5 x 50 Challenge - Confession time: Today I have... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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5 x 50 Challenge - Confession time

morningglory profile image
morninggloryGraduate
28 Replies

Today I have done no activity. Excuses are late leaving work due to meeting which over ran, mum popped round to drop off daughter and have a quick chat, needed to take son to the doctors and then had to cook tea. Also decided that a day off would do my shins the world of good.

Tomorrow we are off to London for the day, I will take my Garmin and hope to do at least 5k and make up some of the km I have missed tonight. Saturday morning I have also arrange to go walking with a friend so will ensure I do 5k + to make up the mileage. I will be back on track by Monday.

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morningglory profile image
morningglory
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28 Replies
greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate

Bet you do loads of km round London, so I shouldn't worry!

I feel as if I've sort of cheated, as I've just done 30 minutes of yoga stretches - not as energetic as 5k, but a good deal more energetic than I would have done before I started on this challenge, so that's definitely something positive. Plus I can now almost touch my toes (when I started attempting this feat a couple of weeks ago, it was a challenge to get within six inches of my toes - I'm now within an inch!)

I'm finding it much harder to feel the enthusiasm to go out for a run - partly accumulated tiredness from exercising every day, but also being back at work (not to mention my last run being a stinker).

Still, when I signed up for this, I was really thinking I'd do 30 minutes of exercise a day (rather than 5k, which takes me almost an hour, and is perhaps rather more than my body feels up for), so I've already done more than I expected to be doing. But I'd like to get myself running again tomorrow. :)

Khrissy profile image
KhrissyGraduate in reply to greenlegs

I think we are all getting a bit jaded to be honest, I used to spend my rest days thinking about the next run and looking forward to it and now I'm thinking what can I do today? I'm only doing the bare minimum and on run days I find it's really hard to do 5k every run and like you said, it's so time consuming. I'm thinking that if you do something like the speed podcast that takes 30 minutes with warm up/down then that is 30 minutes of something? I've been doing a podcast or zombie run but then carrying on to do 5k but the knee that I felt the other week after jogging across the car park is starting to twinge again and I'm thinking I need to reign it in a bit? We've still got 38 days to go :O

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate

I agree with Greenlegs above. You'll do loads of walking round London.

But I do know what you mean about feeling like you cheated when you don't run. Personally I only run 5k on alternate days -- or even just 3 days a week. The others I walk and twice so far I've done a 30 minute work out (Stretch and Flex). Even so, it's much more than I used to do. Before I simply ran Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - end of. Now, even on a day like today when I teach 9 - 4, which believe me takes it out of you, I managed to walk over 5k just by leaving the car behind. And I walked in boots with heels so my calves are really feeling it. I must say, the idea of running 5K tomorrow morning is slightly daunting right now, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

Just my 5 cents, xox delia

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to DeliaItaly

5k walking in boots with heels - I know I'd struggle with that! Power to your legs - hope your run tomorrow won't be too tough. :)

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to greenlegs

About to go now--- think it's gonna hurt!

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to DeliaItaly

How was it? OK I hope. Fingers crossed! :)

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to greenlegs

It was fine but I can't clinch that damn 5k in 30 minutes :-X

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to DeliaItaly

I don't think I have any hope of getting there. 5k in 45 minutes still looks pretty tough to me (47 min today).

:)

Well done for getting out and running after boot-walking!

Khrissy profile image
KhrissyGraduate

We need to be a little less hard on ourselves. 30 minutes of ANYTHING off the couch every day is a huge ask and if we miss a day for whatever reason, it's no big deal. Last Saturday I spent about 90 minutes cleaning the car inside and out including waxing (it was considered exercise for the Karate Kid!) and yet I still felt I had to go and do 30 minutes of yoga in order to be able to record some activity :X

We are doing great, enjoy London, will be really interesting to see how many Km you do!

jenniej profile image
jenniejGraduate

Agree with the others. You'll do loads walking in London and its very tiring walking on city streets. As Khrissy says we are doing great. We're all doing a lot more than we had before so we should be proud of that.

It is tiring exercising every day. I'm shattered today after a longish walk yesterday and really struggled to do a 5k run this evening, so now slumped on the couch barely able to move!

I'm sure you'll make up the km over the next few days. Enjoy London.

thinnerandfitter profile image
thinnerandfitterGraduate

I don't think any of us is cheating as long as we're doing more than we would have done and (hopefully) averaging 5k/30mins. I haven't run since Monday, when I had a poor run (lots of walking breaks) and decided at least 2 days' rest were needed. Since then I've done 1 Wii Fit session, 1 1 hour exercise class (another coming up tomorrow) and due to the exercise class achy legs, walking today. I very much admire those who can sustain running alternate days or even 3x week - that's my aim eventually but at the moment I think 2 days' rest is closer to what my body needs.

Right now I'm coming to the end of a tough week for many (unrelated) reasons. I'll be pleased to get back into a routine next week when the children go back to school.

I think we're all doing well - everyone's life is busy for so many reasons - we all have different pressures - and fitting extra exercise into everything else is a challenge in itself.

The weekend's almost here and with it the end of week 2. We're all still (as far as I know) keeping going and that is brilliant - something to celebrate :-D

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to thinnerandfitter

Actually my walking often takes maore than an hour! My Garmin yesterday on 5K clocked around 40 minutes -- and as for running I still haven't got that 5K in 30 minutes and maybe I never will, but I think that's OK isn't it? This time last year I was a dress size heavier and certainly couldn't run a minute let alone almost 5K!

thinnerandfitter profile image
thinnerandfitterGraduate in reply to DeliaItaly

I think that's fine - on the occasions when I get to 5K (by no means everytime I go out with that intention) I'm not close enough to 30 minutes to make me think it's possible. 5K in 40 minutes walking is quick. I don't usually walk alone (which would be quicker) but I think of it as being 50-60 minutes.

This morning I'm about to drag my aching legs to an exercise class (so will hopefully be logging 10km later on :-) )

May run tomorrow in the rain - muscles permitting.

Have a good Friday xx

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to thinnerandfitter

Not wishing to cheat - muy 40 minutes/5k were in four different quick walks. I think it's that that makes the difference. Nice day to you to xox delia

Beth5 profile image
Beth5

I'm hoping to get back into the gym next week - temporary lay off due to illness - had to run for a train on Monday (when I was getting delusions of getting back into the gym this week) and couldn't stop coughing like a plague monkey on the Docklands Light Railway and this continued even after sitting on a train for 10 minutes the coughing continued onto the tube... I've been walking back and forth to my office daily (15 mins each way) but have been forgetting to log the exercise. I have been missing my workouts but have had to concede that I'm just not quite up to it right now...

Think we should all keep in mind how far we've come from starting C25K and joining the community and try to take it as 30 mins of any activity that's not sitting on the couch matters! Think of the virtual cheerleaders with their pompoms!

Malcy profile image
MalcyGraduate

Hi all. A touch of realism? Remember the debate about cycling being easier than running (or rather it was about doing mor km in 30 mins cycling than running), or the one about 30 min exercise being different to a 5k run? The essence is that we're doing (at least) half an hour of exercise a day. So it seems reasonable that if we can't run a full 5k in 30 mins, who cares? We've done 30 mins exercise. And if 30 mins cycling or whatever counts as 5k, then shouldn't 30 mins running count as 5k too - even if we only manage 3k or 4k?

I've been thinking that the challenge should really be called "30x50”, because that's really what it is. I'm only doing 2 or 3 runs a week, and the rest is (quite brisk) walking but his kind of fits the totals in the MalcyMeter - 1300 km running from a total of 4600km as of today. That means about 3/4 of our "km" isn't running. And how any of the 1300km comes from full 5k runs? Probably not all that many.

Sorry for going on a bit - the essence of my thoughts are that maybe if we can't manage a full 5k, we should assess the amount of exercise. And if the effort was equal to half an hour of non-running exercise, bung 5k into the 5x50 stats. I honestly don't think that goes against the spirit of the challenge. As the FAQ say "you can count 5km OR 30 minutes of an alternative activity towards your challenge target" I'd say "trying hard" fits the bill as an alternative activity!

Khrissy profile image
KhrissyGraduate in reply to Malcy

Amen to this ;-)

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to Malcy

There's a man close to my heart Malcy, thank you for this encouragement! Just what I needed to hear! Delia

PS THANK YOU FOR THE MAGNIFICENT METER :-)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to Malcy

Hear Hear! Couldn't agree more!

And as we're the biggest team... :)

Anyway, I went out for a run today, and with Malcy's comments (on another thread I think) along the lines of 'we can often do more than we think' - I managed to keep going for a complete 5k! It was hard work all the way, and I only managed it by planning to do just 30 minutes (which took me to 3.33k), and then just kept on plodding. Took 47 minutes, so a good walking pace then! :) I felt really good that I'd done it, and my legs are fine too. Having two days of yoga paid off, I think. :)

One day I'd quite like to beat the 45 minute barrier! ;)

rockchick69 profile image
rockchick69Graduate in reply to Malcy

I agree with you Malcy. A change in the title would be such a good idea. Trying to explain it to others is quite difficult and they always ask how 30 minutes equals 5km :)

George42 profile image
George42Graduate

It gets worse, :p by day 30 or 40 we will all be done in, I know will be and looking forward to the end.

The fact that its bloody freezing is not conducive to getting out at night either.

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to George42

It may be cold comfort, but it's getting so warm here that running is either at 7 am or it turns into a Turkish Bath!

Malcy profile image
MalcyGraduate in reply to DeliaItaly

Rub it in, why don't you (:->) Can't wait until I have time to seek assylum!

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate in reply to Malcy

Hahaha! It's 18 degrees right now! Brother Joe flying in from UK is going to love it!

gdeann profile image
gdeannGraduate in reply to George42

I'm thinking I should of really thought out this whole challenge thing George!! ;-)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to George42

re George

Now that does make me wonder whether maybe the challenge is pitched a bit too high - if the idea is to change habits, surely it would be more effective if it was a bit more sustainable? Though you did it last time and have come back for more, I suppose!

George42 profile image
George42Graduate in reply to greenlegs

The trek is not to overdo it I think.

It's tempting to try and wrack up as much as you can early on but I don't think it's sustainable.

You really miss the rest days in between runs you would normally get.

rockchick69 profile image
rockchick69Graduate

Today has been a hard day for me to fit much in.....so only did a quick 2km walk after work. However tomorrow is my run day and Sunday is a walk of 18 km so that will make up for the rest. My legs actually feel better with not exercising today, but like you I do feel a bit guilty. We are crazy to feel this as at least at sompe point in the day we are doing more than in the past, whatever the exercise or how long it takes. 9 weeks ago sitting on the couch and going to the fridge was about the total sum of my daily exercise....lol.

Enjoy your day and London and don't feel guilty anymore :-D

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