Finished week 5 Woo Hoo!

[rij73]

Just dropping a line here to say that I've just finished week 5 (the first 20 minute straight run!). I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to sustain a run for the whole time, but I paced myself and managed it quite easily. Building up with this iPhone app has really made this fun and easy so far. I don't think I ever would have had the discipline to do this kind of gradually building interval training on my own without the voice prompts. It would have been really tedious!

So, I just wanted to say thanks! The app is super!

[benjohn]

Thanks for the praise, it's lovely to hear when people are doing so well. Remember that you did all the running yourself though! Keep up the great work!

Happy running,
Benjohn

[rij73]

Thanks Benjohn! My dog is enjoying our runs too, by the way...

[TurtleSpeed]

Just a little note to say I also finished w5r3.. It seemed like a struggle but I did the same distance I have beenrunning on my previous runs. What a rush! I feel like going out every day but a running friend tells me to stick to the program. I am no wondering what to do when the app is finished... Keep listening to week 9?? Good job folks!!

[rij73]

Hi Turtlespeed,

I'm the original poster of this thread. I am proud to report that I kept up the running after finishing the app and am now running a 5K in 34 minutes! This is a HUGE achievement for me, and I never could have done it without the gradual build-up method of Couch to 5K.

Once you get up to week 9, all you are doing is just running for a half-hour straight. So, what I did then was start running for distance until I got up to 5K, because my pace is quite slow. So, each week, I added another tenth to quarter mile or so. (I used mapmyrun.com to figure out routes.) Eventually, when I got up to 5K, I was doing it in 38 minutes. Since getting to that point a couple of weeks ago, I have been trying to pick up the pace. Hence, my current run is 5K in 34 minutes. I'm planning to enter my first 5K event sometime in July. Mind you, I never ran a step until I started this program in March.

Throughout, I've stuck to 3 times per week. I find that my muscles need the day of recovery. On those days I do a little weight training or Pilates.

[murray]

Yeah this app rocks, I couldn't run for more then 3 mins before. I just finished my second 25 mins run and I'm so excited to be able to tell people i can run 30 mins straight, it hasn't been easy but without this app I wouldn't have been able to do it.

Its really great!

[LoeRennt]

Yaaaay! I was so hoping to be able to post in this thread today and now I can! I just finished running 20 minutes and I'm absolutely over the moon! And I wasn't even going at an absolute snail's pace. (I was a fast snail haha!)
I had to stop running right before w5d3 last time around due to an (unrelated) ankle injury and I was so scared I would never actually get to do this run, but thanks to benjohn's great advice about how to start back up again, I managed to get back to where I left off and then some!!!

Oooh I'm so happy!!!

[rij73]

Congratulations!

[stooovie]

I finished W5R3 today too! And it was really kind of not that hard I repeated last run (8+5+8) to be more sure I could handle full 20 minutes, but it went butter smooth.

Thanks for this wonderful app!

[Ashwill73]

On Sunday I finished my first 20 min unbroken run. I was unsure going in but I pace myself and knock it out. Dang I was proud !!! Its amazing how this app has got me here. It is definately a coach. I really feel that this has and will continue to change my life. My next run is not until Wednesday though. Feels funny not doing anything til then. Just want to say that I am proud of us all!!