start of week 2

[mixindave]

Hello i decided to start the couch to 5k after a recommendation from another site. anyway i currently weight about 17.5 stone and also dont own any running shoes(plan for next pay day) im just about managing the jog but feels like concrete smashing against more concrete and my shins are taking a beating. is it my weight? do i need the right shoes before doing any more? best thing i have is a pairs of converse and feel i will probably get a telling off from someone here. cheers!

[Hidden]

I am of similar build, and had really bad shin pains until i bought some Asics shoes, for overpronators. Legs feel great now, not a single pain.

I imagine Converse are probably the worst thing you could wear

[Shorty7 Graduate]

Welcome mixindave and well done on making a start😊. I'm no expert and more expert runners will arrive with advice soon I'm sure but personally I'd wait for payday and some cushioning. I work on my feet a lot and find converse insufficient even for that! You don't want an injury so soon that it will stop you in your tracks. Once you get your trainers there'll be no stopping you 😉

[Carolinemcd Graduate]

I would wait for better shoes, converse are pretty flat with no internal support. Your enthusiasm to start though is spot on!

I'm sure someone mentioned Lidl (??) having running gear last week. Do you have one locally? May be worth checking as I think they were inexpensive.

[Carolinemcd Graduate in reply to Carolinemcd]

PS. I'm heavier and managing without any shin pain, so it's probably the shoes

[tortoisegirl Graduate]

Yes, wait for pay day! Cheap trainers would be fine, but not Converse. You don't want to risk injury before you get going. Maybe you could put in some brisk walks in the meantime?

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Sore shins are not unusual even for those who have a lighter frame as running uses muscles that haven't been used for years and they tend not to like it. You will soon build strength though. There is a fine line between sore shins during running and 'shin splints' so caution is always wise.

In terms of footwear, shoes with little or no cushioning are just not going to cut it so I wouldn't even think about the Converse.

Personally, I wouldn't shell out a large sum on running shoes unless I was fairly sure that I was going to stick at it so maybe consider a year or two old model from sportsshoes.com or mandmdirect.com where there are always some bargains to be had. Order one size bigger than your regular day to day shoes but it also makes sense to have look at runrepeat.com which gives decent advice on sizing discrepancies. Initially look for a neutral cushioned shoe with a 'drop' of 10-12mm.

The alternative, albeit likely to be more expensive, is to go to a local running shop that offers gait analysis. This will identify the degree of pronation of your footfall and whether you need something other than a neutral shoe.

All the best and well done on getting started.

[mixindave Graduate]

thanks for all the replies, yes i will stop doing it for now, i also forgot to mention i get plenty of walking in a day with my job (10-15k steps) also lost a bit of weight in the proccess so hopefully that helps towards it. i also plan on just getting some £35 asics (galaxy 8?) size 12s! any good? cheers!

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to mixindave]

I had a pair of the Gel Galaxy 8 and currently have the Gel Galaxy 9.

Both are great considering the price.

[Worldsend Graduate]

I managed to get some gel insoles from aldi to put inside rubbish shoes

I had to wear the rubbish ones as they had a soft back and didn't rub on the blisters I got on my first run whilst wearing trainers

After week 4 I managed to get some others from sports direct (not expensive ones)

Keep going well done

I'm impressed with your daily steps tally

[mixindave Graduate in reply to Worldsend]

Yea to be honest I work as a cleaner and have recently swapped jobs now I sweep and machine a sports hall on a morning and do the same on a night in one very big school department upstairs and down, really love my job now as i don't mind all the walking. Really adds up, been tracking with several different step apps. sony Lifelog, google fit, mi fit sportsband Etc .. all very similar results.

[McFitty Graduate]

Shins and calves were my personal bugbear in the early weeks, they just complained brutally of the extra work they were having to do. I even resorted to Ibuprofen gel after each run! They eased off when I (a) slowed down, (b) incorporated post run stretches and (c) got some decent shoes. So many things can be a factor but going too too fast (I use the term VERY loosely) was the main thing for me. Sounds like the shoes may be yours. Well done for getting started, look forward to hearing how you get on. 😊

[PamJ58 Graduate]

Good luck - it's a great programme for getting you running. Look forward to hearing back from you when your shoes are sorted.

[mixindave Graduate in reply to PamJ58]

will keep posting

[slowpoke_annie Graduate]

Strangely, I get shin pain when I walk to work but not when I do the runs - but I do wear different trainers so I know what you wear on your feet really makes a difference. My husband is pushing 20st & 6'5 and doing this with me &, while he's complained about EVERYTHING else, he's never complained if shin pain.

Good luck with your C25K journey!! 😁

[mixindave Graduate]

would be great to see some success stories of people who started out at my level and have became super human(ish)

[allegrachick Graduate]

Well done on starting and being so enthusiastic If you're looking for cheapish but good running shoes, don't forget to check out T K Maxx, if you have a store near you. I found my running shoes there - really good ones for a fraction of the usual price. Also, as mentioned before, Lidl are great for running gear. Have fun!

[mixindave Graduate]

i still want to keep going, its another week till i get my shoes. it would be my week 2 part 2 today. im just gonna have to do it im gonna try thick socks. also did the pronation thing and its neutral. those asics gel 8s will be fine then i guess? cheers

[mixindave Graduate]

well without my "running shoes" i still did part 2 of week 2. funnily enough my legs felt good. i just wasn't feeling it with the windy coldish weather. "must invest in some long sleeved sports tops

[mixindave Graduate]

managed to get my new shoes today. total difference from the converse. So finished off week 2 fairly comfortably.