Couch-To-5k Motivational Thread

Hey everyone!
So, i set this up mainly for those in my weight loss challenge, but anyone (runner or run-phobic) can join up for extra motivation to get out there and move!

Here is a link to the website for C25K:
http://www.c25k.com/

Which also has pod casts for Ipods which will tell you when to start and stop jogging/running.
But, you can count in your head if you don't have an ipod, or you can just set small distances.
Perhaps, run to the next letterbox, then walk for two?
Or, run to the next power line if you live in the country like me! lol.

And here is a link to the program... I find its good to print it out and keep it on your wall, then you can put a tick on the runs when you have completed them:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.s html

I will be running on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and plan to begin next Monday (7th July) because i like the "orderly-ness" of starting on a Monday lol.

However, feel free to start which ever day you like!

Everyone needs motivation to work out sometimes :) so lets support each other to reach our goals!
Happy running everyone!

Original Post by lkahead:

I must say I have forgotten how good it feels to run outdoor instead of indoor. The only problem I have is keeping track of the time that I had to switch between walk and jog. I kept running over the switch time. In the treadmill, it was slightly easier to keep track of time. Maybe I will give it a try again on week 5 or 6 schedule when there isn't as much variation in time.

Have a great weekend everyone, and keep at it.

 Do you listen to an MP3 player when you're running by chance?  If so, you should try downloading the C25K MP3s here: http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/page6/ page6.html

I listen to them when I go out and it's extrememly helpful to keep track of the time.

Thanks for the MP3 tip. I will definitely try it on Monday.

Hi runners!!

Today marked my first day doing the C25K training program... I downloaded the podcasts and I can already tell they're going to be super helpful!!!

But yeah, I picked the worst day to start .... the hottest day this summer so far ... gah! I was sooo tempted to stop during the whole jog/walk, but I kept going and it felt pretty good afterwards

I'm excited to do the run again, but I'm also worried that I'll lose enthusiam for the program .... eek! I'm also nervous that Week 2, 3, etc. will be too difficult, but I've been reading the posts on this thread and everyone's been saying to keep on going because your body gets used to running ... whee! I'll try to keep this encouragement in mind!

Yay! Good luck everybody!

I had one of my best runs yet today!  I'm still doing the Week 4 routine and this time I sprinted during the last minute of the last five minute run.  I don't know what got into me and I thought to myself 'I am really tired I don't know if I can do it.'  Then before I could think anymore I took off.  It was really great, it made me feel like I could tackle anything!    I'm going to try this every time.

Hey all - I tried doing C25k awhile back and never really got past week 2. I am still very overweight, at 240ish pounds, but I want to be able to jog. I recently got a heart rate monitor, went to mapmyrun.com and mapped a 5k. Wearing my heart rate monitor today I walk/jogged it. It was nice because my hrm would beep when my heart rate would get too low or too high. So it forced a walk/jog combination. I kept track of my time and now my goal is to do it in at least that amount - looking to improve the time each week. Any comments?

What is a "good" time or average time to run a 5k?

I have no idea what a good time is for a 5K, but I wanna know too.  ( :

sordino on another thread challenged me to do one and there just happens to BE one in the town in which I teach in about 3 weeks.  Gonna do it.  ( ;

anyone?  a good time for one?  I suppose it could be googled... 

I don't know if this is a "good" time but I am hoping to be able to run my first 5K in 30 minutes or less.  That's probably more of a typical time than a good time, but it'd be good for me!

Hey Mbeazley, you could always repeat the first week if week 2-3 looks too hard! you can take the program as slowly as you want! :D
Good on ya for joining the program though :D

Wow Alle0299 thats cool!
It's monday here so i have to get out and start my run! ()
And i was a little unmotivated, i must confess, because although there is a bit of sun outside, it's drizzling and STILL cold.
But reading all this is very motivating :D As soon as i'm finished reading through all these i'm going to go hit the pavement!

Danibelle414, i dont know what a average time is for a 5k run, but the C25K will (at the end of the program) have you running 5k in 30 minutes.

To all you running the complete 5k every day, you don't have to!
You only have to run for 30 minutes a day.
At first you're only tracking about 2.5k's between walking and jogging but it builds the more you run.
However if you're enjoying the longer runs, by all means continue!
Just make sure you don't get nocked out too fast by throwing yourselves into long runs.
If you've been doing long walks/jogs before hand then... ignore me lol.

Anyway! off for my jog! *looks out at rain*.... ooo  it's goonnna be cold out there today!

EDIT: decided to just jog in my room again lol.
It's still a workout! jogging in place, then marching... so on and so forth!
 Feels great though, keep up the great work everyone!

Got in a great jog today ----  anyone else????     : D  

I just got back from my walk/jog, lol.  It was sooo hot today, and by the end I was dying, but more from the heat than from the actual running.  I was pretty proud of myself for doing this today, since I just got back from a horse show late last night, and I was exhausted.  But I figured since I'm not going to work today and I'm basically going to be sitting around, I needed to do something active!!  Also, normally I would make excuses, like it's too hot, I'm too tired, whatever.  But today I just got up, went out and did it!  It looks like I might actually stick with this program - how exciting is that!

I have a question - restless, you said "To all you running the complete 5k every day, you don't have to!  You only have to run for 30 minutes a day."  But the c25k program doesn't have you running for 30 minutes a day...unless you meant the later weeks?  I did Week 3 today and it was only 23 minutes, including the 5 minute warm up.

 

I just finished my walk/jog. Silly me, I downloaded week 5 podcast instead of week 4. By the time I realized it, I am just about done with the whole thing. I think I am just going to stick with it. If it's too hard later on, I can always repeat the week.

Well for me, I decided to do the whole 5K in walk/jog (I just repeat the whole process from beginning again), just so that I would be able to have a longer cardio time. I need at least 20 minutes of raised heartrate for my bp.

mbeazley and carrie317 - yes, stick with it. It's all worth it.

 

Good on ya for doing all your runs!
It's my day off.

Carrie, yeah the program says to just do the 23 minutes.
And that only covers 2-2.5k's or so.
It's for training UP to 5 ks.
But yeah, if everyone else wants to do the full 5k every day its ok! i was just putting it out there incase some were finding it too difficult too fast.

Hi Guys,

I am on week 7 (I started in mid march) I am now trying to really stick to the 3 times a week thing.

I find that I am running really slowly - slowwwwwwwwwwwly. When I calculate on map my run I get like a speed of 6.3 km per hour.

I think if I can get to 30 minutes in 3 weeks and get comfertable running 3 times a week then Ill start working on speed and after that on upping the length.

Today was really hard. Didnt do the whole 25 min had to stop several times to walk.

I guess some days are harder.

 

Yip, just take it slowly Tamarbee! good on you for doing the run!

Eep, TTOTM! i don't think i'll be able to run or MOVE with cramps like these tomorrow :(

hey tamar  ---    mine was hard today too.  

I rode the stationary bike 10.5 miles/30 minutes and muscles I didn't even know existed were yelling at me today. 

( :  

KEEP GOING!!!    it is worth it!!!   and it is not about how far or how fast ----  it is about getting out there and DOING IT!!!

Olivia I didnt know you were biking as well.

I have a bunch of stuff if you want to liven that up.

I know that doing something is always better than doing nothing.

I will get there.

This sounds really really interesting! I'm going to print this page and start the program before the end of the month!

ack!! I just hope that I will be able to keep it up!!! I'm so happy that there is a support group - esp for the days when it takes 200 wild stallions to get me to move. =)

hey T --  I was not biking until last night.    it was a totally different kind of mindset as I hate riding the dang thing.  

I only did it as a way to work out with J while he did the Bowflex next to me, but then with my mp3 player and the ease with which the time went by and the  miles/cals added up, I was hooked. 

My butt is killing me.   Only way I can sit there is to squinch my cheeks together and use that as a cushion.  LOL   TMI --I know.... 

I am all about ways to "liven that up."   Enlighten me!!!

welcome cookey ---  support and friends make everything easier!!!  ( :

hiya, I'm doing something really similar to c25k, it's learn to run (a thread on here)

But I'd love the support and the chatter on this thread, seeing as they're pretty much the same ;)

right on, lozzle  ( :

you're from restless' other post too, right?