Started my training yesterday!

[Zoot3000]

Hello and I’m very pleased to meet you!

I’m 36 and about a stone and a half overweight and I have ok fitness levels. I’m usually a dog walker but lockdown has made me chubby.

Sooo, after putting it off for ages, yesterday I finally dragged myself out the door and started Couch to 5k.

I loved it.

Well that’s almost true. I got through the 60 second runs but I was a red faced mess after every go. And as a smoker, I was coughing my lungs up :/

Realising I need to start on the journey to quitting that too. Already watching my calories too...

Will be doing the second run either today (I know it’s 2.45am, I’m up late) and or tomorrow.

Did anyone do the runs daily instead of 3 times a week? I don’t intend to but I do want to be able to work out everyday somewhat. So maybe something lighter on the other days? Any advise?

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations on on starting C25K with run 1 of week 1, the number one rule of C25K is NEVER run on consecutive days, 3 times a week, try to keep to the same 3 days a week.

[Zoot3000 in reply to AlMorr]

Realised why when I woke up this morning in agony 😂

There was no way I could’ve done another. Yeah. I’m gunna stick to that for sure now.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Zoot3000]

👍

[Hidden]

Good luck! I have been doing every other day but then some brisk walks or bike rides on the other days. I wasn’t a cyclist and I’m still not but having not ridden a bike for 20 years it took a while but I bought a cheap bike and it’s quite a fun alternative to running on days off.

[Zoot3000 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah that’s a good shout, I don’t have a bike just now sadly. Maybe just a small indoor workout instead

Thank you 😊

[liz163]

Well done on starting!! I do alternate days when I can as I work shifts. I’ve never done consecutive as deffo need rest days in between each run .. sometimes due to work I have 2 rest days which does me good every now and then. Good luck 😊

[Zoot3000 in reply to liz163]

Thank you, realised I needed to rest when I woke up. Legs were like lead 😂

Definitely sticking to 3 times a week. X

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

When you run, the impact creates microtears in your muscles, which repair and strengthen on your rest days, not while running. Without rest, repair and strengthening are compromised and injury risk increased.

If you want to be the best runner that you can be, then do non impact cross training on your rest days, which will be far more beneficial than running every day. It is not recommended for new runners to run on consecutive days until they have a minimum of six months regular running on their legs.

[Zoot3000 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I think I was being over enthusiastic, I felt it when I woke up today. Muscles are aching still. So definitely sticking to the 3 days.

Thanks for your help

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Zoot3000]

Stretching immediately after every run, nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h... while muscles are still warm and supple, pulls out contractions, avoiding carrying tensions into the next run and also improves recovery by improving blood flow.

[Grionba]

Hi I'm going to run every other day and do my usual walk or bike ride each day too , every day without a rest might be s bit much I think the app recommends having a rest day in-between

[Zoot3000 in reply to Grionba]

Yeah definitely, I’m very sore today so had to have a rest. Was being over enthusiastic haha

[packersruns Graduate]

As someone who used to smoke as well, I found once I stopped smoking for about 2 weeks or so I definitely felt my stamina increase when I was moving onto different weeks. It is hard obviously, I use a e-cigarette occasionally if I feel like I desperately need one.

Definitely don’t do the programme every day - only every other day and the programme is meant to be 3 times a week from what I gather.

If you aren’t ready to move onto the next week as well, you can repeat the week. The first two weeks I done 5 runs for W1 and W2 because I needed to develop my stamina before moving onto the next week!

If you did want to something light maybe go on a walk every other day or as you feel your body can do? That’s what I was doing for a while anyway, I’m trying to build my muscles up now so I only do cardio 3 times a week.

Good luck and I’m excited to see you go on your journey to 5K!

[Zoot3000 in reply to packersruns]

Thank you so much, I do need to cut out the smoking. That’s going to be hard, I must admit. But I’ll keep going with this until I can find something to wean myself off the cigs and definitely sticking to the 3 days a week now xx