hello all you brave running ladies!!
I heard about the C25K from another thread. I think I'd like to try this but not sure. I am so darn Flabby!!! Also, I live in northern ohio and it's going to get cold here. Any hints on what to do? should i wait til spring? At the moment I don't have access to a gym. I suppose I could join and get on a treadmill?
Is it true what I read on the C25K that I could download appropriate music and it will let me know when to run and when to walk?

Any advice? I am going to be pretty embarrassed to jog/run but I think i can do it. I think my head is in the right place......

Thanks ladies. You guys seem like good motivators!

HealthyMom2009 -- here is a link to the podcasts that I used until I got tired of the techo music.

http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/


What I liked about it was that he tells you what to expect for the session and then tells you when to run and walk. There are other podcasts; just google "Couch to 5K podcast" and you should find some!

my operation went well, thanks! I was able to take my wrap off today and changed the bandage and hubby informed me that the wound looked fine and I have 6 stitches. I really hope to have a speedy recovery and can be walking around normally soon, because after 2 days of sitting on my butt I'm already itching to get moving again!! what a total change in personality from a year ago

and yes! a butt-bra I totally understand that! I still feel a wee bit jiggly out there and admittedly I hate seeing my reflection in shop windows when I'm running - it kind of depresses me because I have a totally different vision in my head of what I look like as a runner. I think we all have our challenges - whether it's size or medical setbacks - the point is that we never give up and we keep going, keep pushing onwards to eventually reach whatever goals we may have. Maybe it's running a 5K. Maybe 5 miles. Maybe a half-marathon. The thing is, once you start, the possibilities are really endless!

I am looking forward to posting here a year from now and looking back at all we've accomplished. I bet there'll be a LOT more mileage in that time!

healthymom and makeupforlife - I was over 200 pounds when I started and I have a bad ankle and no sidewalks in my neighborhood. You can do this, I promise. I have no started changing the plan to something that works better for me and have just finished what I am calling week 4.5. Windchime is right - listen to your bodies. That's how I ended up doing C25K, my body was trying to run on my elliptical - so I listened and gave it a better place to run.

There are quite a few podcasts and things out there that will help you time the runs and stuff. The one Windchime posted is I believe the original podcast, and is great if you are ok with the techno. If you don't like techno - or don't like that techno - then try this http://gonicoleyourself.blogspot.com/

PinkyPie - I like the new name, is cute. I'm glad that surgery went well and I hope you heel very fast so you can run and be free.

I used the one from gonicoleyourself as well - thanks for posting that FitGirlyGirl. and thanks and yes I hope so too. you chicks will be the first to know!

thank you for the inspiration!

Thanks you guys!! I am going to start tomorrow. I think I have a few more days of Indian Summer before the cold gets here for good. So tomorrow is the plunge!
I hope I have good shoes - the ones I have are for walking/running.
FitGirl - you are an inspiration!
Windchime - did you ever find that butt-bra cuz I think I am going to need it! ha ha
One day at a time............
I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Have any of you taken a mini-break from C52K? If so, how did you start back up again? I had been running q2-3 days and got through week 5. But then I just took 8 days off (bad, I know...) I absolutely could not face doing 20minutes, so I told myself just to walk/jog as I felt like it, to get back going. and it was SOO HARD. I wasn't jogging more than a minute or two.

Did I lose my conditioning this fast? should I start over with week 1? this sucks...

No I don't think I would go back to week 1. I would probably go back to 4 or 5, whichever you feel most comfortable with.

I have to tell you guys--I never finished Couch to 5K at all. I got through week 5 or 6, I think it was, and then got hit hard with asthma. Hard enough that I spent the next several months walking 3.5 miles a day almost every day. One day I decided that I might jog a little bit and ended up going quite a ways (mostly downhill). From then on out, I changed my route to be a 2 or 2.5 mile route and ran as much of it as I could. I still don't usually run the whole thing, but I do most of it. So I just felt that I needed to be clear about that; the point is to hopefully become a runner, not to feel that you are somehow cheating or not doing it right if you don't follow the program to the letter.

Do what works best for YOU. And if that means mixing walking with running, then that's what it is.

Exactly Windchime - that's why I am changing the program up for myself and doing something that works better for me. I was not ready to go from 8 minute runs to 20 minutes, so I modified.

Transformer - It sounds like you need some modification too. Start back at the highest level you can and then maybe consider modifying it to suit your needs. I decided to go from 8 minute runs to 10 minutes. For my Week 4.5 I did 5 minute walk, 10 minute run, 4-5 minute walk, 3 minute run, 90 second walk, 3 minute run, 90 second walk, 2 minute run, 90 second walk, 2 minute run and then a cool down walk. I ran a total of 20 minutes and now starting this week I am going to start working on moving all the minutes together. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet, I'm kinda playin it by ear (or leg or ankle as the case may be). It's ok to do it however you want as long as you make progress, the point is to make progress. I am not running the amount I should be according to how long it has been since I started, I don't care, I am running more than I was then.

Healthymom and makeupforlifee - I am glad you are feeling inspired. Now get out there and run! HeHe I hope you love it.

I didn't technically finish C25K either. I did get to week 8 but then just carried on from there. Some days I did 30 minutes running. Some days 20. Some days only 15 and then the next time around 35. I think it's important to build up to a certain point and then keep going. Meaning, keep training. Get out there every other or third day and just keep going. Eventually I moved on from time-based goal runs to distance based. I went from 3 to 5 to 7 KM and then a few times I did only 4 or 5 KM and then back up to 7, 8, 9 and eventually 10. Again, that was just based on how I felt that day and pushing through to do it.

So start over, start at week 3, start at week 5; wherever you are comfortable. set your goals and then go for it

Well, I did my W1D1 yesterday! I downloaded a podcast and the voice prompts when to run and when to walk. After the 6th 60 second run the voice said, "you should feel the run but not be breathing hard or out of breath." I was like WHAT? I am SO out of breath! hee he

Were all of you runners in previous lives?

I felt gross running yesterday. *sigh*

PinkyPie - how is your recovery going? What kind of surgery?

I haven't started yet but good news is my SO is going to do it with me!! I am half way done with the 30 day challenge on ea active and I want to get a little further and keep my motivation before I add in something else.

makeupforlife - What is ea active?
And good for your SO joining you! Weight loss, healthy eating and indeed any life changes we make are much easier when you have someone to go along with you. Good luck to you both!

healthymom- its a game for wii. I love it. It has really got me started.