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C25K - newbie question (Read 1378 times)

keepgoing


    Hi, I just finished w8d1 of the C25K program and I'm thrilled to be able to run 2.75 miles without having to stop. I've been lurking a while and have taken the advice to go slow. I learned my lesson a few weeks back when I was out of breath and could barely finish an 8 minute run. Once I slowed down I was fine. I've noticed a few posts that say eventually speed will come. I'm wondering when. How do you know when your body is ready to increase the pace? Does it just happen and you don't even realize you're getting faster? I am running so slow right now (15 minute mile) and can't see myself getting any faster without loosing my breath and not being able to finish. I am really enjoying the run but feel like a fool when I see my shadow and how slow I'm moving or when other runners pass me by like I'm standing still. I am running for the excersize and fun of it. My goals for now are to evenutally be able to run 5 miles 3 times a week and to run a few 5K races. Claire
      Hey Claire, Great job on finishing week 8, day 1 of C25K Smile
      Does it just happen and you don't even realize you're getting faster?
      That's what happened with me .... the more I ran/ run, the faster I got/ get. If you enjoy running, don't ever feel like a fool! Keep up the running and you will improve, in both speed and distance!
      2009: BQ?
      keepgoing


        I am running for the excersize and fun of it. My goals for now are to evenutally be able to run 5 miles 3 times a week and to run a few 3K races. Blushoops! meant to say a "few 5K races" - I am so new to this! Claire
          I am running for the excersize and fun of it. My goals for now are to evenutally be able to run 5 miles 3 times a week and to run a few 3K races. Blushoops! meant to say a "few 5K races" - I am so new to this! Claire
          I knew what you meant Wink You can also click "modify" and change the original post
          2009: BQ?
          Teresadfp


          One day at a time

            Hi, I just finished w8d1 of the C25K program and I'm thrilled to be able to run 2.75 miles without having to stop. I've been lurking a while and have taken the advice to go slow. I learned my lesson a few weeks back when I was out of breath and could barely finish an 8 minute run. Once I slowed down I was fine. I've noticed a few posts that say eventually speed will come. I'm wondering when. How do you know when your body is ready to increase the pace? Does it just happen and you don't even realize you're getting faster? I am running so slow right now (15 minute mile) and can't see myself getting any faster without loosing my breath and not being able to finish. I am really enjoying the run but feel like a fool when I see my shadow and how slow I'm moving or when other runners pass me by like I'm standing still. I am running for the excersize and fun of it. My goals for now are to evenutally be able to run 5 miles 3 times a week and to run a few 3K races. Claire
            Claire, I know more experienced runners can give you more technical info, but I can tell you how it's been for me. I started the C25K program last October with a friend. We could barely make the 90 second run without stopping! We were so excited to run 8 minutes. We couldn't make the jump to 20 minutes as the plan showed, so we just increased very gradually. I got stuck at around 22 minutes for a month or so before I made it past that plateau. I am still very slow, but I am getting faster. My first 5k took me over 41 minutes, and now I'm down at 34:15. In that last race (my 8th 5k of 2007), I didn't FEEL as if I was running any faster than during the first one! I still feel like I have to go very slowly to finish my "long" run, which is now 4.0 miles and take me about 48-50 minutes (depending on how cold it is!). My running partner is 57, 12 years older than I am, and she is MUCH faster! So I know how you feel about being passed. I'm still towards the very end of most races. At the end of the one 10k race I did this past year, I was next to the police officer bringing up the rear on his motorcycle! Seriously, walkers were passing me. But I ran 5 miles without stopping, and I was on cloud nine. JUST KEEP RUNNING!! This morning I ran 3.5 miles and it felt really wonderful. I could have gone farther, but that's all I was scheduled to do, so I stopped. Saturday I'm supposed to run 5 miles. Good luck, and keep us posted on how you're doing!
              Hi, I just finished w8d1 of the C25K program and I'm thrilled to be able to run 2.75 miles without having to stop. I've been lurking a while and have taken the advice to go slow. I learned my lesson a few weeks back when I was out of breath and could barely finish an 8 minute run. Once I slowed down I was fine. I've noticed a few posts that say eventually speed will come. I'm wondering when. How do you know when your body is ready to increase the pace? Does it just happen and you don't even realize you're getting faster? I am running so slow right now (15 minute mile) and can't see myself getting any faster without loosing my breath and not being able to finish. I am really enjoying the run but feel like a fool when I see my shadow and how slow I'm moving or when other runners pass me by like I'm standing still. I am running for the excersize and fun of it. My goals for now are to evenutally be able to run 5 miles 3 times a week and to run a few 5K races. Claire
              Obviously, you've already gotten a few replies that "speed" will come. I put speed in quotes, because I will never be FAST. I will just be faster than I currently am. I started the C25K program in September. Like you I was running approximately a 15 minute mile. I ran my first 5k on Thanksgiving weekend and came in at 34:40. I was shocked! Smile I didn't TRY to go faster, I just did. I've been running three times a week since then, gradually adding distance onto one run per week. Last weekend I ran five miles. Today I ran 3.1 and ran at a 10:41 mile!! While that is slow for some people, that was FAST for me. I did intentionally try to kick it up a bit. I figured if I could run 5 miles at my "normal" pace, I could run three a little faster. I did. However, I still take it easy, and don't ever push it too far. I do try to push myself a little more than I want to, just because if I didn't, I would ALWAYS run a 12 minute mile. Hope that helps! It IS addictive!!

              http://www.runningnotes.net

              keepgoing


                Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. It helps knowing that if I keep going I can continue to add distance and improve my time eventually. Just wasn't sure how that speed would come. I am addicted to running and hope to continue for many years. I've been sick the past 3 days so I haven't been able to run but I'm hoping to get back out there tomorrow and do week 8 day 2. I am so thrilled I am almost running 3 miles at a time. Thanks for your support! Wink Claire
                  As your conditioning improves you will be able to run faster with the same amount of effort. It's not something that you'll need to consciously change, it'll just happen. That's why it's a good thing to keep a running log. The changes are so gradual that without a log to look back on they will mostly go unnoticed. It is important to keep your runs in the aerobic zone regardless of your pace. If you are running aerobically, it will be difficult but not impossible to carry on an intelligible conversation. This aerobic pace is commonly referred to as a "conversational" pace. Many new runners ask if running ever gets easier and the truth is it does not, you just get faster. Tom
                  keepgoing


                    As your conditioning improves you will be able to run faster with the same amount of effort. It's not something that you'll need to consciously change, it'll just happen. That's why it's a good thing to keep a running log. The changes are so gradual that without a log to look back on they will mostly go unnoticed. It is important to keep your runs in the aerobic zone regardless of your pace. If you are running aerobically, it will be difficult but not impossible to carry on an intelligible conversation. This aerobic pace is commonly referred to as a "conversational" pace. Many new runners ask if running ever gets easier and the truth is it does not, you just get faster. Tom
                    Thanks for the tip on starting the running log, I was going to start one once I finished with the C25K program. As far as the aerobic pace, I can sing a song while running and it is a little difficult but I am running at a 15mm so I'm wondering how do I keep my run in the aerobic zone regardless of pace? This is the first time I've heard about aerobic pace so I'm not quite sure if I'm understanding what it is. Should I be keeping up a conversation the whole time I am running? Confused
                      People think runners are crazy enough as it is. If you run around talking to yourself all the time it'll give us all a bad rap. Wink The conversation thing is just a check to see if your pace is reasonable. Save your air for running not talking. Tom
                      keepgoing


                        People think runners are crazy enough as it is. If you run around talking to yourself all the time it'll give us all a bad rap. Wink The conversation thing is just a check to see if your pace is reasonable. Save your air for running not talking. Tom
                          ... This is the first time I've heard about aerobic pace so I'm not quite sure if I'm understanding what it is. Should I be keeping up a conversation the whole time I am running? Confused
                          People can mean different things when they talk about "aerobic" pace. Some definitions use "aerobic" as anything up to your Anaerobic Threshold (AT), others get more involved with fat/carb metabolisms and the Respiratory Quotient (RQ) [aka Respiratory Exchange Rate (RER)]. One way to handle this pace question is to use a Heart Rate Monitor and establish a heart rate limit for yourself for "aerobic" runs. For years I used a low-end HRM that I got for $40 on sale. Worked fine. Then the problem is to determine what heart rate (HR) to use. There are a number of formulas based on age or Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) or Resting Heart Rate (RHR) or whatever... or some combination... which one could use for an estimate. When I got my HRM, I looked at 5 different formulas and they gave 5 different numbers for a HR which would be good for building an aerobic base. I picked one in the middle and it seemed to work ok. Many folks use the Maffetone "180 formula" which is 180-age adjusted down by 10 if you're taking medication(s) and down by 5 if you've been injured or sick within the last year or so. That one is a simple formula because it doesn't need your MHR. My personal belief is that none of the formulas is perfectly exact. If you don't mind the $ and can find a place to get VO2 tested, that can give you the best information about how to train with the HRM. You will get RQ vs HR across your whole range all the way up to your AT and beyond. There is an easy way to relate RQ to the % of fat burning and carb burning, and the VO2 test will give you that plus various other info. Some (low cost) VO2 tests just give you an Aerobic Threshold (AeT) and an Anaerobic Threshold (AT), but you need to know how they defined the AeT to know what it means. I'm basebuilding now at an HR which gives me an RQ of 0.76, which means 80% Calories from fat and 20% from carbs (glycogen). Any RQ below 0.85 means you're burning more fat than carbs. Other ways to tell if you are doing nice aerobic basebuilding: Your breathing is easy, not yet at the point where it increases markedly; You can run easy just breathing through your nose; After a run you feel like you could do it again, no problem; You feel energetic the rest of the day, not wiped out; etc... It's good if you can sing while running. I can't, but then I can't sing when I'm not running either. I know a coach who used to have his runners sing or recite poetry when running uphill. I made sure I knew a couple poems when I went out with them... Good running, and good luck with the training. Gino
                          keepgoing


                            Gino- Thanks for all the info. I just finished my first 3 miles without stopping. This is the first day of week 9 in the C25K program. I did it in 44 minutes so I guess I went under my 15 minute mile by a few seconds! Big grin When I was running I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye approaching on the other side of the street. It was an older man (Im 41) and he was going the same direction as me but across the street and walking fast but not running. The man past me by and for the life of me I couldn't catch him. I quickly got my mind off of him and focused on my breathing and pace and tried to forget about him but it was kind of depressing. I also got a stitch in my side but worked through it and it went away. I had a few sips of water this morning and I usually don't drink anything before I run so maybe that had something to do with it. Claire
                            Teresadfp


                            One day at a time

                              Gino- Thanks for all the info. I just finished my first 3 miles without stopping. This is the first day of week 9 in the C25K program. I did it in 44 minutes so I guess I went under my 15 minute mile by a few seconds! Big grin When I was running I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye approaching on the other side of the street. It was an older man (Im 41) and he was going the same direction as me but across the street and walking fast but not running. The man past me by and for the life of me I couldn't catch him. I quickly got my mind off of him and focused on my breathing and pace and tried to forget about him but it was kind of depressing. I also got a stitch in my side but worked through it and it went away. I had a few sips of water this morning and I usually don't drink anything before I run so maybe that had something to do with it. Claire
                              Claire, way to go!! I KNOW what a huge accomplishment that is, since I first did it last summer. DO NOT GET DEPRESSED BY FASTER PEOPLE, even if they are walking!!!! I can tell you, that does not help at all. I was LAST during the Resolution Run yesterday (60-70 people) - the only person I could even SEE up ahead of me was my running partner, and she is still sick with a bad cold. All I do is think of all of the millions of people who are not exercising at all. We are so far ahead of them! And for me, my first physical after running for awhile was an eye-opener - excellent blood pressure and cholesterol level. THAT is what matters! I will never, ever be fast, and that's a fact I have to accept. But I think I CAN run farther (I'm aiming for a half marathon in September), and not that many people have even tried that. So hang in there, and try to ignore the people who pass you. Smile Teresa
                              keepgoing


                                Claire, way to go!! I KNOW what a huge accomplishment that is, since I first did it last summer. DO NOT GET DEPRESSED BY FASTER PEOPLE, even if they are walking!!!! I can tell you, that does not help at all. I was LAST during the Resolution Run yesterday (60-70 people) - the only person I could even SEE up ahead of me was my running partner, and she is still sick with a bad cold. All I do is think of all of the millions of people who are not exercising at all. We are so far ahead of them! And for me, my first physical after running for awhile was an eye-opener - excellent blood pressure and cholesterol level. THAT is what matters! I will never, ever be fast, and that's a fact I have to accept. But I think I CAN run farther (I'm aiming for a half marathon in September), and not that many people have even tried that. So hang in there, and try to ignore the people who pass you. Teresa Thanks Teresa! I'm so excited to be almost finished with the C25K - I can't believe how far I've come. I tried really hard to get that walker out of my mind and you are so right that when you think of the millions of people who are not excersizing at all, we certainly are far ahead of them. I think I'm going to concentrate on increasing my miles adding a 1/4 mile each week or so and hopefully get up to that 5 mile mark before summer. Good luck on your training for the half marathon and thanks for the advice! Claire
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