What's up Nina? Thoughts from a Cystic Fibrosis Survivor & Lung Transplant Recipient

Couch to 5k Plan

"Run a 5k in 9 weeks!"

First off: This is not a RUNNING program, because I know that scares some people away, but this is a WALK/RUN program to GET YOU RUNNING in about 9 weeks.

I know I have written about this before. But since I have been using this more recently and ABLE to get into the later workouts I decided to repost it! So! To anyone thinking there is NO WAY they could ever run a 5k (or 30 minutes straight) this is pretty much a fool proof workout plan for doing just that, because I thought the exact same thing... TWICE!

The Couch to 5k Plan

The above link is to the original couch to 5k plan that I have tried to work through on multiple occasions, before transplant, as I was in between doing "okay" and being really really sick for random periods of time. Now that I have a lot easier time breathing I am hoping to just crush this plan!

Today I am on week 6 day 1 of the plan. I do not move on unless I feel really strong in that particular workout. Like week 4 I repeated twice, and week 5 I turned it into almost a 3 week plan giving each exercise its own week. You can preview a few of the exercises below.

Another awesome chart made to tell you exactly when to start and stop running (specifically for treadmill runners) but will work for anyone that wants to train using time (as opposed to distance which is an option in the first training plan). Click here for the treadmill time chart!

But like me, some are a lot slower than others, especially starting out, so time is a really good way to start, its easy to keep track of, and a good goal that you can see as you go (which I am not sure is a good thing or a bad thing). I actually started covering up the clock on my treadmill and using the Couch to 5k app on my ipod, with cues for when to run and walk, so I had no idea how much longer I had to run and it seemed to work wonders for me!

Here is the link to the ipod/iphone app that I use! This app rocks, you can use your own music, even other apps at the same time while it still keep track of your time, as well as still alerts you when to start running and when to start walking. You are even able to use the Pandora app in the background!! (As long as you have one of the newer multitasking devices) But so far it has made my timing a ton easier as I no longer need to stare at the clock!! I wish I had it when I started!!

LASTLY! Here is the link to my post about the 5k races that I completed before my transplant!

Hope you take on the challenge!! (That is if you are currently a couch potato)