Does C25K work?

jesserunsfree

I started here in May at 352.2 and within 2 weeks started c25K. It absolutely does work. I am now training for a marathon 7 months later. I can't stop running. I absolutely love it. the thing with c25k is you may have to repeat a week once, twice maybe three times. But if you stick through. You will get it finally.

MissGamerGirl

Last year in January I started C25k, tracked my food and did some Jillian Michaels videos from time to time. By late April I lost 21 lbs. I am 5'6 and started out at 151 lbs, and dropped down to 130.

I followed the program exactly - three times a week, no less and no more. After the program was officially "over" I would just run the full thirty minutes. I am now working on C210k.

hesn92

Yep! It's a great program. On week 5 it calls for a 20 minute run with no walking and it's amazing I could actually do it

RunnerElizabeth

I'd say it works.

I graduated from c25k in June of 2012. At that time i was able to run 5k in 39:20. I went from not being able to run a minute to 39 minutes straight. It was a 13 min mile average, but I didn't care, I could do it.

So i followed a 5k training plan after that and started a half marathon plan. And in august of 2012, I ran a 5k pushing my daughter in a jogging stroller in 29:52. Huge improvement. I ran my first Half Marathon that October. And Jan 1st of 2014 I just ran a 5k in 26:04. So a year and a half later i got my 5k frim 13 mins to 8:21 per mile. So yes, i'd say it works. Once you get past that first 3 miles the rest is a piece of cake!

bonjour24

Yep. It works. Another c25k grad here. i started at 220lbs ish and a couch potato. I had to do 2 weeks work first to be able to jog for 1 min without stopping (week 1 of the programme).
That was Jan 2011. Since then running has been part of my life. Ive ran a 5k (my first run), a 10k, about 10 halves and 2 fulls. Currently in training for my 3rd full (and will do another 2 halves on the way). I also do trail running, and the obstacle course stuff.
I think that C25K opens up a different world. When you can run for 30 mins without stopping, you suddenly have more options of the stuff you can do purely because youre so much fitter.
Just stick with the programme, and even when it gets hard and your head tells you that you can't do it remember that thousands of people have done it so you can too. And run as slow as you can go.
good luck!

ETA: the results are pretty quick. The first run of a different length is always hardest, but then by the time you do the 3rd it's significantly easier. that's the great thing about c25k- the goals are small and achievable, and you win pretty much every time. so, essentially you see results immediately. and i did it about 5x a week.

drenergy

I started with C25k and I had been a big couch potato before that. It was really hard to get started, and even the first week kicked my butt. I noticed results after the first week because I realized that I could run just a little farther before I pooped out. Just wait til the first time you run a whole mile! That's a big deal! I didn't really lose weight or see much in the way of body changes until almost a year later when I got serious about logging food, and I had to start doing strength training. But if you get started running and you like it, stick with the training plans and you'll be shocked what you can accomplish. I ended up becoming a marathon runner.

It was a big surprise.

RoyBeck

I was a runner (marathons) and had to take time off for an injury. When I returned to running, I used the C25K program and was able to set a 25 second record for a 5K race.

You ran it in 25 seconds???

Oh and yes it most certainly does.

ZenInTexas

Absolutely it works. I did c25k in May and June of 2012. Next weekend I am running a full marathon.

geebusuk

If your general fitness isn't bad, you may find you don't need it.
I hadn't done much cardio for ages - just utilitarian cycling and the like, but was reasonably active for work and so on.
My 'C25k' was sitting on the couch, thinking "Yes, I'll try running 5k', working out how far I would need to go with online maps, then running it. Not amazingly fast, but managed it without stopping more than to let the dogs relieve themselves despite having run a total of two times in the previous five years.

There are similar things for longer distances etc too.

Vex3521

Yes. I can give you a week one summary since I completed and am moving off to week 2. I have been a distance runner for most of my life and with being as out of shape as I am I decided to use someone else's method to see if it's better than how I was working myself out for runs. I had been doing a run 1 min, walk 30 seconds and repeat cycle and it was KILLING me. I used to do those (longer times) and figured dropping it down to a short; ratio would be fine.

C25K is so much the wiser

I went from 1.25 miles to 1.82 this week alone as I'm re-finding my footing. Day 1 I found it a struggle to make all the intervals and walked 1 of the run areas, and was actually 2.5mins short as I was running late so that's a 27.5min day vs the full 30, so distance wise I would have been a hair farther. Day 3 I did an extra 5 min cool down cycle on the treadmill where it slowly drops you from 2.5 to 0.5 mph over 5mins so that was a 35 min day instead of the 30. After circuit I was finding calf cramping a problem and decided to do myself and ;my calves a favor and stretch them out at a slow walk. I basically worked out 2x Thurs so the extra 5min walk was a help

So for someone new to running I would say repeat weeks if you need, or go slow... it's not a race... its a system to get you to running 30 minutes at the end of the 9wk program. 10min mile pace is about 6mph so to be at 5k you need to be at that pace..... do you HAVE to be? Nope. But if you can be, that's a great accomplishment. Following completion of this program I'll be doing things geared at working on time for races, but that's my end game is getting back to running races. It's a step in the direction I need to be... and so far it's a good deal!

Aine8046

I am on week 6 now. It definitely works! Want to run 5 k at the end of Feb

AmyRhubarb

Hated and avoided running most of my life. Switched from basketball to volleyball in school because there was less running involved.

Then at the age of 43 my brain challenged my body to try running, so I started c25k. Worked like a charm, and I've been running (and enjoying it), ever since (nearly two years now).

bogden78

I am not a runner but just finished the program last week. I absolutely loved it. Did the zombie c25k app. I can't wait it get on the treadmill now. Waiting for some good weather here come spring to actually do a 5k race.

KitaT92

C25K is the bomb!!!!! I got great result after only 7 weeks.