Did anyone struggle with C25k?

AllieBug25

I had actually been running before I found out about the 5k, but I still can't run a whole 5k. Honestly, though, I love to run now. I have NEVER liked to run. EVER. But now I actually can't wait to run in the mornings. I hope you find your stride soon. Either way, good luck! :drinker:

frazzle29

I struggle with it daily! I've been on week 3 for the past month and a half! Just keep working at it, you'll get there!

foraubs

I've never enjoyed running. Ever. I could walk for hours on end, though.
Walking was my main source of exercise and I hit a plateau. My numbers weren't moving.
I decided to up my calories and give C25K a go.
--- I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! ---
I'm only on Week 3, but I can feel that I am fitter and healthier already. The first work out was challenging for me, but I didn't stop and I've kept with it. I was amazed at how EASY I found W2D1!
I said I was going to run yesterday, but came home and ate the business end of a medium pizza to myself. And it was hot. I wrote it off. But then at 1130pm I laced up, packed up the baby and we beat the pavement for our first day of W3. I was surprised by the large increase in intervals, but I was even more surprised at my ability to complete them with a relative amount of ease.

For me, it works. I now look forward to going and I feel AMAZING after.

If you don't finish the workout, repeat it until you do. If you get high off a great sense of accomplishment, you'll be up for days to come!

Best of luck, and enjoy!

tinahelton

Not sure how fast you were running & if you were outside or on a treadmill. I can't do the run outside yet but, can do the treadmill. My speed is set at 3.5 for the walk & 4.5 for the runs right now. Keep trying. You will build indurance little by little. I hate running but I need the cardio workouts...lol. So, guess you gotta do what ya gotta do. Anyways, stick with it... If I can do this, anyone can! I have bad knees & a slow healing tear in a ligament in my foot. Just take it easy at first...remember, it's not a race Not everyone will be at the same level, speed or distance. You do what works for you... if at first you don't succeed, try, try again Good luck!!!

itsjustdawn

I struggled... and I haven't gotten back to it. I am NOT a runner, never have been. I hated soccer as a kid because of the running factor. I know that I want to be able to go for a run whenever I want (I envy runners), but until I take that first step (again), it's not happening.

Mellie289

It takes time to build up, so don't be discouraged if you find it challenging and can't complete the run/walk. I had some difficult weeks and would just stay on that week until I could do it - then I would move on to the next week. I trained this year and ran a 5K in June and it's still hard for me to do those 3 miles on my treadmill. I sometimes have to break up the the jog with some walking. I think that's because I'm carrying about 30 extra pounds too -- makes it more difficult.

I also realized that some of my difficulty was coming from me doing the jogging too fast. Once I dropped my speed down, I could finally do my full 5K jog after struggling for a few weeks.

Personally, I think the 9 weeks for the C2K program is not a realistic time frame for most people who are truly just getting off the couch.

CountryMom03

I have had the same problem. I have been doing the C25K and I actually got very disheartened when I seen I couldnt get through the very first day without dying. I guess it being called "Couch" to 5K I was thinking it started out very easy and worked you up but thats not the case for most I dont think:( Almost quit it and then realized I wasnt going to let it win because one of my goals is to be a runner. I thought back to what so many people say...take baby steps and build on that, so thats what I did. I tailored the C25K to fit me. Started out doing a 5 min warmup walk then to 2 mins walk, 1 min jog, That was tuff alone but it was doable for me. Now I have gotten to where I can just about do 1 min walk and a 40 sec jog alternation for the 20 mins:) So Im improving!:) Just dont get disheartened...take baby steps and alter it to you and what you can do and build on that:) Dont give up!:)

~Carrie~

caslyn3

I started c25k about 2 weeks after I started MFP..I had only lost about 5 lbs from my starting weight on here.. The first day of c25k I went to a track that had curves and hills.. needless to say, I literally got over heated and threw up. My friend I was with said that is good.. lose weight faster that way.. LOL she was joking but I finished the rest of the day even after throwing up. Partially because I was embarrassed and because that motivated me more. I only made it to week 2 day 2 before I ended the program. I still exercise at least 3 times a week on a treadmill doing 30 mins.. I walk hard and every 5 mins ( not 1-2 like c25k ) I jog at a much faster pace for at least 1-2 minutes.. I am not a runner.. I have never been.. I used to think there is a special technique to doing so but I realized that I just have to keep going and not give up. I promised myself when I lost a bit more weight I would restart the program. There is a 5k on Thanksgiving and I want to run it with my friend.. But as for you.. I do think treadmill is lot easier than doing it on a track or hard surface.. Good Luck!

rozeltf

You'll be fine! I felt exact same way, congrats for starting the program. I found having a good playlist helps. I have my Week 5 day 3 tomorrow - one 2 mile run. The most I've done is 3/4 mile x 3 with walks in-between. That was Week 5 day 2, we'll see how it go's ...

elliehale

I'm doing it too!!
I'm doing it on the treadmill though- do you think that matters?
I hate running and can't wait for it to be over!!

I know I will be glad though when I'm skinny and in a bikini this summer!!

How Lon dies it take before you actually start loving running??

:-)

jumpyjavajawa

I thought it was ridiculous how hard the first week was for me. I was so tired afterwards but still proud I at least finished.
You have to be proud of what you did do compared to what you used to do! I was to scared to try but I finally did it. Struggling or not you still did it!
I'm on week 6 day 3 but I've been working on it for about 2 1/2 months now. I repeated a few weeks or days here and there.

Stuz359

Started it 7 weeks ago now.

First time out, I had really bad pain in my shins. Second time, that disappeared. Third time, I started to get into it.

Every week I was a little reticent about going out, not even sure if I could manage every run, but every week it's gotten a little easier and I am no longer surprised when I succeed.

I have been going by time, not distance, but this morning I ran for 28 minutes non stop. The scary thing is, I knew I could have gone longer. Looking forward to completing the programme in a couple of weeks, and then I might enter a race, because I can.

Keep going with it, you might surprise yourself, just like I surprised myself.

HoneyIShrunktheMom

You need to convince yourself that it is ok to repeat days/weeks. I started a C25k program on March 11th. (I bought it in the iTunes app store; it's called Ease into 5k) That first couple of runs were HARD. I was on the treadmill and my "runs" were at 3.2!!!! I couldn't believe that I couldn't even jog for 60 seconds at a turtles pace without feeling like I was going to die! But somehow, I didn't die and I got through it.

As the program progressed, I improved. I did repeat week 4 because I just did not feel ready to start week 5. On May 15th I had made it to week 7, day 1 and I admit, it was hard! (warm up, 20 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, cooldown). Then my mom went into the hospital for 3 weeks and I spent almost every minute at the hospital with her. When I was home, I was trying to catch up on my house and spend time with my husband and kids. Therefore, I went 4 weeks without running.

Once things got back to normal, I was sure that I was not ready to jump back to week 7 so I went back to week 5. That was on June 19th and have been doing GREAT since then. On Thursday of this week I was on week 7, day 2 I ran for 26 consecutive minutes! Albeit slowly! I'm going at an average 13 min mile. But that's ok. It is faster than 19 min. mile I was doing on week 1! And it's wayyyy faster than I was going before I started the program.

Don't give up and don't get frustrated. Push yourself, but don't push yourself so hard that you end up injured. I can't believe I was able to "run" without stopping for 26 minutes this week! I am pretty amazed at that and pretty darned proud! Now I'm thinking to myself, "How much further will be in 3 months?? 6 months??!!"

One more thing I want to say that I notice. The first time I ran for 20+ minutes the hardest part was the first 10 minutes. That still seems to be the case, too. Once I get my breathing right I kind of find my groove.

Good luck!!!!! And please, don't give up!

charduck01

Wow... You guys are all amazing! My son & daughter-in-law have done the C25K and have wanted me to try but like a lot of you, I so hate to run! But the more I hear about it and the more I exercise, the more I want to challenge myself. I also feel failure if I can't complete tasks which has been a huge obstacle in trying new things. I think I might give it a shot and will just keep trying those days or weeks that I need to until I get to the finish line! Thanks guys!

kimanne4

I just started and yes it is tough! I've been going to Zumba but running is kicking my butt! Looking forward to actually running a 5K so that keeps me going. I don't always make it all the way through my run but I'm running and that's what matters! Just keep going!

tajour

I now run 5k 2-3 times a week. I'm not fast (about 30 mins) but I can do it and I'd never have managed it without a structured training plan.

That sounds pretty darn fast to me!

munny_p

I have been going at my own pace. I did Week 1 intervals for about 2 weeks and just started Week 2 time intervals. I am REALLY bad about not breathing when I work out...I hold my breath...so working on my breathing has been a challenge.

DangerJim71

LOL!!! Yes, in a way. I am a little heavy at about 230 and started the C25K a few weeks ago. I was on week 1 day 2 when I started to have what I thought was knee pain. Turns out I had stress fractures in both my tibia. Pretty sure it was the shoes I was wearing and poor form and not my weight but I guess that probably didn't help either.

Don't push yourself too hard, use good form, good shoes and work your way up slowly.

ipsamet

Yes! I really struggled with some of the weeks. I had to repeat some of them 2 or 3 times. I moved on sometimes without being totally comfortable with the last week. But you DO improve. All of a sudden I was on week 8 and running for 20 minutes, blowing past the spots that I had to stop and walk and that feeling is amazing so keep at it! It's a fantastic program that really works if you follow it.

One piece of advice I have (because I wasn't following it at first): make the commitment to do it three times a week. If you take too much time off between runs, you WILL notice it's harder the next time you run. I was cross training for a lot of the time I was doing C25k so I wasn't great at making sure I was running 3 times a week, but as soon as I upped it I noticed a huge improvement.

So good luck, and have fun!

Dad_of_3

momshrinks has it right. I finished Week 4 yesterday, and I am due to start Week 5 tomorrow. So far I have not had to repeat a week, but I will if I feel I am not ready The last two days I ran it was rough on my knees. I see a new doctor Monday for physical. He is also a runner, so I need to get some input from him.

When I started I couldn't do a half mile, now I am at 1.3 miles and I keeping improving my endurance.

It's not a crime to repeat week, but it is a shame to quit. You can do it!