Couch straight to 5k

richy999

So I met up with a friend last week and I let him talk me into doing the local Park Run (5K) on Saturday morning. I do a lot of walking and occasionally frequent the gym to use the weights and treadmill.

Anyway, I completed the course (in the wind and rain) and didn’t come last, but must confess it was more of a jog/walk than a run.

Despite not doing anything quite as intense as this for nearly 20 years and not warming up/down properly...I think that I got off quite lightly as I have no pain in joints but my quads have been quite sore since and I found stairs quite a challenge over the weekend :-)

I am hoping/expecting my legs to have recovered by next Saturday so I can do it all again but was wondering if this is wise… should I postpone and build up to it by following the couch25k training plan?

pinkteapot

It was a bit too much for you as you've had soreness since, so I'd say yes. I followed a plan in the first 8 weeks of this year and now run 5k three times a week and have no pain/stiffness afterwards despite never warming up or cooling down (not that I recommend not warming up/cooling down!).

From the sounds of it you might be able to skip the first week or two of a plan - you could try giving Week 3 a go and if you manage that without pain, follow it from there.

richy999

pinkteapot wrote: »

It was a bit too much for you as you've had soreness since, so I'd say yes. I followed a plan in the first 8 weeks of this year and now run 5k three times a week and have no pain/stiffness afterwards despite never warming up or cooling down (not that I recommend not warming up/cooling down!).

From the sounds of it you might be able to skip the first week or two of a plan - you could try giving Week 3 a go and if you manage that without pain, follow it from there.

Thanks for the reply. I think that is probably the sensible thing to do.
I'd planned to do a short/easy 'trial' jog on wednesday anyway, so I can start at week 3 then and see how I go.

edgex

Ask at the parkrun if any of the running groups are doing a 'couch to 5k' course. Likely to be the new year when they are though.

If you want to do it by yourself
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

Moneysaver199

If you are doing 5k with walk/jog intervals then that is a bit like the couch to 5k programme anyway (except longer distance). I think it sounds like you could probably continue with that, building up your jog sections till you are jogging the whole way. That said, you are sore so you have overdone it (although sounds like it's muscles and not an injury).

Well done. You could probably do a few weeks of smaller sections (20 mins) 2 or 3 times a week, then try parkrun again. You likely won't be as sore next time!