I read about the Couch to 5k Running Plan (commonly referred to as C25K) early this year and I bought the C25k app for my iPod Touch a few months ago, but I only started using it recently. Couch to 5K is a beginner’s running plan created by Josh Clark and is specifically designed for individuals who are just taking up running. I was looking for a good weight loss program that I can do by myself since my friends don’t have much free time to go to the gym or do any group exercises. Running can be a good alternative for me because I don’t need to buy any special equipment apart from good running shoes.
I’ve always battled with my weight since I was in fifth grade and I’ve tried both dieting and going to the gym but I couldn’t stick with it. I ended up wasting my gym membership and gaining even more weight. It’s hard to lose weight when everyone is pressuring you to do so. I was so stressed out that I started to reach out for food to comfort me and the whole thing just backfired. I’ve been seeing Ruby a lot in the Lifestyle Network lately and her weight loss journey motivated me to start working out again. I haven’t checked my weight recently but I think I am still in the 260-270 lbs range.
I decided to stick with C25k because I already bought the C25K app for $2.99 in iTunes before, so I might as well use it. The app was created by Alex Stankovic because he started to follow the C25K running plan himself. The app makes it easy for me to follow the running plan because it gives me prompts when to start walking and when to start running. I don’t need to monitor my time because the app does that for me.
When I started the app, I saw that there is now the option to put the songs I want in it (up to 100 tracks) so that I can easily run to the music I like. I didn’t have much fast-paced and upbeat music in my iPod, so this is what I used at first:
Right now, I’ve updated my list with some running cadences that I found online. I’ve found that I enjoy listening to running cadences while I run because it makes me feel like I’m not running alone and it motivates me to continue running. =) I also found out that the app records your daily run by asking you to choose your mood, the weather, the terrain and any other insights/notes you might have on the day you ran. It allows you to easily check your progress because it keeps a record of your workout history within the app.
There are also some settings that allow you to choose if you want your progress posted to your Facebook or Twitter account.
It says that it also works with Nike+ but I haven’t tried it out yet. I still need to get myself a Nike+ running shoe, once I get a pair of the new LunarGlide+ shoes, I’ll try it out and see how it works out. In case you have any questions, there is also a built-in help section within the app where you can find answers to C25K app FAQs.
You can also check out their blog to contact them, or to learn more information and get updates about the Couch to 5K app.