Groups/

Couch to 5K

Abuela M.PRO
Abuela M. Sendmail

When is best to move up to the next week/level?

posted over 1 year ago | Report

This is for folks who can't always make it through the levels.

What works best for you, for deciding when you can realistically move up to the next week/level?

Is it when you can do a level three times in a row without stopping?

Or when you've done it three times in a row even if you had to stop?

Or something else?

I'm trying to learn not to try and push myself harder than I should, which only leads to my getting discouraged. The first time I tried W1D1 I didn't make it the whole time. Then I did W1D1 again then W1D2 without any problems, but W1D3 kicked my butt and I had to take a break. I'm trying to decide if I should wait until I've done it three times in a row to ensure that I really do have this level down and am ready to move up, or just repeat this day until I can finish it without stopping then move to week 2.

What do you do?

Respond

3 posts

scroll to bottom
  • Laura M.
    Laura M. Sendmail

    I'm on week 9 now, and it's been great so far. I have repeated a couple of weeks before, when I skipped too many days in between, or felt that I wasn't ready for the next level. Week 9 has been a challenge for me, I am checking my clock every 30 seconds the last 3-4 minutes!

    posted over 1 year ago | Report

  • Courtney
    Courtney Sendmail

    When I did my C25K I would just move up after I had done D3 of any week. If I had walked more than required I wouldn't beat myself up for it. When it was time to start the next week I would. I only re did a week when I had injured a calf and took a week off. In my mind I would tell myself there is no shame in walking. I have now comleted my C25K and just did my first 13km run the other day. I still walk. I do a 10&1 plan. (run 10 mins walk 1 min) and when I started I NEVER ever thought I would get to this point. I was worried about running for five minutes straight. I was worried about running for 40 minutes.

    I gues the main thing is to just do what you feel is right. For me, my "right" was to just keep moving. Not redo a week. Keep pushing myself ahead. But if you feel you are unsure and want to redo then do it. No ones training will ever be the same. What ever you do, just have fun with it. Running should be fun, not stressful :)

    posted over 1 year ago | Report

  • Melanie A.
    Melanie A. Sendmail

    I repeated week 1 because I felt really tired afterwards. After the second week of W1 I moved on. Then I hit another hard week at W7. W7D1 was hard and I decided to do an easier workout before moving on to W7D2. I think I did W6D2 or D3. After that I did W7D2, then W6D2 or D3 again and then W7D2. So I mixed the easier workouts with the harder ones.

    C25K is a guideline for me. If I felt comfortable I moved on. If I was feeling like dying I started to walk - even if it was running time. I want to do exercise but not feel like dying after it. (Of course I hurt sometimes and was out of breath but that was gone after a few minutes...)

    Do what feels good for you. If you think repeating a week makes it easier to move on - do it. If you feel up to a challenge - go on.

    posted over 1 year ago | Report

Other Topics in the Couch to 5K Forum