Signed up for a 5K in May

jlar09

Hello all! I just signed up for a 5K in May and I am so excited! I think this will help motivate me to work out and keep to a training schedule.

My question to you is, is five months enough time for someone who is not a runner and also overweight to train for a 5K? I plan on doing the C25K program, but I'm wondering if I'll need longer than eight weeks to train?

Thanks! I'm excited to be able to call myself a (slow and fat and beginner) runner! Ha!

celtbell3

You are in the perfect position to succeed with this as long as you stick to the C25K, you will be ready before May! Good luck!!

christinelyn

I'm with you. Not a runner but want to be. Scared to sign up for a 5k. I need someone to do it with.

TheDarkestStar87

I signed up for my first 5k about 6 months in advance. My problem actually was that once I finished my C25k I got slack with my training. So once you finished that training maybe find another plan that starts off where this one finishes. Also, you don't need to do the plan you have in the 8 week timeframe, if you find a week particularly hard you can always repeat it until it is a little easier.

supergirl6

I ran my first 5k at 320 lbs!!!

I also walked a lot of it, but that's ok too.

Don't be nervous. I did the c25k and I had trouble getting past the first 3 weeks. I mean, I repeated week 1 about 4 times before I could move on to week 2. Then I repeated that about 4 times. Ditto for week 3. Then things got easier.

So if you need to repeat a week, repeat a week. It's fine. I went into my first 5k deciding that I only had 2 goals. 1) I did not want to be last and 2) I would finish. I handily beat both goals. You can too!!

OH, and I had some great advice when I started. Train for speed or train for endurance, but don't try to train for both. I ended up going very slow, but finishing. I'm much faster now, but just crossing the finish line is a HUGE accomplishment. Pretty soon you'll be like, "Train for a 5k? That's my usual warm up!"

perkins_jerryw

That is plenty of time. Just do not try to go too hard the first couple of weeks. if you hurt yourself you will not stick with it. I would humbly suggest walking a 5 k route that is interesting before or after work or with a friend to chat with. Then jog, before moving up to a comfortable run. I have been there just like you (only a male) so applaud your goal!

CorlissaEats

8 weeks is not really enough time if you are truly not a runner, BUT the good news is that you have 5 months to work your way thru that 8 week program. I started c25k in late November and there are a few weeks that I have repeated already. My cardio is not good though, and neither is my knee. I can usually tell half way thru the first bout of running how I am feeling and whether I need to back off and complete the previous session. Start running and see how you do. Challenge yourself as much as you can...and go slowly. I often back my treadmill down to almost a walking pace just so I can finish a stretch of running.

TheGymGypsy

I managed to go from 50 pounds overweight and completely sedentary to running a half marathon in 5 months. You got this.

icywindow

It's great that you signed up for the 5k! You should totally be ready for it in May doing c25k. One of the things that I would recommend to you is to go to a running store if you haven't already and get fitted for a pair of running shoes. It's amazing imo what a difference running in a good pair of trainers can make in how you feel after your workout.

I'd second the running advice that supergirl6 relayed.

puppy1002

I signed up for the Suvivor mud run in March, it's my first 5k and haven't been training for it. I'm not looking to break records or get a good time I'm just going to have fun. You have to start some where!

Samstan101

Plenty of time! I started the C25K programme in April at 300lbs and ran 5k by July (and that was running it all without walking). Best of luck and enjoy it!

boatsie77

Congrats on signing up for 5K...you will finish. Suggest before doing the 8 week C25K that you go out tomorrow and walk a 5K as fast as you comfortably can. Then do it again and again a couple times a week till you are quick and comfortable. Then in late Feb/March start the C25K program...giving yourself enough time to complete it before the race. You can always walk it too.…i walked 5Ks and finished well ahead of half the runners in all age groups...and i'm 58 and dropped 90 pounds.

RunnerElizabeth

Start now with c25k repeating weeks as necessary then do an organized beginner 5k program. Hal Higdon's programs are great for beginners. www.halhigdon.com.

You should have no problem finishing if you do both and that's 8 weeks of training allowing time to repeat a couple of weeks.

One other suggestion would be to do hal's 10k program instead of the 5k program, because once you run 5 miles in training, a 3.1 race will be a piece of cake. And if you are up to 2.5 miles at the end of c25k, this may be a very realistic plan for you.

ElliottTN

I'm willing to bet that if you really try then by the time May rolls around a 5k will be considered a short run for you.

vinniesooner

I ran my first 5k at 320 lbs!!!

I also walked a lot of it, but that's ok too.

Don't be nervous. I did the c25k and I had trouble getting past the first 3 weeks. I mean, I repeated week 1 about 4 times before I could move on to week 2. Then I repeated that about 4 times. Ditto for week 3. Then things got easier.

So if you need to repeat a week, repeat a week. It's fine. I went into my first 5k deciding that I only had 2 goals. 1) I did not want to be last and 2) I would finish. I handily beat both goals. You can too!!

OH, and I had some great advice when I started. Train for speed or train for endurance, but don't try to train for both. I ended up going very slow, but finishing. I'm much faster now, but just crossing the finish line is a HUGE accomplishment. Pretty soon you'll be like, "Train for a 5k? That's my usual warm up!"

AWESOME! Congrats.