C25K / Couch to 5K

[decorum]

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

Had a quick look and it's bookmarked for a closer look

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

Doing by intuition or a set schedule?

 

[Imagedude]

I'm trying to copy a plan off the Internet.

 

[cranmere]

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

I can't run any longer due to arthritis but cycling is still good and so is swimming. I did a 5k swim event last year which was fun.

 

[steven andrews]

A big thumbs-up for running from me. I started towards the end of 2010 to lose some weight. I really got into it and progressed to running the London Marathon this year.

I never run with headphones/music and have found that running has developed my mental strength just as much as my physical. It's a great time to think and get some fresh air. A similar benefit to being out camping, walking etc.

 

[Reverend Graham]

I do Ultra-Triathlons, Double and Triple Ironman distance, if any one wants any free help to get started or improve drop me a PM.

Rev G

 

[Quixoticgeek]

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 .

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

I started on something similar to C25K, but had to stop due to injury. While the legs were willing, the back wasn't, and after a lot of physio, I am in the stage where I have been told to not run until I have built more strength into my core. All these injuries meant that by December I was unable to walk the 2 mile round trip to the shops without having to stop for a rest at the midpoint, and then collapse in a heap when I got home.

A podiatry appointment has helped a lot, and coupled with the core strength exercises I am getting back into fitness again. This time I am taking a slightly different approach, rather than running, I am walking. I started with 3 5k walks a week, in addition to any other walking I do, to the shops, etc... Then once that became comfy, I upped it to 10k once a week, and 5k twice a week. I am have also done a couple of long walks in addition, a 14k with 6kg load, and an 8k with 16kg load. My normal walking pack weight is about 5kg for these walks. I am now at the stage where the 10k walks are ok, so I am hoping to move to 10k twice a week, and 15k once a week. Continuing as I do until I can do 30k three times a week without issue. Then I'll start adding weight to my pack, upto about 10-15kg. Once I've done that. I'll start the running, interval training style right back at the beginning, run 1min, walk 2 min, repeat 6 times. This is of course in addition to strength exercises with weights, and also bodyweight exercises.

What this is a long winded way of saying is, be careful when you start exercising, else you will injure yourself, and rather than making things better, put you in a worse position so you have more to work on.

It is also important to make sure that your feet are looked after and appropriately shod. A podiatrist is a useful thing to see.

Julia

 

[decorum]

... I started towards the end of 2010 to lose some weight. I really got into it and progressed to running the London Marathon this year.

Thats some progression :notworthy ~ I keep reading similar tales (all bow worthy!) and I guess it goes to show that we can all extend ourselves if and when we want to (General note: Not necessarily specifically to Marathons or extreme events, just extend ourselves beyond what we think ourselves capable of ...)

... I never run with headphones/music and have found that running has developed my mental strength just as much as my physical.

Because I was following the program I learned to operate with music as well as the various prompts given during the sessions ~ the 5K Fun Run had notes up here and there stating no MP3 / headphones for the event (still were some though ) and it came as a bit of a shock to be without (in order to record that I'd done the final run my phone was switched to silent and stuck in my waist band pocket).

It's a great time to think and get some fresh air. A similar benefit to being out camping, walking etc.

Toward the end of the C25K I took time out on a camp to go for a run in the countryside . Best of both worlds ~ but yes, even a slight improvement to fitness level brings benefits

I do Ultra-Triathlons, Double and Triple Ironman distance,

:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy I suspect that the 'mad as a box of frogs' might help a tad ... Next bit might seem like I'm having a go at Julia. Quite the opposite, I agree with much / most of it and felt it needed expanding upon ~ there's no point exacerbating an injury by attempting to ignore or push through it.

I started on something similar to C25K, but had to stop due to injury. While the legs were willing, the back wasn't, and after a lot of physio, I am in the stage where I have been told to not run until I have built more strength into my core. All these injuries meant that by December I was unable to walk the 2 mile round trip to the shops without having to stop for a rest at the midpoint, and then collapse in a heap when I got home.

Indeed, if in any doubt, see a doctor ~ before you start or whilst you're progressing. I'm fairly sure that current advice says to go to your GP if you pick up a niggle (ache or pain) which hasn't gone within a few days ~ so the same goes for obvious injuries! This is the route I took ~ Saw a doctor and got the okay, then started with bike rides, did a bit of planking, some basic leg exercises, some walking .... it took me two-ish months before I felt that I could ease myself into the C25K program with the confidence that it wasn't making too much of a jump .

A podiatry appointment has helped a lot, and coupled with the core strength exercises I am getting back into fitness again.

Although I sought 'official permission' before going back to exercise there's no real or absolutely guaranteed way of knowing how your 'you' is going to react to any specific exercise* ~ sometimes you have to do in order to find out if you should have done * Some body types lean towards being better suited to a type of sport or exercise ~ but that doesn't mean that you're actually going to be any good at, really suited to, or actively enjoy any type of exercise or sport.A big thing to do is to actively listen to what your body tells you ~ too much too soon is going to take its toll ... not recuperating between sessions is going to take its toll ... not eating well (or suitably) is going to take its toll. At some point the toll will present its bill!

This time I am taking a slightly different approach, rather than running, I am walking. I started with 3 5k walks a week, in addition to any other walking I do, to the shops, etc... Then once that became comfy, I upped it to 10k once a week, and 5k twice a week. I am have also done a couple of long walks in addition, a 14k with 6kg load, and an 8k with 16kg load. My normal walking pack weight is about 5kg for these walks. I am now at the stage where the 10k walks are ok, so I am hoping to move to 10k twice a week, and 15k once a week. Continuing as I do until I can do 30k three times a week without issue. Then I'll start adding weight to my pack, upto about 10-15kg. Once I've done that. I'll start the running, interval training style right back at the beginning, run 1min, walk 2 min, repeat 6 times. This is of course in addition to strength exercises with weights, and also bodyweight exercises.

Bravo for the determination! Many would have seen it as a reason to give up or not bother ~ I know a few who truly believe that they're not suited to exercise or sport ...

What this is a long winded way of saying is, be careful when you start exercising, else you will injure yourself, and rather than making things better, put you in a worse position so you have more to work on. It is also important to make sure that your feet are looked after and appropriately shod. A podiatrist is a useful thing to see.

Needed saying though It's easy to fall into believing an 'everyone else is doing it, so should I' routine (the inverse is also true ). And yes, good and suitable footwear is an essential for running ~ not necessarily the most expensive, but right for your biometrics (basically how you move and how you impact the ground when running). Many specialist running shops now do gait analysis ~ it could save you money and it could save you from injury ...

 

[decorum]

Quick update ...

Having started the C25K program on 25 March 2014 and graduating from it with a local area 5Km fun run on 18 May 2014 I've moved on a bit ...

For the first month following the first 5km run I pretty much consolidated the work I'd done, worked on improving pace a bit, got used to the actual doing of the thing etc. Then I decided to work on my sessions up a notch or two, and ...

Wednesday 18 June: 6.1km

Friday 20 June: 8.5km

Then I decided to back off from longer distances and work on getting some more strength and stamina and pretty much focused on the 5km distance for a couple of weeks ~ integrated Cooper tests (distance covered in 12 minutes) and increased the quantity of hills (well ... slopes are what we have locally ) in general sessions.

Then following a conversation, things took an interesting turn and the fortnightly longer run would need to make a reappearance ...

Tuesday 08 July: 10.1km

Tuesday 22 July: 12.2km

Monday 04 August: 16.5km. This session should have been done on Tuesday 05 and it should have been a 14km run, but it felt 'right' to push myself on the centennial anniversary of our entry into World War One (also the 70[SUP]th[/SUP] anniversary of the arrest of Anne Frank) ~ and, even more importantly, I felt both up for and capable, of it.

There's more than a small amount of trepidation before each of the lengthening long runs[SUP]2[/SUP] :yikes: . To be reasonably happy to enter into next year's personal challenge I want / need to be reasonably comfortable running[SUP]1[/SUP] half Marathon distances .


To aid proper recuperation the session following a long run is a much easier and relaxed affair, and then the build up sessions begin again ...




Would I recommend the C25K program? Have you been reading? I can't be considered fast and it's definitely not pretty, neither of which are or were a priority, but I'm enjoying the challenge* of running[SUP]1. [/SUP] Could I have got to this point without following / using the program? Possibly, but probably not .

* Until (or unless) I'm beasting myself, running[SUP]1[/SUP] still counts as Type II fun


So, from not a runner[SUP]3[/SUP] at all to running[SUP]1[/SUP] 16.5km (10 ish miles) in roughly four months!




[SUP]1[/SUP] Jogging!
[SUP]2[/SUP] Jogs!
[SUP]3[/SUP] Jogger!

 

[mrcharly]

I know nothing about C25k but I've taught a few hundred 10-year-old children track and field athletics - all barefoot. Most of them needed teaching to run gently.

Used to start them in a wooden-floored gym. Jog round a bit, then send one round by themselves, pointing out that they sounded like elephant's stampeding. Then set them the challenge of running as quietly as they could.

A couple of sessions of that at start of lesson and every single child (of all shapes and sizes) could run a mile without stopping. Technique matters and I'd urge anyone who is starting from a low base of running or recovering from injury to try 'running softly on the ground'. You'll get fitter if you can avoid injury.

 

[decorum]

>>> 'running softly on the ground'. <<<

Good point ... I'm not a small bloke, but I am quite quiet on my feet and I've (unintentionally) made a few folk squeal in surprise as I've passed them . After a few interesting experiences :yikes: I've learned to not just try to time passings so there's plenty of space, but to also actively make noise(s)* well in advance of passing someone moving in the same direction uppy_dog .


* Slight increase in sound of foot fall, make the terrain you're running on make more noise, gentle, clear your throat, cough etc etc etc