How to do the Couch to 5k running plan
How I did it: i started out slow, not able to run the entire intervals in week 1, so i repeated week 1. The first five weeks of the program i ran faithfully, and improved a lot, then repeated part of week 5 because i had trouble running that long. In week 6 i bought new shoes, and they gave me blisters, then i got sick, and had finals, so the program fell by the wayside. For 10 weeks i had winter break, worked full time, and got sick again.
When the spring semester started again, i repeated week 5, but it actually took me two weeks to get in all 3 runs. In February it took me two weeks to run week 6, and i started week 7 at the end of the month. At this point, i was feeling discouraged because i had school and work and was stressed. i didn't feel like i had the time to relax, let alone work out. i finished week 7 in the first week of March, but didn't even start week 8 until March 24.
At the beginning of April i decided it was time to stop procrastinating and focus on taking care of myself. i finished week 8, then started training to compete in a triathlon in June. Over the past 3 weeks i have worked out 4-5 times a week, running on the days my new training program called for it, but following week 9 of the Couch to 5k program, except for one day when i was too exhausted to run that far, and ran short intervals instead. At the same time i am going to school full time, working part time, and getting ready for finals. Has it been challenging? Yes, but right now i feel like i can face anything.
Lessons & tips: i'm not focusing on my running anymore, i'm focusing on becoming a
triathlete and taking care of my body. i could not have become a
runner without this program, but i have always listened to my body.
There were times where i would get a cramp in the middle of my run, or a stitch in my
side; i would walk it out, or sometimes press on, but i discovered
that my body is capable of doing more than i realized. Every time that
i felt like i couldn't make it, i did.
Today i ran and walked 2.9 miles. The day before yesterday i biked 10
miles, and the day before that i swam over 300m without getting tired
out. Next Saturday i hope to run my first 5k at a local Girls on the
Run event.
Resources: DJ Beatsmith's Podrunner Intervals podcasts
lots of water
a healthy diet with few processed foods
giving up Coca-Cola and high fructose corn syrup (for the most part)
prayer
