Couch to 5K


New C25K website

Posted in iPhone App by Tanya on March 9, 2010

We developed a new website for the C25K app. You can view it here at www.c25kapp.com for more information on recent tweets and detailed pictures on how the app looks and works on your iPhone/iPod Touch.

If you just want to purchase the app you can do this through the website or  you can go directly to this link at http://bit.ly/7QW5rh

Of course, it goes without saying that all of our followers have made this app possible through word of mouth. If you love our app and want others to reap the same benefits than please leave a review at http://bit.ly/7QW5rh.

This app has spread 100% through word of mouth. Thanks so much!

Happy Running,

Tanya

Barefoot Running Day 1

Posted in iPhone App by Tanya on March 9, 2010

I woke up this morning with the sun shining in my room and wondered if I was dreaming. Living in the midwest during this time of year usually doesn’t offer much sunshine and then I remembered, today was the day to get up and run in my new Vibram Five Fingers (VFF) http://bit.ly/aQNgb1. I couldn’t have picked a better day to run outside than today. It was warm and sunny around 41F and boy was I happy.

I did my usual morning rituals, brushed my teeth, put on my workout gear, hair back, sunglasses on, and went downstairs for some lemon water. I decided to do some pre-run stretches because I was concerned about having muscle pain later. Well that was it,  I was ready.

I went into the mud room and slipped on my new VFFs, carefully adjusting my squished up toes into each of the independent toe areas. I walked around the room a bit to get adjusted to the feel. I noticed that my right pinky toe was not very comfortable. I decided to ignore it and out the door I went. I walked for about one to two minutes outside to get a real feel of the pavement under my feet and then off I went down the street in a jog. My goal was to not over do it, being the first day I decided to run 1.5 miles and see if I could go further from then on.

The shoes were great. I could feel my toes gripping the pavement with every step. Sure I had to be aware of what I was stepping in, but that made my run more interesting. You’d be amazed at what kind of stuff was lying on the ground other than gravel and dirt. During my run I did some interval running, completely forgetting that I was going to try to take it easy. I basically jogged and then sprinted and repeated these steps several times during my run. I had gotten to about 1.5 miles and realized that I was not going to be able to run anymore. My right pinky toe was now numb and I could feel some discomfort on the inner part of my root foot close to the heel. I decided to stop and head home. I felt good about my run, sure it wasn’t my usual 5K, but I didn’t want to overdo it with my new shoes, or so that’s what I thought.

During my walk (cool down) back home I noticed that my calves were on fire. It started getting harder and harder for me to walk. My body took on a waddling walk as I thought my calves were going to rip. Ouch ouch ouch, I thought, so much for not over doing it.  I got home and Alex started laughing at my new walking style, “What happened to you?” he asked. Wasn’t it obvious? I had to remind him about our Florida running experience in the sand and he quickly I understood. I waddled up the stairs for a warm shower.  It was then, that I noticed the blister on the inside of my right foot and my right pinky toe was red and swollen.

After the shower I took some Advil and started to do some more research on my new VFFs. Was everyone having the same problem? Yesterday on twitter one of our  C25K app (www.c25kapp.com) followers, @clairethomey  stated that she had been using VFFs since she started using the C25K program and she said she had no problems with them. She also gave me a link to http://birthdayshoes.com/. This site is dedicated to VFF fans. I was instantly hooked and subscribed to their blog posts.

Vibram Five Fingers fan community - free your feet!

Vibram Five Fingers free my feet!

I’m still sore, the Advil helped, but I am going back for more!

Barefoot Running

Posted in iPhone App by Alex on March 8, 2010

We all used to run barefoot as children. I remember racing my brother around the backyard and playing soccer on the grass. My mother hated my dirty feet after playing outside all day, but it felt great. My bare feet would hit the grass and then the pavement and then mud, whatever it was, without a second thought to what I had stepped in or stepped on. AHHH those were the days!

When the family and I went to Florida in January this year we ran barefoot on the sand and I realized that my chronic back pain and right leg pain issues were no longer a concern. As a matter of fact, I did not feel any tightness or soreness in these areas as I almost always did during or even days after my runs. I also felt like I was running on air. I was actually running faster, at times sprinting during my run. I remember that I felt more in control of how my feet landed on the sand. For the first time in a long time I enjoyed my run with much enthusiasm.

Looking back at that time in Florida made me think now that it all could have been the atmosphere, being in the warm sun, soft sand under my feet, waves crashing on the shore, other runners out for their morning runs, that had made me feel so liberated, but no there was something more. Despite the new calf pain that came with running barefoot, I no longer had the soreness in my back and the groin pain from my right leg. I couldn’t believe it, was running barefoot going to be the answer to me enjoying my runs more?

I decided to do some reading. I began reading the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougal (http://bit.ly/b97JzD). Great book for anyone who is interested in being a runner. I also visited numerous websites especially  www.barefootted.com. Some websites were not so inspiring, but the few that I read really tempted me further. Knowing that we signed up for a half marathon in September http://www.chicagohalfmarathon.com/ I couldn’t waste any more time. I went to a local running store and purchased these beauties: http://bit.ly/aQNgb1

I thought I might post my runs with these new shoes and perhaps we can all know a bit more about what it means to run barefoot. For now Happy Running and wish me luck. I plan on starting tomorrow!

10K Running Plan

Posted in iPhone App by Alex on January 19, 2010

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is: “Do you have an app for longer distances when I get done with 5k?” I’m always encouraged when I get those questions because it’s so awesome to see that so many people are not only completing the 5K plan, but also want to increase their distances as well.

I wanted to address this, so I asked my wife to help me come up with a 10k running plan. As we talked, one thing became apparent: we wanted to open up the process and ask our readers (and twitter followers) to help us create the best 10k plan.

Below you’ll see the draft plan we created. Take a look at it, and maybe even try it out. Please leave us your ideas/suggestions in the comments below. We are very excited about this and are looking forward to reading your comments.

Once we make the improvements to the plan we’re planning on releasing a beta iPhone app to go with it so you can try it out.

Version 0.1

Each workout includes a 5 minute warmup walk and 5 minute cooldown walk

Week One

Duration: 29 minutes

Run 3 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.

Week Six

Duration: 53 minutes

Run 10 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 4 times.

Week Two

Duration: 34 minutes

Run 4 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.

Week Seven

Duration: 57 minutes

Run 15 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

Week Three

Duration: 39 minutes

Run 5 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.

Week Eight

Duration: 63 minutes

Run 17 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

Week Four

Duration: 45 minutes

Run 8 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 4 times.

Week Nine

Duration: 66 minutes

Run 18 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

Week Five

Duration: 49 minutes

Run 9 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 4 times.

Week Ten

Day 1: Run 22 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 2 times. Duration: 55 minutes

Day 2: Run 25 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat 2 times. Duration: 61 minutes

Day 3: Run 30 minutes / walk 1 minute. Repeat  2 times. Duration: 71 minutes

How to Make Couch to 5k app work with Nike+ app

Posted in iPhone App by Alex on January 16, 2010
Tags: , ,

Here’s a quick post that explains how to make the C25K app work together with Nike+ app.

  1. Start Nike+ app and start the workout (select None for the workout music)
  2. Press the “home” hardware button on your iPhone or iPod touch
  3. Start the C25K app, add music, choose the workout day, and slide to start the workout

Nike+ app will stay in the “background”  and you will see the red bar
on the top of the screen. In order for C25K app to work, Nike+ app
needs to stay in the background the entire length of the workout which
basically means that you should not tap on the Nike+ red bar while in
the workout.

Hope this makes a bit clearer. I will update this post to include screen-shots.

In app music player – Couch to 5k

Posted in iPhone App by Alex on December 1, 2009

A long overdue blog post. But, like they say, better late then never. So here is how to use the in-app music player of the Couch to 5K app version 2.1.

Note: this only works with iPhone OS 3.0 or greater.

With previous versions of the C25K app you had to start the iPod and play music first, then open the C25K app to start the workout. This is no longer the case with the current version (2.1) of the app. With version 2.1 you should not start playing music from your iPod.

Instead, start the C25K app and select the workout day. Then tap on the “Music” button like on the image below

Adding music to the C25K app

Taping on the “Music” button will open a screen showing your iPod library. Here you choose which songs you’d like to add to the C25K music player. You can add individual songs or entire albums or playlists. Just tap the “plus” button next to the song you wish to add. Or tap the “Add all songs” to add all songs from the current selection.

Select tracks to add

When you are done selecting your music tap the “Done” button and you will be back to your workout screen where you can now start the workout and your selected music will start playing automatically.

Start workout

The music you’ve added to the C25K app is saved between the sessions. So next time you start the app to go for a run, you will not need to select the music again. You can just start the workout and your music starts playing automatically.

Happy running!

Couch to 5K success story: an interview with Erik

Posted in C25K, Interviews, Running, Success Stories by Alex on August 26, 2009

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…

  1. Question: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do for a living? Are you a exercise/fitness buff?
  2. Answer: I’m a system admin for a company that creates custom voice-over-IP telephony solutions.

  3. Question: How did you discover Couch to 5K running plan? Were you physically active before starting the C25K?
  4. 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.

  5. Question: What were your goals when you started the C25K plan?
  6. 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.

  7. Question: How do you fit in the workout in your daily routine? What do you do to keep yourself motivated?
  8. 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.

  9. Question: What iPhone apps / gadgets do you use for your workouts?
  10. 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.

  11. 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?
  12. 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.

  13. Question: What do you do to prepare for the race day? How is running a race different than your regular 5K run?
  14. 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.

  15. Question: How has doing the Couch to 5K program changed your life? Did you become more active or loose weight, etc?
  16. 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.

  17. Question: What would you recommend to someone thinking about starting the Couch to 5K program?
  18. 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.

  19. Question: Anything else you’d like to add?
  20. 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.

Four weeks of iTunes gift card giveaways

Posted in iPhone App by Alex on August 10, 2009
Tags: , , ,

Here’s a complete list of winner for the “The Motivator” giveaway:

Week 1 – @kaztx

Week 2 – @apmom

Week 3 – @fotostars

Week 4 – @healthyandbella

Congratulations to all of you. Hope you are still keeping up with your workouts!

Good news for the rest of you: I’ve decided to keep the giveaway going indefinetely. Get healthy, tweet, and win! If you needed some extra motivation to complete those C25k runs, now you’ve got it.

For details on how to enter please see the original post.

Happy running!

iTunes gift card giveaway – Week 1

Posted in C25K, iPhone, iPhone App by Alex on July 12, 2009
Tags: , , ,

The winner of the first week of $25 iTunes gift card giveaway is @kaztx and this was the winning tweet. Congratulations @kaztx! You can add new music to your workout playlist or use the gift card to buy some cool iPhone apps.

Everyone else, better luck next time! Remember, the real benefit is getting fitter and healtier, the iTunes gift card is just a little extra.

Happy running!

The Motivator

Posted in C25K, iPhone App by Alex on July 6, 2009
Tags: , , ,

Update: Week 1 winner announced!

Update: All four winners announced, giveaway continues indefinitely!

I don’t watch much television, but one show I like is Wipeout on ABC. One of the funniest additions in the second season is the “Motivator” to the Big Balls obstacle. If you watched the show you’ll know what I’m talking about. The Motivator is hilarious and very motivating to the contestants.

Well I’ve been thinking about how to get motivated to do the Couch to 5K plan, and how to get the users of C25K app for iPhone motivated to stay with the program. One evening, while watching the show I had an idea.

So here’s my verson of the Motivator:

I’ll be giving away one $25 iTunes gift card each week. To enter, all you need to do is post to Twitter when you complete a workout session.

Here are the rules:

  • Post to Twitter when you complete a workout and include keyword #c25kapp in your status. The easiest way to do that is to use the Twitter button in the C25K app.
  • Multiple entries are fine, but are limited to 3 per week. Workout more, increase your chances of winning.
  • Your Twitter updates must be public so I can see and count them

Winner announcements:

  • I will randomly choose one winner each Sunday. All  public tweets with keyword #c25kapp posted prior to midnight Saturday night will be counted.
  • I will announce the winner each week on Twitter with a @ reply.
  • To claim the gift card, winner needs to follow @c25kapp so that I can Direct Message the gift card code.
  • Winners who reside outside of the United States will have a choice of receiving the US iTunes store gift card code via Twitter DM or receiving $25 via PayPal.

If you don’t use Twitter, consider joining now. There’s a sizable C25K community there. If you’ve fallen behind on your Couch to 5K workouts, now it’s the time to get back on track.

If you have any question or suggestions on how I can improve the Motivator, please let me know in the comments.

Happy running!

Update:

Winners so far: @kaztx, @apmom, @healthyandbella, @fotostars, @Qapf, @duckyislost, @l080100, @chris_bailey, @RomanticTechie, @LifeWithoutDiet

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