Couch-To-5K - Treadmill

Hello all.  I had RNY on 7/19/10 and am down 80 pounds.  I am on the 2nd week of C25K.  I currently do my walking intervals at 3.5mph, and my jogging/running at 5.0mph.  Does this seem right?  Should I try to run faster or will that come as the weeks progress?

Thank you in advance!

Alicia

P.S.  My tracker is not correct, but I can't figure out how to update it!

Alicia, The C25K is a great program. Do what feels comfortable for you. That is about the speed I did it at. If you want to work on the speed, then up it alittle. In the later weeks, I actually dropped the running speed just a little. I wanted to get through the running part.

Congrats..You are doing great

Kim

hi
whats C25k??  new to this
:0)
Christine

for above: google couch to 5k cool runnings. Great beginner program for running! Very doable.

Original poster. That is pretty much what I did. I did the walking at 3.5 and the running at 4.8. I slowly got faster but i was focused on running first and then speed later. You don't want to overdo your body and get injured or burned out. You want to stick with this program so it needs to be comfortably challenging. Stick with it and as you feel stronger bump it up but if you are hurting or feeling more fatigued than normal bump it back down a few times and try it again at a later workout!  Keep it up!

you are WAY faster than me!!!  So, you're doing great!  My first time doing the C25k, I walked at 3.0 and I jogged at 3.3ish.  I'm on my 3rd time of doing C25k (trying to get faster each time).  I walk at 3.0 and run at 4.5. 
If you can keep up that pace throughout the program, I think you are doing fantastic!

Great progress!

I'm just a week ahead of you on C25K, and can't believe that I can run at all...but 60+lbs lighter make it easier on my shins and knees.

I had the same question, as I didn't know what constituted 'running' in MPH. I've been doing my intervals at 3.3 mph and 6.6 mph. 6.6 really gets me moving, though no 'runner' would claim that is a quick speed.

As others have stated, go with what you can do comfortably. The key to the program is to accomodate your body to the possibility of running 3.1 miles! That seems like a distant dream to me (and maybe you), but as I see myself progress, I start to believe.

I was on the 3 minute run interval yesterday and decided to push myself...made it all the way to 4 minutes! And that was on my last (exhausted) interval! I was proud of myself for the acheivement, as you should be! After that workout, when I went to get into the shower, something surprised me...I could actually see a 'pretty' well defined quadricep muscle! Who knew!?!?

Find your own pace and stick with it.

Best of luck!

Chad
"Soon to be 5k runner"

Certainly go with what is comfortable, but if you look at his charts and compare the distance to the times, it would indicate that the speed he is running at is 6mph.

To go 3 miles in 30 minute you need to be running at 6mph at the end.
Here is what is says for the final week
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
If the goal is the 3 miles, then it really doesn't matter what speed you go.
If the goal is 30 minutes of running, and making it 3 miles then speed does matter.

Scott

 Wow!  I think you are doing great.  I just did week 2 day 1 and I did it with walking 3 mph and jogging at 4.  I did week one at 3 mph walking and between 4 and 4.5 mph jogging.  I guess I need to push myself more!  Tonight didn't really push me but I wanted to make sure I finished.  Do what feels comfortable would be my advice if push too fast you might burn out (as I used to always do on exercise programs before!)

That's what I'm currently doing, and I'm just starting week 3.  If running a 5k is your goal (as mine is in April) then you need to remember to adjust your times in the later weeks to match your speed, like mentioned above.

For example, when it asks you to run 25 minutes and walk 5 the last week you need to realize that at 5.0 you are only running a smidge over 2 miles.  To run the entire 5k you'll need to run for 36 minutes on the treadmill.  At slower speeds you need to adjust more.  Just divide 60 by your speed to get how long it takes to run one mile.  Then multiply it by 3 to get a rough estimate of how many minutes you'll need to add.

Hi Alicia;

I'm just finishing my 5th week tomorrow and will be doing 20 minutes of running.  I had many of the same questions and ultimately for me the goal was to move my body.  I'm up to running/walking 2.12 miles right now and every time I do the program I'm going further and faster. 

I started running outside and have recently started incorporating the treadmill.  I'm also cross-training - lifting weights, etc.  Visualize your goal and keep that in your mind at all times.  I'm stunned that I could run 8 minutes at a time without collapsing and that I felt AWESOME afterwards.  I walk at 3.2 mph and run at 4.6 mph.  I'm taking things a step at a time and keeping my eye on my goals.  I'm training to run a half marathon in May. 

Remember to balance being comfortable and pushing yourself.  i think that's the key.