The Couch-to-5K Running Plan

After reading about Chads marathon run I know a lot of us are impressed and inspired by his accomplishment. There are so many of you guys that are taking the bull by the horns and doing amazing things. Well when I had surgery I had read Chads blog and seen the running he had already done, so I already had a goal to run a 5K this summer with my daughter. As I was browsing the web I stumbled across this training program. I plan on starting it next week, my daughter is going to help do it with me and coach me. (She was on the Cross Country team last year and will be doing it again next year.) I just thought I would pass it along in case any of you were interested. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml I can feel the burn already....

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Even the toughest criminals become remarkably docile 
 once separated from society by six feet of soil. 

I attempted this exact program last year. It's TOUGH! lol!  I unfortunately had to stop on the third week. My knees couldn't take the running and I seem to have cold-air induced asthma.  I could work through the asthma bit but my knees were in such pain I could hardly walk.  I plan to attempt this again once I get to goal. It's a great program and it was really working.  The second week was actually more tough than the first week for me. I think that may have been because of soreness and the temperature dropped. I had started this in like March last year and we had a drop in temperatures.  Best of luck to ya!! I can't wait for spring to get here so I can sweat! :P

After reading Chad's report I too was impressed and inspired, as well as proud for him. But . . . ain't no way in he!! I'm gonna become a runner.  Heck, I'd take an azz whoopin' rather than run.   Now, let me clarify that I truly am amazed at stories like Chad's and Boner's with the biking, and I have the utmost respect for their accomplishments. I applaud and support them wholeheartedly!  But running and bikes with pedals just ain't my thang. (Motorcycles I can handle!)   I am inspired by them and others here to have the surgery and be able to get back to walking and weight training to become healthier, happier and more active.  Congrats to them and good luck to you!  Go for it!! I will applaud and support you too my friend!     

Chad and company have got me thinking about taking up running at some point in the future also. But I clearly remember trying to jog as a part of my weight loss efforts when I was in my late twenties and weiging around 270 and it hurt my knees pretty good. Now that I'm in my late fourties, I'd imagine I won't attempt any running until I'm well under 250. Which is probably at least 8 months away. But they've got me thinking about it.

Oh yeah! Hurts the hell out of my knees too!   I was around 315 lbs when I started this program last year.  Hurt like a *****!  Won't be trying that again anytime soon!

I started day 1 yesterday.  The first week seems like it is going to be pretty easy, I'll see how it goes as it progresses.

 

Scott

I stumbled across this plan too and plan on starting it within the next couple of weeks. Gotta get a decent pair of running shoes first.   It should be interesting since I haven't really run since high school football and still equate running with some sort of punishment. 

Great plan man!   The most important part is to just get out there and get moving.  You can do it bro.  Hell at the rate you're going you could probably run it next week.  :)

I put my girlfriend on a similar plan and she's stuck to it for a month or so now preparing for a 5K at the beginning of May.  

 

The key is to sign up for a race.  That is the most important thing that you can do if you want to run one.  Look on coolrunning.com or if you know of a local race, sign up!  That will get you out and training.  I decided that I was going to run the Disney marathon.  Once I was signed up, that was it.  I had to train for it.  Find a local race and sign up. If you have never run before, there is no law that says you have to run.  There are many walkers at the races I attend.  There are also many people who follow the Galloway method which combines walking and running.  For a beginner, you may walk a minute and run a minute.  Alternate that for 20 minutes and you just had a good workout.  Increase the running over time.  I still take walk breaks.  The longer the race, the more I am apt to take the walk breaks early and often.  For a marathon, I may take a minute break every 5 minutes or so.  It's not cheating.  It's letting you go farther than you normally would and it's letting you recover more quickly.  There are many ways to get out and get it done.   FIND A RACE AND SIGN UP!

Hi Guys, I'm actually starting Week 9 of this program tomorrow, so it definitely can be done........following others' advice, I signed up for my first 5K right about when I started the program (back in early January) and with that coming up on 3/16, I feel very confident, as I'm already running 5K each time I work out. Get out and get moving! All the best, Bill