My Couch to 5k

Fluffybums · 10-04-2010 10:51AM

I've just completed the first week of the couch to 5k, program. I'm in my mid 40's overweight and have not done any running/jogging since my 20s. I have kept reasonably fit swimming, it has been my main form of exercise all my life to date.
Last night I had really painful cramping pain down the outside of my shins, I think it is just muscle pain but was wondering as I have high arches in my feet and a tendency to roll my feet to the outside could this be the cause? I don't suppose the hilly route and uneven road helped.
Does anyone know if the compression clothing in the form of tights/socks would help with the shin pain?
I'm using Saucony running shoes I purchase a number of years ago the last time I thought I would start jogging/running but didn't so they are as new.

Can some one recommend a good shop in Kilkenny or Waterford to go to to get new shoes?

Sorry for all the questions, I really don't want to do more harm than good by starting running (well it's a slow jog when at the moment:o, I look more like an 80 year old running - and that would be insulting an 80 year old runnner!).

southofnowhere · 10-04-2010 12:12PM

As someone who is currently laid up and has suffered shin splints plenty of times I'd say forget about socks.

Of course go get gait analysis and a good pair of runners, but even with them you, like me, are a novice and carrying a bit of extra weight so concrete is to be avoided at all costs I feel.

Forgetting that (and over enthusiasm) led to my current demise. Also I would say forget hills too. You are only starting out and it's unnecessary pressure.

Got a park, pitch, fields or anything close by that will be kinder to your limbs?

Oh and one last bit of advice I also tended to ignore through stupidity, but will not be ignoring anymore - warm up properly and STRETCH.

Loads of vids on youtube if you need to look at different stretches and find what works for you.

Cabaal · 11-04-2010 09:52AM

Right I'm back,

So due to pain I took a two week rest...well last week wasn't by choice as I was working lates it meant I wasn't home till 10pm and wasn't in the mood to run.

Anyway it seems to have really helped me ALOT, I've decided to slow my stride by a fair bit for two reasons:
- I felt I was over exerting/stretching myself on each stride
- because I was doing the above I'd be wrecked

So on Monday evening I ran approx 3.5km non-stop at a much slow pace then I've done before and I felt great, very little discomfort and no pain the next day....sadly battery died on my iPod so have no stats for it.

However I did do a run on Friday 9th

Just over 5km or 3.50miles non-stop (prior to this I was start and stopping)
Time: 43min 29sec
Pace: 12.25per mile

Felt great afterwards and no pain the next day or today at all, ok I've dropped speed alot but I feel this is the best way as I can build towards increasing speed

rainbow kirby · 11-04-2010 10:54AM

Cabaal wrote: »

Felt great afterwards and no pain the next day or today at all, ok I've dropped speed alot but I feel this is the best way as I can build towards increasing speed

Don't worry about pace now, it will come with time. Couch to 5k is all about slowly getting your body used to the stresses and strains of running really.

Cabaal · 11-04-2010 10:56AM

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Don't worry about pace now, it will come with time. Couch to 5k is all about slowly getting your body used to the stresses and strains of running really.

Yeah I've decided I'm not concerned about speed and its more about distance and getting used to it all, speed comes later

southofnowhere · 11-04-2010 06:26PM

Glad to hear pain is gone, fair play on the sensible approach and best of luck.

Cabaal · 11-04-2010 08:55PM

So ran this evening
Distance: 3.38miles or 5.43km
Pace: 11.27 mile or 7min 7sec km
Time: 38min 40sec

Little pain in right shin but not too bad, felt pretty good for most of it and towards the end felt I could have run another 2 or so km but didn't want to push it.

One of these days I must run on a flat route because my route is somewhat hilly, be interesting to see how I'd do

Cabaal · 14-04-2010 07:05AM

Distance: 5.96km
Pace: 7.27
Time: 44min 26sec

Not far off 6km and stopped about two-three times during the run, getting really sick of the hills on my route so I'm looking for an alternative flat(ish) route I can run to get a better idea of distance that I can do.

Felt minor pain around my left shin during the first 2km of the run but it faded, got home did stretches and put ice against it and it was fine after that....seems to be ok this morning as well.

Right shin seems to be fine,

Cabaal · 15-04-2010 07:38AM

So after having my Trek 7.1 FX sitting in my house this past year that I haven't used I decided I might do a small bit of cycling on my running rest days, would there be any potential problems doing this?

Krusty_Clown · 15-04-2010 09:21AM

Cabaal wrote: »

So after having my Trek 7.1 FX sitting in my house this past year that I haven't used I decided I might do a small bit of cycling on my running rest days, would there be any potential problems doing this?

No. In fact it should aid recovery, as it's non load-bearing (doesn't apply the same stresses to your body, and employs some different muscles). If you're cycling hard though, it may contribute to increased tiredness, so just watch out for signs of over-training. Like the running, start easy and build up (or in my case, keep it easy!).

BTW: Great progress on the running. If you want to run further, run slower. The longer you're out there, the more calories you burn. Go visit interesting places. Bring a portable camera. win-win-win-win!

Cabaal · 15-04-2010 08:40PM

Distance: 6.28km
Pace: 7min 23sec per km
Time: 46.04

Went abit faster then I wanted to during this shouldn't have done that as can feel it in my shins now, need to maintain my form as well as I've found it helped reduce the pain.

Going to aim to reduce speed next run

littlebug · 15-04-2010 08:56PM

Have you tried icing your shins at all?I had a bad shin phase a few weeks ago and started icing regularly.... not just after a run but a few times a day. If I was going to be on the sofa with the laptop at all I had the frozen peas out and feet up

so maybe 3-4 times a day for 10-20 mins each time. I think it really helped.

/hobbles off to freezer/

Cabaal · 16-04-2010 07:16AM

littlebug wrote: »

Have you tried icing your shins at all?I had a bad shin phase a few weeks ago and started icing regularly.... not just after a run but a few times a day. If I was going to be on the sofa with the laptop at all I had the frozen peas out and feet up so maybe 3-4 times a day for 10-20 mins each time. I think it really helped.

/hobbles off to freezer/

I have my bag of pea's from Lidi as previously suggested and I apply it after each run, applying it a number of times throughout the day isn't very managable though due to work.

Might try to perhaps apply it twice a day, I'll need to ease off on the speed I think as I can really feel it this morning in my shins....thought I've felt worse in the past

DonalN · 16-04-2010 06:51PM

Just started the Couch to 5k myself this week. Off the ciggies 2 weeks now too, and already the lungs are feeling better. I went to a place out in Bray and got fitted for proper running shoes and they felt good on the first run. Also getting back into the badminton and trying to do a bit of swimming too. Would love to have a go at the Galway half marathon at the end of August. Do ye think that's doable?

Good luck to all!!

RayCun · 16-04-2010 08:21PM

DonalN wrote: »

Just started the Couch to 5k myself this week. Off the ciggies 2 weeks now too, and already the lungs are feeling better. I went to a place out in Bray and got fitted for proper running shoes and they felt good on the first run. Also getting back into the badminton and trying to do a bit of swimming too. Would love to have a go at the Galway half marathon at the end of August. Do ye think that's doable?

You have to take up cycling too, so you can do a triathlon!

Half-marathon should definitely be possible. Find a training plan, keep the running consistent, but don't push it too much at the start. See if you can find some shorter races between now and the half so you have some shorter-term goals too.

Cabaal · 18-04-2010 01:32PM

Longest run yet and feel pretty good afterwards

Distance: 12.32km
Time: 1hr 29min 59sec
Pace: 7min 18sec per km

Will revert back to 5km's for the rest of the week with another long run next weekend

Cabaal · 18-04-2010 08:18PM

Legs hurt this evening even after to lots of ice applied

Hurts walking down the stairs, next run day is Tuesday will have to see how things go between now and then or I may move the next run day till Wednesday. Perhaps the long run was abit too soon....we'll see

Fluffybums · 19-04-2010 10:37PM

I've been swimming between run days and that has helped with the pain in the shins. Having forked out for running shoes, without the arch support (I have high arches so tend to roll out), i'm hoping the first day of week three will be a good bit less painful.

Cabaal · 20-04-2010 07:33AM

Fluffybums wrote: »

I've been swimming between run days and that has helped with the pain in the shins. Having forked out for running shoes, without the arch support (I have high arches so tend to roll out), i'm hoping the first day of week three will be a good bit less painful.

How have you found the progress overall for the couch to 5k?

My own experience with it is mixed, I got to week three and then just kinda got annoyed with it so I just ran a 5km without it, have run several since and have been very happy with the outcomes of each.

I found the music used in the couch to 5km podcast meant I was trying to run to the beat so I was running too fast and killing myself and it also made the pains in my shins worse because of this. Having slowed down its helped alot and thats how I was able to do the 12km on Sunday.

Unless I don't have time this evening I'll be running another 5km this evening with luck as any pain since Sunday has gone away for the most part.

I'm guessing the swimming would help a good bit on rest days but again its more time to go into town and do it, I don't have the spare cash for gym which leaves the watershed in Kilkenny which I've been meaning to look at for sometime.....must take a look at it someday.

meathcountysec · 20-04-2010 09:00AM

Cabaal wrote: »

Longest run yet and feel pretty good afterwards

Distance: 12.32km
Time: 1hr 29min 59sec
Pace: 7min 18sec per km

Will revert back to 5km's for the rest of the week with another long run next weekend

Seems a rather big jump in time/distance compared to what you have been doing up to this. While as a once off it should give you confidence that your fitness level is increasing, I would be wary of trying to replicate it every week.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that one should only increase time/distance/speed by a maximum of 10% from week to week. At the moment you are gradually building strength and endurance, and require time for your body to recover/adapt from the strains of training.

You don’t want to overwhelm the recovery process such that you may not be fully recovered by the time you come to run again. Increase your long run gradually, over a period of weeks. Now is the time for you to build a solid foundation, not potentially suffer an overuse injury that may sideline you and put back your progression.

Good luck with your training.

Cabaal · 20-04-2010 09:08AM

meathcountysec wrote: »

Seems a rather big jump in time/distance compared to what you have been doing up to this. While as a once off it should give you confidence that your fitness level is increasing, I would be wary of trying to replicate it every week.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that one should only increase time/distance/speed by a maximum of 10% from week to week. At the moment you are gradually building strength and endurance, and require time for your body to recover/adapt from the strains of training.

You don’t want to overwhelm the recovery process such that you may not be fully recovered by the time you come to run again. Increase your long run gradually, over a period of weeks. Now is the time for you to build a solid foundation, not potentially suffer an overuse injury that may sideline you and put back your progression.

Good luck with your training.

Its something I am very much aware of alright, I'm aiming to go back to 5km today and on Thursday and then perhaps aim for 8km at the weekend as another long run and then back down to 5-6km again next week.

Fully understand comments regarding causing injury and thats something I don't want to happen so I am very much ensuring I'm resting and feeling ok enough before I run again

_sheep · 20-04-2010 09:19AM

Cabaal wrote: »

Stuff

Join me on http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm !

Krusty_Clown · 20-04-2010 09:29AM

Meathcountsec wrote:

good advice

^ +1. If you're increasing mileage, it's also a good idea to have a step back week, where you're total mileage and longest run is reduce, in order to allow the body to strengthen and recover. Still well done on the 12k and welcome to the world of the foolish runner. It's a fine line we tread between big gains and horrendous injuries.

Cabaal · 20-04-2010 02:20PM

Right so I figure I need some sort of goal to aim for, there's a 10km in Kilkenny at the bgeinning of May but I figure its too sort notice even if it is nice and handy to go to so after a good think I decided to aim for the half marathon in Dublin in September.

So myself and a friend have paid 20e and got our numbers and on the 18th September we hope to take part in the "Race Series 3 - Adidas Dublin Half-Marathon".

Plenty of time between now and then to train, my ultimate goal is do the full Dublin marathon

(but not happening this year)

RayCun · 20-04-2010 02:23PM

Are you doing the 5 mile and 10 mile too?

Cabaal · 20-04-2010 02:24PM

RayCun wrote: »

Are you doing the 5 mile and 10 mile too?

Nope just the half

Krusty_Clown · 20-04-2010 02:28PM

Cabaal wrote: »

Right so I figure I need some sort of goal to aim for, there's a 10km in Kilkenny at the bgeinning of May but I figure its too sort notice even if it is nice and handy to go to so after a good think I decided to aim for the half marathon in Dublin in September.

You have already run 12kms, so just do the same again, except when you hit the 10km mark, stop! The only person you are racing against is yourself (and any friends that you bring along!). Why don't you do the 10k, but just do it as part of your 1/2 marathon training? It'll give you a feel for what the race environment is like, and also give you an idea of what kind of shape you are in for the 1/2.

Cabaal · 20-04-2010 02:39PM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You have already run 12kms, so just do the same again, except when you hit the 10km mark, stop! The only person you are racing against is yourself (and any friends that you bring along!). Why don't you do the 10k, but just do it as part of your 1/2 marathon training? It'll give you a feel for what the race environment is like, and also give you an idea of what kind of shape you are in for the 1/2.

Yeah might do, those 10k races get alot of walkers right? Just don't want to be last when it takes me say 60-70min+ to finish the 10km

:pac::pac:

Krusty_Clown · 20-04-2010 02:59PM

Lots of walkers. Try and take a look at the results from last year, and you'll get a picture of what the finish times should be like on the day.

meathcountysec · 20-04-2010 03:15PM

Cabaal wrote: »

Yeah might do, those 10k races get alot of walkers right? Just don't want to be last when it takes me say 60-70min+ to finish the 10km

:pac::pac:

Nothing wrong with being last. I should know:rolleyes:. I get as enthusiastic a welcome as the front runners (though they may just be glad to be able to pack up at last:D:D)

Choose your races and your pace (which is astonishingly close to mine) won't be an issue. I find smaller "club " races leave me floundering while "fun run" type events make me feel Usain Boltish:D

Keep on running;)

My Couch to 5k

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