C25K

[move2lose]

Ok,

I am looking into starting this program.  Give me the good, bad and ugly. I know it will not be easy.  I am in way in shape....however this is something I have always wanted to do.  

[chunt]

I have one word for that program:  AWESOME.  I make it a game and try to beat myself, after doing a run if I sucked I like to go back to week 1 run and compare it to when I started. I can run for a straight 525 yards now and that is an accomplishment for me itself. Good luck and I hope you love it

[NativeSFGirl]

I agree it is awesome.  I went from barely being able to run the 1 minute times to running 5 miles now without stopping or walking.  I did end up re-doing some weeks as I just wasnt ready to move on.  This was the best thing about it.  🙂  Enjoy!

[move2lose]

Thank you for the responses!  I am looking forward to the change in my workout and a chance to be outside.  My only concern is that I am in no means in shape but the schedule looks doable!  Just need the weather to get better.  Its so funny to say but I have always wanted to run and never have.  So here is my chance and I am going with it.  How did you track the time?  I don't have a smartphone.

[Kristi-schw]

I love it!! I'm at the end of it now and feel fantastic!! I am in no way a skinny mini either, lol. I did have to redo weeks, which was perfectly fine with me. What really helped me was to remember to run SLOW. Much slower then is almost comfortable. I've done most of this on a treadmill because of the winter so I can control the speed. I have another week or two until I hit the full 5k after that I will increase speed and hopefully get outside.

My 19yo dd and I are running our first 5k in May!

Best of luck to you!!! Feel free to message me or friend me if you want some encouragement!!!

Kristi:))

[NativeSFGirl]

I just run outside I love it. As far as tracking time, if you have a watch you can do it that way as well. If you have access to a treadmill, most have a setting called interval, where you can put in Active vs. Walking times and you just switch between the two at the appropriate time.  I used my phone, but a watch works just the same as well, if you are like me and need to be outside.  I was not in shape at the time either.  I have since lost more than 40 pounds and it does get easier. At first when I couldn't even finish the minute, I thought I would never be where I am today, but I was wrong. You can do it.   As someone else mentioned go slow.  You want to be able to complete the whole time, I was running really fast at first and had a hard time finishing the whole time.  It's not a race.  Once I slowed down, it helped a lot.  Take the rest days, dont think you can just skip them. They are important as well.  Feel free to friend me or send me a message if you have quesitons.  All the best to you! 🙂

[BelieveInMe]

The C25K looks like a really interesting program.  My goal is to start running in May when the ground has no snow on it.  That should give me a couple of months to lose some weight so the running is not so hard on my joints.

[Elizamcc]

I agree that C25K is a great programme although I started on my own because I couldn't achieve what C25K asked! Initially I ran, slowly, from lamppost to lamppost then walked to the next and so on, overtime building up. I then discovered the Runkeeper app on my smartphone and programmed in different interval of walking and running and gradually built it up slowly. I was thrilled to run my first 5k race when I was 56 after a lifetime of believing that I couldn't run. That year I ran three 5k races and I was building up to 10k when I was injured and had to rest.
I then restarted using and now I'm doing it for the third time.

Go for it! You can do it, believe in yourself, that's the first step 🙂

[Elizamcc]

I agree that C25K is a great programme although I started on my own because I couldn't achieve what C25K asked! Initially I ran, slowly, from lamppost to lamppost then walked to the next and so on, overtime building up. I then discovered the Runkeeper app on my smartphone and programmed in different intervals of walking and running and gradually built it up slowly. I was thrilled to run my first 5k race when I was 56 after a lifetime of believing that I couldn't run. That year I ran three 5k races and was building up to 10k when I was injured and had to rest.
I then restarted using C25K and now I'm doing it for the third time. After this I WILL work towards a 10k 🙂

Go for it! You can do it, believe in yourself, that's the first step 🙂

[dianam]

i am starting the C25K and i see folks saying to  jog slow- what should my speed be? i will be using a treadmill and can see exactly how fast i am going.

[gerrymcd]

At a slow jogging pace you should be able to carry out a normal conversation without gasping for breath.  

[Halsimp]

C25K is great!  I did a program similar to it, but it was called Run For God...put on by a gal at my church.  I was about 260 lbs when we started and could barely jog more than 1 minute at a time, but sure enough with persistance and following the program I did complete my first 5K 12 weeks later.  I got down to 220 lbs when I was consistently training.  That was 3 years ago and I have since completed many more 5K's, a 10K, and two half-marathons (walk/jogging).  It is so amazing to transform your body that way.  It's certainly do-able and you will feel amazing (runner's high) from all those feel good endorphines.  Good luck!