couch to 5k

GeorgeC

GeorgeC

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GeorgeC
Anyone done it?
 
I woke up on Saturday and thought to myself, "self, you should run". I have always loathed running, so I hoped that the thought would pass. Woke up on Sunday and ran. Woke up on Monday and my shins hurt. Woke up this morning and ran again. Weird.
 
I did it..and yes my shins hurt a little, but it goes away. Also got up to right at 10 miles training for half, then full marathon. Injured back, had surgery. Poof, gone.
The most I've ran since was 2 miles at a time, but find cycling easier on my back (and knees).
I miss running a lot though.
So if you can do it and stay dedicated, it gets better and better. Diet will play a role too, in your success.
 
GeorgeC said:
I woke up on Saturday and thought to myself, "self, you should run". I have always loathed running, so I hoped that the thought would pass. Woke up on Sunday and ran. Woke up on Monday and my shins hurt. Woke up this morning and ran again. Weird.
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Do you have a race in mind? Pick a 5K and sign up. Good motivation. Start with a goal of finishing. I’m never going to win one of these tings anyways.
 
My wife has done it a few times. it's one of the better plans.

Many of the training plans out there are only appropriate for good athletes. We mere mortals need more time to get up to a distance.


Edit: the guy advising the horse is wrong. Take rest days. Rest is important.
 
Nope. I've run lots of 5Ks and 10Ks, HMs and Tri's.

There are lots of new people doing 5Ks, so just go do it. I see many that walk the whole thing. So, do what you can to get ready and then do it. If you need to walk some of it, no big deal.
 
GeorgeC said:
Anyone done it?
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I haven't, but I have looked into it. Years ago I was running around 40 miles/week. I'd do 6-7 miles at a time for my long run of the week. After I quit for a few years and then started up again I looked at that program. 3 miles a day, 4-5 days a week is a pretty good exercise schedule. After you've been there for a while it's easy to add a day or some mileage, but most things I've heard say don't add more than 10-20% per week.

The Couch to 5k program is pretty good, from what I can remember, and I've known people that have done it successfully. I can't remember how many weeks it covers. One of the things to consider is not to compete against yourself too much - you'll overdo things, get hurt, and have to start over.

There are two things about working up to a 5k: time and distance.

The way I started (Try for 5 days a week. I'd take Mon and Wed off, or two other non-consecutive days):

When you get started, go for time. Figure 20-30 minutes of moving your body over the ground. Walk for 30 minutes the first week. Then walk for 4 jog for 1 and repeat 6 times. The next week, walk for 3 jog for 2, repeat. The next week walk for 2 jog for 3, repeat. Eventually you'll be jogging for 30 minutes. Now that you can do 30 minutes, you start to look at how much distance you've covered in that time and gradually add distance until you reach 3 miles (5k) while keeping a nice easy pace. THEN, you start to increase your pace and keep the distance the same but lower your time.

I don't have the C25K schedule in front of me, but it's probably similar.

Shinsplints and plantar fasciitis can be killers. Changing running shoes can make a huge difference. There are some stretches than can help.

If you really are serious about it, you can find a running store that will fit you to shoes specific to your weight and stride. You don't have to get too crazy on prices, but figure that your everyday worn-out shoes you currently have are going to end up making you hurt.
 
I used to run outside, and I would get shin splints. My older brother is a habitual long distance runner, and he described a stretch to help avoid shin splints. Stand in front of a wall or post, anything to support you. Now, lift yourself as high as you can go on the balls of your feet and hold it for 30 seconds. Once I started doing those stretches, I've never had shin splints again. It also helps to run on soft surfaces; even asphalt is softer than concrete. I can barely tell a difference, but my wife can really tell a distance.

I stopped running outside the last time I sprained my ankle. Now, I go to the gym, and use the elliptical, as it has the least impact (literally) on your joints.
 
One of the nice things about where I lived when I was running - there was a Jr High track 1/2 mile from my house. I could jog there, do 8 laps, and jog back. Right about 3 miles, easy, on a nice cushioned track most of the time.

I really hated the treadmill. I much preferred being outside where I could get some fresh air, car fumes, barking dogs, and a change of scenery. It's also easier to mix up your pace outside (sprint to that next light pole, for example) than it is to mess with the treadmill settings.
 
Just celebrated 5 years smoke free on Saturday, I started the C25K program a month after I quit and ran my first 5K that April and did 3 more that year. It's a great way to ease into running if you've been sedentary for a while, I was also "husky". I just restarted the program again after not running for a couple of years. There are some pretty good destination races out there.
 
Agree w/ @Matthew. Just go out and see how long you can jog and what distance that gets you. Keep building up stamina and adding more jogging than walking each week. Wear proper running shoes, not something in the realm of fashion-wear like Nike AirMax 360s. New Balance is almost always a good brand to start with for light jogging.

I used to run 3mi/day as part of my workout routine. Had a kid, running went out the door. I still play soccer, but don't do any long-distance running. I'm confident that I could go out and run 5K without too much difficulty, but it would take a few weeks to start doing it without having to push myself to finish under 30 minutes.
 
Matthew said:
One of the nice things about where I lived when I was running - there was a Jr High track 1/2 mile from my house. I could jog there, do 8 laps, and jog back. Right about 3 miles, easy, on a nice cushioned track most of the time.

I really hated the treadmill. I much preferred being outside where I could get some fresh air, car fumes, barking dogs, and a change of scenery. It's also easier to mix up your pace outside (sprint to that next light pole, for example) than it is to mess with the treadmill settings.
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Agreed, again. I can't stand running on a treadmill (or anything else indoors). My issue is entirely of the mental variety, as I know I can quit at any moment. If I run outside a mile or two away, I know I have to get back home so I might as well keep running, lol. I'm lucky that I live in the last neighborhood near a river where the road dead ends a mile and a half away. So down to the end of the road and back gets me my 5K and is lightly traveled since it's nothing but one or two sand companies and sod/wheat farms.
 
frfly172 said:
I’ll stick to the air conditioned gym,stationary bike,or walk the treadmill. The sights are usually good.
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Get into a 5k, pull in behind one of those good sights, and the miles melt away before you know it.

Weather is definitely something to consider. When I ran, 15-20F was about my lower limit. Any colder than that and I couldn't get my leg muscles loosened up. Any ice on the ground was also a no-go, too many chances to fall. Heat in the summer - I sometimes took water with me, but other times I'd go early in the morning or later in the evening. Traffic can be trouble, too, keep your head on a swivel and don't use earbuds. I didn't mind running in rain, sometimes it was nice and quiet. Wet snow was nice, too. The times I'd get caught in freezing rain were fun because I'd get icicles on my hat and glasses. I wore a neck gaiter and would pull it over my face if I needed to. Good times.


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There was an old Marine in my neighborhood. He was a runner too, but we never ran together. I remember one day we were both on our return trip. He was coming from the south, I was coming from the north. We met at a corner and then headed east back to our neighborhood. There was long, gradual hill, close to 1/3 mile long, that was brutal because it was right at the end of the run. No words were spoken, but we each knew what was about to happen. We ended up racing each other up the hill and then pulled into the neighborhood. He went left and I went right and he gave me a thumbs-up. So I have that going for me, which is nice.
 
Matthew said:
Get into a 5k, pull in behind one of those good sights, and the miles melt away before you know it.--
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Been there, done that in a 10k.

The key to running a 5K is starting. Maybe you can run 500 yards (~1/3 mile) when you start. Great. Jog that far, walk the rest of a mile, turn around jog as far as you can on the return leg and walk the rest of the way home. I subsequent runs, extend the running portion as able. After a week or two, you'll be running 1/2 or 3/4 mile on both your "out" and "back" legs, and it gets better from there. I've always found that if you can run 3 miles, that gives you a good enough base to run 4, 5, or 6 miles if you choose one day. 3 miles puts you at a steady state condition by the end of mile two that is sustainable for a while...

Another key is to find your pace. One where you can run comfortably. My jogging pace is a 10 minute mile. I can run 8's or 9's (or 11's) but 10 minutes/mile is a very comfortable training pace for me. When I first started running, I initially tried to run way too fast and just didn't have the ability to go far at all at a 7 or 8 minute pace.
 
The only time I ever run is if there is absolutely no other alternative for exercise.

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A couple of things I will say about running or walking.

First, both get me outside, which is good.

Second, both are low overhead in that all I need is a pair of shorts, a tee-shirt, and a pair of running shoes (also, an ipod or something like that really helps). I can walk to the end of my driveway and start running or walking, so there's no wasted time driving anywhere. 30-45 minutes and I can change into running gear, run three miles, quick shower, and back to the normal routine.
 
Did a couch to half Ironman in 6 months. 2 months later did a full Ironman. That was 7 full Ironmans ago with my 8th scheduled.

When I started I couldn’t run a mile and didn’t have a bike.

Now? Just smashed Ironman Arizona in 11 hours 3 minutes running a 3 hour 54 minute marathon at the end.
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I find running boring the scenery doesn’t change fast enough. Biking on the other hand I’ve found to be better. I’m not staring at the same house for 3 minutes.
 
Do it George, I'm not a runner, but I bicycle. A few hints. It will hurt the first few times, take it easy and work into it. Don't push through sharp pains in muscles or joints that last more than a few minutes, stop and try again the next day. Go day to day, but have a plan to get there. Find a plan online or make up your own. It ain't easy to get going, but once you run that first race you will be hooked.
 
I have that beat. I went from couch to Marathon in a six months. I'd just gotten up to the point of thinking about running a 5K when a 20 week marathon prep program started up so I signed up. I ran that marathon and 11 more. In 2006, I ran five marathons (Rock and Roll--Pheonix, National Marathon (DC), Country Music Marathon, Rock and Roll Marathon--San Diego, and the Marine Marathon (DC/Virginia)). After running Boston in 2008, I kind of lost interest.
 
I'd really like to get into some running. I've always been a gym guy (compound lifts), but never much of a runner. My only concern is that I have asthma...not sure if I could ever actually run a marathon or something like that.
 
kyleb said:
[running and walking] are low overhead...
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I think that is part of the appeal. I used to do a fair amount of cycling before kids, but it's a good chunk of gear and time.
 
CC268 said:
I'd really like to get into some running. I've always been a gym guy (compound lifts), but never much of a runner. My only concern is that I have asthma...not sure if I could ever actually run a marathon or something like that.
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I am more of a gym guy as well. I love playing sports like soccer/baseball/mountain biking/etc. I used to run the 3K/day as part of my workout because I could do it in less than 30 minutes and it got my muscles moving before going to the gym to lift. Could I run a 10K or half marathon? Sure, I am capable, but I just don't like running that much, lol. I run with my MP3 player so I can zone out for 30 minutes and not think about the running, but I can only zone out for so long.
 
CC268 said:
I'd really like to get into some running. I've always been a gym guy (compound lifts), but never much of a runner. My only concern is that I have asthma...not sure if I could ever actually run a marathon or something like that.
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Not sure about marathons - even "running" vs "jogging" can make a difference. There are aerobic and anaerobic running paces. If you run at a pace where you can carry on a conversation, you'll have your increased heart rate for your cardio workout plus your calorie burn but breathing won't be much trouble. But increasing pace to a higher level where you get winded might be the level where asthma begins to be a problem. Dunno - I don't have asthma and am not a doc. Getting into a 5K or 10K or other distances tends to make you want to push yourself, and if you have breathing problems any distance can become trouble if you push hard enough.
 
I lived with my brother; a big ACC football player/athlete for a couple of year while in college... It use to blow him away that I could wake up, have a cup of coffee and go knock out five miles...

That was many many years ago... these 60 year old plus knees can't do that anymore.. but they can doe the elliptical machiens and bikes....
 
I did it maybe 3 years ago. I never ran a race, but I was running the 3.1 miles three days a week. I followed the app from the very beginning all the way through. It worked.

My problem is that I have never liked running. I kept it up for six or eight weeks at 3.1 miles per run. Then I would miss a day because of weather, or I didn't feel like it, and the next thing you know, I had not run in several days. Then that turned into no running at all. Haven't tried since. I think it's a great program, though.
 
Matthew said:
Not sure about marathons - even "running" vs "jogging" can make a difference. There are aerobic and anaerobic running paces. If you run at a pace where you can carry on a conversation, you'll have your increased heart rate for your cardio workout plus your calorie burn but breathing won't be much trouble. But increasing pace to a higher level where you get winded might be the level where asthma begins to be a problem. Dunno - I don't have asthma and am not a doc. Getting into a 5K or 10K or other distances tends to make you want to push yourself, and if you have breathing problems any distance can become trouble if you push hard enough.
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I know folks with asthma do it...it's not necessarily uncommon. I mean don't get me wrong, I grew up being FAR from a couch potato. Played baseball most my life, raced motocross at a fairly high level, road biked (for moto conditioning), etc. But it has been years since I've done much heavy cardio. I should get back into and slowly increase my distances and see how I do.

Unfortunately, there are actually some really good asthma medications out right now that are potentially life changing (not that asthma really affects me all that much), but of course they aren't approved by the FAA yet...
 
I picked up swimming too late in life. Looking back on it now, if I would have not run as much and started swimming a lot sooner, I'd be in triathlon shape. But I ran too long, too hard, and started wearing out moving parts (knees, hips) to where I'd be so sore after running that I'd have to take too many days off and lose whatever shape I'd gotten into. Since I quit running I started swimming. I should have thought about it sooner and overlapped the two.

Swimming is great exercise, but it has a lot of drawbacks that keep it from being spontaneous - you have to find a pool, you have to get there, you have to change, you have to swim, you have to change, you have to get home. Running is much simpler: change, go.
 
Matthew said:
. . . Swimming is great exercise, but it has a lot of drawbacks that keep it from being spontaneous - you have to find a pool, you have to get there, you have to change, you have to swim, you have to change, you have to get home. Running is much simpler: change, go.
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Well, unless you have your own pool/swim spa. Then you don't have to go anywhere, lol.
 
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