Couch-to-5k

[roosta]

Has anyone done Couch-to-5k?
I started it a few weeks ago. It's designed to talk people with absolutely no exercise /fitness to 5k in 9 weeks. I was motoring along until week 4 when I had to abandon a session for the first time. Might go back and do another week of week 3 til I feel like I can do it.

Anyone have any success with it? Or any alternatives?

[Freebasser]

My mate came to visit last week and told me he'd been doing it. He's fairly overweight, didn't look any slimmer but said he felt fitter and wasn't out of breath doing things that would put him out of breath before.

[roosta]

My mate came to visit last week and told me he'd been doing it. He's fairly overweight, didn't look any slimmer but said he felt fitter and wasn't out of breath doing things that would put him out of breath before.

That's been my experience so far. I'm over weight too - haven't had massive weight loss, but I definitely feel fitter / less bolloxed when I do things.

[Adam]

Off the back of nearly being thirty (I'm 32 now) in about 8 months I trained for my first half marathon by doing bits of training when I felt good and a little bit less training when I didn't feel so good. Since then my fitness is binges. Like I can cross train and run everyday but then I do nothing for up to two months where I start feeling shit and HAVE to run.

I tried training plans from apps and off the web but the rigid tick list of them all made me almost rebel against it. I haven't ran for nearly two months now but I cycle about 150 miles a week on mostly flat which is keeping me fit enough.

From that, my advice is do what you feel like - like if a training plan has it down as your rest day but you feel like you could run 20 miles then use that energy. If you have a long slow run down on your plan but feel like you could only manage a walk then go for that walk rather than missing it all out.

Stupid little tips like putting your running clothes on your alarm clock or just sitting in them as you ponder about going out actually work.

Also time of day is really important. For me, I find mornings the best even though you're not at your loosest. But I am a morning person, others are evenings but if you have a tendency to get in from work and just want to sit down then a little hardship in the morning could make your whole day better, but if you're itching to do stuff in the evening and all you have to watch is X-Factor then that could be for you.

[roosta]

cheers Adam, some really good advice in there.

Sometimes mornings are good for me, but this morning before I went out I felt something wasn't right (I had phlegm on my lungs) and that contributed I think. I think generally evenings are better (for me)

[na§tee]

i came across this too recently, but, eh, didn't take it up. i cycle everywhere. i wanted to do this in addition to cycling because everyone i know who runs is absolutely addicted to it, but, hrrm, not yet, not yet. have you reached the whole needing-to-do-it-but-ok-not-as-much-as-addiction stage yet? i want to know at exactly what point (if ever) it stops feeling like being punished in PE at school!

[roosta]

I'm at a semi-addicted stage. If I don't go out for a few days I feel bad.

I finally cracked week 4. It's a very clever program. Once you get one of the mile stones (like 5 minutes jogging etc.) you can do it much easier next time.

[Kid Presentable]

Start using saunas, too.

[Yeti]

My wife runs marathons and she swears by compression socks. They are knee high and look weird but they alleviate soreness and recovery time.

[RobMoney$]

I started running for a New Years resolution to lose weight.
Did a few 5k's and a mud run.
Last Sunday I did a half marathon. 13.1 miles.
I did it in just under 2.25 hours.

One of the proudest moments of my life was crossing the finish line together with my wife.
I gave the medal I won to my son. Now I want to win another one for my daughter.

The best advice I have for you is to just keep running. Don't worry about how far or how fast you can run, just keep at it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/RobMoney004/IMG_0421.jpg

[roosta]

thanks for all the hints/tips

well done Rob!

[Adam]

That's a pretty good time for your first half marathon. Grats.