Couch to 5K support thread.

indesisiv

I must admit that I track every thing in miles and mins/mile for pace. So a 5k would be 3.1 miles at about 6:30 per min pace.

My mate only deals in km's and in mins/km so we do find it very hard to compare paces lol. Once I get more experienced I will move on to km's I think.

It is quite nice in races when you run something like a 10k the km markers fly past compared to running a half marathon where it is in miles.
The problem is that this year I have raced, 5k, 10k, 15k, third marathon, 10 miles, half marathon. So quite a mix of races with mile and km markers depending.

iammumtoone

MallyGirl wrote: »

I am not doing the C25k any more (did it 5 years ago then stopped running and picked it up again recently)

Sounds similar to my situation, trying to pick it back up again but its not easy

How did you re-start after such a long break?

MallyGirl

not very scientific - I just went out and 'ran' about 3k then tried to increase up to 5k gradually. Then summer holidays hit and I stopped - again.

I saw a FB ad for a free 6 week program to improve your ParkRun Personal Best and thought the required commitment was a good thing. We had to do a PR to record our baseline - mine was 37 mins. Then there is a weekly session aimed at improving running and they also would like you to do 1 bootcamp but I am struggling with the times for the sessions. I did 6:30am on Monday but by the time I had got home and then walked the dogs I ended up starting late for work
I did PR again last week - 34:24 so quite an improvement after a week - and will try and keep that up. I gave my target as 33mins but that was on day 1, really I would like to get under 30mins but I think that will take more than 6 weeks!
I am 49 so this is part of 'Operation Fit Before Fifty'.

iammumtoone

MallyGirl wrote: »

not very scientific - I just went out and 'ran' about 3k then tried to increase up to 5k gradually. Then summer holidays hit and I stopped - again.

This is why I think I am best to stick at C25K I like the structure and being told what to do, rather than having to calculate it yourself.

MallyGirl wrote: »

We had to do a PR to record our baseline - mine was 37 mins.
I did PR again last week - 34:24 so quite an improvement after a week - and will try and keep that up. I gave my target as 33mins but that was on day 1, really I would like to get under 30mins but I think that will take more than 6 weeks!

Well done those are good times. I really want to hit under 30mins but have to be realistic it will take longer than the 6 weeks to achieve this, but I am determined to get there.

MallyGirl wrote: »

I am 49 so this is part of 'Operation Fit Before Fifty'.

Not quite there yet but I am past 40 and my ultimate aim is to keep going so I keep fit as I approach that milestone.

i.love.baking

I'm back out again in the morning, hopefully it will be a good one! I think it's going to start to get hard from now on as the sun is only just peeping up when I'm leaving, very soon it's going to be semi-dark I like winter, but it's the constant darkness that gets to me!

iammumtoone wrote: »

What a rebel :rotfl:

I did consider the same, I am on week 2 but instead decided on the next run I will just push myself harder (whilst keeping to the run/walk schedule). I am keen to see how I can do.

If the last run is just the same as the other two and you feel fine I don't see why you shouldn't miss one out, its no different to the other way round, if you have found it hard suggestion is to repeat a run before moving on.

Haha, I'm a rebel at heart, I don't like being told what to do! but also pushing myself a bit harder on the last day to go further might also be a good plan to try and build up a bit of speed and stamina that way.

Elfbert wrote: »

I moved on to week 3 today! I wasn't going to, but then had a good day at work and felt like I had the legs for it 3 mins was hard, but I did it all and felt very good about it afterward. It is great to see/feel the improvement

well done getting to week 3! I definately think the step up feels harder than the reality of running for 3 minutes. just have to remember that good feeling after getting through it for when you find it hard again!

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Oh.....i am not feeling well Dodgy tummy

What should i do if i still feel poorly tomorrow? I cant imagine running with a dodgy tummy :eek: :rotfl:

Hope you're feeling better!


Well done to everyone who has been out today! each run is one step closer to running for 30 minutes at a time
as the saying goes, no matter how slow we are going we're still lapping everyone on the couch- slight paraphrase!

WantToBeSE

Thanks i.love.baking. I am feeling lots better today

I agree about the dark mornings making it harder to get up and out the door. I only do it because i have to, i have to get up at 6am to get the boys to school.

I miss the summer mornings!

i.love.baking

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Thanks i.love.baking. I am feeling lots better today

I agree about the dark mornings making it harder to get up and out the door. I only do it because i have to, i have to get up at 6am to get the boys to school.

I miss the summer mornings!

Glad you're feeling better- it's definitely getting to that time of year where all the bugs come out of hiding! especially as I'm a teaching assistant, we get all the germs. I think the first year I worked in a school I got everything! think I'm fairly immune to most things now!!

WantToBeSE

i.love.baking wrote: »

Glad you're feeling better- it's definitely getting to that time of year where all the bugs come out of hiding! especially as I'm a teaching assistant, we get all the germs. I think the first year I worked in a school I got everything! think I'm fairly immune to most things now!!

Yes definitely! I bet you have an iron cast stomach and an immune system to beat the best of them! :rotfl:
Mine are now in Secondary school, so not quite as bad as when they were younger, but still.

iammumtoone

As promised my book recommends you should measure the following

Resting heart rate (done I downloaded a free app)
Measurements Chest / waist / Hips / Thigh / Arm (done some but not all) - it also advises what part to measure I can post this if anyone wants to know.
Weight (done)
BMI (done - goggle how to work out)
Body Fat percentage (unable to do this as I don't have a machine for it)

WantToBeSE

Thanks iammumtoone, that is really helpful. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to write out at which points to measure, or maybe i can just Google it actually.