8 week rookie running program by sparkpeople

[kt_mom]

Has anyone else done this? I've seen the C25K program but this one looked a little easier to get started to me. I've never done any running. But really wanted to try a program. I'm on the 2nd week but just looked at the schedule again today and realized that I messed up this week and was short one set of walking/jogging so I guess its going to be a 9 week program for me. But the number of sets I did was hard enough as it is so I guess it worked out. I had juvenile arthritis as a teenager so starting slow is good for me because I'm worried about my joints. But I seem to be doing okay so far.

DD will do Girls on the Run through her school again in the spring and I thought it might be fun to run the 5K with her at the end if I can.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else here had done this program and what your thoughts were?

Also, right now I'm wearing a pair of Nike's that I have and they feel okay, but if I continue this and stay commited I'm thinking I might should invest in a better pair of running shoes. I have no idea where to start though.

[threeboysmom]

Hmmm.... I just googled it to take a look. It looks far more "easier" than doing the C25K program that I've been struggling with.

I may switch over if I continue to struggle with Week #4 on the C25K.

I'd probably enter this program on the same week - #4. Looks VERY doable to me - will still push me to my limits, but won't make me feel like I'm going to DIE, lol. And the reps are far easier to memorize compared to the complicated reps on C25K.

I have a lot of joint pain too when I walk or run - knees and hips. I don't think it's arthritis with me - just a sign of aging I believe, lol.

My goal is to run the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in 2 years - it'll be my 50th birthday present to myself. Right now it seems like that's an unattainable goal, but I'm not ready to quit yet.

Thanks for posting this.

[kt_mom]

I modified last week to catch up. The first two days I had only done 4 sets of walk 3/run 2, but then did 5 sets the 3rd day and added an extra day (sunday) and did 5 sets again. Today I will bump up to week 3 and do 6 sets of walk 3min/jog 2min.

So far so good. I'm not having any pain in my knees or hips so that's good. Today I do 6 sets of 3/2 so it will be 12 minutes of jogging by the end and that is huge for me.

Right now I'm doing this on a treadmill because my only chance is after work and DH isn't home yet. DD hangs out upstairs and has a snack with DS. I'd love to get to a point where I could get up and go in the mornings before everyone wakes up but I'm not there yet. Plus its much easier to track my minutes on the treadmill.

[bumbershoot]

Best thing I did for myself with my first time through the c25k is to repeat weeks when necessary!

[kt_mom]

Well, I made it through the six sets last night, it was tought but I made it. I hope it gets easier as the week goes on though. Next week will be less sets (4 I think) but longer jogging time. I'm nervous about that.

I have noticed that I am gaining weight though. I'm not "dieting" bit Iam trying to be conscious of what I eat and make better choices and have smaller portions. But I've gained about 2 or 3 pounds over the last two weeks or so. I realize I'm only doing this every other day and I'm only in the 3rd week, but my hope is that as I progress I will lose weight as well as get in better shape.

[threeboysmom]

So next week you'll be doing week #4?

I'll hold off so that we can start that week together!

I usually go to the gym for running on Monday, Thursday, and either Saturday/Sunday depending on weekend plans.

Would love to have a buddy as I try to get through the entire program!

I do my running on an indoor track. They do have treadmills there but I've shied away because I'm not so sure how to keep adjusting speeds between the walking and the jogging? Is it a simple thing to keep switching back and forth between speeds?

[threeboysmom]

Originally Posted by kt_mom

Well, I made it through the six sets last night, it was tought but I made it. I hope it gets easier as the week goes on though. Next week will be less sets (4 I think) but longer jogging time. I'm nervous about that.

I have noticed that I am gaining weight though. I'm not "dieting" bit Iam trying to be conscious of what I eat and make better choices and have smaller portions. But I've gained about 2 or 3 pounds over the last two weeks or so. I realize I'm only doing this every other day and I'm only in the 3rd week, but my hope is that as I progress I will lose weight as well as get in better shape.

Don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat. You'd be better off taking measurements of your waist, hips, and thighs and comparing those on a weekly basis.

[kt_mom]

Originally Posted by threeboysmom

So next week you'll be doing week #4?

I'll hold off so that we can start that week together!

I usually go to the gym for running on Monday, Thursday, and either Saturday/Sunday depending on weekend plans.

Would love to have a buddy as I try to get through the entire program!

I do my running on an indoor track. They do have treadmills there but I've shied away because I'm not so sure how to keep adjusting speeds between the walking and the jogging? Is it a simple thing to keep switching back and forth between speeds?

Yes I'll be on week four next week. I'll start it on Monday and do MWF. It would be great to have someone to go through it with. This is new for me, I've never been good at the excercise thing, and I've never done any running at all.

The speed on my treadmill is just a little slide thing so I can slide it one way to go faster to jog and then slide it back to slow down to walking.

I'm not going super fast right now. My walk starts out around 3mph and then around 4.2 for the jog but then when I go back to walk it goes down to around 2.7 and my jog usually ends up down around 4.0. But I'm going to worry about speed after I build up some strength and endurance.

I'm nervous about next week though. The 2 minute jog is kicking my butt by the 3rd or 4th set. But I hope after doing 6 sets all week that moving up to a 3 minute job/2 minute walk won't be too hard.

[threeboysmom]

I'm not a runner either. AT ALL. I've never been an exercise person my entire life. Now at age 48, I'm feeling the pain of being a couch potato all my life (and I eat junk... working on that as well).

I've known so many people that have completed the C25K. I just can't do it. I get stuck in the middle (week #4) and can't seem to progress. Really hoping I can move through this sparkpeople program.

I have a lot of things working against me when I try to jog - my chest hurts (think it's my lungs) - feel like it's being squeezed and I can't breathe. My left knee is in a lot of pain (just bought a brace - hoping that helps), and my right hip hurts about 5-6 minutes in. UGH. But I know I need to do something for my health. My body feels more like a 60 yo right now.

I made a recipe for "energy balls" that is REALLY GOOD! I eat 1-2 balls a half hour before a run - seems to be helping with my stamina a bit. They're made with flax seed, oatmeal, coconut, honey, peanutbutter, and vanilla. Recipe calls for mini choc. chips but I skipped those since I'm trying to cut sugar from my diet for now.

I'm really looking forward to Monday and comparing notes with each other!

[kt_mom]

Today starts week four for me. I'll try to check in tonight after and update you. I'm nervous because it bumps up to intervals of walk 2 min jog 3 min and I can still barely make it through the 2 minute jogs last week although Saturday was finally a little easier so I'm hoping for the best today.

I'm not going to give up though. DD has started going down and running on the treadmill the last couple of days. She wants me to do this women's 5K with her at the end of the month and I said I would try. But I reminded her that she hasn't done any running since the end of Girls on the Run last spring and it wouldn't be a good idea for her to expect to just pick up and run a 5K. So she's going down after me and running 2 miles. Well she alternates between running and walking. But she's going much faster than me. She's good motivation though!

[threeboysmom]

Hi there!

Well, I completed Week #4, Day #1, last night. It was difficult, but I did manage to do all reps and I feel good about myself (although I'm feeling the affects in my legs today).

I always ended up looking at my timer when jogging with 40-45 seconds left, so I must be able to run a little over 2 minutes without much struggle, but gosh, those last 40-45 seconds were killers. Very very difficult, but I didn't give up.

I don't go again until Thursday. I'm definitely going to need to brace my left knee. I could feel it getting weak and ended up favoring it the last couple of reps - I limped jogged, lol.

How did it go for you?

[kt_mom]

Well it went better then I expected but it was pretty hard for me. I did complete all the reps but I found I was going slower on both the walking and the jogging. But I completed it and I'll worry about speed later I guess.

My legs were kind of wobbly last night but I feel better today, and thankfully no joint pain so far.

I'm hoping that Wednesday will be easier. I was thinking I might add a fourth day to this week on Sunday but we are going to a wine festival on sunday and I doubt I'll get up early and do it before we go. I wonder if I could do it on Saturday even though I will have just done it on Friday. They say you should skip a day. But I really think a fourth day for this week would be helpful going into next week.

[threeboysmom]

My legs are SO sore! But I also did some hiking in addition to the running so I'm sure that's contributing big time.

Glad I don't run again until tomorrow night. No way I could do it tonight. Good luck!

We can always extend the Week #4 for another week. I'm not opposed to that, lol. I forget what Week #5 is. Maybe it's the same 3/2 but adding an additional rep?

And I agree about the speed. I'm not worrying about that AT ALL. I'll work on that once program is complete. Although it does annoy me when ppl keep passing me on the track. I just want to trip them, lol.

[kt_mom]

My mom is taking DD to choir at church tonight with them so I'll have to go home and do my treadmill and then run go get DS from my mom's before they leave for church. But its actually my favorite night because I don't spend the whole 20-30 minutes worried about what DD and DS are getting into upstairs!

Week 5 is an additional set of the 2/3. I'm hoping that tonight will be a little bit easier. As of right now I can't imagine doing an extra set of this. But when I started week two with the jog 2 minutes I didn't think I would ever be able to do that but less 30 minutes of it. So I'm hoping it will be a little easier tonight. I'm not opposed to extending this week. Sunday would be my day to switch to week 5 but I may just see how its going that day and if I can add an extra set then I will. I think week 5 might be a better week to extend because the next week goes straight to 7 sets of 1 min walk 3 min jog

[kt_mom]

I made it through again last night but it was just as hard. Usually its the third day that it feels a little easier so I'm hoping tomorrow will be better. I still can't imagine adding another set next week.

I really wish I had a time/place to do this outside. I've heard its easier on your joints to run outside but I think it would also make it easier as there are so many things to look at and distractions and stuff. But I just don't have a way to do that right now.

Good luck, let me know how it goes tonight!