HELP...struggling with C25K!

Zaniejane

Stretch! If you are having serious issues you can even pause and stretch in the middle of the run. It's ok to go slower. For example, during the running phase, shuffle if you need to just keep going. You can finish at your own pace. You can repeat runs. Already you are getting out and working on this at least three times a day, good for you!

Finally, i don't know what the weather is like where you live, but I went for a run yesterday and it felt twice as hard because of the heat!

You can do this! Congratulations.

Raasy

Thanks everyone for the imput, I have taken a bit of info from everyone and come up with a good strategy to tackle this. I think I was expecting too much too soon. Let me know what you think.

this week.... Lots of stretching!
Mon 30 min walk
Tues 30min walk
wed 30min walk
thurs 30min walk
fri 1hr yoga/pilates

next week and continuing for next week for three weeks
Mon Yoga/Pilates
tues C25k w1
wed C25k w1
Thur C25K w1
Frid Yoga/Pilates

Then I'll hopefully move on to w2!! :happy:

I will finish c25k!! :sick: I will defeat my Tredmill!!:devil:

I just finished week 5 this morning and I can assure you that you WILL get there. It looks like you have a good plan for this week, but I would recommend that you split up your C25K workouts next week. You need to rest your body between those sessions. I would strongly urge you to consider doing C25K on M, W, F with your Yoga/Pilates workout on T and Th. Finally, make certain that you are stretching really well both before and after your C25K workouts. There are some really good stretches on www.coolrunning.com that I have been using religiously and have not had any pain.

Good luck to you!!!!

^^^^^ This is great advise.. I am on week 8 of the c25k and I found that I have to break up my running, the back to back runs are brutal when you are first starting out. Your body needs to rest and your shins will thank you for it.. Good luck!!

hannamarie88

HELP!!!!
I'm seriously struggling with C25K. I started the programme a week ago and had trouble completing all the running sections and on the third day pulled my inner thigh muscle on the first run cycle then walked the rest of the programme. I started w1d1 all over again today and only managed 4 of the 9 runs. I feel like I'm going to be on week 1 forever!
In my pre-fat life I was a really good runner so I'm now getting really frustrated with myself and my tredmill. Does anyone have any tips they can give, or motivation?

Are you trying to run fast? That was my mistake the first time I started the program. Pace yourself. You are just starting and you don't have to go fast. Go at an easy pace for the 60 seconds and go faster as you improve. Definitely stretch first or you will hurt yourself You've got this!

juiletflt

I agree with the poster above that said to RUN SLOWER!

The first several times I tried C25K I failed because I was trying to go too fast. This time I am keeping my pace slower and am now on week 6! I have now run for 20 minutes straight when I used to struggle with 90 seconds!

I recently read Jeff Galloway's book Running: Getting Started and he says that beginning runners should have a stride more like a shuffle, just barely lifting your feet off the ground enough to not hit rocks, etc. Also you should go slow enough that you could keep a conversation going. No huffing or puffing. It's about building up the distance now, speed comes after about the six month mark. He also says to not try to get extra 'junk' miles in during the week, just stick to the program because your body needs the rebuild time. I can't believe how much going slower has helped.

Good luck!

Briko3

Run slower. Most people that have a hard time getting started with it are running (and walking) too fast. Slow down and enjoy the process.

ProgressNotPerfection32

I do the Run a 3k program and just started week 4. If I ever have a day where i have to walk ANY of the workout, I repeat it until I can jog/run all of the running intervals. I've never been a runner in my LIFE. I run a 12 min mile (not all at once yet). LOL in middle school track I did high jump and a friend and I were recruited during a meet last minute to run the mile since we were 2 people short. Needless to say, I walked most of it! Point being.........if I can do it with that history, you will be fine. Just stretch after. Drink lots of water. Slow it down a bit. And redo whatever you don't master. Sucks but its worth it when you move on and extremely rewarding.

Pangea250

Don't get discouraged! Repeat weeks or days however long is necessary.

I remember quite well how difficult it was that first week. Running for 60 seconds seemed like an eternity and doing that 9 times? Impossible! But I stuck with it and was amazed the first time I ran 3 minutes in a row.

You may have been a good runner before, but you weren't carrying around all the extra body weight that you are now. That makes a big difference and it's so much harder. Just keep working at it and don't move on to a new day or week until you are able to do the current one. And remember: the only way you will fail is if you don't try it. Good luck!

Pangea250

I recently read Jeff Galloway's book Running: Getting Started and he says that beginning runners should have a stride more like a shuffle, just barely lifting your feet off the ground enough to not hit rocks, etc. Also you should go slow enough that you could keep a conversation going. No huffing or puffing. It's about building up the distance now, speed comes after about the six month mark. He also says to not try to get extra 'junk' miles in during the week, just stick to the program because your body needs the rebuild time.

What is a "junk" mile?

RobynDCrossman

Slow down.

Inshape13

See if you can focus on your breathing when you do the running portions because that was the hardest thing for me when I began running miles. I realized that I was taking shallow breaths in the upper chest only and it was getting me winded and making it very difficult to continue.....basically in through the nose and out through the mouth and it may make it easier. Just a suggestion because that worked for me as a beginner. Hang in there and it will get better.

Timmmy40

I started and completed C25K this time last year. It was rough when I started. You have to push yourself. When I got to the end of a week, and I did not feel comfortable then I repeated the week again. I think I did that 2 or 3 times. C25K worked great for me. I am now able to run ½ marathon without stopping. Get plenty of rest, and do not give up. Keep Punching! All Is Possible! It Is A Choice! No Excuses! Never Quit!! You Got This!!

rlong637

i just started this week i am on moving on to wk 2 tommorow, and i was told in advance to try " chi running" to keep from getting hurt. I highly recomend googling it and watching it on youtube! it changes the pace and form of the run to use gravity to propel you, to keep your spine straight and to shorten your stride and land mid foot not on heal. I have bad joints and bad back and i have had not injuries using this technique! Good luck and keep on keeping on!

hdtracy

The slowing down advice is gold. I tried C25K Day 1 months ago and failed miserably, and really thought I was going super slow. Apparently not slow enough.

Was skulking around here yesterday and saw people saying that when they did their 'run' portions, it was more of a shuffle. Or they were pretty sure a walker could have gone faster. Or that they could hold a conversation during the run portions and I realized: NOPE, I wasn't going to slow enough.

Last night I tried again and actually made it through the whole workout, and didn't feel too awful after either. I challenged myself to go as slow as I physically could (on a treadmill, it's tough to find the sweet spot where your walk can become a jog). I can do a fast walk at 3.3, but I can also do a very slow shuffle/jog at 3.3 so that's what I did.

And it worked. And it was so exciting to know that I finished! I'm ridiculously slow, but you know what, I still did it. And I'm still going to do another run tomorrow. And I'm just really taking in what everyone here is saying: speed doesn't matter for crap right now. It's just training your muscles to get used to the motion. That's all that matters.