I am totally new to this forum. I am really chuffed to have stuck to the plan of Couch to 5K and last week finished my final run. If you said to me that I would be running for 30 minutes continuously after 9 weeks I would have said you were deranged.
When I started my first week I was tired after just running 3 separate minutes. However the App is brilliant and by meticulously following it, you are gradually steeping up your fitness every week. Week 9 and you are running 30 minutes without stopping. It sounds scary but the App is just so great and the verbal encouragement is really helpful, allowing you to reach your goal. A big thanks to the App developers and NHS for a great running program. No-one should be nervous about trying it; frankly it is SUPERB!
Now my new goal is to improve my running from 5K to 10K. I downloaded the Couch 5K + and found it very hard to work through the first Podcast stepping up the step rate for the full half hour. I got a sizeable way through it, but my running partner gave up early. Can anyone offer any advice, should I repeat Week 9 of Couch to 5K repeatedly to improve fitness or can anyone recommend another running App with voice prompts and the structure of Couch to 5K, that will build up my fitness until I can run 10K.
I am enjoying running but being over 50, I haven't got the fitness and energy I once had when I was under 40. I would like to make my running an ongoing feature of my weekly life, but at the moment I feel a little lost.
Thank you in advance if anyone can offer any advice.
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Loborapido
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What an inspiring post! I am new here too, having only just completed my 9th run, so can't really offer any advice. But a big well done to you! I hope you find a good app to take you to the next level.
Thanks, best of luck to you too. If I find a good App that gradually builds up your fitness to 10K, I will post it here. Trouble is some of the Apps I have used, promise a lot, deliver little and look more suitable for dedicated athletes. I want some structured program that encourages you along the way. I am so delighted to have used Couch5K and achieved what to me was Mission Impossible. Triolette keep going, you can do it and the achievement at the end of week 9 is well deserved and superb!!
I went from non runner to 10k at similar age to you. Now I'm a non runner doing C25k 😊 My advice is take your time and keep it slow. Don't increase weekly pace or distance by more than 10 per cent. Look for and sign up for a 10k in early spring 2019. I found heart rate monitor training really useful. Resources on line to show what yours should be at your age, then keep your runs slow enough to stay within your training heart rate or even walk if you find it going too high. Good luck!
Steviej99, thanks for replying. That's so awesome completing 25K runs; what an inspiration. I will heed your advice and take it slow. I just wish that there was an App by the same developers of Couch to 5K, which used the same format and trainers to increase your distance to 10K, and even beyond. I so enjoyed using the first App and achieved so much, that I would like to replicate it over a greater distance.
You mentioned using a heart rate monitor; which one do you use or is there one you can recommend?
Just completed C25K with the OneYou app as well, tried a number of times before with other apps but always gave up. No achieving 5K in 30 minutes so that remains my ultimate goal but running for 30 minutes is something I've probably never done before, or if I have then it was decades ago as a teenager.
I've used a heart rate monitor along the way and found it really helps. If I'm feel tired or that I'm overdoing it than I can get a reading and check how hard my heart is working. Most of the time it my mind tiring rather than my body and I know I can keep going. The HRM has also allowed me to continuously push since around week 8, increasing my speed on every run by 0.1 or 0.2 km/h (I use a treadmill)
Thank you ever so much for your reply. The information and links you have written in your post are invaluable and I will take your advice on board. At least now I feel I have a plan for moving forward.
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