#on week two of c25k

[mikimotopearl]

I'm David Goggins man. I'm SEAL material as fuck man. You don't know me son man

[knockandborrow]

Keep thinking how I got 136/70 at the doctors office one week after that awful episode, and that the propranolol hasn't worked for me, and how maybe I'm actually fine and don't need to be on any medication at all.

[etirabys]

on jogging

I took up jogging 2.5 months ago. I'm going off the c25k schedule, which slowly ramps you up from couch potato fitness to being able to run a 5k. This was much more effective than just trying to get into jogging by mimicking other, fitter, joggers, which was what I did every previous time I briefly tried to get into jogging. I feel embarrassed for never having thought of this before – it's clear that 'my brain was off' in those times when I went mimicry-running.

One issue that made me get into jogging so ineffectively: I didn't realize how terrible my starting physical fitness was. I used to think I was… like… normal? No athlete, for sure, but I'm a "normal amount of miserable" on hikes (and can complete most of them), I'm an intermediate boulderer, I rarely notice activities I'm gated from because of fitness. But when I started c25k with three partners, none of whom regularly jogged, they were all significantly less winded than I was.

And for the first dang time in my life I explicitly had a thought that went, "I can run 1 minute before my body forces me to stop. My partners can run 3-4 minutes. Some people can run 30 minutes."

Once I actually had any sense of "jogging levels" it was so clear how close to the bottom I was when I started out. That gives me some hope that being much fitter will solve my fatigue problems?

I used to be able to run 1 minute, and now I can run 2. By one (terrible but also kind of reasonable?) metric, I'm twice as fit as I used to be. But a nontrivial fraction of the population can jog 30 consecutive minutes! It seems worth getting to that point to see what that does to my energy levels / cognition.

–

Also: I haven't been sticking to the c25k schedule. I go 1.5 times a week where it expects 3, and I stuck a level between week 2 and week 3 because the 1.5m->3m jump looked insane to me. I've been on that custom level 2.5 for a month. I had a mindblowing conversation with the giant and 81k yesterday where I went, yeah, I've been stuck at week 2.5 because I've felt unready for week 3. And they said, that's probably because you're not going enough.

What do you mean? I asked. I've run about a full session and a half session every week for four weeks. Isn't that the same as 3 full sessions every week for two weeks?

No, they said, surprised I didn't know this. There's an optimal timing. If you'd probably stuck literally to the c25k schedule you probably could have gone from level 2 to 3 in a week.

GYARJRGH? I said. FUSBARIJIJJLK?

(I still disbelieve the literal claim that I can go to level 3 after doing level 2 properly, but I believe them that I would be leveling up a lot faster if I stuck to the schedule)

–

Anyway, some things I'd like to say to my past self, who felt obligated to work out for fatigue issues and then proceeded to exercise very badly because there was such a big ugh field around the topic of exercise:

You do not realize how big the gap between you and even moderately athletic people is. This is good, actually. It means that the correct place to start is easier than you think.

You should try to do it like 3 times a week. Date a jock. There are some on tumblr

Consider starting this when you have positive pressure rather than negative pressure. When you're buckling under multiple joy-sparking projects and want to rise to the challenge, it will be much easier to start & stick to it than when you're an anhedonic lump who has nothing to look forward to, but knows that exercise will in theory make life better in some vague way.

[liesmyth]

hi, i saw your post about tips for running beginners yesterday, and in it you mentioned you didn't like c25k programs too much. i'm very curious what your reasons for that are (outside of the one you mentioned in the post), just because i don't really know too much about the subject but am currently doing a c25k program :) i'd love to hear your perspective on the topic!

HI HI HI I'm so happy whenever I get asks about running, this really made my evening ❤️

I have some nitpicks about C25K, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that the best training program is the program you're actually going to follow. There's no point in an awesome training plan if you're not going to stick with it. C25K, with the various apps and communities and its immense popularity, is hugely convenient for new runners to get into, and I really think it's something that shouldn't be underestimated. Kind of how many beginner lifting routines are frankly kind of rubbish, but you're still seeing massive results even with suboptimal programming because you're training consistently. If you're enjoying C25K, that's all that matters at the end of the day.

On to my nitpicks: like I said in the post, I don't love the framing of walking as something an experienced runner needs to grow out of — there are many walk/run strategy training plans even at very advanced levels. My other two main nitpicks are: 1) lack of focus on strength and mobility, and 2) lack of deload weeks.

I think a program that targets complete beginners should put more emphasis on the importance of strength exercises + mobility and stretches as injury prevention, especially because so many people use C25K as a program while trying to lose weight and running is a high-impact activity that'll be more taxing on the joints the heavier you are. The second reason — lack of deload weeks — is also because of injury prevention. iirc C25K DOES tell people to repeat a week "if you don't feel ready," but I really think lower-volume weeks should be programmed in, instead of steady week-by-week increases. Your body needs some time to get used to its current fitness level before pushing harder. Something like "3 weeks of increasing distance, 1 week while you stay at the same weekly mileage or lower it slightly" is IMO better than "distance total increases week by week."

(In all of this, I'd like to disclaim that I haven't actually looked at a C25K plan in years. For all I know, maybe it was updated to include mandatory deloads and a recommended 5-mins-a-day-bodyweight-legs-routines. But these were my main "this could be better" takeaways when I last saw the schedule)

I hope this is clear and above all doesn't dissuade you! You're gonna smash that 5k

[runveganwankerrun]

Mon 27th May '24

I'm really proud of myself. I've completed week one of the couch to 5k. Three run/walks. It's a double edged feeling. I'm pleased I've done it, but I can't help going back to what I've achieved in the past, and wondering how I let myself get so unfit and unrunnery.

If someone was telling me they'd completed week one, I'd be all over them, telling them how great it is. Why aren't I treating myself the same way?

Plus points. I went out there. I found it very difficult to talk myself into running in the middle of the day, in broad daylight. I kept putting it off, telling myself that I'd get up in the morning, and do it then, when there was no one about. I'm talking 5.30am. I never did it. I kept chickening out. But there's not a day has gone past since last November when I haven't told myself that I'd go for a run, and it's been the same amount of time since I've managed to do it more than once. I ran once in November, once in February and once some other time. Three runs in six months.

This week, I ran three times. All run/walks, as the C25K prescibes, but three runs in a week, nonetheless. And it was at 10 or 11am, since the early thing wasn't happening.

It was tough and sweaty. I used to "enjoy" tough and sweaty, in that fucked up way that runners do. Not any more. But I didn't want/need to boke, so I'm already ahead of the game.

I also walked on the days that I didn't run, so made sure I left the house and got out into the world. I've been a bit in danger of becoming a recluse, sitting at home, on my ever expanding arse, crocheting, eating shite and watching Judge Judy. I've been eating no shite for a couple of weeks now, making my own sauerkraut, which means I'm getting a great amount of veg, good fibre and all the good bacteria my greedy gut desires. It helps to fill me up. I've eaten too much sugar in the way of grapes and bananas, but even that's a win, coz it's full of fibre and vitamins and minerals, and it's not crisps and Ben & Jerry's. The worst thing I ever did was discover vegan friendly Ben & Jerry's! As I ran today, my favourite tee shirt did not ride up over my belly as much as before, so I think there's a minuscule improvement in flabberosity there! A couple of weeks of no shite, two portions a day of fermented food, and some exercise is already making a difference.

Is it bad that my fave tee is my fave, not only because it's almost big enough to fit comfortably, but because it's my first ever marathon tee? It's my way of showing anyone who cares to look that I've run a marathon, despite what my running looks like now. Such ego!

I'm trying very hard to make this about health, both bodily and mental, rather than weight. I want to enjoy running again. Yes, being lighter will help that, but a generally fit body will do that too, rather than just a light one. I want to smile when I'm running, be glad to see people, instead of worrying about how I look. I know my gait has changed, my posture, my stride. I'm so shuffley now, in comparison to how I was. I need to forget "how I was" and get into how I am now. Things will improve with time, so long as I keep going. Just half an hour a day is enough to make a HUGE differrence, and it won't be long till I can see it in my running. SO KEEP IT UP, YOU RUNNING VEGAN WANKER!

As I run, I'm listening to a book called The Slow AF Run Club, by Martinus Evans. It's helping me a lot. This is a guy who started running way heavier than me. If he can do it, I sure as fuck can too.

[run-like-a-zombie]

Dear diary,

Well, it’s been a while. Quite a long while, actually. I started today with editing my age on my profile, had to change it from 36 to 39. I’m not really sure where I left off -- I don’t remember if I posted that my then-boyfriend almost died of what may very likely have been one of the first cases of covid in Sweden? And then, six months after, I left him after an 8 year long relationship. I am now with someone new, someone who a 100% matches ME and it is incredible. I have been in love before but I have never had anyone so perfectly suit me, it’s amazing. 

We moved in together a year or two ago, and of course the live-together life is good! We eat good, drink good, and unlike my previous relationship I don’t like taking long walks because I want to spend time with my SO, lol. So my body ...well... started changing. Back to where I was 12 years ago, at my heaviest. I feel very uncomfortable in my body (but he sees no flaws, even though he understands my plight and holds me when I get sad over how out of shape I got recently) and have started over and over again. I injured my shoulder in September, something that I can still feel on a bad day, but I am SO ready to get started with lifting weights again. I may even get a gym card! :) 

I am running, kind of. I am on week 3 (or 4?) in a C25k, and it feels good. I run 1-2 times a week, since I have some issues with my left hamstring since I injured it a couple of years ago. It is weird, being almost 40. My body does not at all respond as it did when I was 30, and injuries last longer. What the hey. 

But yeah, I’m getting back on track again. I took some “before” (current!) pictures the other day. I am not sure wether or not I will share those -- it would be good for accountability, but I also feel so ashamed over how rotund my belly looks. I look pregnant, which I am *not*. I may sit on them until I have a good “after” to compare to. We’ll see what I do. 

I missed you guys. I’m not sure how many of you are still here, but I think about you all very often. So yeah. Reach out and say hello if you’re still here, still going strong or starting over or just lurking? :)

Have a nice day <3

//Carina

[turtle-to-dragon]

a return to goal-setting and logging and blogging

I figured it's time to start using this space more like I did before. A lot has happened in my life since I last posted personal stuff; I've changed my profession, moved back to my hometown, returned to my first and most beloved martial arts school, started Chinese sword training, had a few pleasant encounters with HEMA practicioners, started teaching kung fu again...

I haven't trained as consistently as I'd have liked, and I had some months where I didn't exercise or move or do much of anything, at all. Fortunately, that's behind me now, and I'm back at a state of mind where I feel comfortable setting martial arts related goals again.

Now I know it's important to keep it as specific and measurable and actionable as possible, and I *also* know that it's probably important to not plan too much at once... but ehhhh. I'll just try to be kind to myself and keep the daily actions small and short enough to not overwhelm myself. At the same time I know I need consistency and a plan to achieve those things.

My goals;

(re)learn the Sword Hand Form, so I can perform it fluidly, with intent, in a way that I would be able to teach it to others, by September.

optimize the Leopard Form, so that I can perform it fluidly, with intent and appropriate depth and the character of the animal, by mid August.

get good at deep stances so I can maintain them comfortably for a minute (horse stance, reversed bow stance, empty stance) on each side.

get better with the leopard kick (which is a sneaky one, pretending to go all straight and then at the very last moment turning inward or outward)

get better with the leopard strikes (the circular in the straight, the straight in the circular, as my teacher said)

learn the 3 Principles Sword Form (san cai jian) so that I can perform it correctly, with intent, with body-sword-movement, with a partner, by December.

establish a sword training routine so that it becomes part of my daily life. start with maybe ten minutes a day, keep a checklist with drills to practice nearby, and re-evaluate after two weeks if this actually helps with anything.

pain-free, strong right shoulder, so I can go through 2 x 1.5 hours of sword training or regular kung fu training per week, or so I can get into push-up position, or hold a focus mitt against serious punches and kicks without pain... By stability and mobility exercises on every second day (alternating with leg work)

pain-free, stable left ankle, so I can go through 2 x 1.5 hours of kung fu training on mats per week, including jumping and standing on one leg without falling over or being in pain for days... by stability and mobility exercises on every second day (alternating with shoulder stuff)

improve endurance so I can sprint up one or two flights of stairs without feeling like I might die. I'll probably start with a C25K training program again, and training with stairs would probably help as well. What doesn't help is that I abhor starting this kind of training because it feels so miserable. (That's probably me wanting too much, too soon...)

Yeah. Like I said.. maybe a bit much, but I'll try and figure it out.

.oO(goals for July and beyond...)

Other things, apart from the goals:

On Friday my new sword will be delivered, yay! Getting the shipping notification today made my Monday significantly better. More swords for everyone!

Looking forward to a HEMA introductory workshop on longsword in less than three weeks, with a kung fu sister and two other good friends <3

very much enjoying having a very motivated kung fu sister that matches me in thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for this art.

My first kung fu teacher and my mom both said that they would like to be present during my next kung fu exam. I don't know yet when that will be, but I feel honored that they want to be there. And it feels kinda fitting, since they were both present at my very first training at this school, 22 years ago. ^_^

After tidying up my room, I now have (hopefully) enough space in my bedroom/living room to practice sword techniques. (Looking at you, ceiling lamp... Stay where you are!)

Okay, that's it for now. Off to actually train now :D

[thehecticglowcloud]

7/11/24

Last day of week 4 C25K...next week (two weeks??) is training to run for 5 minutes straight 3 times

Truly not sure if I should follow my current trend of doing each week twice but with each day of week 5...not sure if that's excessive

Except for the last week, when we do day 2 twice then end the week with the 20 min continuous run as intended

My left side is weaker I think!! Left knee acting up, no balance on the left foot...what's going on...

I AM SO STINKY WHEN I WORK OUT I need to do something about it (considering: body mint; quick showers after running, if splitting the workout to the afternoon; more workout outfits to cycle through in the week

Leg day for lifting today...we'll be back to upper body in the Sunday one

I think i'm doing lying hamstring curls wrong?? I feel it more in my calves than anything, but I'm not sure how my stance/movement is supposed to b

[umfazi-wephepha]

Had a semi decent week, I did order Chicken Licken on Sunday and takeaway including cake during the week.

Sleep is getting better.

Lactose intolerance kicking my ass though - recent discovery of yoghurt rearing its head but going to minimize.

Started taking bone broth, not sure what the benefits are but it’s protein I guess.

Seeing the benefits of not consuming alcohol. New year’s intention: become a two-drink girlie when I do drink.

Going to start week 3 of C25k next week. Looked for new running shoes, nothing makes sense but we persevere.

[seltzerizfriend]

August 21

Altogether, today was a very productive day. I woke up pretty early for this summer and I went to the gym in the morning. I studied a lot for my pre calculus test (feeling much better about it now!) and also was able to devote over an hour to studying languages. On top of that, I completed all my dailies on .... .- -... .. - .. -.-. .- (its a habit tracking app/website, I just don't want this post occurring when someone searches for it on tumblr). Unfortunately, I did no go to karate today, but passing my pre calc exam is a little more important, especially since I already went to the gym.

Lunch (1315):

Nectarine, 60 cals

Oatmeal, 258 cals

Total: 318 cals

Snack (1740):

3 cherry tomatoes, 16 cals

4 deviled eggs, 158 cals

Glass of milk, 163 cals

Fortune cookie, 30 cals

Total: 367 cals

Dinner (2050):

Protein shake, 561 cals

Day Total: 1246 cals

Exercise:

I walked to the gym and back (30 mins) and burned 161 cals doing so. At the gym, I warmed up on a stationary bike for 15 minutes (209 cals), then I did an hour of various bodyweight exercises (268 cals) before running.

Week 6 Day of C25K

The run didn't go too great, I probably was lacking energy from not eating much the past two days (read: not at all), so I mainly speedwalked and still managed to cover over 2 miles.

Total exercise: 985 cals

Net Total: 261 cals

[starving-prxncess]

Dear Diary

Tomorrow I wake up at 5am

Tomorrow I go for a run

Tomorrow I’ll go to week 5 of C25K (interval running) and do day 1

Tomorrow I’ll starve until dinner

Tomorrow I won’t finish my burger, I’ll eat 2 cheese sticks and a two thirds of a burger

Tomorrow I’ll do yoga

Tomorrow I’ll take a shower

Tomorrow I’ll call my boyfriend

Tomorrow I’ll go to sleep

Tomorrow I’ll be perfect

Love,

Princess

[etirabys]

I was just looking whether there are any running/c25k people are on tumblr and your "on jogging" (or running? ofc i can't remember now...) post was the first I was shown.

I know it's been a whole year since you posted that but I'm wondering: did you continue running? do you still run?

(the post in question)

I still jog, although not at the 3/week pace I think really keeps my physical and mental health good. Here's my track record for the year (15 means "3 miles of a walk/jog cycle, 15 cumulative minutes of running"):

March fell apart because of two covid quarantines and then travel, but I was clearly not doing it regularly before that. Sometimes I skip because the weather is bad, but mostly this is because I do not enjoy jogging. I'm trying to switch to some form of dance for my cardio instead, so that I can have fun and get laid.

[runveganwankerrun]

Sat 22nd Jun '24

Good to get out and do another parkrun. Only twelve to go to the 💯, and the black tee-shirt. I'm at 144 volunteering credits, so I got that black tee a while ago. I'm 100% sure that T would be faster without me, but she doesn't seem to mind sticking with me for now. We're meeting again on Monday, for our weekly trot. Start of week five of C25K, but day one is less than we did today, so I might count today as day one, and jump us to day two. It makes sense to not go back a step.

The Gorgeous Guy came to parkrun with us, but he sat it out, as he'd done a 10k race last night and was knackered. We went for lunch and I treated myself to vegan sausages, bagel and sweet potato fries. I hadn't had bread or sausages for a while, so they were nice as a wee change, but I made sure to get a good portion of sauerkraut into me when I got home later, as well as some fresh fruit. Today was more processed food than I've eaten in ages. I won't beat myself up about it, but it's back to clean eating tomorrow

[holmesapothecary]

What are some of your fav sc fics, if you don’t mind sharing?

I think I’ve done this a few times so I’ll go with a few of my completed favs from the past few months (in no particular order):

840 Havenwood Road E by Distractivate: David and Patrick's last day in their first house.

Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman: Instead of moving to Schitt’s Creek, Patrick decides to hike fifteen hundred miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, through the wilderness, alone. He ends up meeting someone else with something to prove.

Husbands: Two Years In by @unfolded73: A year in the life of Patrick Brewer, about two years into his marriage with David.

We Could Turn the World to Gold by middyblue: Nine weeks of following Patrick's c25k running app, picking up from where the Season 5 finale left off.

Afterwards by sheafrotherdon: The wedding's over. They've said their goodbyes. Their honeymoon's a week together in the apartment without anyone bothering them, and David doesn't know how to be this happy, and sad, together, at once.

You Can Plan on Me by odofidi (really, this whole series): For the first Christmas in their new home, David and Patrick navigate around having their families altogether. And David learns that having Marcy Brewer around is pretty awesome.

such a constellation was he to me by @blueink3: what if David and Patrick met in self-isolation?

Squeaky Floorboards by houdini74: A few short scenes from the first few months in David and Patrick's new house.

Adore by @maxbegone: It's been three years since Alexis moved to New York. It has to mean something now that Ted's here, right?

Here Is Home by OnMyShore: David, and Patrick, and the place they call home.

the holiday by singsongsung: Patrick brings David, Alexis, and Stevie home for the holidays.

Salve by agreatwave: “This is ruining our romantic eye cream ritual,” David mopes.“What, this isn’t romantic?” Patrick teases, moving on to David’s forehead.“It’s kind of romantic, I guess,” David grumbles. “Like as romantic as a rash can get.”Missing Scenes from 4x11 The Rollout

Ask me anything

[less-flower]

It looks like I’m heading down into another depressive episode ... I’m not sure if it’s SAD or if it’s that I really had needed a break, and then, when I finally got one, the mice happened and basically ruined any recovery I got from a few days away. Either way, when I’m near tears almost 24/7, something’s gotta give.

(Further rambling below the cut to spare your dash.)

As a first measure, I just submitted a request for a week off (my remaining vacation leave less the Christmas week) in three weeks. I’d like to take time off sooner but with the jobs I have currently, I can’t - I have a deadline on 16 November and allowed one day for extensions/troubleshooting, so I have to make it to 18 November 🙈. (Though, to be frank, the way I’ve been feeling the last few days, I’m not above going to the doc and asking for a few days of sick leave, and screw those jobs, if push comes to shove.)

Of course my therapist is not available right now ... Got an appointment in two weeks.

Food and weight and exercise ... I dunno. I’ll keep trying, I guess.

What’s new is that I’m anxious about running, which, not cool, brain, not cool! That used to be the one thing that was going reliably okay in my life (not without struggles and setbacks but something I could make myself do most of the time even if everything else was falling apart). I decided to see if going back to C25k will help, so I activated the ZR 5k app again - I don’t need to start at zero, I’ll just mix some workouts from week 5 or so upwards with some free runs.

Okay, actually seeing that I have a few ideas to make things better helps. It no longer feels like my heart wants to jump out of my chest.

... Damn, that reads dramatic. Anyway. Depression is a bitch but I’m stronger. Watch me.

[the-fit--teacher]

Two NSVs today:

1. I had to hold my leggings up with one hand the whole time as I ran today because they kept falling down. These leggings used to be my favorite compression leggings that would never fall down. My shoulder slightly hurts from being at such an awkward angle, but I'm happy that these are being retired to "lounge leggings" because they're officially too big to run in.

2. Check out the difference in distances between last May and today for the 22-minute run on Week 6 Day 3 of C25K. And this time it was with hills AND having to hold my pants up the whole time:)