Azatol

Running every day is counterproductive to learning to run. It's also flirting with running injury which could set you back a month+. First off, when you don't have a rest day, your muscle fiber doesn't have time to regrow and make you stronger. You'll become a stronger runner if you have stronger legs. Additionally, and I say this from unfortunate experience, you do not want to spend a month watching runners out the window as you're in physical therapy for runners knee (Patellofemorol Pain Syndrome). Overuse injuries happen. Running is a contact sport. Treat your body well and give it the rest it needs and it will reward you with better running. Cycle, Elliptical, Yoga, Golf, Hike. Find off day activities!! Your body will thank you for it.

Awesome job. Congrats!

Way-2-Go!!

Just do it!! You'll be fine. DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR PHONE. Just run until she tells you to walk. The program is scientifically sound. Your body is ready for W5D3. Don't let your brain defeat you with it's laziness!! GO GO GO!!

It's all part of the science of building endurance. If you look at marathon training programs, every 4th week your long run gets shorter for that one week. All part of helping you body adapt and absorb the changes. The program is scientifically sound. You just nee fatih

Congrats!!!!

WAY-2-GO!

Awesome work! Don't worry too much about your splits. The goal of this program is to teach 30 minutes of running endurance. Once you've gotten that down, your pace will naturally pick up and you can begin some speed work if you so desire.

I really think you would best benefit yourself sticking to a 3 day regiment for the time being. As for that page, I tend to agree with it. I actually heel strike somewhat but it's not the devil that people accuse it of being. Heel striking is really only bad when your heel strikes out far in front of you while your leg is fully extended and transfers the road shock into your knee because your body is thrusting forward as your heel hits. If your knee is bent your leg bends with the strike to absorb the force as it's designhed to do. Cadence IMO is the more critical number. Get your cadence up and your knees will be better. I don't focus on how my foot hits but instead I focus on running cues.... Running cues: Imagine a string attached to the top of your head pulling you upwards (AKA run tall) Imagine a brick wall in front of your body and you don't want to stub your toes on it while you run (AKA it makes your stride shorter and increases your cadence(Steps per minute)) Tighten your core (try and touch your spine with your belly button.) This takes a lot of practice. By actively visualizing these cues I was able to transitiion to a higher cadence (I average 177-180). This automatically makes your legs land more under your body and takes a lot of pressure off the knees. If you heel strike on a shotrter stride, it wont hurt your knees thus it isn't so much a problem.. You can see below that I am definitely heel striking but my knee is landing closer to under me and not out in front of me so the leg is not compressing in on the knee joint. (I'm also ridiculously pooped at this point and running on reserves so my form isn't at its best)

I don't know what your long run is or how much running experience you have(so take this for what it's worth) but in my opinion, you should only run 4 days once you have established a solid mileage base so much that some of your runs are routine. If you are still sore and fighting to complete your runs, you benefit more by having a day off after every run to recover and let muscle fiber repair itself stronger. I was running about 8 months before I added a 4th day to my routine. I've actually just started toying with idea of a 5th day. If you aren't to that point, I'd reccomend you maintian a 3 day a week reginmen of a semi fixed mileage (I did 5k) on two of my runs and then bit by bit dialed up the distance on my long run. Once that got past 5 or 6 miles, my endurance increased significantly and the 5k runs got easier and began to approach routine. That's the point that I added in an additional day. The long run is very beneficial!! It's your endurance builder.

The simple of it is YES, the app works. The Couch to 5K program is a rather old program. It's a scientifically sound method of achieving a 30 minute sustained run built up to with gentle increases that the body can handle and adapt to. The the running program itself predates the app. The app is simply an efficient delivery method that keeps the interval times, provides cues and lets you listen to music. Many thousands of runners (present company included) got to where we are today by starting with this program. The biggest road block is usually your mind. You CAN do this and don't let your brain tell you differently. Remember: Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right - Henry Ford,

AWESOME!!! It's always a great feeling!!

I know this is an old post but wanted to add a comment. Look into increasing your cadence. It forces a shorter stride which brings your foot strike position more forward on your shoe and decreases impact on your knees. As for shoes I maintain there is no best brand or model. It's based on your foot and how they feel for you. Get professionally fitted and don't buy a brand or shoe because I(or anyone else) say it's good

I know this is a few weeks old but wanted to comment. I also use Body Glide or 2Toms anti chafe roll on but another important thing.... If you are wearing cotton clothing, you are predisposing yourself to chaffing(it gets sweaty and heavy and rubs and you know what's next). Get rid of it for technical fabrics (Polyester). Cotton is the devil!!

Way-2-Go!!!!

The choice of yours I disagree with is the choice to call yourself slow Don't identify yourself as such, You're way faster than the person who chose to sit on the sofa and watch tv reruns. Running is a mental game. You're a runner. Not a fast runner, not a slow runner. Just a runner. It's an awesome thing to be!! Pat yourself on the back and go run. If you find that you have more time per mile to enjoy your surroundings than some other runners. consider yourself lucky <grin>

Running, ESPECIALLY when beginning, is very impactful on your leg muscles. It constitutes strength training. When you run (Or strength train), you actually tear muscle fiber that later rebuilds itself stronger than it was. That fiber rebuilds the day after your run. This means you don't get stronger on the day you run but rather the next day. If you run that next day, you interrupt the healing process and re-tear those muscle fibers. This is not going to physically injure you but by not allowing your body that rest time to rebuild, you are negating some of the leg muscle building benefits of your previous days running. At the start, every other day is best. Maybe a Mon, Wed, Fri and take the weekend off type thing. By taking that day off after each run at the start, you will actually become a stronger runner quicker.

You might want to try better securing your shoes with a heel lock

You will find little if any atrophy from taking up to a week off. 1.5 to 2 weeks is when I start to find I've lost some cardiovascular endurance.

Vividly. I still wear them for cycling and lifting because I actually hate them for running. Congrats on the Triumphs (Assuming we are talking about Saucony Triumph ISO). I have a pair myself. Love em.

FlipBelt is where it's at. Doesn't slide at all. Holds gigantic phones. Room for lots of gels.

I don't find knee pain related so much to speed as form. Is your front leg reaching way out in front of your body or is it landing under you? Smaller steps AKA higher cadence makes you land less on our heels and reduces the force transmitted to the knee. Try and run taller. Good posture is key. Try and imagine a string pulling your head upwards. Also imagine a brick wall in front of your body. Don't let your toes hit that wall. This visualization will help your legs land more underneath you and take pressure off your knees. If you don't strength train, please consider it. Exercises like lunges and squats do wonders for your leg muscles and stronger leg muscles = less actual pressure on the knee joint. As for your distance runs they should be slow. In fact, all of your runs aside from your speed training day should be at an easy comfortable, conversational pace. Also, a few exercises to help with the knee rehab (I've unfortunately done the PFPS). Balance stuff. Stand on one leg for 30 seconds at a time. Stand on one leg and spell the alphabet in the air with the other. Increase dorsiflexion (Flexability to curl your toes upward). Look at calf stretches on a wall for example. Also google Piriformis stretch.

Don't worry about going from 5 to 8 minutes. Piece of cake. It's a big mind game! You're going to kill it. The app is solid. The science is correct of the running program. Your body CAN do it. You're mind just has to allow it!! As for a cool down I always walk a bit after my run then do a cooldown leg routine... Basic Leg Routine One legged balance: :30 each leg Twisting Lunge: 6x each leg (Do a lunge and twist your torso to the side of the lead leg) Single-leg Deadlift: 5x each leg (AKA Drinking Bird Exercise) One legged Alphabet spell: A-M each leg (Stand on one leg and spell the letters of the alphabet in the air with the other)