Emi inspired running/workout

[Caden Tiksaril]

While I can't answer your question about comparing one's own plan to the official one, I can relate to using something different. The first time I tried the couch-to-5K challenge, I organized my runs by distance rather than time spent jogging vs. walking. The way I improved was to increase my maximum distance by half a kilometer each week, which would leave me at 5K by the end of week 8 and allow me to do 5K on all three days of week 9, similar to how the official schedule ends up. I guess I can also ask those who've done the challenge the official way how they would judge my method.

These warmer days are still not coming as often as I'd like, but there are apparently a few more of them than I expected. Today, I was feeling good after the first mile, so I went another 400 meters to round out at 2K. And if luck is on my side I might get another chance to run on Friday.

[Bubbleman]

I knew deep down in my heart that it was a silly idea to start of as hard as I did.
Shin splints... yay
Sucks really hard that i have to cut down on my training until my leg have gotten better, but I have learned my lesson to not go all out from the start.

[Parliament]

@Bubbleman Sorry to hear that mate =( shin splints are pretty damn painful, they're the main reason I got a stationary bike instead of running. Hope you feel better soon so you can get back into action! =D

[SemisoftCheese]

I knew deep down in my heart that it was a silly idea to start of as hard as I did.
Shin splints... yay
Sucks really hard that i have to cut down on my training until my leg have gotten better, but I have learned my lesson to not go all out from the start.

Hi Bubbleman,

You can fix your shin splits in a few ways.

Since you have them already, ice is a good idea. Wrap a towel around your leg and then place a frozen item (peas, steak, ice, whatever) for 10 minutes. Off for two minutes or until it feels relatively ok again. Rinse and repeat. Do this after you work out, not before. Before will just rip your muscles in half.

Also, if you've got the cash, a trip to a running store is a good idea. Not only are the shoes cheaper than stores like Sports Authority, they can measure your gait on a treadmill and pair you with the correct pair of shoes, which will cushion and ease your gait in the right way. Running in a pair shoes you just picked for their colors/price is no disaster, but if you're paying the same price, you might as well buy the right pair.

Believe it or not, shin splits have just as much to do with your calf muscles as they have to do with the impact of your legs itself. There are many ways to stretch your calf (the wall method is really popular), but the best way for shin splints is as follows:

1. Get into a pushup position on the floor-arms out, stomach flat, legs straight. Your body should be a plank.
2. Without moving your arms or your body, as well as keeping your legs straight, raise your right leg high into the air.
3. Cross it over your left leg, while keeping both legs straight, and let the front "bridge" of your right ankle rest on the tendon of your left ankle.
4. If you have done everything correctly, you are now in a pushup position with both hands on the ground, and one foot resting on the ground, with the other food resting on top of it.
5. Now slowly attempt to press the heel of your left foot to the floor, using your left toes as a pivot point. You should feel it straight in the calf.

The reason why this is better is because it places your weight on your core and hands while you stretch, instead of on the very bones you're trying to help (your shins). The other method is better than nothing, but this is a better way to fix your body.

If you don't get this (it's hard to describe by text), I'll try and make a picture guide or something.

Also, as you've been doing, rest. Rest and stretch, and then give it a try again. If the pain becomes bad, ibuprofen.

[Gandara]

I've been lazy with my exercise for the past few weeks (incredibly busy otherwise, but that's a lame excuse), but I'm getting back to it tonight after class.

Also, I got on the scale for the first time in several weeks and it's good news - I'm down another 6 lbs.! I haven't been perfect with my eating but I've been doing my best in MOST areas; my daily caloric intake is relatively low and I've been drinking a lot more water. According to science, I'm supposed to drink 1/2 my body's weight in ounces of water per day? That's 172 oz... or about 1 1/3 gallons of water. That's a LOT. I don't know that I'm hitting that mark every day but I'm getting close - I carry around a water bottle that holds 33.8 oz. and I go through at LEAST four of 'em a day.

Gonna keep on truckin'...

[Walrusfella]

SemisoftCheese, that's good advice regarding the shin splints. They've cramped my style since I began running. I started doing stretch you described - tried it before my most recent run. I had a bit of trouble picturing it, but eventually figured it out. Much better than against the wall.

I've been lazy with my exercise for the past few weeks (incredibly busy otherwise, but that's a lame excuse), but I'm getting back to it tonight after class.

Also, I got on the scale for the first time in several weeks and it's good news - I'm down another 6 lbs.! I haven't been perfect with my eating but I've been doing my best in MOST areas; my daily caloric intake is relatively low and I've been drinking a lot more water. According to science, I'm supposed to drink 1/2 my body's weight in ounces of water per day? That's 172 oz... or about 1 1/3 gallons of water. That's a LOT. I don't know that I'm hitting that mark every day but I'm getting close - I carry around a water bottle that holds 33.8 oz. and I go through at LEAST four of 'em a day.

Gonna keep on truckin'...

Woo! More weight loss. Good going mostly sticking to the diet - I've had some moments of weakness too. You certainly keep on truckin'.

Speaking of weight, I weighed myself yesterday only to discover I had gained back five pounds. That just will not do. I think it's probably due to reducing the number of km I run per week recently in order to free up some time for weight lifting and not aggravate my injuries too much. I guess I have to reduce calories and what-have-you to compensate. I'm not so optimistic as to believe more than a little bit of that that is muscle gain.

[HurricaneHarvey]

Speaking of weight, I weighed myself yesterday only to discover I had gained back five pounds. That just will not do. I think it's probably due to reducing the number of km I run per week recently in order to free up some time for weight lifting and not aggravate my injuries too much. I guess I have to reduce calories and what-have-you to compensate. I'm not so optimistic as to believe more than a little bit of that that is muscle gain.

You would be surprised just how much weight gain will come from muscle gain. I would start looking at bod fat percentage instead of actual weight if you are doing much regular lifting because your weight will start to lie.

[Sleeve]

Speaking of weight, I weighed myself yesterday only to discover I had gained back five pounds. That just will not do. I think it's probably due to reducing the number of km I run per week recently in order to free up some time for weight lifting and not aggravate my injuries too much. I guess I have to reduce calories and what-have-you to compensate. I'm not so optimistic as to believe more than a little bit of that that is muscle gain.

You would be surprised just how much weight gain will come from muscle gain. I would start looking at bod fat percentage instead of actual weight if you are doing much regular lifting because your weight will start to lie.

An even more important factor is water balance, people's weight can fluctuate by around 10 pounds everyday due to water loss/gain alone. More if you have an especially salty meal.
Definitely agree that body fat is the way to go. In my case I just look in the mirror .

Haven't done an update in a while, things are generally great!
I've finished couch to 5k, been doing 30 minutes for a couple of weeks. I will be starting bridge to 10k tomorrow.

Sign ups for my college's 4.5k charity run open tomorrow; I've already have several people agree to sponsor me.
4.5k is not a challenge for me any more so i'm going to see how fast I can do it. I was discussing it with my hair dresser recently, he says he'll give me a free haircut if I do it in under 20 minutes .


I am starting to enjoy strength training more, with the help of a generous dose of jazz.
Still can't do a proper pull up yet, which is pathetic considering how light I am.
I do swear I look better at least, although this is probably due to improved posture and confidence rather than muscle growth.

[Walrusfella]

An even more important factor is water balance, people's weight can fluctuate by around 10 pounds everyday due to water loss/gain alone. More if you have an especially salty meal. Definitely agree that body fat is the way to go. In my case I just look in the mirror .

You and Harvey are doubtlessly right - hadn't really considered that. I'll look into a scale or something that measures body fat. Glad to hear about your progress, and good luck with your charity race; that free cut's as good as yours.

[Sleeve]

You and Harvey are doubtlessly right - hadn't really considered that. I'll look into a scale or something that measures body fat. Glad to hear about your progress, and good luck with your charity race; that free cut's as good as yours.

A skin fold caliper is definitely a good option for body fat measurement. It's accurate and cheap, I got one for £4 on amazon.
For info on how to use it I recommend this article: http://scoobysworkshop.com/how-to-weigh ... ccurately/

Signed up for the run yesterday. Forced my friends into sponsorship which resulted in over £10 already .

[SemisoftCheese]

Signed up for the run yesterday. Forced my friends into sponsorship which resulted in over £10 already .

Hey sleeve,

not sure if i'm a little late here about your race, but I thought i might be able to offer some tips on "race" runs. I run for my school's team in the 5k at around 19:30, so I'm pretty familiar with the distance and time you're trying to clock. i have to warn you, the mile split you're aiming for (by my guesstimation) is around 6:55, which is actually a pretty fast clip. anything below 7 is normally the mark of an accomplished runner, so be prepared to work hard for this race.

if you're gunning for a time, races turn into a completely different beast:

pacing: the 5k (or in your case, 4.5k) is a "sprint distance," it's really a short distance in the entire scheme of cross-country. unlike a longer race, such as a 10 or 15k, you don't really need to worry about burning yourself out in the first-half, because you're done before you know it. this means it's normally better to "go like hell" in your first 4.5k, instead of conserving yourself for the later parts of the race.

this is different from the advice i'd give you if this was your very first race, but since you're apparently comfortable with the distance, i'm assuming you can push yourself without injury.

pain: prepare to hurt. if you're aiming for a time, you should be asking yourself by the first 400 meters "what the hell have I done? I want to quit." the 5k distance is so short that you should never be comfortable. as miserable as it sounds, you've really got to exceed your comfort zone at this type of distance. at worst, you're doing a "fast float," where you're moving at 120% of your training pace. ideally, you want to be at 150% the entire time. really, really, let yourself go. everything you have, wreck it on the course.

mental: the 5k, above all, is a mental race. it's so short that you will be shocked when you see the line. the best thing for a 5k is to just go. really. go. let your legs fly on the downhills and sprint up the hills. every time you see a runner, treat it as a personal challenge. pass them. every time you're tired, ask yourself if you can go for another 15 minutes. that's all you need. that's it. you can. never, ever, slow down in a 5k. it's too short to allow any slacking.

training: hopefully, you have a bit of time to get some speedwork in before the race. the 5k places less emphasis on conditioning as opposed to raw speed; because you only need to run a short distance. the best thing to do is timed mile splits on a track (four times around). it should take you no more than 6:30 to complete one full set, and you should be able to complete four with rest in between. the mental process you're going through as you run on the track will be identical to that of the race--keep your time, goal, and motivation in mind.

preparation: besides good training, the 5k is like any other race in prep: pasta the night before, hydration 24 hours before hand, banana 2 hours beforehand, solid meal 4 hours before hand. avoid sugared drinks; if you're feeling tired before the race mix a ratio of 1:3 gatorade to water, and drink that.

above all; the 5k is yours. it's a distance accessible to everyone. elongate your stride, roll your downhills, and push through your uphills, and the haircut's as good as yours dude.

best,

semisoftcheese

[Selim Bradley]

I just want to say I respect all you guys and girls who are able to, or even trying to, do this.

[Xanatos]

Somebody brought Girl Scout cookies into the house. Still going on the workout but the accompanying diet is fucked for a week or so now.

[box]

Tried this. Couldn't get headphones to stay on while running. Got pissed, had to shove large headphones into small pocket.

[Xanatos]

large headphones

Why are you using headphones anyway?