My run this morning was SOOO hard. It was meant to be 4 x 1 mile reps, with .25 mile recoveries, 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down. I don't think it was a good idea to do a hard session so soon after a 10 miler! I did actually manage the first 3.5 reps, then the last half mile was uphill and had loads of junctions so I slowed down a bit for that bit. I've haven't been so glad to finish a run for a long time! Still, I need to persuade myself that it's doing me good to do some more challenging sessions, I did hill sprints on Monday too which I absolutely hate (I'm no sprinter, let's put it that way), so fingers crossed it will start to show in race times.

Rest day tomorrow, thank god!

You're faster than I am, Helen, but two speed workouts in four days? No wonder you conked out.

Ok so today I had my yearly physical and one of the things I discussed with my Dr. is my weight. Last year it was smoking and I've overcome that so now onto my weight.

I asked if besides my weight I am in good enough health to start a running program like the C25K and she adviced against it. I am in excellent health besides my weight but Due to my current weight(250lbs) and the fact that I had a reaally bad ankle sprain last april she thinks that it would be best if I waited until I lost 50lbs first before attempting a program as such because it would be too hard on my knees and ankles.

BUT ....starting the C25K is all I have been able to think about ... I got an armband for my mp3 and downloaded the podcasts .... cripes I don't wanna wait until I drop 50lbs to start it. I want it to help me drop the 50lbs.

I have read about soo many others who have started running at this weight - some even more.

Would you ever go against your dr.s advice??

Kari - I so want to say listen to your doctor! But my doctor told me there was NO WAY IN THE WORLD for me to lose enough weight to be healthy without weight loss surgery. I am down almost 100lbs in almost ten months - no surgery, just counting calories and running (and strength training).

He also told me I would never be a runner - "You just aren't made that way." I run and run and run - started the C25K at 240lbs the first week of June '07 and haven't looked back!

He also told me I absolutely could NOT overcome my addiction to alcohol without AA: "IMPOSSIBLE!" Bollocks. I've been 26 months sober.

What a jerk. But that's MY doctor. Yours may have your very best interests at heart. My advice is to NOT push yourself. Try week one - and maybe repeat it. Run SLOWLY. That last phrase was the best advice anyone gave to me!! It doesn't matter how long it takes you to finish the programme; you'll get there - and you'll be running.

My apologies in advance to those who have better advice.

Heather

Kari Regardless of weight, sprains CAN take a loooooonnnnng time to heal properly.

What sort of exercise do you do now?

not waiting for your answer.....
My personal advice? Start with walking and strength training. Can you walk 20 minutes at a brisk pace? 30? 40? Build up to being able to walk 45 minutes at a brisk pace. After I had my baby I would go out for 23 minutes and then turn around and try to get home in 22. I also would try to get farther and farther in my 23 minutes each time.

Meanwhile do strength training for the lower legs to prepare them for the work of running. lunges and squats are a good start. And core exercises because the core is what protects your knees. And since you have ankle issues I am going to throw in 4x4x4 which is an ankle stabilizer (more on that to follow)

When you can walk 45 min at a pace that you can barely keep from breaking in to a jog ...THEN you are ready to start the C25K program. (just my conservative opinion)

ankle warmup - Write the alphabet in the air with your feet before exercise, this helps with sprain recovery

ankle stabilizer - good to do as part of your warmup:
4 x 4 x 4 --stand on one foot (barefoot). The other knee should be bent so that your hip is bent at 90 degrees and your knee is at 90 degrees (top of thigh parallel to floor, knee above foot) - hips should be even and facing forward, dont hike up the hip to lift the leg. (kind of like the karate kid pose or if you were frozen mid marchstep) If you can not stand this way without losing your balance you may lightly touch a wall, progress to not touching.

When you can balance, hands on hips progress to the full 4 by 4....keeping the lifted leg parallel to the floor, knee above ankle, squat on the standing leg slowly - decend through a count of 4 (it is not a deep squat, keep foot flat on floor - its a balance exercise, not a strength). Hold at the bottom for 4 and rise to straight leg for a count of 4. repeat 4 times daily. All the wiggling around you do to keep your balance strengthens the ankle stabilizers.

(dont cheat by letting the position of the lifted leg drop or pull in...the lifted leg should stay perfectly square)

I did 3.5 miles yesterday, but at 6mph - I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but it was all good! Speed is not important to me, but I've been shaking things up lately; knowing I CAN do a 10 minute mile marks a NSV for me! Stopped at 3.5 to be sensible Have upped the walking on the treadmill (warm up and cool down) to 4mph (from 3.5) as well - feels good!

Today = rest day

Have a great day all!
Heather

Heather --good job! I am jealous! Chi running is a method of running that supposedly makes your body less likely to be injured, faster with less effort, and have a more midfoot strike, among other things. I've only skimmed through the book so far, but I am going to go back and try some of the things he mentions. I don't know if I am into everything he says, but a lot of what he says sounds interesting. And some people swear by him.
Ennay--, that was a fabulous 10k time! I can only hope I come close to that on mine next month. Also congrats on not being pg, I have been there lol.
Kara--LOL I'm sure you'll do fine on race day!
Laura--I hope your leg feels better and you figure out what it is, that sounds just awful
I planned to run yesterday, but we had a couple of tornadoes come through this area, so it wasn't exactly a good time to be outside I'll try to get one in today. Either tomorrow or Sunday is my first 5 miler!

Kari, I'm far from being an expert, but unless there some sort of heart or lung issue that your doctor was concerned about, I would go ahead with the program. A nurse practitioner friend of mine told me not to start running back when I started at 200 + pounds, he said I would be sor...but I did it anyway. I agree that you should be able to walk a good distance before you start the program. Though it is called "couch to 5k" I don't really think anyone could go straight from the couch to doing it. I did quite a bit of walking and other cardio before I started it.

Oooh - Kari - that's a very good point Renee made: I was walking about 3K a few times a week when I started, too.

THANKS LADIES!

Thanks for the tip on the exercises for the ankles - I will definately start working on that. I haven't really had any problems yet with my ankles since my physio therapy after it happened but of course when I attempt to run I may notice something.

Well right now I workout at the gym - my workout consists of the treadmill(30-45mins @ 3.5mph which puts me at like 2.5miles or something close to that) and elliptical (interval resistances 30mins). I haven't got back into doing any weights yet.

I decided that I am going to take the next 4 weeks and hit the gym 5days a week and then after that time I am going to attempt to start the C25K.


My question is - would it be more beneficial on the treadmill to up the incline as well or stay at a low incline. I had read that if you increase the incline and walk that at a brisk pace that when you go to run at a zero incline it will be easier to keep up. ????

Kari, I'm so impressed with your motivation! You need to keep posting so we all get a fire lit under us!!! Good luck with your beginning running! I'd say up the incline on the treadmill for an extra little bit of work. I've heard that having your incline up a little bit is similar to walking or running outside because it is kind of like having wind resistance and little hills that you're going up. ???

Leeda, I peeked at your pictures and just had to say that you are making incredible progress! You look fantastic!

Heather, way to go on your speed! That's huge!!!

Helen, did you have a nice rest day?

I did 3 miles this morning. Felt great! I really don't have a time goal, but I seem to be running just a little faster than a ten minute mile consistently, and that seems just about fine for me. I love the way I feel when I'm done - like I've really accomplished something grand! Next week is going to be tricky as I'll have to do my runs outside since the gym (with it's really lovely indoor track) is closed all week. I thought about breaking in, but my husband might get in trouble and I don't want to screw up his career. I also thought about telling them how I'm training for a marathon and all my on-line friends say it's important to get the miles in. But I think I'll just suck it up and run outside. Hopefully the snow melts before Tuesday!

Kara

I had a lovely rest day thanks, but back on the wagon today with a 15.5 miler. That's the first time I've gone over 12 or so and run it all since Amsterdam in October (I wouldn't claim there was more than 12 miles of continuous running in New York...). I was only aiming for 12 - 14, but I felt really good so I carried on for a bit longer than I was planning. It was surprisingly nice weather too, so it was good to get out and do a run in daylight for a change.

Heather, congrats on the speed jump! I am VERY impressed with 10 minute miles! I can only dream of such a day! I did average 11:40 yesterday, according to my tempermental iPod. I only think it might be close cause I ran with dh. He usually pounds out 8 to 9 minute miles (and complains he's slow!), and I always run faster when I run with him, cause otherwise I feel like he is not getting a workout at all. He probably still feels that way, but he would never complain and I appreciate his company. And the view when we have to go single file!

I'm sad but not surprised that your doc gave you such advice before you started, Heather. First they get little training in nutrition and exercise in med school and second they RARELY have motivated patients. So I am sure your successes have been a welcome surprise to him. Of course, if a provider is ever jerky I always say to switch!


Kari, patience, grasshopper! Coming off an injury can add an extra challenge. Better to start slowly and safely than reinjure that ankle. You can press your doc, though, by asking what can you do. Had she ever heard of couch to 5k before? She may not be familiar with its progression. Walking, strength training and cardio will all prepare your body for running, and you'll be able to test your ankle over some time and drop some pounds. But I doubt there is anything magical about 200 pounds. Keep the excitement! There may be days you will not have it and make yourself run anyway.

Hello to all you other cool runners!

You gals are all so motivating ... Heather I didn't realise you had a problem along with a weight problem and you've conquered both, WOW to you!! and now a 10 minute mile you have many things to be proud of ...

Renee your progress pics are exceptional, my goodness you've come a long way too...

Kari I would try a modified, easy, c25k to start... Just ake it easy to start...

I haven't run since Tuesday when I hurt my ankle, it's feeling much much better but now I have a terrible chest cold, AGAIN, third one since December... I have no idea what is going on since I haven't had a cold in a couple of years ...

I may try to do a short run tomorrow morning anyways... I'll let you all know...

After taking a few weeks off from when I was doing C25k I decided to get my butt back to the gym and really start trying to change my life. I'm starting at Boston College on Monday (transferred in) and feel like my life is really starting to get to a place where I might be actually HAPPY...so I feel like it's a great time to give this another go.

I'm not back completely on C25k....but I decided that I've got to start a little slower this time. Wednesday I did 30 mins walking on the treadmill at 4.0 mph...it was brisk but definitely do-able. I also put the incline up to 2.0 for 10-12 mins, and it was hard, but good. I'm thinking of trying to do maybe 35 or 40 mins today at maybe 4.1, see how that goes.

Aaaand hopefully the pounds will start dropping again, as well :-)