Running program easier than C25K?

michelleepotter
michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I spent the whole summer doing C25K, and I never got past week 2. It just moves too fast for me. I know you can repeat weeks, but doing it that way was very discouraging for me. I felt like I wasn't making any progress, and since every workout was so exhausting, I NEVER felt like I was ready to move on. Eventually I just gave up -- and immediately gained back ten pounds. :(

I need a program that tells me exactly what to do every week, and keeps moving forward, but much slower and in much smaller jumps. Help?

Replies

  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    Honestly I don't know of anything easier than C25K. Maybe you should go out and do a brisk walk 2-3 times a week to start building up your cardio capability. Maybe add in some indoor cardio workouts too. Sounds like your body is not quite ready for that kind of workout. I started C25K at the beginning of this month and found it pretty easy so far, but then I've been working out 6 days a week all year doing strength, cardio, and brisk walking. Just take it slow and jump into C25K when you think you are ready.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    The thing is, I really don't think I'm in that bad of shape. I can easily walk several miles, I jump rope, and I was doing kettlebells before I switched to running. (I liked running because it gets me out of the house.) I was hoping someone here would have suggestions, because I have seen several posts on here from other people who found C25K moved too quickly for them, including people who were runners previously and were just trying to get back into the habit.
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    Are you doing C25K on a treadmill or outside? Maybe you are pushing yourself too hard on the run intervals.
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    Are you doing C25K on a treadmill or outside? Maybe you are pushing yourself too hard on the run intervals.

    Good point, I forgot to ask about the pace. I started out running a bit too fast, about 5 min/km. I could sustain that on short runs but once I got to the longer runs I had to slow my overall pace. I am now at a 5:30/km pace most of the time which is something I think I can keep up with. Maybe you can try C25K again at a slower pace and see how it goes.
  • hypotrochoid
    hypotrochoid Posts: 842 Member
    Slow it down. C25k is about endurance, not speed.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,099 Member
    I found I am stuck in week 4 but that is because I have lung issues from second hand smoke for 18 years... I am also getting annoyed because of having to stop so I agree with you.

    Maybe draw out c25k into a work/excel doc and then make like week 1.5 week 2.5 ext... and find a medium between the pre done weeks and make it a 18-20 week program but in smaller sets?
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    I am running as slow as I can and still be running (as opposed to walking). :/

    In case anyone else is interested, I finally found a program that looks slower than C25K: http://www.runnersworld.com/beginners/running-101?page=single
  • carmieslug
    carmieslug Posts: 3 Member
    Congratulations on your progress this far and for not wanting to give up. C25K worked for me but I later found (as I was moving up to 10Ks and 1/2 marathon training) that Jeff Galloway's program worked best for me. You might want to check out his website. His philosophy is "injury free running" which is something that I could really embrace. Best wishes to you!

    PS - I love Doctor Who too! And I checked out your website above - if that works for you, that's terrific!
  • jamimari777
    jamimari777 Posts: 101 Member
    Check these training programs out. I've had great success following his 5K, 10K and half marathon schedules: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50932/5K-Training-The-Most-Popular-Racing-Distance
  • WRXymama
    WRXymama Posts: 342 Member
    Slow it down. C25k is about endurance, not speed.

    This! And dont feel discouraged....I started the program in May, and have YET to finnish the whole "8 weeks" lol Ive gotten to Wk 7 Day 3, but that's it...and when I start hitting it again after the holidays, I'm almost certain I'll start back on Wk 6Day3 or Wk 7 Day1
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    The thing is, I really don't think I'm in that bad of shape. I can easily walk several miles, I jump rope, and I was doing kettlebells before I switched to running. (I liked running because it gets me out of the house.) I was hoping someone here would have suggestions, because I have seen several posts on here from other people who found C25K moved too quickly for them, including people who were runners previously and were just trying to get back into the habit.
    You can be fit and still get your butt kicked with running. that's a whole different animal. I was quite fit before I took up running, and thought I was going to DIE when I first started. It just seems to work muscles and endurance in a whole different way than weights and walking.
    I saw you found a different running program. That sounds great, it's definitely worth a try. :)
    Once I get back into running, I will probably develop my own program to fit my personal needs, limitations and goals. Good luck!
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    Congratulations on your progress this far and for not wanting to give up. C25K worked for me but I later found (as I was moving up to 10Ks and 1/2 marathon training) that Jeff Galloway's program worked best for me. You might want to check out his website. His philosophy is "injury free running" which is something that I could really embrace. Best wishes to you!

    PS - I love Doctor Who too! And I checked out your website above - if that works for you, that's terrific!

    "Injury Free," huh? I should look into that. I got hurt alot when I first started, and just kind of assumed it went with the territory.
  • hypotrochoid
    hypotrochoid Posts: 842 Member
    The hardest part of running is the mental part. If you think you can't do it, you won't. It sounds harsh, but it's true. It took me three attempts over two years to complete C25k. I didn't succeed until I got past that stupid voice hissing 'you can't do this' in my ear.

    Last Sunday I ran my first 12k.

    I hope you find a program that works for you, but honestly, you won't succeed until you decide you will.
  • FluroFaye
    FluroFaye Posts: 130
    There is an app that goes from 1 mile to 10k called Learn2Run. There's also several programs for 1 mile, 5,k, 10k that you can just look up online.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    maybe you were running too fast
  • Oh2BeMaintaining
    Oh2BeMaintaining Posts: 188 Member
    I just completed the Ease into 5k app from bluefin. They also have an app for power walking which is incremental and tells you when to walk slow down and when to pick up the pace until you work yourself up to a 60 minute power walk.
  • fisherlassie
    fisherlassie Posts: 542 Member
    Easy 5K
  • Dani_wants_to_be_fit
    Dani_wants_to_be_fit Posts: 550 Member
    Easy 5K

    This. Couch to 5K might be easier to start with.
  • lizapettit
    lizapettit Posts: 166 Member
    Honestly, I got stuck on like week 3 of C25K for the longest time. Every run was just as hard as the last and I couldn't progress. Then one day I say screw the program and just went for a run... I ran as hard and as fast as I could for as long as I could stand it, then I would walk. I pushed hard and did that for about 6 miles. I won't lie, it was REALLY hard, but then the next time I went out, I ran a full mile non-stop. I was shocked! Just 2 and 1/2 months later, 3 miles is super easy and I'm up to running 5 now. Maybe you are like me and C25K is holding you back? Are you running on hills? Do you smoke?
  • lizapettit
    lizapettit Posts: 166 Member
    maybe you were running too fast

    This too! My cousin (who is a tiny person) CANNOT run more than 30 seconds and it's because when she tries she goes so fast she tires quickly.
  • Lalouse
    Lalouse Posts: 221 Member
    The point of C25k is that it is meant for people who've never run before. My orthopedist just had me rest for a few weeks because I basically pulled a muscle, because my body has never run this much before (I'm on week 5, but now stopping for 2 more weeks). I allows me to use the bike or the elliptical in the mean time. Your muscles are just not used to running when you start, no matter how athletic you are.

    I took a quick look at your profile and you're right.. you are not totally out of shape and you are not as heavy as I am! You need to run really slow.. basically speed walk with running. This is not about sprinting. I was running really fast when I started and now I'm a super slow runner. This is about building it up so you can run for about 30 minutes.. and the only way to do that as a beginner is to run super slow.

    And don't think of it as repeating weeks. You're just doing week 1 in 3 weeks. That's totally fine. Even now, I'll go back and run a week 2 run if I'm not feeling up to the week I'm in.

    Even if you were going to choose an easier program, you need to slow down to succeed in becoming a runner.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Consider a bicycle. =)
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    7 month program
    http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/Programs/conservative_program.htm

    4 month program
    http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/Programs/agressive_program.htm
  • sammniamii
    sammniamii Posts: 669 Member
    One, try running slower. I was going at 5mph and wasn't able to keep it up. I dropped to 4.2-4.4 and suddenly I could.

    Also, since my phone kept crashing the C25k program/app, I gave up and found out the Endo app has something called "Inverval training" that you can create & adjust. I made the C25k weeks in there and tweaked them (Week 2/3 days 1-3 instead straight W3) cause as much as I could, I couldn't get a full 3 min run. Maybe if you make your own time scale/pace, it might help.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    I finally after almost a year of running am finally able to bump up the speed of running. Normally I only can run 4.0-4.5mph but recently bumped it up to 5. I started out doing c25K and then got bored and it felt too exhausting (granted I started running after 6 weeks post partum) so I started up my own, where I would run for one song, walk one song and kept that up for a while. I am now finally able to run 4-6 miles and have done five 5ks. I would run on road but since the snow and everything else hit, I am having to run on a treadmill. Once the weather breaks, I plan on running on road again.

    My advice to you is one slow it down if necessary, but two you can always tweak it to fit you. Running kicks anybody butts, but the rewards feels amazing.
  • ashleybreuer
    ashleybreuer Posts: 51 Member
    You are trying to run at too fast of a pace. I got really hung up at week 3, those 3 minute segments were killing me and literally a week ago I found that in order for me to sustain the running i have to run between 3.8 - 4.5 mph which is literally walking speed but if you keep a jog/trot I found that I could run and run and run and not feel like I was dying. The key is endurance and not speed/pace. Find a comfortable pace for you and just stick it out there until you get to the point where you can slowly start going up in speed. Good luck!

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