Started 'Couch to 5k today' Anyone keen?

[naenaern777 345]

I put the couch to 5K app on my phone and followed it for 8 weeks. It does intervals of walking/jogging. You can repeat the days or weeks if you need to. Best of luck to you!!!!

[swimbikerun 1,039]

I started out by the same thing. 11 laps at the track equal a mile. So I ran and walked and increased the running and decreased the walking. I'll do the same thing when I can get back into shape.

[katesuccess 990]

Well I went ahead and did a morning walk with jogging intervals, and it went well. Then two sessions with a personal trainer left me (and my thighs) in great pain - so taking a day to recover (ouch!). I did download the C25K you all mentioned, and am starting it tomorrow. Yay!

[mistysj 1,939]

As an update, I completed C25K in November and I'm still running between 5 and 7 km three times a week. I feel like the running helps smooth out any small eating transgressions I commit and earns me a couple glasses of wine a week. I've had no trouble maintaining and even still slowly losing. About 5 kg from my dream goal at this point and wearing a size 6.

[Ava324 413]

Last week I went for a 6 mile brisk walk with a friend, could've gone on forever and was totally inspired. I work out 5 times a week, including with a personal trainer, and thought I'd be pretty fit for a jog. I tried for the first time Saturday (hadn't jogged in a decade), and I have to confess I was so surprised. I kept thinking, "How on earth can people do this?!!" More specifically, how can you breath?? I literally could not breath. After very short distances, I'd have to go back to walking, and I was breathing so hard my throat made awful noises. I can still be proud of my 3 mile walk with random bursts of jogging, but g'aw dayum, I can't believe how hard it was. I live right on the Mississippi River, and all the other levee joggers made it look so easy. I'm downloading two C25K apps now, and I'll see which one I like better. Hopefully it's just a matter of getting used to it and the app will be a huge help.

[katesuccess 990]

Did the first day of couch25k app tonight - felt good!

[LisaT678 225]

Did the first day of couch25k app tonight - felt good!

Everyone here is doing awesome! Keep it up.

[Ava324 413]

Did the first day of couch25k app tonight - felt good!

I did Day 1 last night too! I'm going to do Day 2 today.

Kudos on the first step, Kate!

[katesuccess 990]

Did the first day of couch25k app tonight - felt good!

I did Day 1 last night too! I'm going to do Day 2 today.

Kudos on the first step, Kate!

And back at you Ava! I was all set to do it again today, but the last thing the little voice said was "See you in a couple days" and i checked with the trainer who told me to alternate it with resistance training if possible. I figure at this beginning stage I will, but then further out i'll do it daily, since i know LOTS of people who run every day quite happily and healthily. Let me know how that goes doing it back to back. Good luck!

[Ava324 413]

And back at you Ava! I was all set to do it again today, but the last thing the little voice said was "See you in a couple days" and i checked with the trainer who told me to alternate it with resistance training if possible. I figure at this beginning stage I will, but then further out i'll do it daily, since i know LOTS of people who run every day quite happily and healthily. Let me know how that goes doing it back to back. Good luck!

Staggering it is probably a good idea at the beginning. Yesterday, Day 2, was harder. I did it at 5pm, instead of 7:30, and it was much hotter out. I think that was a large contributing factor. Also I got side stitches pretty bad. I looked up the various causes, and I think it was definitely from shallow and irregular breathing. Try as I might, I can't seem to slow or even out my breathing. I'm going to try Day 3 on Friday night or Saturday morning. Hopefully the break makes a difference?

I have every intention of becoming an exercise nut. I woke up at 5:20am this morning for my first yoga class at the gym and was at work for 8. Resistance work out this afternoon, personal training session tomorrow, and depending on my energy, C25K that same night. Feeling great!

[naenaern777 345]

Hey ladies just throwing in my two cents here... When I did c25K I did it every other day like Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-thursday-Saturday. I only did the 3 days every week for 8 weeks. I felt since I had never been a runner before I should take it in baby steps. This worked well for me. I hated it every time I did it until week 8 and I was just so proud that I discovered I do actually enjoy running. Wishing you both the best you got this!!!! Please remember though to stay hydrated I have run into mild dehydration a few times after a run.

[katesuccess 990]

Hey ladies just throwing in my two cents here... When I did c25K I did it every other day like Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-thursday-Saturday. I only did the 3 days every week for 8 weeks. I felt since I had never been a runner before I should take it in baby steps. This worked well for me. I hated it every time I did it until week 8 and I was just so proud that I discovered I do actually enjoy running. Wishing you both the best you got this!!!! Please remember though to stay hydrated I have run into mild dehydration a few times after a run.

Thank you - that sounds like wonderful advice, and I will be continuing to alternate between my five 2K outing and alternate days at the gym with the plan from my personal trainer. I have to say I was surprised as all heck to find myself kind of enjoying the walk/jogging day before yesterday when I get it, and not just the release and pride of "thank God that's over"!

I will be mindful about getting dehydrated, as I've learned the hard way that I can get bad leg cramps if that happens hiking. One of the pages I read about beginning to learn to jog/run if that side stitch pain means you might need to slow down and concentrate on the doing, not the speed or distance. I have not tested that theory firsthand, but I suspect I will by accident!

It's again for chiming in on this folks, it helps more than I can say to know I'm not so alone in this endeavor.

[Ava324 413]

Please remember though to stay hydrated I have run into mild dehydration a few times after a run.

I'll have to amp the hydration up for sure. Summer in New Orleans is sweltering. I've heard hospitalization horror stories from people in my support group. My surgeon says to get at least 64oz of Water a day, and I make sure to at least get 80oz. I think I'll treat myself to sugar free snoballs (extra hydration) on C25K days. Lol.

[swimbikerun 1,039]

Forget hospitalization ... its the visits to the ER, infusion units, the malnutrition bout was a totally different story. Metabolic acidosis and alkalosis is NOT fun. I had a great ride, just had to pay the piper. LOL.

[Ava324 413]

I have to say I was surprised as all heck to find myself kind of enjoying the walk/jogging day before yesterday when I get it, and not just the release and pride of "thank God that's over"!

Same here! That first day I did it at 7:30, the sun was setting, and it was cooling down. I just couldn't believe how good it felt to jog. I had a "wind in your hair" moment, and it was awesome. I've lived like 4 houses down from the levee for years, and I seriously missed out. I could get used to jogging along to riverboat and batcher critter noises.