C25K / Couch to 5K

[decorum]

Having done a search and found a couple of mentions but no real discussion of the program, I thought I'd start a thread .



Has anyone done the C25K program or are you currently working your way through it? I'm most of the way through and have been wondering what challenge(s) to set my sights on when I get to the end of the program .

I have a few ideas but other than a 'minor, self imposed, personal challenge' nothing absolute and concrete .

Most likely I'll go down the route of consolidating the work I've done to get to this point and then possibly work on improving my 5K pace, fartlek might get a look in, as might hill runs (locally it's more 'undulations' ), and because of Sam (Man of Tanith) my, for the moment, end challenge will require me to extend the distance to 10K and then become capable of running half Marathons :yikes: .



Care to share your plans / ideas / personal challenges?


Personally I'm yet to find the _fun_ which some find in running ~ but I have enjoyed the Type II fun* in the challenges of the program

* _fun_ gained in retrospect

 

[Tony]

Impressive stuff, I've not done it, really should I know

So, how did you find it, did you progress how they say you should etc? I'd be happy getting to 5k I've got the c10k app

As for what next, how about a sprint triathlon or some such? Swim, Bike, run...

 

[TeeDee]

I'd say Tony has a good idea such as a Mini Tri or Quad , better use of the body , different disiplines to learn and master and more importantly it would be Fun!.

If you can't spare the time of just want something simple ( but not necessarily easy...) to fit in could I suggest the following , you may also want to search Youtube for the results and benefits.

http://strengthreliance.com/articles/100-day-burpee-challenge/

 

[Teepee]

Really well done Phil. Keep at it! It'll get so much easier very quickly

I'm on a schedule after the lay off after the winter hauling. I'm doing the Cape wrath trail in sept and I'm using running to get fit for the constant 18 mile days and 70,000 odd feet of ascent.

My biggest mistakes are pushing too hard, too early, so I'm trying to enjoy my running-finishing runs with enough left in the tank to have no stiffness the next day. I've stopped running with my mate-hes a semi pro fighter and he beasts me. I say I only want to run 3 miles and he beasts me over 6 and literally runs round me in circles so i can't walk for days.

It won't take long mate, I'd say concentrating on technique is very important-our weight has a big impact on our joints. I used to get knee pain when running and stopped for years. I re-learnt how to run about 4 years ago using the Taramuhara style and I've had zero joint pain since. I don't recommend doing that without pro-advice (it can cause injury) but reducing head bob, relaxing while running and moving arms forward instead of sideways will really make things much easier and more efficient.

Once the CWT is out of the way, I'm going to do a half marathon ( I promise I'll do one with you if you want). The aim is to build on that til the winter, get back training with my mate and adding in tyre dragging again for the hauling trip. The ultimate aim is to get mountain running fit and the Iditarod really appeals.

The fun in my running comes from being able to run easily and in control over long distances and the multiple testosterone hits. Don't you get the cold shivers ever while running? The increased blood flow down the legs, coupled with the joggling of the joggly bits makes the testosterone flow like Stagsbreath at a meet for me.

 

[cranmere]

Impressive stuff, I've not done it, really should I know
So, how did you find it, did you progress how they say you should etc? I'd be happy getting to 5k I've got the c10k app
As for what next, how about a sprint triathlon or some such? Swim, Bike, run...

If you find the progression in the C25K programme you use is a bit fast just do a few extra days at the same level and then continue. I've mentored one person who literally started from being able to walk down his garden path and back again, you just have to take it at the speed you can personally manage and you'll get there in the end.

I did my first triathlon when I was 50 and had to learn to ride a bicycle to do it. Go for it! Sadly I can't run any more due to arthritic feet and knees but biking and swimming is still good.

 

[decorum]

I should qualify that having put a lot of weight on due to an undiagnosed medical condition it all went '!!!fffzzt!!!' July last year and I'm now somewhat slimmer* than I used to be ~ Wasn't the best nor easiest way of proving my weight increase wasn't diet based.


* slimmer, not slim

I also sought medical advice prior to returning to exercise after illness / injury ... And my advice is that you do the same

And ... 'Good' (correct for your gait) footwear is an absolute necessity and using 'good' shoes is more than worth the outlay!

So, how did you find it, did you progress how they say you should etc? I'd be happy getting to 5k

>>> I've got the c10k app

>>>

As for what next, how about a sprint triathlon or some such?

To be honest it's been a good challenge ~ not a breeze but not too difficult either . As cranmere says, do it in your own good time and at a pace that you're happy with ~ and if you don't feel ready to progress to the next stage then repeat as needed ~ it's all good and the idea of the program is to get you moving whilst minimising the chance of causing injury by doing too much too quickly .




Before I'd even begun I set a couple of objectives:

• To read up on what others had done ~ their concerns, what had helped, what advice they'd been given from those ahead of them in the program etc.

• To be able to do any of the runs and hold a reasonable conversation at any point ~ controlling your breathing is a big part in progressing through the program and also means you can run for longer .

• To feel able to keep going even after the little voice in the app says it's a walk interval or that the session is complete ~ some sessions I've been glad to have had the voice chirp in to walk or cease, but I've known that I _could_ have gone further .

• Not to run unless I was fit to do so ~ Don't get me wrong. I've had achy joints. Nothing serious, just getting used to new and additional usage. Pain and ache is different ~ but if either don't disappear before your next scheduled session seek medical attention. If pain is severe seek it straight away!

Have a look at the C25K program, it's not going to be as steep a climb as going straight for the 10 . If you fancy the challenge, go for it ~ find your own pace and progress as and when you're happy / ready .


I already cycle 20 miles is no issue and I have a protoplan of mixing train and bikepacking to get to the Moot . I've never really been one for swimming though ~ but the challenge of cracking it could be worth looking at once the remaining concerns over stray harpoons have gone away


My final 3 mile (0.1 mile short of the 5K) of the program is tonight and to mark the graduation of the program I entered a local 5K (3.1 mile) race (well ... fun run) this coming Sunday.
Father's Day I plan to enter the Go Dad Run in Brum ~ 5K run in aid of fighting Prostate Cancer.

 

[decorum]

I'd say Tony has a good idea such as a Mini Tri or Quad , better use of the body , different disiplines to learn and master and more importantly it would be Fun!.

If you can't spare the time of just want something simple ( but not necessarily easy...) to fit in could I suggest the following , you may also want to search Youtube for the results and benefits.

http://strengthreliance.com/articles/100-day-burpee-challenge/

I'll have a look shortly As I said in my reply to Tony, I've never been much of a swimmer ~ perhaps it's time to revisit the challenge .

I like the look of distance obstacle course type events (tough mudder and the like).

 

[decorum]

Really well done Phil. Keep at it! It'll get so much easier very quickly

I'm on a schedule after the lay off after the winter hauling. I'm doing the Cape wrath trail in sept and I'm using running to get fit for the constant 18 mile days and 70,000 odd feet of ascent.

My biggest mistakes are pushing too hard, too early, so I'm trying to enjoy my running-finishing runs with enough left in the tank to have no stiffness the next day. I've stopped running with my mate-hes a semi pro fighter and he beasts me. I say I only want to run 3 miles and he beasts me over 6 and literally runs round me in circles so i can't walk for days.

It won't take long mate, I'd say concentrating on technique is very important-our weight has a big impact on our joints. I used to get knee pain when running and stopped for years. I re-learnt how to run about 4 years ago using the Taramuhara style and I've had zero joint pain since. I don't recommend doing that without pro-advice (it can cause injury) but reducing head bob, relaxing while running and moving arms forward instead of sideways will really make things much easier and more efficient.

Once the CWT is out of the way, I'm going to do a half marathon ( I promise I'll do one with you if you want). The aim is to build on that til the winter, get back training with my mate and adding in tyre dragging again for the hauling trip. The ultimate aim is to get mountain running fit and the Iditarod really appeals.

The fun in my running comes from being able to run easily and in control over long distances and the multiple testosterone hits. Don't you get the cold shivers ever while running? The increased blood flow down the legs, coupled with the joggling of the joggly bits makes the testosterone flow like Stagsbreath at a meet for me.

Bit slimmer since we last met ... . Definitely gets easier as you keep at it Multiple, concurrent, 18 mile days ... NUTTER!

Yeah, the too hard, too fast is what concerned me ~ which is what led me to doing lots of looking on the web. I found the C25K program by complete chance .

Do you mean muscular or ligament / tendon stiffness? I've avoided muscular stiffness and excessive connective tissue issues have been minimal ~ which has been a big relief!

It's good to have someone to chase ~ it can make progressing a bit easier, even more so if you're having a 'Meh!' day. Unfortunately chasing a beast can lead to you feeling like you've been chewed up and spat out

So consolidate and improve the ground won so far then!? Makes sense I'll have a look at the Taramuhara style you've mentioned ~ not heard of it before, got to be worth a gander. The style of running you mention sounds similar to my natural style ~ Shoulders loose, arms back and forth and on a 8 or 9 minute mile my knees don't come forward that much (I'm working on the principle of propel myself forward not lift and then propel ). My feet are a bit rigid at the moment though and I can definitely feel a difference when I remember to work my toes 'properly' for a better lift off.

I might take a week of sessions to see what my Cooper Test is ~ it'd be interesting to see what it is when warmed up and fresh for the challenge instead of using my average pace to work it out. Top end of 'average' for my age atm

Might be a while before I'm up to 1/2 Marathon standard ~ I'll let you know


Mountain running appeals too ~ having hated heat for a couple of decades I'm now kind of drawn to the Petra Marathon or Half Marathon rather than the cold :yikes: . I'm also wondering whether to redo the program but get off concrete and tarmac and get onto trails ~ a very different game .


Yeah, type II fun then! Though I do have spells where I'm lost in the moment and suddenly realise that I've shifted half a mile . Yeah, I'd noticed ... not the only one to notice .

 

[Teepee]

I heard you were doing well on the bushy grapevine, 3 cheers mate! *doffs tilley*

I don't tend to get connective tissue pulls, it's mostly muscle stiffness and then only after a hard session. I put it down to ragging myself too quick and too hard. (I know you, stop laughing!) Having a protein drink afterwards like milk or a even a protein shake helps me recover better. The worst was last december. My mate talked me into sprint training uphill dragging an old van tyre. Couldn't walk properly for 3 days.

Running off road is much more fun, don't really like road running tbh unless there is someone to run with. A have to sometimes though as the local trails turn into a clay swamp and that's when mentally I struggle to get out.
A crisp, cold, moonlit night is my favourite when all the wildlife is out and nobody else is stupid enough to be. I run round my local field perimeters, I know it like the back of my hand. Plenty of bumps in the grass perimeters keeps my mucsles working in different ranges. I broke my foot 2 years ago though in all that dry weather when the land dried out and cracked and I wedged my foot into one at weird angle.

The running style is always a work in progress for me and I hope it always will. It just feels right when I nail it-the pace increases, breathing rate drops, the bushcrafters belly stops bouncing. Generally, I try to fall forward constantly, knees above the toes on the strike, striking with the forefoot and keeping the paces short and the cadence up. Face wobbling, everything loose, hands dropped straight every now and then. I find starting off really slow best, if i gun it, I never enjoy it or get flowing.
I must look like a right ****

4 years ago, I honestly thought that 10 miles running would probably elude me for life, I didn't enjoy running much and I'm not built to run. One night, I ran 10 with my mate and it wasn't that bad. The buzz was great and the parameters shifted massively. I think differently now about the distances. I suspect the same will happen when I do my first half, first fell run, first marathon (maybe, need to lose loads more weight (arctic padding ) if my knees are gonna keep working)

Have you seen MapMyRun? A great free app and you can run with friends/compare runs/chart your progress etc. Uses gps to track your movements, shouts out the distances and your pace as you run and the miles seem to tick off a little quicker.

 

[JohnC]

You might like parkrun http://www.parkrun.com

i did my hundreth run at the edinburgh one earlier in the year, its a great event, free, very encouraging..
i started running round the block about 5 years ago, and 1 km was a bit of a strain, but it does get better, worked to the edinburgh marathon last year, and doing various halfs this year...

 

[decorum]

Well that's the last of the 3 milers done and dusted ~ bring on Sunday's 5K

I heard you were doing well on the bushy grapevine, 3 cheers mate! *doffs tilley*

Cheers *doffs back* . I've had to be reintroduced to a couple of people over the past couple of months
It's nice to be able to eat food and not put weight on ~ even nicer to have usable energy again

I don't tend to get connective tissue pulls, it's mostly muscle stiffness and then only after a hard session. I put it down to ragging myself too quick and too hard. (I know you, stop laughing!) Having a protein drink afterwards like milk or a even a protein shake helps me recover better. The worst was last december. My mate talked me into sprint training uphill dragging an old van tyre. Couldn't walk properly for 3 days.

Ah, GAS* . If you haven't already come across them look into ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) and ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and their effect on energy utilisation in muscles . I always hit the carbs after exercise instead of protein ~ protein takes longer to get into your system, so goes in well before the session

* God Almighty Soreness

What was your mate getting his own back for???

Running off road is much more fun, don't really like road running tbh unless there is someone to run with. A have to sometimes though as the local trails turn into a clay swamp and that's when mentally I struggle to get out.
A crisp, cold, moonlit night is my favourite when all the wildlife is out and nobody else is stupid enough to be. I run round my local field perimeters, I know it like the back of my hand. Plenty of bumps in the grass perimeters keeps my mucsles working in different ranges. I broke my foot 2 years ago though in all that dry weather when the land dried out and cracked and I wedged my foot into one at weird angle.

Pretty much my thoughts ~ wildlife is far more enjoyable than feral life . I'll build the strength and stamina and then give the trails a buzz

Sounds like the same soil we have here ~ absolutely solid clayey sand which becomes impossible quagmire with the first sniff of rain :yikes:

And ... Ouch!

The running style is always a work in progress for me and I hope it always will. It just feels right when I nail it-the pace increases, breathing rate drops, the bushcrafters belly stops bouncing. Generally, I try to fall forward constantly, knees above the toes on the strike, striking with the forefoot and keeping the paces short and the cadence up. Face wobbling, everything loose, hands dropped straight every now and then. I find starting off really slow best, if i gun it, I never enjoy it or get flowing.
I must look like a right ****

I struggle to keep the pace up ~ breathing's fine, as are the muscles. But when my mind wanders I just seem to relax and slow into a go all day plod ~ okay that 'plod' do a 10 minute mile ... but maybe I'm tensing up and focusing on the target rather than just enjoying the journey

Except for the dangly hands the running style sounds familiar ~ paces are definitely short, not too sure about quick though ...

There's very good reason why all but two of my sessions have been done after innocent little kiddies who don't need the unnecessary mental scars are safely tucked up in their beds ... It ain't quick and it ain't purty!

4 years ago, I honestly thought that 10 miles running would probably elude me for life, I didn't enjoy running much and I'm not built to run. One night, I ran 10 with my mate and it wasn't that bad. The buzz was great and the parameters shifted massively. I think differently now about the distances. I suspect the same will happen when I do my first half, first fell run, first marathon (maybe, need to lose loads more weight (arctic padding ) if my knees are gonna keep working)

I reckon that if I can walk it then I can, eventually, run it .

Doing the 3 is a buzz ~ 10+ must be fantastic .

'arctic padding' . Got a fair way to go before I look and feel like a runner

Have you seen MapMyRun? A great free app and you can run with friends/compare runs/chart your progress etc. Uses gps to track your movements, shouts out the distances and your pace as you run and the miles seem to tick off a little quicker.

Seen and looked into . This fangled gps is quite useful, isn't it ... smart phones too, for that matter .

It's easier to run with / for a purpose, I wonder whether there's an app which ties in geocaching in with running schedules / programs ... hmmm ...

 

[decorum]

You might like parkrun http://www.parkrun.com

i did my hundreth run at the edinburgh one earlier in the year, its a great event, free, very encouraging..
i started running round the block about 5 years ago, and 1 km was a bit of a strain, but it does get better, worked to the edinburgh marathon last year, and doing various halfs this year...

We've a park run locally and had I started the program a day earlier I'd be doing my first tomorrow .

Congratulations on the century milestone .

It's good to hear that some have (or seem to have) started running (in my case, jogging) 'after their first bloom of youth' and are enjoying it .

 

[decorum]

Well that's the last of the 3 milers done and dusted ~ bring on Sunday's 5K

Well that's that cracked!

Much learned ~ running in a group, in the light, or in the morning and my prep went to rat poop

But it's done ~ successful completion of the program with the 5K run completed .


Now to consolidate and build ...


Anyone else done / doing / considering doing the C25K program???

 

[Teepee]

Congrats Phil!

Chuffed for you. That's a good benchmark/grounding and you are no longer a self diagnosed couch potato.

 

[decorum]

Chuffed for you. That's a good benchmark/grounding <<<

Cheers Pete . It all started as a bit of a personal challenge tbh ~ to be able to run around Brownsea Island at Easter Camp. In fairness I set myself the challenge last October whilst I was still rather ill and needing something to focus on and drive towards ~ I didn't get the official stamp of approval to begin gentle exercise again until mid January this year ... and then I didn't actually feel ready to start out on the C25K program until 25th March (roughly 3 weeks before we went to Brownsea), so the original challenge was done at scout pace* and not, as originally intended, as a run ...


* what would now be termed interval training ~ which is what the C25K program starts you off with ... cool coincidence! .

>>>and you are no longer a self diagnosed couch potato.

Yeah, still am ... .


Starting to consolidate and strengthen now ~ with an eye to doing the Go Dad Run on father's Day .

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Well done Phil. cracking work

 

[Mesquite]

Well done Phil, you've come along in leaps and bounds

 

[decorum]

... Taramuhara style ...

I looked it up ... and ended up followed a link or two reading up on the Tarahumara instead ... delightfully bonkers ~ do a good turn for someone, see it turn into party, get drunk celebrating the good turn, go for a run, decide kicking the wooden football up and down a mountain is a good idea ...

And these folks seem to _really_ like doing good turns too!

Well done Phil. cracking work

Well done Phil, you've come along in leaps and bounds

Cheers chaps .

 

[greensurfingbear]

join Tribesport website. they have loads of challenges you can set yourself

 

[Imagedude]

My knees and hips are knackered so I'm doing a couch to 100K cycle challenge instead!