Couch to 5K: Week 5
Elizabeth October 25th, 2009
Yesterday I finished Week 5 of the Couch to 5K (C25K) – a nine week interval training program that promises to have you running for 30 minutes, or 5k, by the end.
Last week’s program had me pretty worried, so I thought it might be worthwhile writing something short about the way it turned out for me. There must be other people out there who are googling the hell out of C25K to see how others are handling it – so here is another person’s account!
Week 5 is traditionally the week when most people drop out of C25K, for reasons I completely understand. On paper it looks unachievable to the beginning runner, as it sets a goal that is far beyond anything we’ve had to achieve up until that point. Here’s what I mean:
Week 5, Day 1: Three 5-minute runs, with 3-minute walks in between.
Week 5, Day 2: Two 8-minute runs, with one 5-minute walk in the middle.
Week 5, Day 3: Run for 20 minutes with no walking.
At this stage in the program the longest interval we’ve ever had to run without walking is 8 minutes. How was I ever going to run for more than double this time?
I didn’t actually believe that I could do the 20-minute run. In truth, I never feel completely physically spent after each running segment in my sessions, but I have come to rely on those short “rest” periods of walking to prepare my lungs for the next burst of punishment. The prospect of cutting out the walks completely scared the crap out of me!
All I can say is that I attempted it with the best possible attitude I could muster. I assured myself that if I didn’t make it this time, it was okay to try it again until I met the goal. I reminded myself that plenty of other people repeat entire weeks until they are ready to move on with the program, and that it was okay to be one of them.
I fired up the music, started my C25K app, and turned the screen of my iphone off. I decided to forget about the clock, and just run.
20 minutes later I stopped!
I won’t lie – there were times when I wanted to walk. I didn’t get any of that euphoria that I wrote about on Monday, and that made every step a little bit harder. However, I don’t think that it was any more difficult than the first time I ran for 5 minutes, or 8 minutes – or even the first time I ran for 90 seconds! I remain amazed at the way that my body continually adapts to the new challenges I put in front of it.
The key, I guess, is making sure that you pace yourself. I kept a good steady pace throughout the entire 20 minutes, but this time I didn’t go out of my way to choose lots of hilly streets or force myself to extend my stride. The challenge of running for 20 minutes was enough, I saw no need to overachieve.
I covered 3.2km yesterday, which included a 4-minute cool-down walk. Tim commented that I didn’t seem out of breath when I got home, and it’s true – my recovery time was pretty much contained to those 4 minutes. My biggest challenge during the run was to manage my asthma, as I have become quite reliant on my inhaler halfway through my sessions. I couldn’t have used my inhaler without stopping momentarily yesterday, so I managed it with my pace instead.
So – with Week 5 out of the way I have one month of running to go. I am bracing myself for some fairly big challenges over the coming week, including four 25-minute runs, three 28-minute runs, and finally three 30-minute runs. My greatest hope is that my body remains injury-free, and continues to adapt to this foreign sensation!
- 101 in 1001 , C25K , Health & Fitness , Running
- Comments(9)
that’s awesome!!!
i downloaded the app yesterday, just have to work up the courage to go out in public and go trotting
dumb question – where do you put iphone? i’m trying to imagine running with house keys and iphone and have visions of things falling out of pockets!
I know what you mean – I would much rather be running without any “stuff”!
At the moment I pin my key inside my baseball cap (also good for keeping my hair out of the way), and carry my phone. I thread my headphones underneath my shirt to avoid getting tangled up, and just hold my phone in one hand. Oh, and I shove my inhaler down my sports bra in a most elegant way!
I know that there are arm bands for iphones out there, but I’m not convinced they’d be any good for me. I try to avoid looking at the clock but sometimes I want to know how I’m going. Carrying the phone makes it easy to check (or to change tracks).
I’ve been giving some thought to an iphone case with a belt clip, but I’m not 100% sure that it would work because of the weight. You’ll be pleased to hear that the searing pain in your lungs will take your mind riiiiight off the phone anyway!
Sorry. Good luck!
I reckon if I tried the armband, my iPhone would NOT stay put. I’d trip and kill myself while trying to readjust LOL
Your baseball/hand-holding plan is ingenious! It’s like a big light bulb has switched on in my head – YAY!
[...] Last time I wrote about Couch to 5k was about a week ago, and I had just completed Week 5 with a bang. That post was written after my first 20-min run which, despite my concerns, was not a fatal experience. [...]
Elizabeth, what a nice blog post. I have been supporting my lovely wife through the Couch to 5k program. She has never been an athlete or had much interest in exercise. This program is a big step for her. I have watched and run with her with immense joy of her success. I was scanning for week 5 encouragement for her and Voila! Thanks for sharing real stuff. No it’s not easy. But yes, the body is amazing and we can all do much more than we think we can! Make it a great Day!
Hi Scott,
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment! This is exactly why I wanted to write about my experience with C25K; I know first-hand how helpful it can be to read about others’ progress. It can be very daunting to just make it through a program, only to discover that you have to run much further the next week. I hope that it helps to read about the fears (and ultimate successes!) of those who have already been through it!
I wish your wife the best of luck. She’s very lucky to have you as her cheerleader!
Just an update. We ran week 5 day 3 this morning. It was a little scary for her. She was afraid her wind might not be there. She did awesome! We are looking forward to week 6, putting one foot in front of the other, and the journey. In my opinion, the mental game is just, if not more, important than the physical game.
Her quote when we were walking home was “I feel great!” What an awesome accomplishment. Thanks again for sharing your experience. The world is getting so small that someone from 1/2 way around the world could help someone else.
If you are ever in Denver, Colorado, USA or Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, please look us up!
Love the picture at the top of your blog. If we wait until we feel “ready” to run, it might never happen! I am also going through the C25K program and completed W5D3 on Sunday (7-11-10).
The most amazing part of the C25K program for me is how my mind mentally adjusts to the amount of running that needs to happen on any training day. When I have 5 minute runs scheduled, I don’t get tired until the end of the five minutes. Ditto for the eight and 20 minute runs.
After completing W5D3, I am confident that I will have no trouble finishing the program and continuing to run once the 9 weeks is over. Now I know what people mean when they say that so much of running is mental – if you tell yourself that you can do it, pace yourself, and don’t consider failure an option, you’ll be fine.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are so right about people googling to see what’s up with the dreaded 20 minute run. I am just starting week 5 in two days, and have already freaked myself out over it. I have talked with everyone I know who runs and heard all kinds of advice. Nonetheless, my heart races when I just think about that twenty minute run.
I told my wife today that, so far, I have been amazed that ninety seconds was no harder than that first minute, three minutes was no harder than that first ninety seconds, and this week five minutes was no harder than than that first three minutes. When you said, “However, I don’t think that it was any more difficult than the first time I ran for 5 minutes, or 8 minutes – or even the first time I ran for 90 seconds! I remain amazed at the way that my body continually adapts to the new challenges I put in front of it,” you totally eased my mind about the whole thing.
I also find comfort in the idea that I can do the best I am able. If I need to repeat other week 5 days until I can finally kill of the 20 minute run, so be it. At least I am doing it. I am a 52 year fat guy. I need this program to work for me. I have enjoyed being a walker, but I want more.
Again…. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Jim Baker, San Antonio, TX