what days do you guys do the runs? i just assumed they meant Mon/Wed/Fri then I read closer and it says space them evenly. So giving myself two days off in a row is bad? My body wanted to run today (but I am sick and it's an off day anyhow). Do you guys spread the runs out more?

I do mon/wed/fri with that 2 day break over the weekend. I think the main point is that they want you do it 3 times a week, with at least 1 day off in between runs to give your body a break.

Hello ladies,

I need to start running again, may I join you? I haven't seen the "Couch to 5k" program, but when I was running last I followed what looks like a similar program with a running club. Basically we started at 2 mins walking, 1 running for two weeks, then dropped to 1:1 for a week, followed by increasing the running portion each week. We did do 20 mins straight running in the last week of the program, just to "say we'd done it" but most of the experienced runners stuck to 8:1 (8 mins running, 1 min walking) or 10:1 patterns, including in races. I found I liked 6:1 or 8:1 depending on how I felt that day. Once I get back to that point I plan to stay there - improving my speed and distance, not taking out the walk breaks. Last year I promised myself I would complete a marathon before I'm 45, well I'm almost 41 now and no closer to that!

BUT I haven't been running since I moved in August last year. My treadmill is broken (useful for poor weather or when I need to watch the boys) and it seems like I haven't made the effort. I've been doing exercise DVDs but it's not the same. So I would like to start the running up again. Having a group to report progress to would help. I can run outside now and hopefully get my treadmill fixed before the winter, although winters aren't that cold here.

I found when I was running that my clothes fit nicer and the effort was worth it. Although I have lost weight over the time I was running (and plan on continuing that) I find I don't have the shape...

Snuggles,
Jax

Welcome, Jax! Here is the Cool Running link:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

As for the previous question....I run when I can. When I can get the sitter, when DH can watch the kids, when the baby won't sleep and I can walk her to sleep. I would like to have a pattern, but my life is lacking those at every turn right now.

Morning!

I surprised myself by doing day 2 of week five this morning - and completing it! It's supposed to be hot an thundery here again today, so I'm glad I was up and out early... may need a nap soon...

Onthetee - I HEAR you, girl - 20 minutes??? Are they JOKING?

Cat, Glitterlicious - how are you two doing??

Jax - WELCOME!! Just jump on in - we're happy you're here!

Katie - I stretched the programme out a LOT - I did five days of week two, three and four - not in a row! - but stretched each stage over about ten days. I'm not in a rush! Mostly, I run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and do strength training on the other days - but some weeks I start again on Sunday and do Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, then back to Monday.

Have a great day, all!

Heather

Hey, chicks, how did everyone do today? Did you get all sweaty and tired? Did you make your fat cells scream for mercy? I don't see any posts since this morning.....

I went to the gym. I did a 20-minute warm up on the elliptical. Then I intended to run 20, but I got freaked out and thankfully had to pee. I ran 10 minutes, walked two minutes including to and from the bathroom, and finished with 10.

Hope to conquer the 20 minute mark tomorrow. DAUNTING!!!!!!! I am not too proud to admit that I am scared and have fear of failure issues.

Day 1 of Week 2 Completed! My muscles are fine but my legs and knees are so sore I could barely walk in between the running parts. I guess that is tendons and bone pain? I have absolutely no muscle pain and it hurts less when I am running (although I am stiff as heck). It's been like this for a few days and I am hoping by the weekend it's gone because it hurts!

I ran on the treadmill today and I didn't find it any easier per se than outside but I could keep the pace I wanted and know exactly how many miles I went and how many calories burned (300!!!). Tomorrow is anotehr gym day since I have the car, and will be used for weights and the elliptical for 30 mins just to get some exercise in. I am hoping I don't wake up as stiff as the dead!

Hello,

I started "pre running" this morning. I did my run-walk segments, but not the full 1/2 hour since DH had to go to work and I didn't start early enough. I think I will do week one this week and start it again next Sunday for a full week. It was my first time running with the dog (we didn't have one when I ran before) and it went fairly well. Of course he had to stop for business right when I was due to start a running segment, but I adjusted .

Yesterday I did my "Get Ripped to the core" DVD for the first time and I can feel it in my chest especially this morning. I plan on doing that or some other form of weights MWF and then the running program SuTuTh. Saturday off. Once I get used to that I'll change the weight part.

So overall a good but slow start. Thanks for the link to the CT5K program, I'll check it out and see how it compares to the one I was doing from before.

Snuggles to all,
Jax

I cannot get past the 20 minute barrier at the end of week five. I have decided that rather than be all crabby about it, I will just accept that week 5 is going to be longer than a 7-day week. It is not like I am training for a marathon with a specific date in mind.

I may enlist the help of a running buddy. If I can get her to run with me for two miles, then I will have the barrier broken. However, we leave for vaca on Friday morning and are gone for 16 days, so I may just have to work it out on hotel treadmills.

KEEP RUNNING, LOVELY LADIES!

Yesterday was a non-running day but I did a fast 30 minute walk on the treadmill and I wasn't sore like the previous days. I am due to run this afternoon and am sort of dreading it since I was so sore last time. Hopefully it won't be too bad. It's hotter than you know what out here, 95 today and I am in Washington state where it's not supposed to get this hot! And oh did I mention *no A/C*!!!!!!!! Not even in the gym I go to. UGH!!!! I hope this month goes by fast if it's going to be nasty hot like this! Once hubby leaves for the sandbox, I will be going in at 8am to run since it's still not too bad then.

onthetee - don't feel bad if you don't do the 20 mins straight. Most runners I know take walk breaks. I know you want to do it - even if "just to have done it" but it will come when it's ready. Don't let it stop you increasing your total time/distance in the mean time. You can always keep doing 10-1-10-1 then add on the end. I know that's not exactly what the Ct5K program says but it will still work. Personally I prefer to stick to 8-1 run/walk and just continue to slowly add distance/speed.

Good job on getting to this point, and good luck on vacation. I'm off camping in about 10 days, that's why I re-started the walk/run. I can do it at the campground, unlike the DVDs I've been doing recently.

I'm going to try to be up early enough to get in a full 30 mins of walk/run intervals tomorrow before DH goes to work. It's too hot here right now (34°C according to my thermometer outside) by the time he gets home, besides, I like to exercise earlier, rather than in the evening. Evening exercise leaves me with difficulty sleeping. During the day I have the wee ones to watch. I'm taking my treadmill in to get checked over tomorrow, hopefully we'll find out why it's stuck on 15% incline and how to fix it. At this point I don't really care if it's stuck on a particular incline, but not 15%! That's too much for everyday use.

Jax

Hi everyone!

I just finished W2D1. Whew! I may just be too fat to run this thing. I'll keep on keeping on, but I don't know if I'll be able to progress like I'm supposed to. I run/walk on the treadmill since it's a billion percent humidity in Florida. I've found that I like the stride at 4.5, my legs cramp less, but I have trouble breathing at that rate. I work at circuit training four days a week in addition to C25K, so hopefully I'll breathe easier (or my legs strengthen) soon!

Is it tougher to begin this program or is it tougher to add minutes? Know what I mean? I think Week 1 was a 5, Week 2 is an 8 so far..... How is it going for all of you?

Michelle

today was day 3 of week 2 and i was a little bit more strained near the end of the 25 minutes but i did alright still. ran on 5.4 and walked at 3.4 on the treadmill, not sure if those are good or not but it's all i can do so far. 5.4 was pushing it though. i hope in 7 1/2 more weeks i can run a bit faster than a 11 minute mile. or heck, i hope i can run a mile straight whether it takes me 11 minutes or not!

tomorrow is weights and 30 mins of walking. i am at the gym and plan on staying there. child care ensures i get my workout uninterrupted. the running is taking my mind off my husband leaving in a less than a week and sort of channeling some of my stress as well.

i am hoping to get back into my diet next week after hubby leaves so i can drop some more pounds quicker. the less of this junk i have to carry while running the better!

Well I didn't get to my 30 mins - I need to plan a new route, since the one I use walking with the dog is too short for run/walk combinations. I did 5 run intervals though - one more than Tuesday. Sunday will be the start of a new week and since DH isn't at work I KNOW that I can fit in the whole workout, and plan a route for next week. When I got up, I was a little sore from lifting yesterday but the run has dealt with that. Yippee.

cakses - don't get hung up on the treadmill speeds, that's why I like running outside, I have no idea how fast I am going. I have a watch that beeps the intervals for me so I don't even have to look at it. When I run on the treadmill I like to keep a towel over the display otherwise I obsess over it and don't have time to enjoy the running. If you're working up to the 5K then do that before you worry about increasing speed. 10% speed OR distance increase in a week is plenty. Not both.

Michelle - if you want to run slower but like a certain stride rate, take shorter strides. I find I take 85 strides (approx) per minute no matter how fast I run, unless I'm going all out. How tough the different stages of the program are depends on you. I found when doing this type of thing last year that I got "stuck" at 6 mins - that was my tough point. If you need to, take more than a week at a certain level. Slower (in terms of progress) is better, as long as you're motivated to keep improving.

Keep it up ladies...
Jax

I am in a pickle. Today should be my off day, but I cannot get to a gym tomorrow as we are traveling all day. Wait until Saturday? My knee is a bit sore, so I think I will postpone the running until Saturday.

However, this morning, I will do 40 minutes elliptical, then weights. And tonight, my friends and I are all going to a climbing wall! (Another reason I don't want to stress my knee right now.)

Vacation will be interesting the first week. We are staying at a lodge with no gym. All outdoor running for me, which is hard for the treadmill addict. Plus, I live in Indiana--flat flat flat. Next week, we will be in the Adirondacks!

Also, I signed up for the Indy 500 Mini Marathon in May. I don't plan to run it, and I walked it many years ago. I plan to run 2/3 of it.