IPeeps Couch to 5K
 

As there appear to be quite a few of us starting the 9 week 5k (3 mile) running program, I figured we should have a thread where we can put all the information we accumulate.

Some information that may help others is what you eat before you run, how soon after running you refuel and using what. Also, whether you refuel DURING the run session.

Interested to hear what podcasts/program you're using - if it's your own music with the RUN/WALK messages or a podcast with music AND motivational voice.

I'm using the NHS choices podcast because I like the way "Laura" does a count down to run and walk segments and the music doesn't seem too "canned". I would love to make a podcast using my own music, but for 3 uses it doesn't seem worth it.

I'm going to be taking water AND a packet of salt to the track with me, as well as a protein packet to make up trackside just in case I need it in a hurry. I'm not anticipating any problems as I have been walking for 100 days, and had a couple of "trial" run/walk segments to see how my body handled more intense exercise while in ketosis. Although the heart rate was slightly higher I felt no different to my normal walk.

My chosen run days will be Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (because hubby refuses to give up Monday for the gym).

Please add your comments and share how you're finding being a keto-runner. All tips gratefully received.

Remember - listen to your body. You may have to do each week twice if you are struggling to meet the run segments. :)

I've done the 5K program using Run 5k, and almost completed the Run 10k program twice now. I've participated in a local 10k for the past three years now, and hope to one day actually run more than walk :)

I realy liked the Run 5k app, but I will be using the c25k program this time, only because you can connect to myfitnesspal with it.

I use my treadmill at home (best $50 I ever spent) and while I started watching tv while I did the program I find I prefer to listen to music. I play my own playlist and it's interrupted with the walk/run prompts.

I haven't added any extra packets with any of the exercise I've done at the start of IP. I was nervous about not doing enough for the extra packet, or not getting enough, so that made me stop my running and I continued my soccer without an extra packet.

So I am really interested in more information from fellow C25k participants and I will add the extra packet, just to be safe.

My days will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Curling on Tuesdays and Soccer on Thursdays. I will do the runs in the morning before work, after I force myself to get up earlier again, as I started sleeping in longer after I stopped my morning run/walks.

Good luck everyone :)

I found this former 3FC IP thread on starting C25K. Some useful information in there.

Some more interesting information on running form to avoid injury.

I also liked this link for details on pace and the relationship between anaerobic for endurance, rather than acidosis for sprinting short distances. All relevant for learning how to pace yourself correctly.

Some interesting theories on foot strike in the reading I've been doing. It is (allegedly) more efficient and less prone to injury to land mid-foot, rather than using the heel first method, as the latter means the knee is bearing the brunt of the landing pressure and ground resistance, rather than the midfoot which spreads the impact.

I am breaking out my treadmill when I get home. ya'll have inspired me!!

I've been doing a little reading today, and I'm going to consult with my husband tonight (he's a runner), and probably join y'all. Most likely at a slower pace, I'm not in a hurry just need to get moving.

This is great, thanks! Yeah, I was wondering about muscle breakdown for fuel also (taken from your reply to the other post...I figured that there is no need to keep posting there since we have this thread).

I will be watching this thread for sure. My original plan had me starting the program around the first week of February but I might push it off to the middle of feb. I have done the program before but not on IP and I am pretty good about sticking right to the schedule and not having to repeat weeks.

I'll see how the first few weeks go for you guys before I make my final decision.

DEFINITELY! Its about building endurance when you first start out...speed can come later. I'm not fast but I enjoy training for the races and feeling the sense of accomplishment of completing c25k levels, completing races, and improving upon my past goals.

The thing though is that being on P1 we aren't supposed to have strenuous activity which for me...jogging is strenuous. So, I haven't decided whether I will try to train on P1 or if I will phase down while I train.


Awesome! :carrot:


In the past, I used a c25k app on my phone which allowed me to play my own playlist. I have thought about creating my own podcast because my son will be starting after me but I probably won't. One thing is for sure...I will use either a podcast OR an app because it helps me when someone else is telling me when it is time to run or walk...If I have to stare at my watch it makes the whole process frustrating.

And one last post from me for now. ;)

I just wanted to say: for those of you just starting out with the c25k....do your best to stick with it. The first time I did the program I was about 30 pounds heavier than I am now and I was winded after the first 5 minute warm up. LOL. Seriously breathing heavy. By the time I was done, my legs felt like stilts. I don't even know how I walked back home, I couldn't feel my feet. But I stuck with it and I repeated weeks if I needed to....and wouldn't you know it, I completed the program. The first time I jogged (because you want to jog as a beginner not run like your butt is on fire...pace yourself) for 20 minutes straight I jumped, fist pumped, laughed, and cried all at the same time. I must have looked like a lunatic. But to go from being unable to breathe after just walking for 5 minutes and feeling like my legs were sticks to actually successfully jogging for 20 straight minutes was SUCH an enormous accomplishment! I had such pride in myself for sticking with it and improving so much!

If I can do it...YOU can do it!

This is the only issue that had me a little concerned. However, it seems that pace is the defining factor in how much energy you are expending and how much exertion your heart feels. The podcast I'm using constantly reinforces that it is a slow jog, rather than an all out run.

I'm not too bothered about slowing the weight loss pattern, as I'm more interested in getting my body healthy and fit than being slim. I figure that if I get the muscle percentage right, the fat loss will follow. :)

This is very true. To maximise weight loss on ketosis IP prefers you not to be raising the heart rate too high, and any exercise should be low to moderate. However, we all have different biology, different physical histories and different energy levels on a ketogenic diet. This is why I specifically say ... be aware of your limitations. If you don't feel 100%, review what you're doing, scale it back until you don't suffer symptoms of overdoing it, or cut it out completely and find a less strenuous activity. :)

I believe it is doable. I want it enough to compromise on my weight goals, and I'm prepared to exchange fast loss for a stronger, fitter body with slower loss. Everyone has to decide what their priorities are. :)

Where do you get the podcast things?

Good evening, everyone -- I started C25k today! Am still on P1 for, I believe, another couple of weeks at least, but my coach did not seem to think this would be problematic as long as I followed it with an extra packet. She did not mention anything about extra salts/electrolytes, so I will have to research that. Today, I followed immediately with half a bag of IP salt & vinegar chips and half an IP peanut butter bar (I like sweet & salt combos) PLUS a lot of water. Felt absolutely fine. I do get a fair amount of cardio exercise generally (doubles tennis, walking --that's mainly it while on IP). I actually really need to work on increasing my core strength, but I am happy to be doing C25k with you fellow IPers :) You definitely motivated me to get started today!

I have started C25k twice before, but stopped around Week 6 both times. Maybe it was too much running? Maybe I just got bored? I still have the app on my iPhone. I used my own workout playlist then but would like to look for a fun music podcast this time around. Appreciate the suggestions from Briael and berteau so far -- welcome any others! GO team!

Oh, and I'd also be interested to know what kind of fitness tracking device you may use. I am thinking of getting the new FitBit (the one with a heart rate monitor). Briael -- I know you have a Garmin -- is there a specific model? Would love to hear from anyone else as well.

I'd love to do this, I've attempted c25k several times but never made it through. I'm concerned about the weather. It's been bitterly cold here, and I'm a wimp when it comes to running in anything below 45 degrees. No treadmill either. Maybe I'll try to get my endurance up with some sort of indoor workout and hit the c25k when it starts to warm up.

I have a fitbit, it's not the fancy heart rate monitor one, but it's fun to see my steps. I cheat a bit though and really only wear it when I'm on vacation or somewhere that I know I'll be doing a lot of walking. Hard to face the truth about my too-sedentary lifestyle.

iTunes have a selection. I'm not sure for Smartphones as I don't own one. I'm sure the others will give you some tips on getting them for Android or iPhone. :)

I use the Garmin Forerunner 610, because I got a great deal on a bundle with the foot pod (attaches to the sneaker and measures pace and steps per min INDOORS as well as the satellite tracking when outside) and the heart rate monitor. I leave the upload stick plugged into a usb port and it literally takes care of itself in the background, while I go shower. :)

I agree re the cold, so my training will be limited to indoors -- treadmill at home or at the gym -- until we're lookin' at temps in the 60s!

Amanda --that sounds very useful. If I could just find something like that which also plays music (so I don't have to lug my phone around when running outside) and also is comfortable and affordable, I'd be thrilled!

This is one of the occasions I'd recommend a gym membership and to use a treadmill indoors. Brrrr Pishposh, Baltimore truly is the frozen north. Stay warm and safe. :)

OK I am dipping my feet in the water over here LOL...My coach said I should start some lite exercise, and one of my dream is that I could actually do this...

I am going to do some research today...I do have a treadmill at home so it may not be hard for me to get started this cold winter. Its a balmy 18 today here but the wind chill is -1....brrr not starting this outside.

Anyway I have never run before...tried but no success with the achy knees and hurting back....now 66 lbs lighter I am hoping for some success. There is a group of women in the neighborhood who are runners and who do lots of 5 & 10K runs across the state...I want to be with them instead of cheering them on...

Sue, good for you -- that is the first step! (Well, first deciding to look into this, and, second, putting it in writing on this forum!).

I also want to be "a runner." I've never been one either, though loved jogging/walking my way through 5ks with my family when we were a little younger. Running has always either bored me, or hurt my knees or shins, etc. I prefer other kinds of cardio and have lots of excuses. DH and DS are runners, and I would love to, not only join them, but more importantly, set a positive and strong example for my teenage daughter (who similarly dislikes running but who, I think, could really benefit from it, since it's a much easier form of exercise in college than trekking to the elliptical machine at the gym). So, perhaps my motives are a little convoluted, but I'm going to give it a whirl and see if being accountable here can get me across the finish line, so to speak.

As you research, you'll see that the program starts out very gently, with jogging stretches no longer than a minute. To me, the trick is super fun and bouncy music:)

Amanda -- happy Day 1!

Run Forrest, Run
 

Wow you guys! Good for you!

I seem to always be rehabbing something & have never been a runner but I'm getting back to the gym, first for water exercise and gradually I'll get back on the bike. I figure some spinning classes (taking it easy) will get me ready for when it is no longer too frigid for bike riding.

It is never too soon to look at how to have a more active life :)

I did day 1 of the 5krunner yesterday. I felt pretty good. I was 80 lbs heavier the last time I did it and I could definitely tell the difference!! on to day 2!

I always thought spinning and cycling would be hard on the knees, but I was talking to a spin instructor at the weekend and she said that is only if you don't take the time to set up your "position" correctly so that there is no undue strain on the knees or ankles. I never realised that it was so important.

She's also offered hubby and I a free class next Monday, which we'll be taking advantage of. Hubby's brother and sister, both, are into long distance terrain cycling and trying to encourage him to join, so we'll see how he fares on his maiden voyage on Monday. He has bad knees after 25 years of soldiering and those arduous runs and detests running, so he'll need a sporting outlet while I run. :)

Welcome aboard the Couch train, Sue. One of the things you may want to research are the recommended pre-running stretches to loosen up, and post-run stretches to relax any tight muscles. This really helps me with knee issues. :)

------

Day 1 down. Found it much easier than I was expecting, and happily discovered that the 60 second run is marginally shorter than 1 loop of the indoor track. As I was running 1, walking 1 during my "trying it out" session last week it came as a pleasant surprise. Of course, my shoe lace became loose and completely undone 2 laps into the warm up walk and I refused to stop (yes, I'm one of *those* types).

Had a half a protein shake before I left and popped the rest into a water bottle to have after the cool down walk to finish. Had a salt lick and 12 oz water to top out fluids (intending to have another protein shake and the other 12 oz breakfast water when I got home) and felt great. No weakness, no tiredness, no muscle tenderness (yet) so I feel this is eminently "doable" for me. Looking forward to Friday now, and I'll be trying it without the extra protein packet, but maybe a hard boiled egg or two! :)

How was your Day 1, Kelly? How are you feeling today? Did you add an extra protein pack in after your run or go through without?

I just uploaded from my Garmin. The stats:-

1.19 miles @ average pace 27.17 mins per mile at 178C

Interesting, considering I walk at @16 min miles and run @12 min miles but I guess it averaged the time out over the distance. I also normally burn around 350-520 calories on a 3 mile-5 mile walk, so I'm wondering if this is really not as cardio heavy as we might suppose. Yes, it's burst movement but my average heart rate settled at around 150 once I got into the rhythm of run/walk cycles.

I feel great today! I am looking forward to going home and doing it again! I did it before dinner, so after walk/jogging I cooked supper (big mac in a bowl) and I ate a hard boiled egg while I was cooking the meat. It really felt good to get this body moving.

Is it ok to do it mon-fri and take the weekend off?

Hi Everyone,

I'm two runs into my first training week. With two 25 minute run/walk sessions down and I feel great! I was a little sore on Tuesday, but did more stretching and a gentle yoga class and felt great for today's run.

The Chubby Jones Podcast has been working for me because it is a random mix of music I like and Mia "Chubby" Jones does a great job of both pushing and encouraging the runner. Plus, she runs to eat and drink, which I totally relate to! http://chubbyjones.com/ Her podcasts prepare you for a 5k, 10k, etc. You can get the podcast on iTunes or the website.

The first week is just interval training of walking 5 minutes, running 90 seconds and then running again with a cool down. You sweat, but it I've been doing it on my lunch break at the gym. I have an IP packet before I go, water while working out and my lunch and more water when I'm done. If needed, I have an emergency bar if I need half as a snack, but haven't needed it, to date.

The intervals make you look a little silly with the speed up and slow down, but I've noticed a bunch of people in the gym doing the same thing. No need to be embarrassed.

Speaking of embarrassing yourself and creating positive habits, I found this article in Outside Magazine that is fantastic!

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness...e-a-Month.html

Best of luck and remember to kick your own butt!

Kelly

Typically the c25k is only 3 days per week with a rest day in between each "run/walk" day. I did do it 5 days a week last time because I really wanted to get my base up but yeah, it is good to take some days off especially in the beginning.

Glad that both of you Kelly's found week 1 so enjoyable.

They suggest a rest day in between, so I can't really see a big issue with having the weekend off. There are always going to be 2 days between one of the runs anyway ... 3 into 7 guarantees it. :)

I really liked the ChubbyJones broadcasts, but I couldn't get them to convert into AAC format so I could put them on my shuffle. It won't play podcasts so requires some jiggery pokery to make it all work.

At the gym this morning I saw another runner who I believed was doing C25K as well. She looked to be on Week 4 from what I could tell by the laps she was running. I find it very motivating to be one of many, although I'm not a competitive nature.

Loved the link to the OutsideOnline - it rings true with me, and once I'm able to consistently run 3 miles outdoors I'll probably do the same thing. :)

Sue...YES! Join us! I live in the Northeast so I hear you about the cold. That is one reason why I was going to wait until Feb or March to start. All of these posts are getting me chomping at the bit though. LOL.

I agree with Briael though: reading about the stretching is important. Last time I did the program, I got shin splints pretty bad. But I learned that shin splints are often caused by tight calf muscles (your calf muscle wraps around the front or is attached to muscles in the front so when it gets tight it pulls on the front) and once I started stretching properly, they went away!

So great to have a whole team doing this together! I don't feel sore from yesterday's first session, but my legs do feel a bit "heavier" when I climb the stairs. And I like taking a day off in between sessions, mostly because I know that if I start to get shin splints, I will totally use that as an excuse to stop!

On the extra protein everyone's is experimenting with… I used a whole extra IP packet yesterday (so 4 total for the day), but I think I will try what some of you are doing and have an extra hard-boiled egg instead tomorrow. The way I calculate it, there is quite a big difference int he amount of protein you get from one or the other: about 20 grams in a packet vs. 6 grams in an egg. Is there any way to calculate just how much we need to make sure we maintain muscle mass? Or just wait til WI and see how our lean body mass numbers are?

Still looking for a podcast to use. Is there any way to see the playlists for chubby jones? I think I'm too old for most of her stuff!

It isn't just about the protein. IP is a low calorie program as it is. When you run you expend more calories, so you need to replace what you lost so your body doesn't go into starvation mode and refuse to give up its fat store for ketosis. On the other hand,you do not want to push your net carbs to the stage where you are out of ketosis, so it's a balancing act. This is why I am tracking the cals/carbs/fats/protein so closely - to identify any potential refueling issues as they occur.

The other important aspect is to make sure you replenish electrolytes - mainly sodium. As you will be using more energy, you will be sweating .. and sweat pushes out sodium. I used to keep all the salt sachets from drive-thrus - and simply poured one of those onto the back of my hand and licked it before chugging water.

Many keto runners refuel using healthy fats and salt with water. Eggs are considered excellent because they contain both fat and protein - and are in a readily usable form for the body to recover quickly. It's why a single one can fill you up between meals.

I've been doing more reading on "form" and how the form affects your risk of injury and/or development as a runner. One of the particularly interesting ones was Chi Running. It involves aligning the feet, the hips and the shoulder (by leaning forward slightly as you run), which means the core is very strong and the momentum of the core going forward tends to force the legs into movement, rather than using the legs to drive the body. If that makes sense? Have a Youtube search of Chi Running for the videos, an excellent one with an olympian runner and a chi running trainer.

Check out Chubby Jones podcasts. The title of the podcast itself is in blue .. just right click on it and it should offer you a save option.

Or go to iTunes store and type C25K into the search bar. Most of them are free and you can listen to them before downloading.

^ Thanks for the info, Amanda, including about proper running form, etc. I like comparing notes with my cross-country runner son (even given his occasional "Duh, mom" looks :))

I don't know why I couldn't see the playlists before -- I see them now and, yes, I am old! Might have to stick with my own tunes….

There is another music running app that is fun called "Rock My Run." You can pick the genre, beats per minute and length of the run.

This app is more of a music mix and not an actual training program.

Ps- it is on iTunes

Checking it out now -- I like the variety! Thanks :)

Also if you want to make your own playlists by running pace the website https://jog.fm/ allows you to look up songs by your mile time or pace. I do this for my 5k's set to a 15 minute mile, which I can keep up even at a walking pace - if I don't let myself go slower than the music pace I know I will finish the 5k in about 45 minutes no matter what!

Oh, this is excellent, scorbett. Also, I just remembered we have spotify, so maybe I can find some playlists on there. Fun!

Oooh, thanks for that, Scorbett! :)

I have a cross country runner son and know exactly what looks you are talking about. LOL. I surmise that they get their gift of running from somewhere so.... ;p LOL

So excited to be joining all of you. I just downloaded the app and will start on Sat. my days will be Sat/Tues/Thurs.

I was a runner for years and have run a lot of races in my lifetime -not fast but I have a lot of endurance. I have been out of running for awhile and now that I am getting older, I realize I need to begin at the beginning. My ego does not like this but my body is thanking me.

I agree with the other posts that this IP journey for me is as much about health and fitness for me as it is about weight loss so I will take a bit slower loss for the benefits running confers- particular how amazing you feel as you progress and at the end of each run.