The Couch to 5K program revolves around timed portions of running and walking over the course of 9 weeks to best prepare you for a 5K race. The focus is an increasing challenge of physical activity in order to train you with a lower risk of injury. There are typically 3 workouts a week over the course of 20 to 30 min each and include a 5 minute warmup and a 5 minute cool down.
I just finished Week 1′s training for the upcoming Manchester Road Race. I am moving from a 5 day a week to a 3 day a week workout routine. This first week felt like I wasn’t pushing myself as far as I had in the past. However, I realized that the day off in between sessions was very beneficial. The routines became much easier by the end of the week. This Week’s training was intervals of 60 second runs with 90 second walks. In my opinion it was a very achievable goal. The only thing that I disliked was that I had to run indoors, but more on that later. Here are my notes for the week.
- Day 1: Didn’t even make all the running portions of the workout. Only made it 1.23 miles. Ridiculous, not to mention that the muscles on the outside of my calves feel like they are on fire. Need to get some rest.
- Day 2: Showing improvement on the running sections. I ran 1.53 miles in the same amount of time. I find myself anticipating the changeover from running to walking and slowing down the treadmill early. Also have an incredible amount of fatigue in my right ankle. Need to remember to bring the ankle brace next time.
- Day 3: Finally hitting a rhythm with this. Hit all my running spots, increased my distance to 1.89 miles in the same amount of time. Legs still feel like they are on fire after a workout, stretching post workout helps.
Treadmills are not my favorite machine in the gym. I am still in the 350+lbs position, and with each step that I take it usually creates a loud thud. Not to mention figuring out the best way to regulate my breathing without sounding like Fatty McGee from that old Adam Sandler album. Social anxieties aside, I find that being surrounded by nature is much more soothing. The breeze, the fresh air, and the changing terrain tend to add to the experience.
Now I am on track for Week 2. The routines will move on to 90 seconds of running followed by 120 seconds of walking. I am very much looking forward to running outdoors, weather permitting. In closing, I was sent a fantastic video that shows me that I’m not missing so much by avoiding a party hard lifestyle. Enjoy!
lol, I would have totally been able to break that beer bottle on my head
