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Hi all,

I'm starting a running program every other day. Based on some posts here I'm using the couch to 5k program. I liked it in the beginning - but it's now getting a little too complicated to follow when I am out.

It is a run/walk program.
The first week was run 60 walk 90
The second week was run 90 walk 120.

The third week is 90/90/180/180.

My watch only has one option for a countdown timer - it would be easy to just double up for the 180 - but in all honesty I'm having trouble keeping track - especially since I am trying to keep my focus on developing good form.

I think I want a consistent run/walk that I use throughout the session - or at least something that is a little easier to keep track of - does anyone have any suggestions? Ideas to follow while building the running time??? Or places where I might find more info on building a running program.

It seems kind of silly - but I'm focused on staying injury free so that running is something I do regularly.

Thanks.
Vic

I've also looked ahead the next couple of weeks - and it seems to get even more complicated.

You could try something like a gym boss:

http://gymboss.com/

Hi Vic
I have the Y25K "app" on my Iphone, so a voice tells me when to walk and when to run, which makes it easy. I also have my music playing in the background, as I start the music before I start the walk/ run program.
K

I haven't started using it yet but I have some podcasts that I downloaded to my computer that someone made for helping people with couch to 5K. Got them from here: http://www.c25k.com/podcasts.htm

No suggestions for an alternative from me. When I took a women's running class, it had a similar format. The first week on the syllabus was, I think, warm-up walk, then run 30 seconds, walk 5 minutes, repeat for a while (30 min?), and then cool-down walk. The next week, it was run 1 min, walk 5. It kept increasing the running and soon decreasing the walking. I ended up buying an interval watch to help me with it and it was well worth it.

In fact, I was enough out of shape and had never run, that I started the class on my own a week early so I had a week of doing 15 seconds of running, then 5 minutes walking. I ended up being able to (mostly) run a 5K by the time the class was over.

This podcast is great! I used it when I did the couch to 5k. He tells you when to run and when to walk so you don't have to even think about it.

Thanks all - I don't own an i-anything and don't run with anything in my ears - so the podcasts aren't an option.

I realized that I was looking for "rules to follow" - so I think I'm going to try something a little different.
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/ ... htm?page=2

I'm not too worried about overdoing it - I'll see how this goes on my "run" tomorrow.

Vic

Not sure what your reason is but still happy to see someone else out there who doesn't run with something in their ears!

I'm a long time runner who consistently gets out of shape and has to build up to a 5K again -- that's what happens when quit during the cold half of the year. The only time the couch to 5k program worked for me was when I used the app on my iPod, otherwise, as you said, it's too complicated. But I honestly don't think the app worked any better than the simpler programs I designed for myself. As long as you build up slowly and use correct form, you can avoid injury.

Check out the Pose Running technique -- I really feel like it has allowed me to run consistently all summer without even a twinge of injury.

http://www.the-master-runner.com/pose-running.html