What is the best training plan??: I have read... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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What is the best training plan??

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate
14 Replies

I have read this question in a thousand places on the Internet - and there are always different answers - C25K. B210K, Galloway, Lydiard, Daniels , etc , etc.

But the best answer to the question that I have read is :----

THE TRAINING PLAN THAT YOU KEEP ON DOING! -The one that doesn't lead to exhaustion, tiredness, illness or injury. -- The one that allows you to keep motivated such that you want to go out on each day of the plan. The one that never ends --- :)

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Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234
Graduate
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14 Replies
Vixchile profile image
VixchileGraduate

Well put Bazza!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Very true. Great quote Bazza!

Slookie profile image
SlookieGraduate

Wise words Bazza.

Toonlou24 profile image
Toonlou24Graduate

Very well put!

lizziebeth57 profile image
lizziebeth57Graduate

Like that Bazza, think I need to do a bit of working out just what that means for me.

scawbyplace profile image
scawbyplaceGraduate

Hear, hear!

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

Well Liz it's the one that you keeps you going out the door three times a week. You can call it the Lizziebeth Plan. It could be simply to go out the door and run with no particular plan at all. Run at the speed you like, the distance you fancy and the tunes you find best to run to.

AndyD profile image
AndyDGraduate

Although I haven't graduated yet (starting week 8 tomorrow) I totally agree with Bazza. :-)

I have been thinking ahead a bit and I quiet like the idea of the B210K as it reintroduces some walking intervals. :-) After I have finished a couple of the longer runs recently I have found that after a few minutes walking I can start running again.. perhaps this fits my style of running..

So do all you graduates go out for your runs with the mind set to not do any walking? I quiet like the idea of going out for 30 / 40 or more minutes with some small walking breaks as shown in the B210K plan.

in reply to AndyD

I generally go out with the intention of no walking, but that's just what seems to suit me. If I slow down to a walk I find it really hard to get going again! It seems most of us here fall into one camp or the other, if walking intervals work for you, then go for it.

AndyD profile image
AndyDGraduate in reply to

Thanks Curly... I have also heard from a good runner friend of mine that he doesn't like to stop in case he never starts again!!

I like the discipline that Laura is providing (run now... walk now etc) so I am thinking that will hopefully work for me in the future with other plans.... but I better finish the C25K first!!

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to

Me too Curly, even if I come to traffic lights and have to stop , I do this mad running on the spot thing just to keep going . Ive had to stop when my laces have come undone , and I hate it , but rather stop then and re-tie 'em rather than going over on my ar*e :-) xxx

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate in reply to AndyD

I think that really we all have to consider why we are running - for what purpose.

I have found that I can and do run non-stop ( eg at parkruns) and have even run 10K non-stop - but I can't say that I really enjoy the experience. My first introduction to running was through the Mayo Clinic 5K programme - where you only ever ran for 30 second intervals ( run /walk 30s/30s) but for distance up to 6.4K . Then I completed C25k and subsequently trained for and used a 2/1 run/walk Jeff Galloway programme to successfully complete the 14K Sydney City to Surf "race" in August.

I have very recently started to use a heart rate monitor and can immediately see that non-stop running seems to elevate my HR quite high - perhaps this is why I sometimes feel quite tired if I do too much through the week. With this HRM, I am setting upper and lower limits to run between - I run until the upper limit alarm goes of and then walk until the lower limit alarm goes off. This morning I EASILY ran 6K in some VERY hilly terrain on a very poor broken surface - but I did it easily and felt as fit as a fiddle when I had finished. I actually enjoyed the run. I really want to enjoy my running and training for the rest of my life - and I am trying to develop a programme that suits me and allows me to do this. I am thinking that this will not be by running non-stop (for me) :)

helingmic profile image
helingmic

Bazza, that is so true, because if you are exhausted after a couple of minutes, you won't carry on. You can vary the difficulty too, if you con feel it's becoming too hard, there's no shame in easying out. After all, it's only when you become more enduring that you cna go further. Endurance comes through training, where you can push a bit but without injury!

MarlyParly profile image
MarlyParlyGraduate

So true, but sometimes so stupidly hard to find & stick too. I was overdoing other exercise the other week around my runs & burnt myself out a bit, need to find a happy medium that will stick week in, week out x

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