Does anyone add runs during the podcasts? How many times do you actually run? What other exercises do you do in addition to C25K?

[keepntabs]

I am on week 3, and walk/jog on a paved trail in a wooded area in Atlanta (USA). Since it is 62 miles long, I turn around to go back to my beginning point after the podcast is done. So, I do the podcast again on the return trip. I also usually add two runs during the time for the first run's cool down and the second run's warm up period. I want to point out that I am jogging at a snail's pace, but do feel that I am truly spent when I am finished.

Today, I attend my first session of a fitness bootcamp. We just did fitness assessments today, but they were tiring nonetheless. What I am most excited about, and have to give thanks to the C25K program, is that I was able to run around the track 4 times without stopping. It took me 15min 26sec to run a mile, and I was lapped by quite a few others, but I didn't think for one second to stop my trot.

I would like to hear how you've customized your C25K and exercise plans.

[lm51 Graduate]

I add runs too Once i've finished the podcast I walk for a bit (I finish at the bottom of a hill usually so walk up it!) then alternate one song running/one song walking until I get home which is an extra half an hour roughly

I do the podcast every other day but quite often I really feel like running on my "rest days" so do an earlier weeks podcast and try and do it more quickly than before, or just as much as I feel like with my own music

[Paul- Graduate]

I run in two very different locations, as I work away for part of the week.

One of my runs is on the army rec at Farnborough (queens parade I think its called) its so flat and smooth. I add one or two reparations to the run. Where as at home I run on rough foot paths across farmland so it is a lot harder. So tomorrow my run for week5r2 I will do 3 lots of 8 mins

[Gazter Graduate]

Add runs? i can barely get through the runs on the podcast!

[BTX4 Graduate in reply to Gazter]

Ha ha, me too

Keepntabs you will be doing the whole 62 miles one day at this rate !

[keepntabs Graduate in reply to BTX4]

@BTX4, no I usually only complete 2 miles during the 30 minute podcasts. There different areas where you can enter the trail. So, you don't have to always start at mile 0, but I've never seen what's past mile 7. I'll have to get on my bicycle to see what's out yonder.

[keepntabs Graduate in reply to Gazter]

LOL! I totally understand. However, you have graduated the program. So, you were able to get through them somehow. What part of your training have you been working on since graduation?

[Gazter Graduate in reply to keepntabs]

speed speed speed.......

I am very heavy (250something pounds with no history of exercise) and quite slow. I graduated a few weeks ago at 7kph. I am using speed intervals to build up to 10kph. I find running mentally quite boring, so i am more interested in going faster than longer, for the moment.

I am repeating the programme at faster speeds (four runs over eight days, with the final run being a thirty minute run). Just completed week 2 of the interval runs a couple of hours ago. I am mixing the intervals at between 10.5 and 13.5 for running and 5kph for walking, depending how i'm feeling.

Week 3 will be an interesting one, i have managed the move from sixty seconds to ninety seconds without too much of a problem, despite almost running twice as fast.

At the end of week 1 I did a thirty minute run at 7.5kph and a 1% incline, which isnt bad from a 7kph speed and a 0% incline.

In a couple of days i will try my thirty minute run at 8kph....

And so on and so on.

[keepntabs Graduate in reply to Gazter]

It sounds like you are running on a treadmill. I also find that type of running to be quite boring, and that's why I looked for something that could teach me how to run outside. Maybe after a while you will venture outside.

On my 49th birthday this past April I weighed 200 lbs. That same week I decided to change my eating habits by eating healthier foods in appropriate portions in five small meals. I lost 6 lbs. in two weeks just doing that. Three weeks into my lifestyle change I incorporated walking on my treadmill at first for 20 minutes then up to 30 minutes.

By mid-May I knew that I had to get outside, because that treadmill was too boring even if I had the TV mounted in front of it playing Netflix. C25K came to my rescue. Funny thing is that I came across while visiting the NHS site to get some diet information to compare to what is promoted here in the US. The NHS is so cool. I have not found that any of the government health sites over here provide such comprehensive information, guidelines and tools to promote good health.

I weighed myself yesterday which is 9 weeks after I started my lifestyle change, and now I weigh 183 lbs. All of the support tools that I use are free, and I highly recommend them. The primary ones are sparkpeople.com, webmd.com, fitness.com, and this site.

[Gazter Graduate in reply to keepntabs]

My county has a traditional run that is half a marathon, this year they are allowing relay teams, of 3 miles each = 5k. I am planning on doing the relay. Before i venture outside though i want to build up what i can do. I dont want to be the person at the back. That's what i was at school sports, as a very unwilling participant.

10kph is a modest speed by a regular runners standards, but it is fast for me. I want to be able to hit that 10kph for thirty minutes.

I would rather not do the run than do it badly. Once i have my speed up, my cardio up and my weight down i'll be out on the roads. Last time i went out my knees ended up a lot more tender than the treadmill. I guess that is the weight pressure.

Endurance (tick), speed (soon to be tick, i hope) then i go outside.

[winged_trainers]

I've been modifying the runs each week in order to include more running time and less walking; it's been working well so far, but I've decided to stick to three runs a week, as I'm worried about damaging my joints if I go out perhaps five days a week!

Also considering doing yoga on my rest days, to mix things up a little.