Couch to 5K...anyone do this?

[DVCJones]

I am thinking of doing this and wondered if anyone had any tips. I want to do this because I want to get more physically fit and healthy. Weight loss would be a bonus too.

I'm 40 (almost 41) no medical issues. 5'8'' 155lbs.

I'd like to feel stronger, healthier and lose maybe 10-15 lbs.

I went to the website and printed the plan and stretching routine.

Anyone have any tips/advice?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Many on the WISH boards have done it. You might want to cross over there to catch more folks.

I have it printed out--I just haven't found the time to do it.

 

[MrsMinease]

I'm on week 8 right now! It's a fantastic program, and I've found podcasts to be very helpful in getting me through. One bit of advice I'll offer is... listen to your body. There have been a number of points in the plan where I've done an extra day or two of a particular interval before moving on to the next. Even though I'm on week 8, it's taken me about 11 weeks to get there because I've stayed at various points for longer than the program dictates.

For the Podcasts, I've used Robert Ullrey's, and am currently loving the ones for iThinspire.blogspot.com. The podcasts were key for me as they allow me to focus just on the running without having to check my watch for whether I should be walking or running.

Good luck with the program! I've down 8 lbs since early January with a combination of better eating and c25k.

 

[KarenB]

I did it and ran my first 5K a few weeks ago (at age 51 ). The only way I could have ever done this was with a plan like Couch to 5K. A few things that helped me:

I bought the app and put it on my iphone. There are a few and I used the one that had a brown background. This was I could hear the cues when to walk, jog, run, etc without having to focus on watching the time.

Don't skip levels or days. It all comes together in the end.

I also had to repeat a few levels or days if it was a rough week or I couldn't work out as much as I wanted and I had to remind myself that it was ok.

Have fun!
Karen

 

[NewCrew42]

I did it and ran my first 5K a few weeks ago (at age 51 ). The only way I could have ever done this was with a plan like Couch to 5K. A few things that helped me:

I bought the app and put it on my iphone. There are a few and I used the one that had a brown background. This was I could hear the cues when to walk, jog, run, etc without having to focus on watching the time.

Don't skip levels or days. It all comes together in the end.

I also had to repeat a few levels or days if it was a rough week or I couldn't work out as much as I wanted and I had to remind myself that it was ok.

Have fun!
Karen

This!

But I am 43.

 

[DVCJones]

I did it and ran my first 5K a few weeks ago (at age 51 ). The only way I could have ever done this was with a plan like Couch to 5K. A few things that helped me:

I bought the app and put it on my iphone. There are a few and I used the one that had a brown background. This was I could hear the cues when to walk, jog, run, etc without having to focus on watching the time.

Don't skip levels or days. It all comes together in the end.

I also had to repeat a few levels or days if it was a rough week or I couldn't work out as much as I wanted and I had to remind myself that it was ok.

Have fun!
Karen

I like this idea!!! However, I do not have an iphone. I do have a blackberry and an older ipod touch though. I hope the app works on one of them.

Thank you all for the tips. I'm getting excited for it...

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Run SLOWLY at first. Work on getting the time down, then speed later. When I first did it I was having trouble reaching the 8 minutes. Someone told me to slow down. I laughed because I already felt like I was going super slowly but it really helped.

And as previous posters stated, don't be afraid to repeat a day or week. It took me almost twice as long as it was supposed to but when you finish that last work out the successful feeling is amazing