C25K for DLers (run, run, run!)

[Cmdr_King]

Clearly you should post videos of you DDRing it up.

[SnowFire]

Ran a time of 32 minutes in the big 5K at Central Park today.  30 minutes was the time I was trying to beat, so yeah, clearly I still need to do some work.  That was about 10 minute miles basically, so too much walking, especially in the third mile.

Was a nice day, though.  There was a 70% chance of rain, but it didn't happen, so it was just pleasantly clammy instead.  And then at the end of the race the sponsors had all sorts of "free" schwag to pick up.  Good stuff.  Some famous people were in attendance as well - passed pretty nearby Stephen Colbert, actually, though I was only told about this later - but didn't bother to hang around for the speeches, which probably would have been too crowded in the area they had.  Good times.

[Luther Lansfeld]

I haven't started this yet. I've been sick and had a funeral to go to. I will make it a goal to start by Friday -- still getting over the cold and it's the first week of school.

[Lady Door]

Today has been a whole bunch of fail.

I got out and ran with the dog this morning. With his staples out, he's free to go running around again, and boy does he need it. So instead of leaving him inside while I go run on a treadmill for 30 minutes, I figured I'd kill two birds, etc., and take him on my run.

Okay, so, newsflash: running on the real ground is a lot harder than running on a treadmill.

I ended up running somewhere around 2 miles in 30 minutes (a little less, likely), and my arms hurt like crazy because the dog does NOT know how to walk in a straight line.

On the nutrition front, I'd really like to avoid talking about this altogether, thanks very much, but uh, the transparency will help. So!

I'm at about 2100 calories right now, and I just finished lunch. Lunch was about 1700 calories. I had Subway (with soda), and I stopped by Starbucks (pumpkin scooooone) where I tried a new beverage (salted caramel hot chocolate - blech, for the record).

I... don't care? I mean, I do, but blowing my calories for the day has been okay. Today is a very fall-like day, and I'm LOVING it. It's been a nice uptick from the shitty morning I had. So... healthy for dinner (if I'm even hungry?) and then perhaps day 1 of cross training tomorrow.

I am ^_^ despite the fail workout and the fail eats. Works for me!

[Shale]

Salted caramel? Eeeeeew.

[Hunter Sopko]

Okay, so, newsflash: running on the real ground is a lot harder than running on a treadmill.

I've been saying this for years and years. Since the ground gives so much more resistance than a treadmill (static, harder), it's much, much harder on your joints and muscles. A treadmill is good for cardio, but not much else. It won't really build your leg muscles like real running will, even if you do the incline settings.

[Grefter]

Which is pretty okay for the female form if muscle tone is not the desired look, just saying.

[Lady Door]

Okay, so, newsflash: running on the real ground is a lot harder than running on a treadmill.

I've been saying this for years and years. Since the ground gives so much more resistance than a treadmill (static, harder), it's much, much harder on your joints and muscles. A treadmill is good for cardio, but not much else. It won't really build your leg muscles like real running will, even if you do the incline settings.

Yes, and of this I am well aware. The "newsflash" was a bit of sarcasm. Thing is, I don't like running on the ground as a rule. It is hard (no duh), and uneven, and littered with trash and glass, and interrupted by stop lights/intersections and pedestrians and cars, and there is WEATHER, and GOD, outdoors is really inconvenient. EDITED: There is trail running, too, of course, but that's like Running 2.0 anyway. Remember that I'm starting from the point where I am unable to breathe after 60 seconds of jogging at a moderate pace.

Treadmill's just a lot easier. My original plan was to do C25K on the treadmill, then hop outside starting at Week 4 and build up to a 5K on the Real World surface.

[Hunter Sopko]

Females don't want shapely, toned legs, Gref?

A measured amount of running won't bulk up your legs too much, especially if you do it on a level surface. It's also much better at getting the fat out of the muscles as well.

Also, I would recommend to everyone doing extended distances or hard running to drink a glass of milk afterwards. It's really good for keeping your muscles healthy and avoiding sprains/strains/warding off fatigue. (Basically the protein goes straight to them to help rebuild them quicker)

NINJA RUNNING BY ASH: Right right. Just thought I'd mention it. Fairly familiar with running workouts and all. City running was... okay for me in NYC. I stuck to around the block a few times instead of a set path to avoid stuff like traffic lights.

Depending on the quality of the trail you're running, trails can be terrible on your ankles (you basically need gyroscopes as ankles) and they're not for the clumsy (tree roots, rocks, etc). So yeah, Running 2.0.

[Cotigo]

Well, if you really only want shapely calves (for wearing shorts I guess?) walking everywhere is a much better way to do it.  That's all calf muscles right there, while running mostly uses your thighs.

I'd assume, anyway.  I've never managed to stick to running long enough to notice.  I had pretty bitchin' calves when I walked everywhere, though.

[Lady Door]

I hurt, I am very tired, and the weather has taken a sharp turn for fall (by which I mean "foggy and wet," like a normal person's fall, instead of the Bay Area's "hot like the summer you never had" way). Running outside before work also means heading up through downtown Oakland at dawn, which will get increasingly exciting as daylight gets shorter and shorter. The dog really doesn't know how to walk, so I am constantly being jerked around when he sees a pigeon, another dog, people, tasty garbage, smelly plants, etc.

But I went out, and I ran. Hooray.

Just about 2 miles in 30 minutes today. I'd consider that a major success since:

1) It's pretty clear I am in terrible, terrible shape, and I'm struggling to keep up with W2D1 outside.
2) There are a LOT of intersections, therefore stoplights, on my route.
3) The damn dog doesn't like the starting/stopping and decides to go his own way.

Haven't started the cross training yet because of aforementioned tired and hurt. Stretching is an everyday thing; I suspect my muscles would just contract me into a tiny ball if I didn't.

[superaielman]

Think of dragging Tally along as (part of) your crosstraining. He's putting enough strain on your arms for that much, at least.

Edit: Rotating between jogging, walking, and biking right now. I need to get serious about trying some form of weightlifting (again) as well.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Think of dragging Tally along as (part of) your crosstraining. He's putting enough strain on your arms for that much, at least.

Edit: Rotating between jogging, walking, and biking right now. I need to get serious about trying some form of weightlifting (again) as well.

I keep thinking Ashley named her dog Tally-chu.

[superaielman]

Three mile walk today. Scale says I'm down 8 pounds since DLC, so it's at least a start.

[Cotigo]

Been running the last 3 days straight.  Might not keep it up since I think my arm/head's getting better, but it's gotten to the point where I don't get off work until the evenings, and the evenings are much more tolerable to run in, so I might just try to keep it up and obtain something bordering on fitness.

Anyway, been doing 4 minute warm up walk/jog, then 4 minutes running (anywhere from 5.5-7MPH, usually around 6.5), and 1.5-2 minutes walking, then I alternate them for 20 minutes.  Ended up rounding off at 2 miles today before the cool down walk, which I was pretty proud of, since I usually get to 1.67 before giving up in exhaustion.

[Lady Door]

2 miles in 28 minutes. There was an extra .1 miles in there, but that took 5 minutes because a freight train decided to cut me off and I had to take a detour. Boo.

Dog is still a pain to run with. Hopefully he gets better as we go along. I now officially run with the rising sun: it's dark when I start, morning light when I finish. It's very nice.

Week 3:
5 minute warm-up walk
1.5/1.5/3/3 jogging and walking alternating (2x)
Cool-down walk.

So walk, 1.5 minute jog, 1.5 minute walk, 3 minute jog, 3 minute walk, 1.5 minute jog, etc.

This is going to kill me. Also I need to plot out a longer route. Mostly this just involves branching out a few more streets.

[Lady Door]

Dog is not really getting better at this. The run is a lot harder than necessary because in order to keep going, I have to pull the dog up or over to keep him on track with me. The city presents a big challenge for walking a puppy: garbage!

I need to get a pedometer. I took a new route/circuit, staying down by the water where there are no stoplights and far fewer people/cars. Not sure how long the run was, and my run calculator (mapmyrun) gives me a new number every time. But I was out for 30 minutes, and I did Week 3, Day 1, so that's all good. Yay!

Weight has evened out. This is my cardio curse: I don't lose weight off cardio alone, even if it is running. So... cross-training HAS to start if I'm going to make any progress.

Eating has gotten better. That will also help.

[Grefter]

I need to get a pedometer.

Ohoho!  One step closer to realising that Z2L99 is your destiny.  Get the pokemans with Pokewalker.  Get Zubat.  Level 99 get.  This is your challenge and your destiny.

[superaielman]

3.5 miles walking, jogging still resulting in comic amounts of pain.

[Lady Door]

Motherfucking dog ARGH

Went out again today (I did go on Wednesday, too, but it was uneventful), jogging a circuit around the marina. There was a landscaping guy out power-washing the ground, so I took a detour over some low bushes. The dog decided to yank forward right as I was landing, and thus I overbalanced, and thus I fell.

Hooray! My first running injury.

I skinned my leg, tweaked my shoulder and had to deal with excruciating shin pain for a couple hours afterward, but nothing serious. Just so not going to be taking the dog out for runs in the morning anymore. He gets HYPER instead of calming down, anyway, so it's sort of counter-productive.

Going to repeat week 3 if my shin pain doesn't resolve itself this weekend. Been there since the beginning and seems to be getting a little worse each week. Really hoping it's temporary and not the sort of temporary that requires me to stop running until it goes away.

Grah. Unsatisfying.

[superaielman]

Things I have learned this week-

My bicycle hates me
It doesn't matter how fast I try to walk, I stay in the 3.1-3.8 mph range no matter what
I can't walk too far at the moment, due to the horrible sunburn risk.

Time to see if I can buy another new chain!

[Luther Lansfeld]

After a couple of weeks of delaying, I did the first day of the first week! It hurts, it hurts. Mostly my lungs were unhappy - stupid asthma.

[Lady Door]

To be nice to my shins, I ran on the treadmill today. MUCH better.

Week 4 is:
5 minute brisk walk, then
3 minute run
1.5 minute walk
5 minute run
2.5 minute walk
repeat

I may be repeating week 4. The gym was really stuffy today, and I chose a treadmill without a fan, so it may just be overheating, but I couldn't do that last 5 minute run without a walk break. Week 5 is a bitch (Day 3's run is 20 minutes no stopping), so I want to make sure I'm ready for it when it happens.

Weight is not changing much, but body shape is. Mainly seem to be losing fat from my midsection, which is okay with me and also pretty typical. It's stomach/hips, arms/face, and then legs for me (and I never really get to legs unless I drop to 140, so). Diet is pretty consistent now, which I'm pleased with. No soda for a week, yay! Did have an energy drink yesterday, though, and WOW I thought I was going to die. NOS is killer for nerves.

[Lady Door]

Knackered. Too slow to get up - missed the timing to run this morning. Too hot to run later. I'll see if I'm up to it tomorrow morning.

[Scar]

I'm not doing any 5ks, but my sister has me on this plan where I need to run at least five times a week.

For now, I get on a treadmill, start walking for a minute then run at full speed for a minute and do that for  20 minutes making it 10 sprints and 10 walking minutes.

I need to build up to that because that's fucking intense and just doing 5 and 5 I was on the verge of vomiting.

Also, dairy has been removed from my life... =(

Good times.