 | Home > Off Topic > Couch to 5k program |
 
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383  
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I've worked in the cycle trade for too long.
We have a lot of elder chaps coming in from the running world with  knees and hips, whose doctors have advised them to take up cycling.
With the impact of running, at your age, I'd suggest sticking with the bike 
As I've ridden competitively since I was 10, by the time I was 46 I'd had enough of racing, training and pedalling and decided to get fat. Great it was too. But when I hit 50, I decided to get back on... First three months I walked, too heavy to run, didn't want knacker my knees and was too unfit to ride. After 3 months of walking (as I'd planned to), Covid happened and during 10 weeks of lockdown I rode my rollers everyday for an hour to 2 hours. I'm now 2 and half stones lighter and putting in around 140 miles a week on the bike, hoping to race again next Spring! Get your bike out |
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1st Jul 2020 3:39pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8049  
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A pair of trainers for running or cycling in?
If the former I suggest a visit to your local property running shop who will have a wide selection of trainers and can watch you run on a treadmil or similar and work out stride pattern, pronation etc that will then dictate the type best suited to your gait. Cheers James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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1st Jul 2020 3:49pm |
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| Tim in Scotland Member Since: 23 May 2007 Location: The Land that time forgot Posts: 3753
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It’s trainers to start running in.
I had to loose a lot of weight in 2010/2011 when I was diagnosed T2 Diabetic, having a quite sedentary job (commanding a ship involves a lot of desk work, wierd working hours, bad diet and little exercise!) so the T2 diagnosis wasn’t really a huge shock when it came. I’m now down from 120kg to 88kg and have sat around that since 2012, but have been told at yesterday’s clinic visit that they want me to try to be down at 75kg in 12 months time. So it’s time to burn off the excess lard. My pension fund has been running a series of Health and Well-being webinars throughout the pandemic which I have enjoyed and using their suggestions have changed my diet and daily regime significantly but exercise has been a bit of a no go area for me . I took on a very fertile but somewhat overgrown allotment in April and that has certainly freed up muscles and joints that haven’t been used in a long time - but now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of my labour on that front as there is now only routine weeding needed so running/biking whatever will help see me on the way to 75kgs I hope. I have a lovely bike hanging up in the garage - Marin MountVision FSR about 8-9 years old - Which is incredibly light to lift, but as mentioned it’s painful to lift the leg over the crossbar/saddle and I don’t seem to be able to find a frame that us step through’ish on a mountain bike style rig. Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come 2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed! |
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1st Jul 2020 4:07pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8049
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Find a decent trainer shop and go from there. Asics cover most gaits with a good selection in each.
Swimming? Cheers James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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1st Jul 2020 4:25pm |
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| Ads90 Member Since: 16 Jun 2008 Location: Cots-on-the-Wolds Posts: 812 
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I took up the Cto5K a few weeks back, got up to start of week 4 and was sort-of enjoying it, or at least I was enjoying the challenge & watching my stats improve even if the running itself gives me little pleasure. My son rode his bike with me to shout encouragement (or call 999) as required, but then his school reopened & he's gone back - I've lost a bit of momentum now, but have taken to my bike again to pick him up from school.
Now according to my Garmin watch, I'm earning more fitness points biking than I was running, and tbh I enjoy the bike much more. But I see your issue re. climbing on & off the bike - would a dropper-post help? The longer ones are 200mm or so travel now, so depending on the height/length of your seat tube, you may find one that works? |
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1st Jul 2020 4:55pm |
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| RoadForce Member Since: 17 Jul 2014 Location: Holland Posts: 335  
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Why not simply walk/hike and increase the pace into a brisk walk? Much easier on the joints, and if you do it right you'll definitely break a sweat. Especially if it's weight loss you're after, walking at a brisk pace will get you into that fat burning heart rate zone whereas running will most likely get your heart beating too fast for that.
Whatever you choose, 2 very important things given your age and medical situation: - consult a doctor before you start exercising - pair up with a buddy so you'll always have someone around when you go out (or at the very least tell a housemate what time you expect to be back, carry a smartphone with gps with you and share your location with that housemate in realtime. Google Maps allows you to do that, but there are other ways/apps for that as well) Defender 130 HCPU Td5 MY2000 |
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1st Jul 2020 5:17pm |
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| steve E Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Tenby Posts: 2073 
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Hi Tim
A great training shoe for trail, track and road would be the Hoka ATR I’ve used them for Ultra distance running and the Marathon Des Sables. If you google them you can get last years colours for about £65 which is half normal price. I’m 46 and my latest pair has done 356 miles in the last eight weeks. |
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1st Jul 2020 6:58pm |
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| keef9t Member Since: 13 Mar 2016 Location: manchester Posts: 171 
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You need a Dutch style e-bike
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1st Jul 2020 7:05pm |
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| Pat Member Since: 05 Dec 2016 Location: Somewhere new! Posts: 368
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My thoughts are ...
running "alone" is not the answer, not at 63. I don't think you would get the miles in, or the calories burnt, before something broke! I'm 64 and have run competitively since secondary school, I have the heart and lungs for it and carry little weight - but now struggle to run more than 3 times a week! The body just doesn't recover quickly enough and 3 times a week only just keeps my weight in check. Don't make running the be all and end all, by all means set yourself that 5K target and go for it, but build long walks and cycling into your routine and there's always something else to do on the days when you can't face a run. Decent running shoes are important, but you don't have to be talked into paying a fortune. Unless you plan to stay off road, a half decent road bike will make cycling less of a chore. A Garmin or similar fitness tracking device can be a great motivator. Go for it ... and keep reporting back! It started with a kiss, never thought it would come to this. SIII CSW Safari, limestone, (JAC 914N). Where is she now? It's not a car, it's a way of life! |
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1st Jul 2020 7:12pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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Tim, have you thought of getting a dropper post fitted to your mountain bike? It might make it easier to get your leg over so to speak. Just a thought!
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1st Jul 2020 7:40pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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My father’s old business partner, a lovely chap called Maurice Young, took up running and riding in retirement and went on to become the world duathlon champion in his age category, both 80-84 and then 85-89. He passed away a few weeks ago, but was an inspirational man. He flew to Adelaide to win gold there in 2015 and won in Spain again last year in 1h 55 for a 5km run, 20k bike, 2.5k run. He was 85.
It is never too late. ✊ |
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1st Jul 2020 7:48pm |
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| Tim in Scotland Member Since: 23 May 2007 Location: The Land that time forgot Posts: 3753
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Thanks guys, some great tips and advice I’ll have to look further into. I would like to get back into paddle boarding as it is good for exercising the upper body and up here a lot of additional calories get used out on the water keeping warm, even in a wetsuit.
When I used to windsurf on Loch Lomond you could always tell the visitors from the south.......... thin summer shorty wetsuit on, bare feet. We would tell them they needed something more “winter” as the water temperature never gets much above 13-15c in July/August. Was a hoot to see them go rushing down to the water, board and mast in hands and get to knee depth then seize up - then they realised why you always listen to the locals....... the cold water is why Loch Lomond kills 3-4 swimmers every summer on hot days, the water is snow melt from all the mountains and the water depth in more than 200m in places. Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come 2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed! Last edited by Tim in Scotland on 2nd Jul 2020 5:29am. Edited 1 time in total |
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1st Jul 2020 7:57pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1845
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^^^^ this takes me back! Mid-80s at University in Glasgow, the windsurfing club would go up there each week.
I was a cr p windsurfer, so spent a lot of time in the water. I have a great memory of floating there, toasty warm in a 5mm steamer, boots and gloves with the snow falling all around me!
On the running thing, I used to do a little, and just recently decided it was time to start again. I've found that there are lots of programmes online that will introduce you to it gradually. I'm only aiming at 30 or 40 mins, three or four times a week. Currently on the 'walk for 2, run for 1' level. Doing it really gradually helps avoid injuries. I'm 9 years younger right enough, but ca 91kgs. I've no aspirations for big distance or fast pace, just to do enough to get a little more 'bounce' back into the legs. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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1st Jul 2020 8:16pm |
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| Thon Member Since: 22 Nov 2015 Location: Salisbury Plain Posts: 696
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I first did C25K in my early 40s with my wife, ramped-it up to 10K distances and then stopped running almost entirely for 6 years. I was still very active but had many other "distractions"... I restarted a couple of years ago due to gaining weight (84Kg) with a triathlon (super sprint distance) and have been running and cycling ever since. I'm 52 this year and determined to increase my fitness every year for as long as I possibly can. I now mainly run cross-country and enjoy the more challenging routes and conditions, and have my first half marathon trail race in December across Salisbury Plain. I am not a natural runner but a stubborn and persistent one, now down to 76Kg
I am firmly of the opinion that if you have the inkling, enthusiasm and drive to do this program then you should, and providing you take care and don't push yourself too hard too quickly, and equip yourself properly, will do it safely and without damaging yourself. I've heard so many stories of over-training leading to injury, with subsequent long recovery times to make me ease off when my body tells me and have managed to avoid any injury (save the odd toenail). Equipping yourself means (as many have mentioned) shoes - but take JST's advice and have your running gait analysed - this will save you pain and injury in the long run I promise. Tracking and health monitoring devices are also cheap and are a great way to allow you to see your progress. Be comfortable in your clothing choice too but again you don't need to spend a fortune - I have a mixture of kit from the very cheapest Decathlon stuff upwards. |
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1st Jul 2020 9:22pm |
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