MsWhatsit, you’re making tremendous progress.
Just for general information for everyone about stress on the body, bone and tendon adaptation in the program.
100 lb runner running 2.75 miles landing with twice their bodyweight per step(varies from 2-3 times for typical runners.) with appx. 4 ft stride.
100 lbs X 1320 steps X 2(bodyweight) X 2.75 miles / 2000lbs = 363 tons of impact forces.
Just to expand on what runner pat mentioned (for those who may end up going beyond this C25K program):
Any time you follow a running program (at least that I have seen), you have some workouts which are referred to as long slow distance (LSD). One of the primary purposes of these runs is to build up tendons and ligaments. Connective tissue receives significantly less blood flow than does muscle, so the damage-repair cycle for it is longer. Not only do the LSD runs strengthen connective tissue by taking advantage of the stress-rebuild mechanism of the human body - they also encourage additional capillaries to be built, which increases blood supply, which means faster recovery next time.
So in other words - you almost can’t go too slow on those LSD runs because you are interested more in pounding pavement for a longer period of time than working on speed. Speed work sessions are another animal all together, and they suck.
Oh, and one other thing. I personally give props, kudos and three cheers to runner pat for his participation in this thread. It is great to see a knowledgable person give their time and energy to helping out those participating in this program, because with running, there are lot of places that an unguided newbie can go wrong and injure (potentially permanently) themselves.
Thanks silk1976, I rather enjoy this. I loved running and helping others get through the starting phase and filtering the inaccurate info out there lets me give something back.
Did W5D2 yesterday, and it was fine. The 20 minute run is coming up on Thursday, but I’m not too worried. I guess we’ll see, though. 
I’ve got that coming up tonight.
My shins are getting better - but they still ache. It’s now primarily my left one. I’m stretching it regularly which helps a lot.
I am cheering you Week 5’ers on! Week 5 Day 3 is a huge turning point in this program, IMO. After I finished that run, I felt like I could climb Mt. Everest.
(Note, I have no plans to climb Mt. Everest at this time.)
Completed W5D1 this morning. Other than the general suckyness of getting up at 5:30 A.M. to do it (because I thought I had something going on after work, and so couldn’t do it then), it wasn’t bad. Of course, now that something’s been canceled, so I didn’t have to get up at o’dark thirty after all.
Last week I had my longest run to date. Around 5 minutes or so. Then I went on a trip and took a break. Got back at it today. I didn’t run for as long at one time, but I did run longer periods more consistently. When I do my runs outside I don’t really keep track of how long, I just go until I can’t go any longer. My legs are getting stronger and it seems like the biggest thing holding me back right now are these damn side stitches I keep getting on my right side. I had one for my entire run today. When do these stupid things go away?
You guys are inspiring. I hope I can keep this up and get to the next level. I do know I feel better on the days that I run. It was real nice to get back out there after nearly a week off.
Side stitches are the result of the diaphragm cramping.
Check your breathing, at this point you shouldn’t be running hard enough to be out of breath.
Breathe down into your stomach, breathing by lifting the chest can cause stitches.
If you get a stitch, breathe out against pressure, like blowing up a balloon.
You can always stop and walk (as a last resort. ;))
For the first week (a little less) I had the feeling that the stretching exercises were actually making things worse. This was the first day when I felt that things were getting better. I hope to be walking again in another week and maybe trying to jog again sometime in August. (I may wait until September, just to catch the cooler weather.)
I’m not running very hard at all, and pretty much any sort of running is going to get me out of breath. I keep trying to remember the ‘in through your nose, out through your mouth’ that I was taught as a kid but usually I just forget about it and it’s all shallow breaths through my mouth. Seems like that might be my problem? I’ll try the breathe out against pressure next time I get a stitch.
There’s the problem. Breathe through your mouth. Even at the proper pace, your breathing should be deep and even, not labored.
The shallow breathing is also a factor.
I haven’t had side stitches since week 2, and boy was I glad to see the back of them. I agree that deep breathing helped a lot; I think I was sort of instinctively breathing against pressure when I had a side stitch, and it usually went away in a couple of minutes or less.
Hey, runner pat, do you have any tips on proper post-run stretching routine? Because I’ve found like a skrillion suggestions online and it’s kind of hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.
A few stretching basics.
1.Stretch when the muscles are warm. Right now after a run is fine but if you progress to higher mileage you might find your tendons and muscles mildly irritated.
If that becomes the case, jog for a few minutes, then stretch.
Stretch only to the point of feeling the tension in the muscles, after about 10-15 sec. you should feel the muscle relax and you can extend the stretch a bit further. it is possible to go too far and pull a muscle. DO NOT GO SO FAR IT HURTS.
30-45 sec. is all you need to hold a stretch.
No bouncing, this triggers a reflex that shortens the muscle plus you can go too far before you can stop yourself. (see #2)
Cool Running has an excellent routine except #6, (too much risk for falling backward), do a hurdler’s stretch.
Fizzes, for the breathing, you might try breathing in for a certain number of footstrokes. The exact number is hard to say, but you might start with somewhere between 2 and 5. This might help ensure you are breathing deeply enough, and can also make it second nature.
Got my behind out of bed at 5:30 this morning to do 3 miles. My route takes me down some pretty busy streets, and I didn’t want to be fighting my way through pedestrian traffic this evening. Plus, it’s supposed to be a little hotter today, so I wanted to take advantage of the cool morning.
I slowed down a bit – my first mile was 13:55 – but ended up with 39:50 with which I’m happy. I didn’t stop (except to obey traffic signals and avoid being squished by cars), and after a stretch, shower and breakfast I’m feeling energized and clear-headed. While getting out of bed to run kind of sucks, it’s great to have it done and out of the way so I can take it easy tonight.
Week 2, Day 1 completed yesterday. The first two bits of running were a little difficult, but then I got into the flow. I’m doing great, not nearly as sore the day afterward as I have been.
I get hungry, though. Not like I’m eating more, just if I ignore being hungry like I used to, all of a sudden I’m like OMGravenous, I’m-about-to-gnaw-on-a-bit-of-my-purse hungry. I’m having to remember that and not just be casual as I was before.
Hey everyone, glad to see that you’re all progressing. I did the program in the last thread. Now I try to run every other day while I’m traveling for work, which is pretty much a constant for me. It’s so easy to eat unhealthy foods or quantities and eschew exercise when you’re on the road. Now it has become a habit to run every other day and I feel like I’ve missed something when I don’t.
One cool outcome of all of this is that now after my runs I feel just fine. I am back to feeling totally normal within an hour or so of the end of my run, and don’t ache or just have to lie around for the next two days. I’ve also focused on my food intake lately, not necessarily changing too much of what I eat, but just the amounts, and now seem to be starting to shed a bit of weight. Which in turn makes the running easier - crashing down with 190 lbs is easier than crashing down on the pavement with 200 lbs (or 2x that, as Pat pointed out upstream).
Just want to encourage you all to be patient and stick with it and you’ll be amazed at your progress after some time. Even if you don’t make it in the initial 10 weeks, just try to stick with it. And if you’re finished, then try to get into a routine of exercise on a regular basis.
Good luck!
W5D2 complete.
Friday is the 20 min run.
I’m nervous, but excited to test myself.
W5D3 - the big 20 minute run…
It’s also my birthday. I’ve said to myself that my present will be accomplishing this run…