Welcome Couch to 5kers Group(now closed)

As Jenn summed it up so nicely........here it is............

We will be doing Couch to 5K, starting August 4th, ending the week of October 6th. We will be doing the first week TWICE to help us get started, thereby making a nine week program last ten weeks.

We will be weighing in on Mondays, with an optional weigh-in on Friday for those who want to.

Everyone will be doing the platform of their choice (elliptical, treadmill, street) and will choose their own days on which to run, due to varying schedules."

Here is the group...

lulufit

must_lose20

tlc0219

tankerraid

bluemisscutie

elizajk

ajazzymama

lynnhaslost

sarahjo36

pumpkin314

tryingtoloseit

xxmushxx

Congrats Jinxozzie on getting below 200!  What a great feeling, huh?

Today was my first run since last Thursday.  I have been having a little trouble with my foot, so I have been taking it easy.  I went on a bike ride on Sunday, because I was starting to freak out about my lack of exercise. I was starting to think that my foot would never get better. 

I had a good run today.  I went for 30 minutes, but I think I could have gone longer,  I just didn't want to overdo it after almost a week of no running.  I am planning a run with a friend of mine on Saturday or Sunday, which will be a fun change of scenery.

Hope everyone is doing well, and staying warm!

Way to go Jinx! What a great feeling to get below 200. I am proud of you! I am going to restart the couch to 5k, or perhaps try the Learn to Run program, since we now have our new treadmill! I need to start at the beginnig, and I don't want to give up on the running, so I am going to keep trying.

Hope your foot feels better, sarahjo!

Lulufit... are you going to start from the beginning again? I was considering doing it again too. Couldn't keep up the 30 minutes just yet. When are you starting?

Great that you got your new treadmill! What kind did you get?

jinx, We got a spirit treadmill, I am not sure what model. My husband just put it together last night. It might not be a bad idea to start again, right at the beginning. Maybe we could go for distance this time, instead of time? I think I will have to repeat alot of weeks to be able to run the distance, but at least once I'm done I want to be actually running 5k. What do you think? Maybe repeating weeks is a good thing because then we can build up our endurance and actually run for 30 minutes! I did it the last week of the c25k, but had a tough time. I did have to walk during the last two runs. There are also other programs out there such as the Learn to Run program. Maybe we should check some of those out? Perhaps a different approach will help us get where we want to be.

Hey Lulu

I'm open to starting again for distance or whatever. I really found having a running partner helped. So if you don't mind me tagging along...that would be great.

Let me know what you're thinking and when you want to start.

Halloween tomorrow....must stay away from the treat bowl!!!

Here are a couple of good tips I read on a thread on this site, about speed and breathing technique:

6. A good jogging speed is when you are able to talk with a fellow jogger (real or fictitious) running alongside you. Heavy breathing is a certain sign of fast running and increased heart rate. Avoid getting that far, reduce speed.

6a. Breathing technique : The professionally recommended way to breath while running is in 3/2 or 2/1 ratios.  Inhale 3 steps/exhale 2 and if you are really working inhale 2 steps/exhale 1.  This is because you will exhale on a different foot each time and less likely to cause injury. - as found by pozesara in both Runner's World magazine and in "The Complete Book of Running" by Claire Kowalchik. 

7. It's good to have a heart rate monitor. It will alarm you if you run into 'danger zone'. If at gym, the HRM's on the treadmill can help, but they are not always reliable. By experience i feel it works better at higher speeds than lower, which in a way is good cause that is when you run into zone. But they might require you to hold the handles for a while, which you may not want at high speed and certainly NOT recommended at high speeds.

Jinx, when do you want to start our new running program....or repeat c25k?

Hi all- 

Sorry for being a little MIA...it's been crazy (but when is it not crazy?)

Jinx - Congrats on seeing the one in front.  That's really exciting!

Lulu - How was Vermont?  I hope we gave you some nice weather (not that I have any control over that...).  And yay for your new treadmill.  Every time I have to go to the school's smelly old gym in the dark morning, scraping frost off my car, I wish that I had a treadmill.

I wish both of you a lot of luck with your new running programs.  For myself, I'm just trying to keep running.  I haven't found a good program...but I'm open to suggestions.  I've been trying to do about 4 miles, 3 days a week, but lately I just haven't been excited to do it.  Also, I'm finally catching the cold that my husbad had last week (just when he's getting better) so who knows how I'll do this week.

Did everyone have a good Halloween? :)  I went to Walmart today and not only were they out of leftover candy (which is probably for the best) but they were playing CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!  GAH!  I'm not ready.

So all my neighbors are putting up their Christmas lights today. Yikes! Can't believe it's November. But haven't heard the Christmas music yet.

Lulu... want to start again next week, maybe Monday? Run C25K for distance this time instead of time? Let me know what you think...

Jinx, Monday is good to start. We'll do the c25k for distance. I wanted to start today, but then the kids got sick and yadda yadda yadda!  So Monday it is. That will give me some time to figure out how to use the new treadmill. It comes with a novel for instructions!

I have seen Christmas stuff already at the stores too! I can't believe it. I am not a big shopper, but I have learned that, when it comes to the popular toys, you need to buy now because there won't be any in the stores around christmas time. Its crazy!

Lulu...sounds good. Monday be there or be square!

Hi Everyone-

I'm glad to see that everyone is doing well.  I am also just trying to keep running.  I have been feeling pretty stalled out with diet and exercise this week.  I have hit a plateau or something and can't seem to get under 158!  but yesterday I went running with a friend who is trying to start running again.  I ran to her house and then ran for about 20 minutes with her, and then ran home.  It was 40 minutes total which is my longest run yet!  It was great to change my route, I think that I will try a different way tomorrow.  Anyway, hope you all have a great week!

Hey Guys,

I've totally been MIA. Went to Yosemite about a month ago (it was great), then came home, my elderly Mom broke her foot, then she left to stay with a friend in Idaho, then enter financial chaos, then Halloween, then the election.... wheew. I am just getting into all my email and catching up on all my sites. I've been back in my good old usual rut for about a week now, and I couldn't be happier!

Since my Mom left, I have had to run while pushing my son in a stroller (something I stopped doing around week 5 in the C25K program, so I am TOTALLY not used to it. I was running 30 minutes/2.5 miles without him, now I am down to only being able to run 1.5 miles. I am going to have to keep working on getting up to 3 miles; I think it is going to take me a while... he's about 35 lbs and the stroller weighs at least fifteen, so... it's a load!

On the bright side, I am one pound away from hitting 30 lbs lost, despite all the upheaval last month brought. I stopped counting calories about a month ago, but have still lost 4 lbs, so I'm happy with it. I'm still watching serving sizes and have kept reduced fat items in the diet, but am off special dinners for myself. I eat what the family eats now, just less of it.

I'll be checking in more regularly now. Glad to see everyone is making progress and sticking with the exercise, even though its tough to be off the program!!!

-tank

Way to go tank on your weight loss! I am glad to hear that things are going ok and that you made it thru a rough spot without gaining! I am both looking forward to a dreading restarting the c25k program on Monday. This time I am going for distance, so we'll see. I have gotten some good advice from somebody who has been thru it and that is not to try to go too fast. It might result in injury.

If anyone watches the biggest loser, do you remember when Bob made Heba run 10 miles, and toward the end it showed her running super slow with Bob walking next to her? Thats pretty much how I look when I run. Oh well. Start out slow and build speed and distance. Thats the plan!

Good to see you are doing so well Tank.

Well Lulu I'm ready to go again. I think I might run Sunday, Tuesday and Friday this week.

I'm starting out again at 195.2 which is .2 away from 30 pounds down. Would love to be down another 10 by Christmas.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Finished my first run. It was pretty good... but I was hoping it would be after all the work I'd put it the first time. Haven't really run in almost 2 weeks so it felt good to be running again. I'm going for distance, but week one doesn't give distances (at least according to coolrunning.com). I ran my first seven runs at 4mph and upped my last one to 4.5 mph. When I was doing my long runs the fastest I could run was 3.5. I really want to do a real 5K in the spring. I don't want it to take almost an hour so my goal is to try to run at around 4mph.

I'm officially 30lbs down, now at 195 even. This is where I've got before and then the weight has crept back up. Got to stay focused! My mini goal is just 10lbs away. Then I'll have to reassess my goals.

Good luck in your run!

All right Jinx! Thats great news about your weight. I am sure you'll be able to reach your mini goal. I bet you are feeling pretty great!

I am going to run tomorrow morning for my first run, then Thurs. and Sat morning. My husband will be home tuesday, so that will be a great time for me to get it done without having to worry about the kids getting into stuff, or squeezing a run in between nursery school pick ups.

My long runs last time were about 3.3-3.4 mph, and sometimes slower. I felt like I was running in slow motion, but at least I was still running! Anyway, it has been weeks since I ran last, so I don't want to overdo it. I think I'll start with 3.5, then see how it goes from there.

I also would like to run a 5k in the spring!

Hi all-

So glad to hear you all are still running!  Good luck Lulu and Jinx with C25K round 2!!  And congrats to Jinx and Tankerraid on your amazing weightloss!  I am so impressed that everyone is sticking with it and working through the rough patches.

I was sick last week and I'm still feeling a little crummy, but I still made it out to run 3 times a week.  When I was really feeling yucky, I cut my distance in half and reduced my speed a lot, but I'm just proud I did it at all...and I actually felt better after running.

I am still taking it kind of easy, but I have found that when I take it easier, I actually kind of enjoy running.  It makes me feel athletic in a way that no other exercise does.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Just finished my second run. Including my warm up and cool down walk, I went 1.6 miles. Felt good.

My scale seems to be broken. It is wildly fluctuating by 5 pounds, so will likely buy a new one.

Hope you are feeling better Pumpkin!

Glad your run felt good, jinx! Thats a great step. I am afraid that I have not done anything yet. I think I am going to postpone the running thing and go with speed walking until I lose some weight. I can walk faster than I can jog. I think the running thing will have to wait for me. I have a feeling that I will be covering as much distance as I did before, except this time I am just going to speedwalk. I didn't really lose any weight last time I did the c25k, so i have alot of anxiety about repeating it until i lose weight. I'll still be here for you, though, jinx! I plan to walk three days a week, at least. I just need to get started. I need a kick in the pants!

Hey Lulu sorry you feel discouraged in your running. It will take me a loooog time to run the 5k for distance. Join up with me anytime. I'm hoping to be able to do it in June. The Manitoba Marathon has a 5K that I'd love to do. Let me know how your walks go.