Couch to 5k - any good?
Discussion
GM182 said:
Congratulations wjb and Crack Taxi on completion. Must be a great feeling.
Got week 5 run 3 tomorrow. Actually looking forward to it as it feels like running a solid 20 mins will mean I'm becoming a runner rather than some fat bloke who has to keep stopping!
Pace is still slow last time out. 6.40/km. I'm sure it will improve though.
Cheers mate! Got week 5 run 3 tomorrow. Actually looking forward to it as it feels like running a solid 20 mins will mean I'm becoming a runner rather than some fat bloke who has to keep stopping!
Pace is still slow last time out. 6.40/km. I'm sure it will improve though.
Good luck on your longer runs, it’s much better than constantly stopping and walking!
Well, that's it, couch to 5k completed, just back from my final run. Not a bad achievement, for an old powerlifter who 6-4 and weighs 130kg, even if I do say so myself.
It's been challenging for sure but I've loved the process and being able to follow everyone else's journey on this thread had been so helpful. I'm going to keep running at least twice a week alongside my weight lifting and I'll probably post in here to keep me motivated and accountable.
Also want to work on my time, it took me 33.30 to run 5k today so I need to quicken up and get a sub 30min 5k before I move on and tackle the 10k app.
It's been challenging for sure but I've loved the process and being able to follow everyone else's journey on this thread had been so helpful. I'm going to keep running at least twice a week alongside my weight lifting and I'll probably post in here to keep me motivated and accountable.
Also want to work on my time, it took me 33.30 to run 5k today so I need to quicken up and get a sub 30min 5k before I move on and tackle the 10k app.
Stu-nph26 said:
Well, that's it, couch to 5k completed, just back from my final run. Not a bad achievement, for an old powerlifter who 6-4 and weighs 130kg, even if I do say so myself.
It's been challenging for sure but I've loved the process and being able to follow everyone else's journey on this thread had been so helpful. I'm going to keep running at least twice a week alongside my weight lifting and I'll probably post in here to keep me motivated and accountable.
Also want to work on my time, it took me 33.30 to run 5k today so I need to quicken up and get a sub 30min 5k before I move on and tackle the 10k app.
Well done mate, great effort!It's been challenging for sure but I've loved the process and being able to follow everyone else's journey on this thread had been so helpful. I'm going to keep running at least twice a week alongside my weight lifting and I'll probably post in here to keep me motivated and accountable.
Also want to work on my time, it took me 33.30 to run 5k today so I need to quicken up and get a sub 30min 5k before I move on and tackle the 10k app.
Bought myself some proper running shoes today!
Got my gait analysis done me I overpronate, as I expected - a bit more on the right foot than left.
Left the shop with a pair of asics GT2000 v8 shoes, I desperately needed some as my current trainers are wearing very thin under my right big toe which I could feel when running. My next run is tomorrow afternoon so will give them a try then.
Got my gait analysis done me I overpronate, as I expected - a bit more on the right foot than left.
Left the shop with a pair of asics GT2000 v8 shoes, I desperately needed some as my current trainers are wearing very thin under my right big toe which I could feel when running. My next run is tomorrow afternoon so will give them a try then.
CrackTaxi said:
being a bit of a heel striker!
You can train yourself out of that with a bit of persistence. Heel striking caused me all sorts of pain (knee, leg, lower back) when I first started running. Just make a conscious effort to land on your forefoot on your next runs. It will feel odd and you will probably have to stop and walk at times when your calves are killing you, but after a few weeks it will become automatic.
Better to sort it now than after you've done some damage over greater distances.
You may have to say goodbye to your skinny jeans though...
SlidingSideways said:
CrackTaxi said:
being a bit of a heel striker!
You can train yourself out of that with a bit of persistence. Heel striking caused me all sorts of pain (knee, leg, lower back) when I first started running. Just make a conscious effort to land on your forefoot on your next runs. It will feel odd and you will probably have to stop and walk at times when your calves are killing you, but after a few weeks it will become automatic.
Better to sort it now than after you've done some damage over greater distances.
You may have to say goodbye to your skinny jeans though...
With you now, do you ever revert back to heelstriking when you’re tired or on longer distance runs at all?
I’ve also read about shoes that force forefoot like fivefingers by vibram but I don’t want to wear things like that, I’d ideally like to stick to regular running shoes.
Week 5, run 2 done, a little later than normal as I'd had a mental day at work, still wanted to run today to give myself a day off before I go MTB riding on Sunday, and the big week 5 run 3 on Monday
First run in my new trainers too.
2.26 miles / 3.46km
20:23 moving time (only 45 seconds less than elapsed time)
9:00 /mile / 5:36 /km average pace
Set a new best on an uphill 0.77km segment (16m climb) with average pace of 5:21 /km
It's funny how running for 8 minutes seems so long when you're in week 1, but it just seems to fly by, you get into a rythm.
First run in my new trainers too.
2.26 miles / 3.46km
20:23 moving time (only 45 seconds less than elapsed time)
9:00 /mile / 5:36 /km average pace
Set a new best on an uphill 0.77km segment (16m climb) with average pace of 5:21 /km
It's funny how running for 8 minutes seems so long when you're in week 1, but it just seems to fly by, you get into a rythm.
Tall_Paul said:
Just make sure you're not overstriding which can be the cause of heelstriking. Try to have your foot impact below your knee or further back, closer to below your hips.
I’ve never consciously thought about how I run, it’s only now I feel pain I’m thinking about it and I haven’t run since so I still don’t know how I truly run. As soon as my knee pain is totally gone I’ll go out and consciously somehow observe how I run and go from there. How did your new shoes feel anyway? You walking on air?
CrackTaxi said:
With you now, do you ever revert back to heelstriking when you’re tired or on longer distance runs at all?
At the beginning, a bit. It’s been 4 years since I started running, so it’s kind of become my new normal. The only time I do find myself going back is if I can feel a calf cramp coming on, but I recognise that better these days and just tend to abort the run before it sets in.
It’s well worth getting your running form sorted early on, before you have bad habits to undo. There are vids on YouTube, or your local running club will most likely do training sessions.
GM182 said:
Went out to do Week 6 run 1 yesterday thinking this will be easy. My left calf tightened up and despite quite a bit of stretching and starting to run again I had to abandon the run.
Will make sure I'm properly hydrated and do lots of stretches this evening and try again.
I have had this, had a few good runs and maybe got carried away but calf went tight and I rested it, but did a Kettlebells class and that seemed to set it off, cant seem to shake it, really quite sore.Will make sure I'm properly hydrated and do lots of stretches this evening and try again.
Got some nice new Asics trainers as well and cant run.
J4CKO said:
GM182 said:
Went out to do Week 6 run 1 yesterday thinking this will be easy. My left calf tightened up and despite quite a bit of stretching and starting to run again I had to abandon the run.
Will make sure I'm properly hydrated and do lots of stretches this evening and try again.
I have had this, had a few good runs and maybe got carried away but calf went tight and I rested it, but did a Kettlebells class and that seemed to set it off, cant seem to shake it, really quite sore.Will make sure I'm properly hydrated and do lots of stretches this evening and try again.
Got some nice new Asics trainers as well and cant run.
3.5 weeks to go. Back on course.
Week 5 run 3 done tonight.
Was going to do it Monday night but I crashed on my mtb on Sunday and whacked my knee so gave it a couple days rest for the swelling to go down.
2.35miles / 3.78km
20:01 moving time
8:31 /mile / 5:16 /km
Happy with that, I was slower up the climb on this run than my best time by 14 seconds (4:10 pb), I was really starting to slow down at the top - however when I come to start doing park runs on the flat I'll (hopefully) be laughing!
Not far off the magical 5:00 /km / 8:00 /mile pace which would equal a 25 minute 5k.
Was going to do it Monday night but I crashed on my mtb on Sunday and whacked my knee so gave it a couple days rest for the swelling to go down.
2.35miles / 3.78km
20:01 moving time
8:31 /mile / 5:16 /km
Happy with that, I was slower up the climb on this run than my best time by 14 seconds (4:10 pb), I was really starting to slow down at the top - however when I come to start doing park runs on the flat I'll (hopefully) be laughing!
Not far off the magical 5:00 /km / 8:00 /mile pace which would equal a 25 minute 5k.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff