Couch to 5k: Who's in? - Page 4

[OhMel]

LM -- WTG on week 4. I'm sure you'll be fine with week 5.

psb -- I could never do it without the podcasts (I must be super lazy or something.) They rock!

bec -- That is awesome!

Dh has been workign a ton so I havent' gotten any running done this week. I'm hoping he'll have some freetime this weekend and I can get out. I'm entertaining the idea of finding a babysitter during the day so I can head up to the rec center.

[SunCB]

I started WK 5 this morning. Monday is workout 2 and Wed is 3 (running 20 mins). I rest on the weekend.

[bec]

LM, you're only a week behind me! The day 3 run for week 5 is not bad! Just trust in the program!

I did the 1st day of week 6 today, and it went well. I even bumped up the speed a notch to 5.7 mph (10:31 minute mile). My goal is to be at at least a 10 minute mile before the 4th of July race (if I can do better, than great).

[pinksprklybarefoot]

bec- WTG on your 20 min run! Isn't it an awesome feeling to be able to call yourself a runner?

[bec]

I never thought I would be able to say that! It does feel good. To think that in a few short weeks I'm going to have graduated from this program! Then I'll really be a runner! I still feel like a poser a little. After I have spent a month or so running the 30 minutes (hopefully working my speed up), I want to start on the One Hour Runner program. That would be way cool!

[SunCB]

I am trying to believe in the program. Preparing myself for tomorrow. I know there is an 8-minute section or 2 in there.

I Think I Can! I Think I Can!! I KNOW I CAN!!!

[bec]

YOU CAN DO IT!!!! : <--- That's the cheering squad.

[SunCB]

It was tough this morning!!! Thanks for the cheering!!

[bec]

Good for you! I just (well, a few hours ago) finished Day 2 of week 6. Has anyone noticed that Day 2 seems to be tough? If I've had a hard run, it's always fallen on the day 2 run. What's up with that? I had to walk for about 30 seconds after 8 minutes on the second 10 minute stretch.

I actually think it is easier to run for a longer period, straight through, than to keep breaking it up. Today was the last day that has walking in it! From now on, it's straight running!

[SunCB]

Way to go bec! Preparing mental for tomorrows 20 mins myself.

Thinking about whether or not I am going to need another pair of shoes before the ATM. I have 6 months 4 days left. Plus how long should you break in a shoe before a race?

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I did something to my knees! I have never really had a running injury before : (and I used to be an army cadet - running in boots with a backpack full of crap on my back!). I feel like an 80 year old lady when I try to use the stairs. Luckily, this coincides with snow (in April - love Minnesota), so it gives me a good excuse to take it easy for a couple days and let my knees heal. What a pain. I hate just getting started with something and having to pull back right away.

SunCB - It probably really depends on the shoes you buy and your feet. I am a devoted Saucony fan, and I have never had to break them in. I would feel totally comfortable racing in a brand new pair. Other shoes, I have had to break in and would allow a week or two. It probably is a personal thing. Good luck w/ your 20 min!

[ani'smama]

I think I'll jump in at week 4. I did this program back in Sept-Nov then "fell off the wagon" over the holidays. I have been walking A LOT since then and last night jogged some for the first time in a while. I had no problem jogging 5minutes.

I'll probably repeat each week twice - it moved too quickly for me. By the end of it last fall, when I was jogging 30 minutes, I was still going too slowly for my liking.

Good luck everyone!

[bec]

Welcome, Angie!

PSB - I'm sorry to hear about your knees. Just take it easy for a few days, ice and stretch really well. Also, watch your speed when you do go back out, and don't go too fast. BTW, we have snow here in Chicago, today. What's that about?! It was 70 degrees yesterday, and is 29 degrees now. :

SunCB - I find that New Balance shoes work best for me. It takes a day or two to break them in , so they are really comfortable. The pair I have now, I needed to relace, because the lace was pushing on my foot by a stiff piece of leather. Relacing it, so the lace was not under the hole, but over that part of leather solved the problem.

[SunCB]

Welcome Angie!

PSB~ Sit back and relax the next few days and enjoy.

I did 20 mins today but at a 4.7 mph. I really need to be able to do at least 5.0 at all times. It was pretty hard for me. At 9 mins I was dying!! I just kept telling myself I can do this. The last 2 mins were definitely the hardest though. I think part of it was I was on the sucky tread mill. Two elderly guys beat me to the good ones and they know I am training for the Army 10-miler so you would think that they could be kind and let me have a better one especially since I am on way longer then they are.

[OhMel]

PSB -- I sure hope your knee gets better. Try some epson salt soaks. My knees bother me and I've now resorted to taking 400 mg of Motrin post run. Next week we should have insurance again and I'm going to go see my chiro.

I did week 3/run 2 today. I'm amazed that I'm able to do this. I don't know if that amazement is going to go away. I have no idea how fast I'm going as I'm running on a track. Do you guys see any benefits to running on a treadmill?

[bec]

The benefit I have with the treadmill is that I really know the workout I had. I can tell you how far I ran to the hundreth of a mile, how fast I was going, how many calories I burned, what incline I was at, and how long I ran, to the second. For the very beginning, this was important to me. I was able to adjust pace or incline appropriately if I was too tired, or not working hard enough. Also, 6 weeks ago, there was a bunch of snow and ice on the ground, making running outside pretty difficult, if not impossible. This has been critical to my success. I know lots of people hate the treadmill with a passion. It is boring, but I have my music (DH doesn't want me wearing the MP3 player while running on the street).

I can run in any weather, at any time (I never would have done the run I did the other day at 9pm outside). It helps that the treadmill is in my house, and I don't have to go anywhere to use it (it's actually my brother's. He's leaving it here while he lives in my parent's house playong World of Warcraft ).

With all that said, I have yet to actually run outside, so my opinions are slanted. I may wait until I'm actually done with the program and have gained a little more confidence before venturing outside. I've only got 3 more weeks of the program, so it isn't too much longer. I just don't want to mess with anything, it's going so smoothly!

[love2all]

I too have been loving traing on the treadmill. I wonder how I will do when it is time to go outside- I enjoy having my pace set for me- btw-wtg on the 5.7 that is fast- I am now averaging 2.5 miles at just under 12 min miles a piece. I am going to Florida tomorrow and am worried about losing it all so I hope to run outside at my moms every am. I have a fast pace and tend to tire soooo rapidly without the set mph of the treadmill. Knowing this about myself maybe will help me remember to slow and steady it.
Still have my eye on the October Run for the Cure 5k...
Hopefully I can bump it up to 3 miles by early july- that is my present goal..

Keep going mamas-- it feels soooooooo good to my thy body!
much peace-

[pinksprklybarefoot]

Boo! My midwife visited today and I told her I was running again. She said it was way too early. She said I have to wait at least three more weeks : So I guess for now I'll just have to go walking, maybe with the little guy when it warms up a little. I was so excited to be back at it. It really stinks to have to wait!

OhMel - I hope your knees feel better, too! It's hard when you work up the motivation to exercise and your body decides not to cooperate.

bec - My bf's employer gave him six weeks paid paternity leave and he has spent a significant portion of that playing WoW. I don't understand the draw, but it keeps him up late so he's been doing late night baby duty. Guess the WoW addiction is working out slightly in my favor

[bec]

25 minutes, BABY!

That was tougher than the 20 minutes, to be sure! But, I was doing it quite a bit faster, too. I tried to stay at my 5.7mph that I've been doing. I did that for 16 minutes, and then, I hit The Hill. The treadmill puts a pretty steep hill in at 1.8-2 miles. I slowed down, in the hopes of being able to make it that way, but after about a minute of that, decided it was more important to me to run the whole thing, rather than deal with the hill, so I enjoyed one of the perks of the treadmill, and got rid of The Hill (HA! That'll show it! ). Anyway, it was tough getting through the rest of the run because it had totally derailed my concentration messing with the treadmill. But, I stuck it out! I'm so proud of myself. One of these days I will have to tackle that damned hill, but I can wait a bit!

Thus ends Week 6!

[SunCB]

Way to go bec!!! Congrats!! Only 3 wks left for ya. I start Wk 6 tomorrow.