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Just finished week 2 (well, i skipped week1 because i had least a bit of shape left). Anyway, it still hurts, but less then during that first run. I think i might join an athletics club after all. Also, anyone else using runkeeper.com or another website like that?

Had a read of this thread and I saw the "Couch to 5K with Emi" picture, and I decided to start doing it. I've been wanting to get in shape for so long, I started going to Crossfit training last year but I didn't have the money to keep it up, as much as I liked it. I'm pretty overweight, but not enormous; I'm quite tall and have always been bulky but when I hit 18 my metabolism dropped and I've just piled on the pounds (I'm 25 now)

So, I took the effect this VN had on me and decided to turn it into something positive, so I tried the Couch to 5K with Emi thing. I've literally just come in from it, here's my thoughts:

I've heard the "x time running, x time walking" thing is the best way to gradually build up your stamina, and the picture recommends doing 1 min running, 1.5 min walking 8 times. I managed to do it 4 times before I was pretty much about to collapse. I feel this was my fault though, as I hadn't eaten besides a Clementine orange before I did it (someone ate all the bread ), nor had I drank a particularly good amount.

Here's some tips for people thinking of doing the same:
- Make sure you've eaten before you go: not just before because that gives you a stitch or, as happened when I was doing crossfit training, makes you throw up. But something relatively substantial (not just junk food) so you have the energy to actually complete the plan. I hadn't eaten and felt too drained to complete the exercise.
- Make sure you're well hydrated: I sure as hell wasn't, felt like I was dying and I had to stop in a shop to buy some water afterwards. Maybe take some water with you, but don't go nuts while you're running, just a bit maybe or you'll feel it sloshing around inside you and feel awful/get a stitch.
- Dress appropriately: I wore jogging bottoms and an old shirt, it was cold outside but I knew I'd soon warm up, which I did, but it started HAILING on the way back, which was awful in just a t-shirt. Check the weather maybe.
- Don't worry about finishing the exercise: I realised just how unfit and unprepared I am for this, I could have managed to do the full thing but I'd be completely drained and I have stuff to do after. If you haven't done any proper exercise in a long time, you WILL feel it. I think its more important to get into doing it regularly at first, rather than how much you do.

I'm doing this alone, with no headphones or anything, but I'm determined to continue this now. I have to admit, when I got back I felt quite proud of myself for actually starting this, felt quite good. The chart says to do it 3 times a week with gaps in-between eacch, so I'll be doing it next on Tuesday since I'm out tomorrow and have university on Monday.

More for my own sake really, but I'll put my progress, along with the original image, in my signature. I'll update again when I do session number 2.

I don't know about eating before. Guess we need someone more experienced to judge us on that.
I run better on empty stomach, and any meal eaten up to four hours before makes me a bit uneasy. I tend to run after work, before eating dinner.
Might be a personal thing though.

And an advice for total beginners, running is any tempo with both feet in the air, so if you run the running parts slower, you can run longer. And the walking part in between really lets you regain some energy, and catch your breath, so no need to push it at the beginning. I run the first time to the end (8x) but was wasted after that. The second time I run as slooow, as it was possible, and had a decent sweat, but without coughing up lungs. I can push it some now.

I was myself amazed on the basic stamina gain after just three runs.

Good man, the first week is the worst, after that it only get's better. You took a first important step

It's important to be hydrated and have some energy, but be sure to leave +- 1 hour between eating and running or you might encounter some ehm, difficulties :p Just keep trying to reach x8 and when you reach that, you can start with the rest of the program. Your stamina will increase pretty fast. I'm almost looking forward to my next run atm, but i'll have way more enthusiasm about it if i join a club. Just mailed a club, whish me luck

If you do it sometime in the day I would think you need to have eaten at some point or else you wont have the energy to finish. I go right after I wake up and have a big glass of milk then eat once I get home and cleaned up. I think the fact I got some liquid and that I have not done anything else yet makes not eating easy as apposed to latter in the day. On the same note however I cant do it if I just ate. It makes me sick to my stomach if I dont have some time to digest after.

gRaViJa wrote:Good man, the first week is the worst, after that it only get's better. You took a first important step

It's important to be hydrated and have some energy, but be sure to leave +- 1 hour between eating and running or you might encounter some ehm, difficulties :p Just keep trying to reach x8 and when you reach that, you can start with the rest of the program. Your stamina will increase pretty fast. I'm almost looking forward to my next run atm, but i'll have way more enthusiasm about it if i join a club. Just mailed a club, whish me luck

Thanks, I actually have no problem with starting things, its the keeping doing it that I find hard. My whole life is a series of half-finished things
I hope I keep it up so I'm just a little fitter, and then when I finish university and get a job I'm going to go back to Crossfit training, a ton of people I know do that and one of them is training to be a teacher in it as well so even better.

Goal is to reach x8 which I'm sure I'll be able to do next time as long as I eat and drink properly before.
Good luck to you also!

Started the program today! It basically went like *hurk* *gasp* *wheeze* OH MY GOD it feels like I'm going to wheeze out my lungs.
That being said, it's quite liberating, running.

NoOne3 wrote:I don't know about eating before. Guess we need someone more experienced to judge us on that.

To answer your question, it depends. A full course meal is a given of something you should avoid before any workout since your body will need energy and time to digest your meal.

Say consuming something like a Protein Bar 10~30 Mins before your workout is alright.

Personally don't like to eat several hours before my workout like you and gravija said. However I have eaten a Protein Bar every now and then before a workout for something my body to get fuel from if I haven't had the chance to eat a decent meal that day before my workouts.

Still have to look into it, but on runkeeper.com, you can make street teams. In such a team, members can support each other, share their routes and progress etc. Would be cool to make a a KS street team. When i have more time later this week, i'll look into it.

dunkelfalke wrote:As I said, take a look at used bikes on the net, find something you like in your proximity then send me the link so I can check at least the description and the picture out.

By the way, here's my self built bike after modifications - new crank, new cassette, new €700 fork, new shifters, new chain
Sorry, I'm just bragging, can't help myself

lol thats okay, again thanks for the info

gRaViJa wrote:Still have to look into it, but on runkeeper.com, you can make street teams. In such a team, members can support each other, share their routes and progress etc. Would be cool to make a a KS street team. When i have more time later this week, i'll look into it.

Sounds cool, post in here if you get it working.

Seeing how I get up to run at 4:50 in the morning before work, I don't eat before I do it and it works just fine. I do take a few sips of water before I set a foot out of the door though.
Bit of advice though: When drinking during or shortly after your workout, drink in small sips and take some time between your sips. I remember during basics, a comrade of mine decided to down his drink on one go and we were on a several kilometer long march (short break for lukewarm fruit-tea to avoid dehydration). Minutes later we could take a look at whatever his stomach was holding at that point... or not holding anymore.

I don't use stuff like runkeeper or all that fancy-ass keeping track and whatnot. I have a Pulse monitor to see how I am doing and my body tells me the rest (joints ok? stamina? muscles?). Nah, I don't feel like using all that stuff, just like I don't keep track of stuff like calorie intake and all that jazz. I just do my best to eat normally/healthy and get on the scale every couple days. Losing weight isn't a contest to me. I don't care really if it takes 2 months to loose 5 kilo or 5 months.

Although I don't really run, it's more of a jog. Stamina wise I guess I could take it (20 minutes or more on the crosstrainer or a standing bike - no problem), but when I go faster I get really bad cramps in my left ankle, it starts feeling stiff and my form gets all sorts of messed up. Also, pain in the chins.
Guess that's what happens when lazy around day in and day out.

Anyway. All that matters to me is that I keep to me schedule of running on mondays, wednesdays and fridays and my visit to the gym every saturday. At week number 6 now and still going strong, never missed a day. And I must say that doing something feels incredible after all that time of weak excuses and whatnot.

Also took up professional life-counselling after a depressive episode (the sort that involves a lot of crying to yourself and not knowing what to do with your life/feeling of being stuck) and am looking for new outlooks on my life. Bit off topic but I felt like saying it.

urishima wrote:Seeing how I get up to run at 4:50 in the morning before work, I don't eat before I do it and it works just fine. I do take a few sips of water before I set a foot out of the door though.
Bit of advice though: When drinking during or shortly after your workout, drink in small sips and take some time between your sips. I remember during basics, a comrade of mine decided to down his drink on one go and we were on a several kilometer long march (short break for lukewarm fruit-tea to avoid dehydration). Minutes later we could take a look at whatever his stomach was holding at that point... or not holding anymore.

From what I remember from my Judo lessons many many years ago, you are supposed to drink hot beverages while you are still in training or just coming from it.

Also took up professional life-counselling after a depressive episode (the sort that involves a lot of crying to yourself and not knowing what to do with your life/feeling of being stuck) and am looking for new outlooks on my life. Bit off topic but I felt like saying it.

Hm, my mother -as a medical doctor - urges me to do the same, for the same reasons. If it's okay to you, write me a PM about it.

I'm lucky enough to live close enough to work that I can just walk, but most times I just take the bus anyway. It's a >5 minute ride vs a 15-20 minute walk depending on my route and how motivated I am to get to (or leave from) work. Needless to say, after Emi's route and reading a few pages of this thread, I think I want to give Emi's Couch to 5k a go. On the days it rains, (gg Seattle), our apartment complex has a fitness center with a treadmill to use even though it's much more boring indoors. Kudos to TamagoTwo for pointing me here!

dunkelfalke wrote: From what I remember from my Judo lessons many many years ago, you are supposed to drink hot beverages while you are still in training or just coming from it.

Oh, I am sure the tea was hot at some point
I mean it wasn't cold but I wouldn't call it hot. Warm enough I guess.

dunkelfalke wrote: Hm, my mother -as a medical doctor - urges me to do the same, for the same reasons. If it's okay to you, write me a PM about it.

Will do, will take some time though.

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