I had mentioned before that I would like to share interview’s of people who have used the C25K as a way to become more fit and healthier. My hopes were that these interviews would bring us closer as a running community as well encourage those of us who needed some more motivation. I asked Erik a few weeks ago if he could share his experience(s) of running with us. He gladly agreed and below you’ll read his road to running success.
In his comments below Erik tells us how he started running and in what ways he prepares himself for the race.
Thanks again Erik for sharing your experience with Couch to 5K. Keep up the good work!
Read on…
- Question: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do for a living? Are you a exercise/fitness buff?
- Question: How did you discover Couch to 5K running plan? Were you physically active before starting the C25K?
- Question: What were your goals when you started the C25K plan?
- Question: How do you fit in the workout in your daily routine? What do you do to keep yourself motivated?
- Question: What iPhone apps / gadgets do you use for your workouts?
- Question: So, you’ve completed a few 5K races and are about to do another one soon. What’s your best time? How did you get there?
- Question: What do you do to prepare for the race day? How is running a race different than your regular 5K run?
- Question: How has doing the Couch to 5K program changed your life? Did you become more active or loose weight, etc?
- Question: What would you recommend to someone thinking about starting the Couch to 5K program?
- Question: Anything else you’d like to add?
Answer: I’m a system admin for a company that creates custom voice-over-IP telephony solutions.
Answer: I used to be very active in high school, running long-distance events in track and field, but 10 years of college and working in IT took their toll on my body. I put on close to 70 lbs. I finally decided to start running again after reading an article on the Couch-to-5K running program on Lifehacker. I knew I needed to start out running shorter distances and work my way up, but I didn’t have any idea how to go about doing it, and I liked that the C25K intervals were already well-thought-out.
Answer: My primary goal was to lose weight. The weight I had put on since high school was causing me a lot of back pain. I also had a couple friends that got themselves into shape after years of being inactive, and they were a real inspiration to me.
Answer: I usually run in the evening after work. I do most of my running on the treadmill in the fitness center at the apartment complex where I live, but I’ve recently been doing a bit of outdoor running in the morning before I leave for work. I have done a couple 5K runs now, and I’ve been planning other ones to keep myself motivated. My goal is to continue to improve my time each time I run a 5K, and that is what is keeping me motivated.
Answer: I’ve gone all the way through the C25K app and am almost done with week 8 of the GW28K app. I also have been using RunKeeper Pro to track my outdoor runs. I’ve been trying to do a small 20-minute run in the morning if I know I won’t be able to do a C25K/GW28K run that evening, just to keep myself going.
Answer: Shortly after I began doing C25K, I attempted a 5K for a couple reasons: 1) to see if I could finish, and 2) so I would know how much I improved as a result of doing the program. I finished in 50 minutes even. Just over 3 months later, after completing the C25K workouts and beginning the first few weeks of the GW28K runs, I ran another 5K run last month and improved from 50:00 to 36:36. I’ve got another one planned for September and my goal is to get under 34 minutes.
Answer: I usually eat a big meal the night before, and then no breakfast the morning of the race. I eat an energy bar about half an hour before the race, and drink a little Gatorade to hydrate myself. Race day is different from my normal runs in that most of my workouts have been on a treadmill, so it’s different when you’re running outside. You use different muscles than you do running on a treadmill, so I’ve experienced a lot of muscle aches the day after a race. I’ve been running more outside recently to try to build up those leg muscles I don’t use as much on the treadmill.
Answer: So far I’ve lost 30 lbs, lost 4 inches in my waist, and gone down 2 shirt sizes. I’ve also started personal training to build more muscle in my upper-body, something that running doesn’t really address. Overall I’m much more active than I used to be, and I just feel so much better. I can go to a place like the county fair for a couple hours and walk around and not feel pain in my lower back.
Answer: I highly recommend it. When I started, I had trouble moving to the second week’s workouts. I couldn’t even run 3 minutes without being completely worn out. Now I’m running two 20-minute intervals, and I’ll be stepping it up to 25-minute intervals later this week. Set goals for yourself. Register for one or two 5K runs a few months down the line when you’ll be done with the C25K program. The fact that you are already registered will give you something to work towards. Set realistic goals for yourself, and keep setting new ones as you achieve each of them.
Answer: The C25K and GW28K apps have been a huge reason for my success, so I’d like to thank Alex for his hard work. It’s a lot easier to have the voice cues telling you when to run/walk than it is keeping track of it on the treadmill’s timer, or carrying a stopwatch with you and constantly checking it.
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