Couch to 5K Program question (Read 1056 times)

So I'm just competing week 5 of the program - jogging 20 minutes without walking. My dilemma is this - I'm only reaching about 1.6 miles within 20 minutes (mostly due to side stitch issues which I'm working on). Do you think I should move on to week 6 or wait until I can actually do 2 miles in 20 minutes? Kimmer

Yeah, I have the same time-crunch situation. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't moving too fast in the program. I don't think I'm really built to be a speed-runner. At least not yet...so I do run for time, but I was just noticing that I wasn't reaching the '2 mile' mark that the program mentioned and was just curious if that was a bad thing. Kimmer

I agree with Kirsten, that the plan make certain assumptions that aren't valid for all runners. As you have already suggested, you can decouple time and distance and just run for either of them. The goal of the plan is to build up your endurance gradually so you don't get hurt because you got over zealous. Use it only as a guide. You'll have to decide if you should follow the plan by time or distance and stick to it. As you get stronger, your pace will increase. For now, just go out there and enjoy the nice cool weather here in New England. Looks like the sun's finally out today.

I had another thought, btw, regarding this program. I'm actually running 6-times a week instead of 3, just cause I have the availibility. Do you think I'm not giving my body enough time to rest between runs, since I'm just starting out? Maybe I should cut back to 3 for now? Kimmer

Assuming that you started your running life 5 weeks ago (because you just completed week 5 of the program), then YES! You should not be running that often. It takes a while for your body to adjust to the pounding. It takes a while to build stronger bones and to grow stronger muscles to support the motions involved in running. I'm inclined to say you should cut back to 3-4 times a week, but it really depends on how you feel the next day. If you feel refreshed, then you can run more days per week. However, if you feel tired or have no energy, then you might be over training. If you're not sure, then it's better to be safe and cut back. Another good rule of thumb is to cut back every 2 or 3 weeks in your weekly mileage so your body can recover.

Kimmer - Unless you're on a strict time-table for a specific race, don't worry about repeating a week here or there in the couch-to-5K programs. They're supposed to get you out the other end able to run a half hour without hurting yourself and still have you enjoying running. That's it! If you feel you would benefit from repeating a week, do so. But don't fret that you're not running "fast enough" just because you can "only" run 1.6 miles in 20 minutes. Girl, you're doing better than I am if you're going that pace. A thought for you - side stiches are often a phase people go through, but you might be able to get rid of yours by slowing down your running a notch or two. Makes things a lot more enjoyable... Enjoy! Janell

Ha...I keep waiting for this to happen, LOL! My pace seems almost etched in stone, but at least I can now run 8+ miles at my pace--that increase in endurance is something! But I am sure that I could now run a 5k race a bit faster than my first 5k race back in late June. k

But it did happen for you! You just said you could run a 5k a bit faster than before. Increasing endurance will definitely help you improve your speed for shorter distances. You can't expect to run 8 miles with a faster pace if that's the longest you've ran.

I have been trying to run 6 days each week, but weather as cut that to about 4 or 5. Fact is I don't think I have yet actually run 6 days. I bought a simple heart monitor and use that to set my pace. Took some getting used to having a strap around my chest but I ignore it now and would not run without it! When is your 5K race? right now I am running about half that distance (walking when the HRM says my HR is of 75% my msx) and not doing to bad for time, being an fat old man in all. And when I run the 5K I digned up for (Sept 23) I'll finish, I am sure, although I may be walking across the finishline. BTW I happen to live in #20's home town.