couch to 5k beginner - excited!
 

Hi all! On Monday I started the couch to 5k walk/jog plan, and today is week 1, day 2. I am excited to be jogging now, and I want to stay excited! The first day I did it I really liked it...it feels really good to move my body and experience what I am capable of now, and to think of what I will be capable of in months from now. Is any one else psyched about exercize? Share with me!

:high:

Oooh, maybe I should start doing this 3 mornings a week. Running scares me. But maybe this will be OK!

C25K is an excellent beginner program for runners ... When starting a new week and you feel it's too difficult just repeat the week before, the program is not written in stone so change it up to suit your needs...

Good luck and :bravo: for starting to run!

I did W2D2 yesterday and am really excited about it! :carrot::carrot:

I won;t do w3d3 until Saturday because my weight training leg day falls on Friday, but that extra day of rest worked well in w1, making the last day seem easy enough that I was less daunted about moving up to W2. I hope it keeps on working that way!

Good luck!! I started with C25K and now I'm training for a marathon!!

Love it!
I started with a 5K, and I liked it so much that I've just registered for an 8K!

Hopefully I can keep it going.... :) Enjoy!

Yay! So great to hear from you ladies!!! I was so into my jog today, that I didn't even notice that I had jogged an additional 2 blocks than I had planned. I jog again on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to it! Never thought I would enjoy a jog, and I'm MORE than confident that it will do wonders for our bodies....yay us!!!!

I am doing it too, but I alternated ther time to suit my abilities. Be proud of yourself and keep going. You're the only one who can change you. Look forward to that great after workout feeling

Thanks, stasiagurl91! I am proud that I am actually gettinf my exercize in. I wish you the very best on your journey - after a month or so, I'm sure we shall see and feel some significant differences!

JessandEmma - How did your jog go yesterday? :cheer:

Hi ladies! I too am doing C25k. I started week 3 today. It's so amazing how I feel so insecure-he wants me to run for how long! (I do a pod cast that cues my runs) But you do it and you can't believe how easy it is. Pretty cool. I live in the Tampa Bay, Florida area and we have a very popular run coming up an I will be finished with the program just in time to run the 5k at the end of February. Very exciting!

Hi all! I'm also doing the couch to 5k run.
I completely week 1, the week before last. I got sick and fell off my schedule which discouraged me big time.

However, tomorrow I will start back up with week 2 and begin running 90 seconds. yikes!! I plan to run on Mon, Wed, Fridays.

Does anyone wanna buddy up on me with this so I can stay accountable and maybe help you if you need it too?
I'd love that (and need it)!

Good luck to all of you guys! Here's to 5k for us all!!! :)

I started running last week of September 2010. I see we have very similar stats. When I first started running, I could only run 30 seconds, walk 2 minutes and repeat for 20 mins. I now run 4-5 miles 4 times a week (16-18 miles)...it's crazy how fast you can progress in this.

Oh and although I didn't do C25K, I did my own version of...just going as far as my body would let me and constantly pushing it further each week.

You can do this!!! It's only been a little over 4 months since I've started calorie counting and running and I've lost about 40 lbs!;)

Much success to you...and remember...YOU WILL get back what you PUT IN...just STICK WITH IT!!!:D

wow joyfulloser, my eyes widen when I read your post! That is such inspiration to me!!! You are doing awesome! I'd love to 40 lbs like you have! I'm shy of 10 lbs of your starting weight and it would be so fanastic to get down to where you are and are heading! good for you!!
So when you say you started calorie counting, what do you mean by that? did you follow anything in particular?
Congrats again btw! This gives me hope not to stop this couch to 5k no matter what!

Thanks!:) I keep a log on my thread below that explains everything I've done with daily updates, some of my favorite recipes (w/pics) and my daily ups and downs. It can be found here: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/calo...op-26-lbs.html

Hope this helps!:)

Hi, Sindaena! The jog went great, and I actually just got done with my 4th jog! I'm actually really surprised how well today went! I was jogging more than the regimen calls for. I want to basically do the program, but I am also listening to my body, and it is really working out! I can already tell that my tummy is smaller than a week ago when I started. I'm excited for even more time to pass!

How are your jogs going? How is your body feeling? I hope it is going well - let me know!

Hi all! I just did W1D1, and it felt so good! I've been afraid of running since high school when I had an achilles injury. It healed entirely years ago but I never got in to running. So here I am, just not enamored of the idea of running, like I'll tire out in an instant but I didn't! I made it through Day 1, now onward!
It gives me hope that someday I could run 4-5miles like you Joyfulloser!

Thanks "fromthebox"!;) I'm 43 (almost 44), smoked for 20+ yrs..quit a year before I started running and I did it....If I can do it...ANYBODY CAN!!! Trust me...I haven't run since high school, but for me that was over 25 yrs ago..haha!

I don't like to sound like I'm ready for diapers and pepsident, but things get harder as you age, so I'm hoping this will motivate further to KNOW you can do it!:hug:

JessandEmma - It's AMAZING how FAST running will change your body!:o It's toned my abs, legs and butt more than any other exercise has ever done for me. Glad to see your already seeing nice ab slimming results!;) It's funny, but your the only person here I've ever heard mention the tighter abs from running. I don't do sit ups, and had a huge gut and back fat at the start. Now I'm sporting a pretty lean tummy (4-5 pack..haha)!

Hey joyfulloser! Today will be W2D2, and I cannot wait to get home from work to jog! I can't believe I'm the only one that has mentioned the ab-slimming effect of running or walking! I read that it is the best thing you can do for your core. Better than crunchies or sit-ups - it's a myth that we can "spot tone". My girlfriends and I take a "girl's trip" every year, and this year in September we are planning on running some kind of race together. Ahhh....this really is turning into a lifestyle change!

Couch to 5k is such a good plan! I'm doing Week 6 Day 2 today. I NEVER thought I'd be able to run 2 miles at a time. It's weird, because I had to repeat a lot of the earlier weeks several times before feeling ready to move on, but on Friday I did 20 minutes straight on my first try. I'm still giddy about it, haha.

Good luck ladies - we can do this!

Yay! I'm just finished "W2D2", but I was jogging for whole "songs" at a time! That's 3-4 mins, instead of 90 seconds. I have a feeling it will take me a while to be able to jog more than 10 mins at a time, but, as mentioned, I am just going to keep listening to my body and push it a little more each day. I can tell where my "comfortable" pace is right now, and I hope it gets a little faster. How is everyone doing out there?

Just finished W1D3. Am wondering if it is bad for me to do the days in succession. It says only 3x a week, but I'm i the gym usually 5x a week and I'm really liking the workout I get from this. I've been doing 15 min stairclimber lvl 7 and 20 min walking prior to this, and now doing 15 min stairclimber plus the C25k workout is feeling fine. Should I force myself to walk on the other days I'm at the gym or maybe do W1 stuff on those days once I start next week?

Of course, once I move to week two I might not want to do this every day, but I like a challenge. Today for instance I did the 20 min workout W1D3 then came back to the treadmill for another 15 min of 60s run 90s walk.

Joyfulloser - you are an inspiration. I wish I was as confident as you are in my ability to do this. Still scared of running for 20 min straight. Heck, scared of 10 min!

Thanks again!:hug:

Fromthebox - I was scared too! I couldn't imagine running for 5 mins without stopping. It almost seemed impossible!:( But you CANNNNN do it...it's only your mind that tells you that you can't!;) Your lungs will adjust faster than your joints will, so don't push too hard or you may have an injury set back. MAKE SURE to stretch well after each run (this will prevent injury).

To answer your question, when I first started, I was run/walking 5-6 days a week...yes, everyday just about. But I was run/walking....and for only 20 mins/session. When you start hardcore running, you should give yourself a day off of running between runs. You can do some other form on "non-impact" aerobics on your days off if you choose. For now...I choose to just give my body the rest...I find it appreciates it and my performance when running gets way better when I rest in between. That's for now though...I'll have to see what my body demands later on as I get even closer to goal!:D

OH, I am so ready to start this again. I started and got to week 2, before stopping last time. I need to exercise so badly - my body needs major toning and I need more energy! Hmmm....now when should I start....how about tonight! :)

Sorry...totally off-topic, BUT...your daughter could not possibly be any CUTER! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhh!:D

Wow, I congratulate all of you!! You're stories and inspiration is awesome!! I just finished W1D1 and feel GREAT!! I can't believe I could actually carry my body for 60 seconds of running!! It was amazing ... at first I wanted to give up, but I'm usually not one to quit. I thought while I was listening to my music (I too have an app on my iPhone where a man tells you what to do) that I might not be ready for this yet. But after completing it, I feel amazing!! If I wasn't smart, I'd actually do it again! :D

Here's to our journey on our 5K~ :congrat:

:bravo: SDV219! Great work! I think getting started really is the hardest part!

(Although W4 is looking kinda scary for tomorrow. I've always been able to do it before in spte of what I thought beforehand, so no reason w4 should be different.)

Tomorrow I join the ranks of C25kers... W1D1... I'm so excited!.. it's been many years since I did any running, but I'm pretty confident that I can do this program... all y'all's posts in this thread are so inspiring... glad to become one of you!..

hugs :hug:

Welcome Aunt Sheshie. You can do it!! :carrot:

Thanks Sindaena!.. you said I could do & you were right!!!.. I just came in from my W1D1... to say the least, I'm thrilled!.. when I started my first 1-minute jog, I thought, this is already hard, how am I gonna last 20 minutes?.. but I just kept going & before I knew it, I was finished... I was going back & forth the unpaved road in front of my house, so sometimes I was on sand or on gravel or on caliche & sometimes I was going uphill or downhill... the hills weren't steep, but I could feel the difference... ready to go again for W1D2... I know the C25K program calls for 3 times a week, but has anybody done it more than that?.. I thought I'd see how I feel tomorrow & maybe do it again, except this time drive to a nearby park...

Now for yoga... aaaahhhhhhh...:yoga:

hugs :hug:

Aunt Sheshie - Congrats! I felt the same way when I started last week, and I did W1 four times (and one day I did my 20min, went to do some stretching/weights and the came back for another 15 min). Joyfulloser made a good point - we should not work too hard to avoid injury but if you feel good and want to do it more, go ahead!

Now to get off my butt for W2D1:carrot:

WooHoo!! W1D2 completed! Love this new routine!! I can't wait for Thursday to do it again!! I can't believe how great I felt running this one ... it really does get easier!! :carrot:

Gratz Aunt Seshie, SDV219, and Fromthebox! It's a great feeling to accomplish more than you thought you could, isn't it?

I did W4D1 Monday and plan to do W4D2 this evening. Week 4 seems like such a big jump, even just to look at. I did slow down even more on the runs, but I made it through and I am sure I can do it again today. One thing that helps me is to eat higher carbs during the day before my runs. I can really feel the difference in energy if I miss my last snack before the run or am too low in carbs for the day. Of course, ymmv as with everything else. :)

Hello, ladies! I'm so excited that everyone is so happy with their workouts! Doesn't it feel great to move your legs, and your body generally, at a faster pace? I'm in Week 3, and I already feel more, well, powerful! That sounds strange, but it feels soooooo great to really, really USE my muscles. I know I will (eventually) be rewarded by being able to see those muscles as more defined under my skin. Great job ladies - let's keep it up!

YAY! I finished week 1!! :carrot:
It's amazing how much better I felt during the run too! I could tell that I wasn't out of breath as easy, and I could make it through it WITH increasing my pace!! I'm on the treadmill b/c we've been getting hit with snow pretty bad this week, but I can't wait to get out there and run!! I'm a little nervous about W2D1, but I will slow it down if I have to! I started W1D1 and ran a little over a mile to ending W1 with 1.5 miles!! So that's an improvement in just 3 short days!! I can't wait to see what I can accomplish in the next few weeks!!

Keep up the great work!!

Oof, anyone else have trouble taking it from Week 2 to Week 3? I just could NOT do the second 3min run, I finished out on 90s run 2min walk today. I am starting to wonder if this is because I am doing this after 10 min on the stairmaster as I like ending my workout with the run. Anyone else have experience with this being difficult while doing a longer total workout? I am still worried that when I go in on Wednesday I won't be able to do the three minutes again. I know they say its OK to take it easy, but I have been exercising regularly for a long time, why is this so hard? I would feel a bit like I failed if I couldn't move on.

I did day 1 of week 3 to yesterday and it was challenging. I was able to complete it, but I am not sure I would have been able to if I had just spent 10 min on the stairmaster. I am worried about next week though when I am supposed to jog for FIVE minutes, yikes!

I just did (tried to do) wk3d1 and like fromthebox was unable to finish the last run. I made it to 1:30 and was dying. I did do an extra 1:30 after 2 minutes of walking. I notice you posted a couple weeks ago and was wondering if you eventually succeeded, I'm worried this will be my stopping point. Strangely I thought I was doing so well the last 2 runs of wk 2. Oh well.

I have a question about this: I am already a beginning runner (as of last week, can do 5min of jogging...yay!). Can I download this app and just start on whatever week I feel I feel is up to my level?