Do the Couch to 5k running plan

Finished the second run of week one just a little while ago. I have gotten started on week One about five times this year, then things come up and I have to start again. I feel really good after running, I really need to stick with this!

Week One is getting pretty easy. Hopefully next week I will actually move on to Week Two! Today I took my dog along, she made a surprisingly decnet jogging partner, and she even had the extreme consideration to take care of “business” during one of the 90-second walks. What more can I ask for?

This goal has been on my list for two years…..yikes!

Just got back from the first jog/walk for Week 1, Day 1. It wasn’t nearly as hard as when I tried it in 2007. I am going to attribute this to the fact that there is 22 pounds less of me to haul around now ! (:P).

Also this time I am going to make a concerted effort to do all the runs in the same place, unless I get bored with it.

Today, I walked and jogged for a total of 2 miles in 34:30. I like this particular path because it is exactly two miles around a lovely lake and the 1/4 mile increments are marked as well.

Feel pretty good right now, hope I feel good tomorrow too!

Edit: Hah! I just checked the regimen and realized that I screwed up day 1….I was alternating 90 second jogs with 60 second walks and it should have been the other way around…..lol….maybe I can actually do this this time!

in starting this again. Yesterday my DH and I went on an uphill hike near our house that was about 3 miles total.

what a testament to how out of shape I am, this three miles totally whipped me. (But there was a fair amount of elevation gain!). as soon as my legs stop hurting, going to work on the C25K.

I just finished the final workout for week 4. Since it was raining I did it at the Rec Center on the Treadmill.

Wow! The 5 minute jogs DID get easier! I am so amazed at the progress I have made and although some of the workouts are hard, they are not impossible!

We leave tomorrow for our trip to New York City, and I honestly don’t know if I’ll get in any “jogging”. “Exercise” on the other hand is guaranteed, since we are not going to rent a car and will be walking miles and miles each day. I am taking my running shoes and stuff, and if I can sneak in a half mile jog or two, that will certianly help me stay with the program!

Today was the same run as W4 D1. Thankfully, it was a little easier.

Those 5 minute jogs are still pretty tough for me. I’m looking forward to a few weeks from now when I’ll be thinking to myself “I remember when i couldn’t run for 5 minutes”. At least that’s what I’m hoping!

Before lunch today I completed the run for W4 D1. All I’ve got to say about that was that it was the hardest day for me up to this point. It had two segments of 5 minute jogging, and for each of these segments I was feeling like a whipped puppy for the last minute. I was having quite a mental battle with myself to keep running, and I am proud to say that I did finish the five minute segments. And now ( three hours later) I feel great.

I am sure that the second day of this will be much easier. I’m planning to run the exact same route, which is a 1-mile route around a lake by the house. That way I can see if my pace is the same on the 3 minute and 5 minute jogs.

I do love the way the Couch to 5k program is set up. Four weeks ago I truly was having a tough time with the 60 second jogging segments, and today even the 3 minute jogs seemed pretty easy. So I can see the progress, which is motivating me to keep plugging away.

Another plus was running this outside and getting to enjoy the lovely weather. There are so many flowering shrubs planted along the lake, the everything smelled divine.

I’m so glad I’m trying to finish this goal!

This afternoon I finished Week 3. The day started out rainy, and although the rain had stopped by this afternoon it was still pretty chilly, so I went to the rec center to use the treadmill. Using the treadmill does have the advantage of seeing exactly how far you have gone. I did one of the 3 minute jogging segments at a pace of 4.2 miles per hour, which is a little more than 14 minutes for a mile.

I still have a long way to go with this goal lol.

This morning I complete W3 D2: two sets of jog 90 seconds, walk, then jog 3 minutes. I felt that I could have kept jogging quite a while longer.

The weather was sunny and in the low 50s, it was just about perfect!

Yesterday I completed W3 D1 which was pretty simple. It was two sets of 90 minute jog, walk, and then a 3 minute jog, walk.

Somehow I read the weekly plan wrong and thought I had to do several 3 minute jogs. It turned out that doing only 1 3 minute jog felt pretty good.

ANOTHER snow storm is blowing in here. Yesterday the winds were horrible, so we went to the Rec Center to do the running. I much prefer running outside. The good part about going to th Rec Center though is that my husband came with me and it was great to have some company. He says that jogging outside ( where we go is paved with asphalt) is too hard on his knees. He says that the tread mill is more comfortable for him.

Massive spring snows are predicted for the next 4 or 5 days, so it looks like we’ll be doing most of Week 3 indoors.

I just wasn’t feeling all that great today. But the weather was beautiful, so I decided to repeat W2 D3. I think the main problem was that I have been sitting on my butt for 3 days while the ground was covered in snow.

So, I’m glad I got out and did something, but I think I need to really try to be disciplined and work on this program every other day. W3 D1 is scheduled for Wednesday. I need to make that happen.