really didn't imagine for a moment that I'd be able to get through the program without repeating a week or two, but apart from one morning where I hit a wall (a mental one!) I just kept going.

I'm male, 43, have only exercised sporadically throughout my adult life, and have never enjoyed running - I used to joke about how I couldn't run "from here to the window" without getting out of breath. I started training for a 5K race later than I should have, and only completed 6 weeks of a 9 week C25K, but somehow managed to run 5K last week in 31 mins. I think determination got me a long way - possibly most of the way; and a running playlist also helped me. If I can do it.....

What are the intervals like for your week 4? I don't think all the plans are the same, so the running/walking intervals may not suit you. E.G. on the app I used, Week 4 starts off with 5 minute warm-up walk; run for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds; run for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, run for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds; run for 5 minutes; cool down walk for 5 minutes. If it seems like the running intervals are too long on your app, perhaps a different one would help....

ColeTrain

I'm currently doing Week 4. I completed Day 1 last night and the night before.

I've a question: would it be considered okay to run six nights a week? Or is wrong not to have a rest day in between every run? I was thinking of heading out tonight again and having a rest day tomorrow.

The Muppet

Normally people starting the c25k are in pretty poor condition fitness wise and in that scenario I think it's important to have the rest days . They alow the body time to recover between runs lowering the risk of injury.

Dial Hard

Username here wrote: »

Have you actually tried week 4?

Nope, not yet. It's been about two months since I've run at all so I think going into week 4 "cold" would be a bad idea and I just cannot bring myself to repeat week 3 again.

Username here wrote: »

What are the intervals like for your week 4? On the app I used, Week 4 starts off with 5 minute warm-up walk; run for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds; run for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, run for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds; run for 5 minutes; cool down walk for 5 minutes. If it seems like the running intervals are too long on your app, perhaps a different one would help....

Yeah, I think mine are the same as that.

The Muppet

Dial Hard wrote: »

Nope, not yet. It's been about two months since I've run at all so I think going into week 4 "cold" would be a bad idea and I just cannot bring myself to repeat week 3 again.



Yeah, I think mine are the same as that.

I think you should consider restarting the program if it's two months since you ran and wereon week 3 then