Welcome!

I did about 7.4 miles with running club this evening. Bits of it felt really hard because it was my first time back doing hills (the runs I've done since the marathon have been pretty flat), but I was pretty much running at my normal speed.

I'm meant to be doing a 10 mile race on Wednesday night which I'm a bit unsure about. I've registered and have got a number for it, but if I don't feel up to it I don't want to push myself too hard. I think I'll probably do it, but I'll leave it until Wednesday to decide for sure.

Hi all, I've never visited this thread, I'm not a runner...but I want to be! I've heard multiple times about the Couch to 5K plan and I checked it out, it really seems doable! I'm eager to start, I will be starting tomorrow since I was already out on the trail this morning for my exercise.

I have a question though, did those of you who have started the program (or finished it) do any additional exercise on "off" days? 30 minutes 3 times a week doesn't sound like much exercise at all. I understand the concept of starting slow but that seems too slow! How did you approach the plan? Did you modify it at all? etc.

thanks!

Other plans have you run/walk up to five times a week.

Some people do fine with C25K as written, others need more time at one or more levels. You'll know when you get there.

Five weeks from not running at all to running for 20 minutes at a time is not slow at all. Most conservative plans take twice as long.

The plan I was reading on coolrunning.com was for 9 weeks. I'm going to do it and I'll certainly keep coming to this thread for support, ya'll seem great! To cement my decision and make a commitment I've found a 5k in approximately 9 weeks (it's the Asbury Park 5K in New Jersey on August 11th) Anyone else here in the NJ area going to do it?

You can also tweek the C25K in the other direction. I sped it up a bit since I have no patience to go all nine weeks. A did weeks one and two and then skipped ahead a few weeks and it didn't seem to matter. But the important thing is to find your pace and do what works. Easing into running is totally the way to go it is so cool to actually be able to train your body to do something which it couldn't do before.

I also tweeked the 3 day a week bit. Instead I just ran every other day which squeezed an extra day every other week. It seemed to always take about 45 minutes (with a short warm up walk on each end). On my off days I would lift weights (and still do).

Ran 7 on sunday and it took me a grand total of an hour and 40 minutes. Miles 6 and 7 were definitely not my best. After the 5th mile my run resembles those slow motion takes on the bionic woman. Until then I am running about a 13 minute mile which is still not exactly speedy but I am pretty laid back about the whole thing. I figure it will all come in time. Its nice to feel marginally fit.

Ennay....Amazing.

And Lisa I am impressed with your 32 minute run. You are really racing ahead so to speak.

Wisher - I'm starting week 3 tomorrow. I follow the 3 day a week running for now. On my "off" days I do my elliptical for some non-impact cardio to give my legs a break and I do weight training. So far so good. I'm loving it! Hope you do too!

Ok ladies, I'm finally here with my half marathon race report. I finished in 2 hours 41 minutes, which put me at a pace of 12:19 per mile. Going into the race, I was hoping to get under 12, but the course wound up being quite hilly, and since I'm used to running along the flat flat flat Chicago lakefront, I'm still very pleased - heck, I'm very pleased just to have finished.

The other unexpected challenge was the cicadas! This race was in an area of Chicago that has a lot of old trees, and the 17 year cicada population is out in full force now. Not only was the noise amazingly loud, there were little dead cicada bodies smooshed into the road everywhere, and I had several fly into me during the run - ick!

It was a beautiful day, and I felt pretty good the whole way through, even with the hills. One of my friends surprised me by showing up at around mile 11 and running up one of the hills with me, then doing the last lap around the local high school track with me, which was really nice.

Of course, at mile 13, I kept thinking - holy cow, if this was a full marathon, I'd only be half way done now! I think I'll definitely have to work on speed a bit to get to the point where I really believe I can do a marathon. But, I am thinking about it - maybe next summer. In the meantime, I was so excited about yesterday, that I went on the web tonight and signed up for another half marathon this September. And the good thing about this one is that it's back in the flatlands of downtown Chicago, so surely I'll be able to improve my time

Here's a little picture of me on the last lap - I don't think I realized till I saw this that running really has created some muscles in my legs - when I look at them in the mirror, I still see fat girl legs.

Well done and nice picture!

(I'm still gutted that I managed to run a whole marathon and they didn't manage to take a single picture of me - and in my first they only managed two, some people seemed to have 11 or 12 just from one race!)

Great job, Rachel!! And nice picture! Add your name to Helen's on my list of running inspirations!!

Was this your first half marathon? I can't remember. I'm getting ready for mine in September so I'll probably have lots of questions for you! My first one is about walk breaks. Did you take them? Did you plan them or just take one when you needed it? I'm wondering if I should take them to conserve energy or just run until I can't run anymore. As I get into longer runs in my training this summer, I'll probably have a better idea of what I should do.

This morning I ran 4 miles at a slightly faster pace than normal. Felt good, but I'm taking tomorrow off and going to step aerobics and bodysculpting classes (my usual Wednesday thing).

I'll be out of town all next week so I'll have to find some good spots for running in my hometown. There's a great little park that's nice and flat, but running the 1/2 mile loop over and over gets quite dull. Everywhere else will be nightmarishly hilly, I'm thinking, but I have a few runner friends who live nearby and I can get their advice.

Look at those legs! Woo hoo Rachel!!!! Very cool.

Lisa I am right behind you with a half in October. I am sure I will be pleased just to finish and even more pleased if my legs look half as good as Rachels by then. (thanks for posting the motivational picture).

Today was hills for me. The problem when I run outside is I haven't got the faintest clue how far or fast I am going. Best guess is between 4 and 5 probably closer to 4 since I am ALWAYS slower than I think. It was excruciating hill repeats a very short hill and a very good workout. Ran up my hill 25 times talk about monotonous.

But I like running up hills... kind of has a superwoman feel to it. Of course if I could watch myself and see how slow I actually go it might ruin the image. But luckily I am blissfully unaware. (insert superhero music of your choice)

Rachel you look wonderful!! Congrats

Thanks everyone!

Lisa, to answer your questions, yes this was my first half marathon - in fact, it was my first formal race of any kind. I kept meaning to get in a 5k or 10k race beforehand, but somehow never quite got around to it. So, I was a bit nervous about the whole thing, but once it got underway, I was fine, and everyone was very friendly on the course.

As to walk breaks, I walked through the water stops as I was drinking, but otherwise, didn't take a real walking break until I hit the biggest monster hill of the course at about mile 8. (We first headed down a big hill toward the lake front, and while that was nice, I knew what was going to be on the other end - took one look when I got to the bottom, and decided walking back up was definitely the way to go!)

In the last 5 miles, I probably took another 2 or 3 walking breaks as my legs got a little more tired. I didn't really have them planned out, but figured I would need a little break here and there, particularly as I got closer to the end. I think you're right that you will be able to get a better feel for what will work for you as you get into some longer runs in your prep training. I don't think you would want to wait until you absolutely feel like you have to take a walking break, but I did try to train myself to run for a pretty good stretch without one.

Helen, I'm with you on the photo thing. My first marathon they had 2 cameras set up to get the finish line shot with the time and when I went through BOTH Cameras got the person before me and the person after me. RRRRR

Wooohooo Rachel!!!!!

Hi all

I did day two of week two on the Couch to 5K programme this morning -it is VERY hot here at the moment, but I just knew that if I didn't go in the morning, I'd try to find excuses all afternoon NOT to go in the evening!

I took a different route, which was less hilly, but a bit firmer, and thus maybe a little tougher on my knees. I'll know tomorrow, I guess.

I haven't 'cheated' at all - though that's a poor word - I am timing my jogging and walking, and managing not to walk longer in between this week, which is definitely a step up from last week! I'm a little worried about week 3 - Tricia - how are you finding it? Not such a big jump up, and manageable? It LOOKS like a big jump up in time - if I find it hard, I think I'll do week two again

Wisher -I have never felt so good as doing this - get started and let us know how you get on!

Have a great day everyone -
Heather