Newbie - can I do the podcast but continue & walk the 5k?

[mrspatch]

Hi all. Have found a route I can do that is about 5k. I do regularly walk this. I need to start the couch25k and lose a lot of weight. I was wondering if I could listen to the podcast but finish my route (all bit a gentle stroll)?

Thanks guys

[Cazvs Graduate]

Welcome to the forum

I don't see why you can't continue and walk the 5k, I often had a long cool down walk at the beginning of the programme (less so now I'm running more of it!). As long as you listen to your body and stop if you get any pain then you should be fine.

[parkbirdy Graduate]

You definitely can - you'll find at the beginning it might take you a fair bit of time. You probably won't be covering more than 1 - 2 k in the first few weeks as they're mainly walking. And remember the podcasts overall are 30-40 minutes including beginning and end walk. And you don't want to get bored!

But if time really isn't an issue sounds like a good idea. I'd think about adding some of the distance onto the beginning which can only help you warm up before you start the podcasts which all have 5 mins brisk walking at the beginning.

[mrspatch Graduate]

Glad you said that - didnt do it today - took the shorter route but then found I was back at home before the podcast had finished - so I kept jogging/walking around the house

Am doing this with hubby. He had a heart attack a year and a half ago - so only managed one session of 60 second jogging today and felt very down about it . . . . . he even said he thought I was going to kill myself doing it!!!! So our plan is too do the podcast every other day and do the same route walking only on the alternate days. This way I am hoping I can build up his confidence. I said to him too that lots of people redo weeks when they dont feel able to move up to the next week.

He's perked up now after some toast and feels a little more positive I feel quite good actually - the big thorn in my side in the run was when I got to a hill and had to run up it - not good timing!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the advice.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Welcome to you both - you are going to love it! I started off by working out a 5k route, and sometimes walked the extra bit (usually after the running, but I think parkbirdy's idea of doing extra warming up is an even better idea), and sometimes just did a bit and turned back. I liked having a feeling of what 5k looked like.

That said, I couldn't do 5k in 30 minutes even at the end of 9 weeks (I could do 3k), but it honestly didn't matter. I am just so much fitter and can't believe that I actually now love running.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

It can be really hard to pace yourself for that 60 seconds and perhaps scary for your husband, so well done him for completing one of the runs, he can work up. The danger to me was 'only' the potential impact afterwards. I managed 4 of the runs first time out and walked the rest of the time (sometimes longer if I wasn't back to the car by then). Next time out I was really pleased to be able to manage 4 again and I gradually worked up so that I did all of them three times (which meant I listened to that podcast upwards of 12 times) I'd say it is a great idea to get out there with the idea that you are out for 30 minutes (40 by the time you are running for 30 minutes with the 5 minutes either end to warm up and down) I wouldn't personally fancy making the pre-session walk longer - when confidence is low you really need measurable success. Which is why I favour stopping and walking the rest of the session the moment you can't go on running rather than walking through some runs and then running a bit and so on. (That said, often if you just really slow down, you can keeping running - you just need to be doing a running action).

If you listen to the podcasts, you'll hear that you are only supposed to do them every other day anyway. The days in between (when you can indeed do some non-running exercise such as walking) help prepare you for the next session.

[TX-Bluebonnet Graduate]

Hi and welcome. You definitely can do a combination of podcasts and walking to cover 5K each time. That's what I've been doing since the beginning, on the same path each time, every other day. The way I do it is I start out with the podcasts so I do the warmup, routine, and cooldown. Then while continuing to walk I switch over to an audio book for the rest of the way. It's worked for me so far for the first 6 weeks, I'll be starting week 7 tomorrow. BTW, my running and walking pace are nearly the same speed. So don't be afraid to s..l..o..w it down, think very gentle jog.

[mrspatch Graduate]

Thanks all for the words of advice. We will do the podcast at the beginning of the walk and then it allows his heart rate to drop nicely before getting back home,

It doesnt help matters that he has got arthritis in his ankle too!!!!!! Whereas I suffer from long term depression - so I must keep the motivation up!!!

Week 1 Run 1 - tick ;-))