Couch to 5k - any good?
Discussion
browno said:
Time for another update. Just back from run 2 of week 1, and all is going very well. Managed to keep running on all sections (even though it worked that most of my runs were uphill!) and feel good after.
The other good news is that I've seen an improvement - today was 33.04 and I ran 2.24 miles at an average of 14.46/mile. Really pleased that by using run keeper on my phone I can really see an improvement and quantify what I felt was better.
Bring on Wednesday for run 3...
Good man, just listen to your body in the early days and if you're overly tired or get a strain take a break!The other good news is that I've seen an improvement - today was 33.04 and I ran 2.24 miles at an average of 14.46/mile. Really pleased that by using run keeper on my phone I can really see an improvement and quantify what I felt was better.
Bring on Wednesday for run 3...
Keep up the good work!
Lee.
Looks like mixed opinions again (but thanks for the encouragement too!), but I'm feeling like I'm making progress.
Weight is down to 17st 10lbs today - I'm happy with that for progress for week one.
I've also done the last run of week one, which felt much more comfortable. Over the same loop as run 2, I managed 2.23 miles in 31.51 at an average of 14:22/mile - so another improvement, and over a minute off my last run.
Bring on week 2 - starting on Friday...
Weight is down to 17st 10lbs today - I'm happy with that for progress for week one.
I've also done the last run of week one, which felt much more comfortable. Over the same loop as run 2, I managed 2.23 miles in 31.51 at an average of 14:22/mile - so another improvement, and over a minute off my last run.
Bring on week 2 - starting on Friday...
Edited by browno on Wednesday 19th January 21:41
Good for you mate.
Keep it up.
I found I liked week 2 better, that little extra bit jogging than week one made it a feel a bit more like real exercise.
I still have to pick it back up again, but, we'll im not even going to bother writing excuses. I'll get round to it.
Keep us posted on how you get on!
Keep it up.
I found I liked week 2 better, that little extra bit jogging than week one made it a feel a bit more like real exercise.
I still have to pick it back up again, but, we'll im not even going to bother writing excuses. I'll get round to it.
Keep us posted on how you get on!
Thanks supermd, hope you manage to get back into it again!
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
browno said:
Thanks supermd, hope you manage to get back into it again!
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Good work, keep it up!I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Any weight change so far?
A few people I know have got an Xbox 360 and went out and bought a Kinect for it for the fitness/sport type games. Apparently its pretty good, i.e. using weights correct posture/watching yourself helps and it tells you what your doing wrong etc, also alot of gentle exercise/workout stuff that they actually do alot considering they are the type of people that buy the fitness dvds but never ever open them let alone do them.
Ordinary_Chap said:
browno said:
Thanks supermd, hope you manage to get back into it again!
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Good work, keep it up!I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Any weight change so far?
Had a mid-week weight check this morning - 17st 8lbs, so definitely going the right way! 6lbs off so far... Just another 3st to go!
browno said:
Ordinary_Chap said:
browno said:
Thanks supermd, hope you manage to get back into it again!
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Good work, keep it up!I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Any weight change so far?
Had a mid-week weight check this morning - 17st 8lbs, so definitely going the right way! 6lbs off so far... Just another 3st to go!
All the best, Lee
browno said:
Ordinary_Chap said:
browno said:
Thanks supermd, hope you manage to get back into it again!
I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Good work, keep it up!I've just finished run 1 of week 2 (delayed from yesterday as everything was covered in frost last night!).
It was a tricky one because 2 of the runs fell on the uphill bits of my loop route so I slowed a lot on them! (I think I might go the other way next time - the slope is more gradual then!). When I got a flat run, though, it felt ok.
Today's 2.22 miles took 33.20 at an average of 15.02/mile. Hopefully things will get easier on Monday...
Any weight change so far?
Had a mid-week weight check this morning - 17st 8lbs, so definitely going the right way! 6lbs off so far... Just another 3st to go!
Thanks again for the encouragement - I'm still feeling good about things, and managing to keep the calorie intake controlled so that i don;t just balance the exercise with extra pies!
I'm back from run 5, and I did my normal loop in reverse (as last time out the runs kept falling on steep bits), and the strategy worked well - it felt more comfortable on the runs, and I did 2.23miles in 31.58 at an average of 14.22/mile.
The motivation is being helped along by a couple of things - I'm working on a fat club challenge with a couple of guys at work (who are both much more athletic than me!), and we're having a weekly Wednesday weigh-in, so that should keep us moving along - and we can motivate each other. My brother is also doing the couch to 5K program to, so we're keeping tabs on each other to make sure we both keep up our programs.
Roll on Wednesday for the last run of week 2...
I'm back from run 5, and I did my normal loop in reverse (as last time out the runs kept falling on steep bits), and the strategy worked well - it felt more comfortable on the runs, and I did 2.23miles in 31.58 at an average of 14.22/mile.
The motivation is being helped along by a couple of things - I'm working on a fat club challenge with a couple of guys at work (who are both much more athletic than me!), and we're having a weekly Wednesday weigh-in, so that should keep us moving along - and we can motivate each other. My brother is also doing the couch to 5K program to, so we're keeping tabs on each other to make sure we both keep up our programs.
Roll on Wednesday for the last run of week 2...
Well done Browno. Keep plugging away, it does get easier!
When I moved to Singapore 6 months ago, I could barely run 2kms without collapsing - a combination of too many beers, too many ciggies, and too many pies meant that at 33 I was very out of shape. I got one of the Nike+ running gizmos for Christmas - now I go running 3 times a week (if the diary allows, and am up to 2 lots of 8km runs, and one 5km on hills at the moment.
I'm hoping to do the Men's Health 12km Urbanathlon next month (with 9 obstacles as well as the running). I also have a 10km competition at the end of May that I want to do in 45mins. Bear in mind that it's 25-35 degrees out here and 90% humidity, and you can see what I've achieved in a short space of time (I'm also down 3 kilos in a month, don't smoke, and have pretty much given up the booze). I hated running when I was younger, and I still hate doing it now, but the feeling when it's over, and when I've pushed that little bit harder or further is fantastic.
This isn't a post to big myself up, I hope it's another bit of motivation to get you towards your goals - the human body is amazingly adaptable sometimes!
When I moved to Singapore 6 months ago, I could barely run 2kms without collapsing - a combination of too many beers, too many ciggies, and too many pies meant that at 33 I was very out of shape. I got one of the Nike+ running gizmos for Christmas - now I go running 3 times a week (if the diary allows, and am up to 2 lots of 8km runs, and one 5km on hills at the moment.
I'm hoping to do the Men's Health 12km Urbanathlon next month (with 9 obstacles as well as the running). I also have a 10km competition at the end of May that I want to do in 45mins. Bear in mind that it's 25-35 degrees out here and 90% humidity, and you can see what I've achieved in a short space of time (I'm also down 3 kilos in a month, don't smoke, and have pretty much given up the booze). I hated running when I was younger, and I still hate doing it now, but the feeling when it's over, and when I've pushed that little bit harder or further is fantastic.
This isn't a post to big myself up, I hope it's another bit of motivation to get you towards your goals - the human body is amazingly adaptable sometimes!
Thanks for the encouragement Bing - it's great to hear of other people's experiences to show that it is possible to stick with these things and feel much improved at the end, it's definitely good to hear your tales to keep me motivated!
I'm needing plenty of motivation this week, as I think I must have pushed a bit hard on Monday, or my trainers are even less suitable than I thought (a decent pair of Nike jobs that I bought a few years back for the gym, but haven't used much). I felt fine after the run, but since Tuesday morning have had very painful shins. They had eased quite a bit yesterday, but then I went for a short walk at lunchtime (10mins, no more), and they were really sore again last night. As a result I've not been out for another go since, and am getting impatient.
I guess I need to listen to my body and wait until it's fixed itself, but I don't want to undo the progress I've made so far... I think I'm going to go to the local specialist running shop and get some new running shoes tonight, to keep the motivation up, and hopefully work towards being able to do a bit more without pain. Any advice for anything else I shoudl be doing other than taking it steady and sorting the shoes?
I'm needing plenty of motivation this week, as I think I must have pushed a bit hard on Monday, or my trainers are even less suitable than I thought (a decent pair of Nike jobs that I bought a few years back for the gym, but haven't used much). I felt fine after the run, but since Tuesday morning have had very painful shins. They had eased quite a bit yesterday, but then I went for a short walk at lunchtime (10mins, no more), and they were really sore again last night. As a result I've not been out for another go since, and am getting impatient.
I guess I need to listen to my body and wait until it's fixed itself, but I don't want to undo the progress I've made so far... I think I'm going to go to the local specialist running shop and get some new running shoes tonight, to keep the motivation up, and hopefully work towards being able to do a bit more without pain. Any advice for anything else I shoudl be doing other than taking it steady and sorting the shoes?
When I first started out I used to look at this thread each day for motivation!
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108...
The changes are just phenomenal!
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108...
The changes are just phenomenal!
Well, I'm back on this after a break!
My knee put me out of action for 3 weeks and was very painful. After that I was travelling with work (early mornings and late dinners meant no chance of a run!) and was off work last week with a very busy week.
As a result, today was my first day back, and so I went back to week 1. Managed 2.25 miles in 33.54 with average pace of 15.04/mile. Going to take it steady this time and see how I go, but will keep the updates coming as I do more!
My knee put me out of action for 3 weeks and was very painful. After that I was travelling with work (early mornings and late dinners meant no chance of a run!) and was off work last week with a very busy week.
As a result, today was my first day back, and so I went back to week 1. Managed 2.25 miles in 33.54 with average pace of 15.04/mile. Going to take it steady this time and see how I go, but will keep the updates coming as I do more!
I started in a similar situation to yourself 8 months ago. I weighed just a touch over 17 stone, and couldn't run for more than a mile without stopping, and almost dying!
I kidded myself for ages that my weight wasn't a problem, when really it was. So decided to start running. I started of just doing 1.75miles a day, and boy did it hurt to start with!
8 months later I now weigh just under 12 and a half stone, and I seriously couldn't be happier. I'm fitter than I could have imagined, I have run 10k in 49 minutes, and am now contemplating a half marathon. The transformation is amazing, I'm more confident, obviously better looking and I feel fantastic to boot.
Keep at it buddy, it'll all be so worth it in the end.
I kidded myself for ages that my weight wasn't a problem, when really it was. So decided to start running. I started of just doing 1.75miles a day, and boy did it hurt to start with!
8 months later I now weigh just under 12 and a half stone, and I seriously couldn't be happier. I'm fitter than I could have imagined, I have run 10k in 49 minutes, and am now contemplating a half marathon. The transformation is amazing, I'm more confident, obviously better looking and I feel fantastic to boot.
Keep at it buddy, it'll all be so worth it in the end.
i've always hated running since school. the cross country used to kill me.
sometimes you gotta shake hands with the devil. might hit the local running track.
just a note to the OP - the app your using i'm using it too and it gave me a similar calorie count. i think it gives you that by the amount of weight you want to lose in the time you want to lose it in. adjust that to a more realistic and i think it should make a difference.
sometimes you gotta shake hands with the devil. might hit the local running track.
just a note to the OP - the app your using i'm using it too and it gave me a similar calorie count. i think it gives you that by the amount of weight you want to lose in the time you want to lose it in. adjust that to a more realistic and i think it should make a difference.
okgo said:
8 months?
Bloody hell man! Incredible!
49 mins is FAST too.
Thanks, you wouldn't believe how much my life has changed in almost every way, I used to be always be accused of being lazy and unmotivated. I've now been accused of the other extremes, being too hard on myself and being too motivated! For anyone considering doing this sort of thing, its going to be very difficult, but just do it! You owe it to yourself. Bloody hell man! Incredible!
49 mins is FAST too.
I did 49 minutes at the end of November 2010, which is almost 3 months ago now. Would hazard a guess that i'd be able to knock a good few minutes off that now.
Once again, it's great to hear of your experiences and the effect it's had on your lives. I was definitely noticing I was feeling better about myself before I bust my knee - and that was only after a couple of weeks, so I can imagine that once you've shifted so much weight and are really able to see a difference in your performance that you must have a great sense of achievement.
Thursday was the first time I've tried my new running shoes in anger (I bought them as I was starting to feel knee pain) - and they felt good, so hopefully a combination of those and steadily building up will see me being able to see the benefits without causing myself too much more damage!
I'm going to head out again tonight, so once again I'll update with my times - this thread is a good way to keep me honest - and to shame me into action if I've been slacking!
Thursday was the first time I've tried my new running shoes in anger (I bought them as I was starting to feel knee pain) - and they felt good, so hopefully a combination of those and steadily building up will see me being able to see the benefits without causing myself too much more damage!
I'm going to head out again tonight, so once again I'll update with my times - this thread is a good way to keep me honest - and to shame me into action if I've been slacking!
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