There’s no time for coffee with Tony Horton, just lots of sweating and thinking about dying.
I haven’t been updating here, but that’s mostly because I have been on vacation in Seattle visiting friends/family for the past week and haven’t had a lot of Internet time. I am happy and proud to say that I didn’t miss a single day of C25K training even while I was on vacation. Although, the prospect of doing runs in some of Seattle’s more scenic locations was definitely a big motivator. I got all the way through week 3 while there, and then did week 4 day 1 this morning before we left for the airport.
As usual, I was terrified that I would not be able to get through this week’s more demanding schedule, but I got through it and actually felt pretty good at the end. Granted, I was running no faster than my regular brisk walking pace (about 4 mph from what I estimate) but still, running is running.
I made my own playlist this week, because the intervals are finally long enough that I actually have songs that fit the length. I found that this was really effective - i.e., when “Penny Lane” came on for one of my 3-minute intervals, I thought, “Hey, this won’t be hard. I can run for as long as “Penny Lane” lasts!”
I think I am definitely going to sign up for a local 5K in mid-September. If I can get to week 4, I can get to the end. I think.
Week 1, day 3
Bah. Technical difficulties kept me from doing more than a third of my run today. Going to try again tomorrow.
OK last night I should have done week 2 day 2, but I gave it up halfway through. runner pat, I went to a shoe store to get my feet and form evaluated, and they told me in .3 seconds flat I overpronate and need motion control shoes, which I now have. But it feels so strange, it feels wrong, and my legs are burning in new places. Is this normal? I remember when I started wearing heels more often at work, and I walked 2 blocks there and back every day, my legs got sore in strange places too because I wasn’t used to carrying my weight that way.
How long till I get used to them?
Hm. I am interested to hear runner pat’s (or anyone else who knows) answer to that one, because I did notice that when I got my new shoes, which are “neutral,” I did wind up with a small blister in a new place - I think it’s because my old shoes were actually causing me to --whatever the opposite of overpronate is; my shoes were all worn down the outside edge – so fixing that meant that my foot was hitting the ground differently than before, hence, new blister.
I do love the new shoes, though. The blister cleared up pretty quickly and now it’s all good.
RedRosesForMe, I can’t say for sure how long it will take, it’s pretty individual. Your muscles are accustomed to the old shoes, you just need time to how the new shoes are controlling your feet.
Was this a running shoe store or just an athletic shoe store?
It makes a difference.
Did they watch you run on a treadmill or outside on the walk?
Unless you overpronate very badly, it’s sounds like too fast a diagnosis.
MsWhatsit, I’m guessing your old shoes were motion control and preventing you from pronating at all(supinating). All your weight was staying on the outside of your shoe rather than rolling in.
A certain amount of pronation is normal, it’s how the leg/foot absorb shock. It just needs to be kept within the proper range otherwise problems develop.
This was just an athletic shoe store. I’m guessing that there’s something wrong with my feet, my ankles feel very wobbly even just walking around.
I’m looking at the soles of all of my shoes, but unfortunately I have a shoe obsession so I never wear one pair all that often, and very few are worn at all so I can’t really gauge it from that. I have a nearly new pair of regular New Balances, so if these shoes aren’t right I can always switch back.
Uh-oh. I only found 2 pairs that had any real wear at all, and it appears to be on the outside of the heel. Now what the heck do I do?
An athletic shoe store won’t always have someone on staff who can do gait analysis, you need a running shoe store staffed by runners.
RRCA Look here to find a local running club, they can tell you where they get their shoes. If you get lucky someone in the club might be able to watch you run and help out.
Thanks for all the help on this, runner pat. I bow to your experience. I googled my New Balances, they’re neutral shoes.
I’ve been looking into all the info you’ve posted, based on the wet foot test and the wear on my shoes I have normal arches and might be an underpronator. I think I’m going back to the New Balances for now, until I can afford a new pair of shoes. :smack:
And I emailed a local running club, hopefully they can tell me where to go.
Glad I could help.
We picked up our race packets yesterday for Saturday’s 5K! My husband and I are both running it. He’s way faster than I am – he’s recently gotten into triathlons.
I’m excited and a bit nervous. It’s supposed to be hot and humid, but as the race starts at 8AM I’m hoping it won’t be too bad. I’m still technically in Week 8 and am not quite up to running 3 miles yet, but I’m going to run what I can (at least 2 miles) and see how I feel.
And I’m planning on having an awesome breakfast when we’re finished.
Finished week 2 today and I’m feeling pretty darn good about it. I’m looking forward to doing week 3 at the beach, where it is flat as a pancake.
Check when the tide will be out, if you can work your schedule around that, the firm packed sand is easier to run on.
However, the loose sand gives a brutal workout if you’re in the mood. 
How’s everybody doing?
I just finished week 4 this morning! Woo-hoo! I had a bit of weather shock coming back from our vacation to Seattle last week. The Pacific Northwest was cool and cloudy. Here in Ohio, it is neither. After a truly brutal run in 90-degree heat at 4 pm on Friday, I wised up and went out at 7:30 am today, which was much, much better.
I find it hard to believe that next week at this time I’ll have just completed a 20-minute run, but I’ve stuck with the program and so far it hasn’t let me down, so I’m optimistic.
Oh, and as a side note, last night I went to the movies with my sister and afterward we had to climb about 4 flights of stairs to get to the level our car was parked at. The last time I saw a movie there, about two months ago, I was completely out of breath and my legs were burning at the top of the stairs. Last night, it was no big deal. My heart rate increased slightly, but I wasn’t out of breath and I didn’t even feel it in my legs. This is very encouraging to me.
I finished my first 5K on Saturday! The weather was beautiful, although a bit warm. My time – according to my watch (I don’t have the official chip time yet) – was 40 min 10 sec. Yeah, I walked a few minutes; mainly because I wanted to take it a little easy in the heat and on an unfamiliar course, but I crossed the finish line running strong. My husband (who ran it in under 28 minutes – after taking a 2 mile run before the race started) doused me with water right before the finish and helped cheer me on.
It was a fantastic experience. I achieved way more than I ever thought I could (even with the walking), and have come such a long way in two months. We’re signed up for another run in mid-July, and I’ve got designs on training for a 10K in the future. Crazy.
I also had a follow-up visit with my doctor last week and in three months, I’ve lost 23 pounds and my blood pressure’s gone from 140/100 to 110/68 (pulse: 53). That’s due in large, large part to Couch to 5K and changing my diet.
Congratulations!!! I hope to post a success story like yours in the coming months.
You guys have been very encouraging, thanks for this thread. Starting week 3 tomorrow, hoping to keep going strong.
I feel like I’m stuck right now. I’ve done week 2 twice now and it seems to be getting harder. I am improving, I can go a wee bit faster and go further each 25 minute jog/walk. But 90 seconds is my wall. I’ve been cramping up more and it’s made it hard to progress past that. I’m going to give week 3 day 1 a shot tonight and hopefully it will go well.
Good luck, fizzes. Just don’t push yourself too hard, I’m sure you’ll do fine.
I’m considering repeating week 2 also, but not because I don’t think I can run, but because I’m afraid of aggravating my old runner’s knee. I haven’t felt any pain, just some familiar stiffness and I’m paranoid.
Perhaps runner pat will be along with more words of wisdom. Really, I feel like we should be paying him for his services.
Just finished Week 1, Run 1 My plan is to do Mon/Wed/Fri in the morning. I won’t make the mistake of going later in the morning like I did today - it is just too hot and humid outside. Like MsWhatsit, I’m in C-bus and we are getting blanketed in Central Ohio summer humidity. Other than the heat, it felt pretty good.
Using www.mapmyrun.com, I mapped out my route in my neighborhood this morning and I see I covered 2 miles. Woo!
MeanJoe
MeanJoe