Week 3 to Week 5 Transition

[Gentlydoesnt]

hi there, I’m 60 years of age and thought I’d try to begin running again after 30 years of occasionally running for the bus. I downloaded the Couch to 5k and began the journey 3 weeks ago. Although I’ve found it hard at times I’ve kept to the programme and am now at week 3, although I’m completing the 3 min runs I start breathing hard and my pulse goes up to around 130 ish and the 90 second breaks I spend getting my breath back!!. I know I may sound down on my self but the week 5 20 mins runs is making me worry , how am I going to manage to run 20 mins in two weeks time when three mins and alternate 90 seconds is a bit of a struggle!. I aim to try and keep to it as I’m not a quitter but it seems daunting at this stage. Any advice?.

[Cmoi Graduate]

Maybe look at it another way  Gentlydoesnt ? Assuming you complete week 3 with no repeats you'll have done nine runs. There are another five runs to do, again assuming no repeats, before you get to w5r3. In other words, you'll have had plenty more practice.

After four years' running I still find it much more helpful just to concentrate on the running I'm actually doing - that can literally be the minute I'm in - and not what's to come.

Also, if you're getting out of breath, slow down. It's the action of running that counts, not your pace.

If you haven't already done so, I'd suggest you read the C25K guide: healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

And if you really want to think about week 5 now, there's this post: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks for that , I just tend to dwell in negatives I guess and think there’s no way I’m going to do 20 mins if I’m struggling to do 3 mins, problem is I don’t know how fast I’m actually jogging to be fair as I do this alone and don’t have someone to compare with and to keep me paced!. I don’t know the distance your supposed to cover in week three with running and walking but in the. 5 mins thru the programme to the 5 mins walk I covered 4.6 km there and back . Thats 9 mins jogging and the rest attempting to walk briskly !’

It would be good if anyone had any links to what stretching exercises are appropriate to me before and afterwards

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

There isn't a distance your supposed to cover at any point in the programme! Sure, the name is Couch to 5k, but it'd be more accurate to call it "A programme to get yourself from not running at all to a point where you can jog for 30 minutes non-stop without killing yourself in the process." Unfortunately that's not as snappy!

With apologies for repeating myself, your pace really doesn't matter. I don't run with other people and don't even record or wear a watch for all my runs. I got too hung up on numbers and realisd it was sucking all the joy out of my runs.

It's advised that you do dynamic stretches before and static stretches after your run. If you're using the NHS UK C25K app, I believe it includes links, but as I'm in France the app isn't available to me so I can't check.

Edit: just found the NHS suggestions: nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h... and nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h...

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

I think you might be running too fast from the distance you’ve said you covered.

You may benefit from slowing down to a gentle pace, not just when you are tiring but right from the first running step you take, a pace that you might think is too easy. At this stage you are running to gently build stamina, not for speed or distance. So you want a comfortable pace at which you can still talk in sentences. This will help your body gradually acclimatise to running(avoiding injuries and pain along the way), will mean you enjoy the process and will get to 30mins continuous running . You can start to think about picking up the pace, if you want to, once you are comfortably running 30mins .

Once you have found the gentle pace, the increased time running stops feeling so intimidating because you are not getting so puffed out.

Try to find the Japanese slow jogging video. It helped me enormously.

[Baggieboy61]

If you follow the program you will make it. The biggest challenge is yourself thinking that you can’t. I’m around the same age and experienced the same thing as you. It was explained to me about the toxic 10. That period where you start off and your body isn’t quite up to speed yet. Then it gets easier. I find the longer runs easier once I am warmed up and in a rhythm. Your so called daunting run is two weeks away. By then you should be further down the road and prepared for it. Have faith in yourself and you will be fine. Fast walk if you have to but keep going and get to the end. You can do it.

[Whatsapp Graduate]

When you start exercise your body goes into catch up mode. You need to get more oxygenated blood around the body to cope. So your breathing and heart rate increases. After about ten minutes your body has caught up and your breathing and heart rate settle down to a rhythm to keep up with is exersion. At this point you settle into a run too.

This is why we can train our bodies run for miles and hours, because we are efficient. Thats why longer runs are much more enjoyable once you get there.

Nothing to worry about here. What you are experiencing is perfectly natural, and part if the process. That said, its a jog not a sprint, so slow down. Speed comes later. Now is aboit building stamina and endurance.

[Gentlydoesnt]

thanks for all the very sound advice above I will attempt to slow down a bit tomorrow if I can , obviously not that slow that folks walking their dogs pass me!!. I do find it difficult to think what actual speed I am or should be going and also what is classed as a brisk walk to me brisk is walking nearly as fast as possible I guess!, not walk marathon athlete pace but a lot quicker than when I walk the dog. Anyways I’ll try to slow down tomorrow and report back if I found it easier or not

[Baggieboy61 in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

When I’m jogging at a pace I think is right for me I recite the alphabet. If I get to the end without gasping I know the pace is ok. I’m not worried if it’s slower. as long as I’m moving forwards I’m happy.

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

The difference between walking and running isn't how slow or fast you go, it's the action. When you're walking one foot is always in contact with the ground. When you're running, there's a moment when neither foot is in contact with the ground. 😀

[CosmicWelsh Graduate]

like you I started running at age 60 using the C25K app although I had done it in 2016 originally but didn’t keep up with it. Initially I could walk faster than I could run which seemed at odds with the outcome 😂. But it allowed me to recover after the short bursts of quicker running. It does get easier, trust the process and you will be amazed at what you will achieve.

[Gentlydoesnt]

I’ve tried to decrease my speed on the run I did just now , but I still ended up doing 4.5km in the 20 mins so I guess I’ll have to try and slow down even more when I start week 4 on Monday. I’m taking in all the suggestions and am thankful for the advice but I still must be running a little to fast and therefore probably going to tire myself out once week 4 starts. I did notice though that my respirations in the 3 mins walk segments seemed to become less laboured quicker so I must be doing something!!.

Footnote the 4.5Km was for the full 30 minutes including brisk walks sorry for the confusion

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

That just doesn’t sound right to me. What are you using to track your distance? If you’re covering 4.5km in 20 minutes, that’s about a 22 minute 5km. It’s highly, highly unlikely that a new runner aged 60 will be running times like that. I think your tech is off!

How did you feel when you were running? If you are able to hold a conversation out loud without gasping, perfect. Distance doesn’t matter. If you are short of breath, you need to find a way to slow down. I found that really hard and I didn’t nail it until after finishing. It’s often harder to slow down than speed up!

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I checked the Apple Watch prior to starting and as soon as the 20 mins was completed , to be honest the brisk walk that Steve Cram says for 5 mins is a brisk walk and I cover quite a bit of distance before I start the first 90 seconds , I agree it does seem a lot of distance so I must be running quicker than I should be at this stage .

I got up this morning , washed and dressed and was straight out the door on the introductory 29 seconds

Around 30 mins after coming back in the door

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

I think I’m a bit confused. Are you saying you’re including the warm up and cool down walks in your distance? .

Just for context, I’m almost twenty years younger and have been running for 3 years. My 5k pb is 25 minutes running at pace for the whole time. I just don’t think it’s possible you can be covering 4.5km in 20 minutes run walking the week 3 programme run.. GPS on watches can be really hit and miss depending on where you’re running.

Not that it matters-distance is irrelevant. I just wouldn’t want you to be surprised if you turned up at a 5km course like parkrun and your time was very different than expected.

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I’m including the 10 mins walking in the full thing today yes . As soon as I start the 5 min warm up till the 5 min cool down that’s what I’ve timed. I put it down to the walking to quickly.

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I’ll probably walk the full route I did with the dog later with the Strava app to check the distance again

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I’d probably round it down to 4km in the 30 mins just to approximate. Whatever it is I’m still going to fast either walking / running or both so must try and slow down on Tuesday. Thanks a lot

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

maybe my I watch is off I don’t know but so far today I’ve burned 300 calories / done 32 mins exercise my pulse rate has been between 58 low and 120 running , highest pulse this week 145 in the first 3 min run.

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I 100% agree it’s harder to slow down but I also am finding it hard to run at a slower pace, I don’t think I could hold a conversation comfortably at the speed I’ve run so I will attempt to go slower on week 4 run one and let you know . I think the issue must be I’m walking very quickly in the first 5 mins so when I start jogging / running I must have to pick up the pace to go quicker than I was walking !. I am walking as quick as I can physically walk I think - when Steve mentions a brisk walk I thought he means walk as quick as you can!. Must of misunderstood that !. Sorry . I have just checked on the map of the amount I walk in the first 5 mins and it is around 0.3 miles maybe a little more so I must be walking far to fast possibly

[Gentlydoesnt in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Apologies it was 4.5 in the full 30 mins sorry for the error about and apologies for the confusion

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

That sounds more likely!

Plenty of us go through the same phase you’re in where we’re running a bit out of breath. For all of the rest of your run career, it’s important to get that comfortable pace sorted. It’s worth practising and you’ll get there.

Enjoy your next run!

[Gentlydoesnt]

I do find it very difficult to slow to a more sedate pace , once you get up to a pace it’s really hard to adjust your speed and come down in pace, if I had a buddy alongside me I’d probably be a lot better off to be fair . I’m hoping next week that I can start off slower than I’m obviously doing!. I definitely started the first segment slower than earlier in the week and even tried reciting the alphabet as was suggested.