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Get Running with Couch to 5K

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Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#191

Post by twawaaay »

rzimmerman wrote: post #179
twawaaay wrote: post #48

Personally, I think aren't many better return on investment activities than spending half an hour every day on a morning jog. You can run more than that but I think half an hour steady state easy run each morning gives you 80% of results. If you love running (I do), knock yourself out. But that half an hour is enough to do wonders to your health over long periods of time with minimum chance for negative consequences.…

I think phrasing it as “30 minutes of light runnning” is a great way to explain it. A lot of people get turned off by “3 miles” or “5km” and it doesn’t account for slower paces. A great way to start is to commit to 15 minutes of run/walk time 3-4x a week. When I decided to start, I did one long block where I’d run one way and walk back for 20 minutes. A few weeks later I’d run 7 minutes out (with occasional breaks at…

I think the problem with anything we do like weight loss strategies or healthy diet or exercise is adherence.

Long time ago, when I would start something I would try all the way. Loose all crappy food or not at all. The problem is that these would only last as long as my enthusiasm.

This is a disaster, because it means I just spent a bunch of effort on a project that brings no long term results.

So nowadays I always think how I can bring most results with as little resources (resources being my effort/focus) and then how I can get as much bang for the buck long term.

Running must be sustainable. That's why I run easy, every day. I could run every other day but there is something magical in building strong habits. In my case I no longer think about it -- I get up, I empty myself, I weigh myself, I head out the door for a run, I come back, take a shower, drink coffee. This is my morning routine and the only decision I make is what to put on based on the weather.

And it can't feel hard. And you need to have good shoes and clothes for any weather.

All nutrition advice in the world will not help if you will not stick to it. So I resolved to not start punishing myself by removing foods that I like, but rather I started by learning new foods that I can like but are also healthy. Over time, with more and more healthy foods I know I started pushing out the unhealthy ones.

This is my advice for lasting lifestyle changes.

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#192

Post by iamacyborg »

lottin wrote: post #186
iamacyborg wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doing hill strides will build some serious legs and running every day (while maintaining an appropriate diet) will be more than enough to reduce your body fat.

Reducing body fat requires careful dieting and exercise. First, you need to be in a caloric deficit, which involves eating less calories than usual. Second, when you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose both fat and muscle. Lifting weights becomes absolutely crucial, otherwise you will lose a lot of muscle. Hill strides don't build strong legs. I did a lot of cycling in my youth, and I thought I had strong legs—since…

Or pop some HMB or any other method of maintaining muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. It’s not rocket science and lifting weights is not the only method or even the thing that you might strictly want to do to achieve whatever your goals may be.

Since when is kicking a ball a measure of leg strength? How are you even measuring something that’s so relative to the desired goal?

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#193

Post by uptownfunk »

oezi wrote: post #127
uptownfunk wrote: post #42

Make sure to compliment this with some kneesovertoesguy to save your knees!

I heard also some horrible things about this. If something is too fashionable and promises easy fixes, one should be vary in general.

His YouTube channel has a lot of helpful free info

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#194

Post by igouy »

Fargren wrote: post #117

I have a question that this is probably not the best forum for: I don't run, but know plenty of people who do. Everyone is running what I would call marathon-style, by which I mean their goals are measured in how far they can reliably run/ how fast they can do a relatively long distance, 5K being the lower bound. To me, running shorter distances very fast seems just cooler and more exciting, say 500 meters. 100 meter…

Try 4x4 minute interval training.

This video gives a quick summary —

https://vimeo.com/75764170

Here's the evidence based exercise advice —

https://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/advice

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#195

Post by aembleton »

sw030695 wrote: post #136
Fargren wrote: post #117

I have a question that this is probably not the best forum for: I don't run, but know plenty of people who do. Everyone is running what I would call marathon-style, by which I mean their goals are measured in how far they can reliably run/ how fast they can do a relatively long distance, 5K being the lower bound. To me, running shorter distances very fast seems just cooler and more exciting, say 500 meters. 100 meter…

5km is considered a short distance run. Within a few weeks, it's something that should be achievable in sub-20/25 minutes. In the UK, there's a volunteer led organisation called parkrun which hosts 5km runs/races in over 1000 parks around the country every Saturday. It's quite popular. My local race consistently get 300+ entrants each week. Worth checking out: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/ 5km, 10km, half marathon and…

I've been running for years and my parkrun PB is just over 25 minutes, but I am also very overweight. I think, after a few weeks of Couch to 5K, getting anything under 35 minutes would be a big achievement.

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#196

Post by igouy »

twawaaay wrote: post #191
rzimmerman wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think phrasing it as “30 minutes of light runnning” is a great way to explain it. A lot of people get turned off by “3 miles” or “5km” and it doesn’t account for slower paces. A great way to start is to commit to 15 minutes of run/walk time 3-4x a week. When I decided to start, I did one long block where I’d run one way and walk back for 20 minutes. A few weeks later I’d run 7 minutes out (with occasional breaks at…

I think the problem with anything we do like weight loss strategies or healthy diet or exercise is adherence. Long time ago, when I would start something I would try all the way. Loose all crappy food or not at all. The problem is that these would only last as long as my enthusiasm. This is a disaster, because it means I just spent a bunch of effort on a project that brings no long term results. So nowadays I always…

Yes, the best exercise is whatever you will choose to do instead of sitting down.

Like body-weight and light 10lb dumb bell strength exercises while watching soccer on TV.

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#197

Post by aembleton »

meitham wrote: post #163

I'm 42 and though always been into weight lifting, never ran for more than 30 seconds (usually to catch a train). I started on Couch to 5K on August last year, when I realised I was the one member in my team that didn't sign up for a 5K charity run in September! Running for a whole minute on the first week was extremely challenging and physically painful in the heart. I genuinely worried thinking I was going to have…

> I managed to finish the 5K charity run in 38 minutes

Congratulations! That's a really impressive achievement.

If you've got a parkrun near you, it's worth going along. I just find it helps to have a regular Saturday morning run for when I start losing motivation. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#198

Post by aembleton »

ChildOfChaos wrote: post #147

I am approaching 40 this year and i'm interested in this, i've been looking at treadmills to get started as it seems it might make it easier for me to get into the running habit, but I haven't found one yet at a decent price that is also ultra compact/folds away, space is an issue for me.

Go outside and try running from one lamppost to the next, then walk. That's a good start, then you can build up to running past several lampposts in one go. Then keep going for five minutes.

You don't need a treadmill!

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#199

Post by aembleton »

bennyp101 wrote: post #81

There’s a thing called runtogether in the uk, which I’ve been thinking of joining, but I’d have to drive there and back, and last time I tried it I could barely walk!

Have you looked at parkrun? You can run bits of it and walk bits or even walk the whole thing. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K

#200

Post by meitham »

aembleton wrote: post #197
meitham wrote: post #163

I'm 42 and though always been into weight lifting, never ran for more than 30 seconds (usually to catch a train). I started on Couch to 5K on August last year, when I realised I was the one member in my team that didn't sign up for a 5K charity run in September! Running for a whole minute on the first week was extremely challenging and physically painful in the heart. I genuinely worried thinking I was going to have…

> I managed to finish the 5K charity run in 38 minutes Congratulations! That's a really impressive achievement. If you've got a parkrun near you, it's worth going along. I just find it helps to have a regular Saturday morning run for when I start losing motivation. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Thank you very much, and thanks for the link, yes indeed it shows Nonsuch as the nearest park so I will be gearing to join that soon.
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