C25k beginners

it gets easier.....lol.... eventually.....

It is hard, very hard to go from not being active to running any length of time, I know this because I have done it. I started by trying to follow the c25k but like you say I thought my heart and lungs were going to pop, and running even for 1 minute nearly killed me. I gave up, tried again, gave up again, tried again got to week 4... almost died, gave up.... tried again gave up... you get the picture. Although I threw the towel in on several occasions I picked it back up again determined that one day I would be able to run. It has taken a long time of consistent training (almost a year) to be able to run 5k but over the past few weeks I have started to call myself a runner (a slow runner but still it is running). It was the cardio fitness that I ws lacking and as that has improved (through cross training) so has my ability to run.

It does get easier, but the best advice I would give is, take no notice of the weekly time schedule of the set c25k, use the set intervals as a guide to your training but don't get fixed on the fact that you can't complete what is recquired in week 2 by the end of week 2, just do it at the pace that is best for you and your body, it might take longer than 8 weeks or in my case eight months.

Best wishes with the training, keep with it because when you do achieve your goal you will feel awesome

It gets better.

It took me a few weeks to finish the first week while running outside (I recommend running outside instead of a treadmill). But since then I have not had to repeat any days or weeks. Just listen to your body. Give yourself time to recover. Don't try to do too much too soon. And most importantly, don't give up.

I promise it gets easier!! I am on week 7 of the 5k. The hardest week for me is when you have to start running 3 minutes at a time I literally thought I would die and never be able to do 5 mins and then 8 mins! But after that it got easier and now I'm running 25 minutes! Just keep it slow and steady and keep with it!

Not only does it get easier, but you are constantly surprising yourself with what you can do, which in turn makes you want to do more...and then you begin to feel the little tingle of an addiction start to come on

It does get easier- The hardset part is starting and you have accomplished that!

We all struggled with the first few weeks. It definitely gets easier.

If you give it your all (some days are easier than others) and stick with the the program (three times a week) I promise that you will amaze yourself very soon and feel awesome. Good luck, I know you can do it.

Yes it does get easier although almost every run the first 3-5 minutes are my hardest! I've gone 4.70 miles as my longest run but felt like I wanted to quit the first 5 minutes! Just push through it your body will adapt and will adapt quickly. Good Luck to you Keep it up!

I didn't follow it when I started. But what I did was nearly the same. I actually started on the treadmill until I went on the road.

I used to get out of breath walking across the parking lot, now my muscles tire out before my heart and lungs.

It will get easier, I promise

I take 2 weeks for each week. It really helped build up my endurance, I think better than to "quickly" move on only after doing it 3 times but maybe that's just me. I started at 250lbs and an ex-smoker by 2½ months so maybe that's why I felt the need to take longer. You do not have to stick with it by weeks. Just move on when you feel ready.

And I will tell you, day one, thought I was gonna die and I even gave up twice. Day two and beyond, still haven't given up. Remember it is really 10% physical and 90% mental. Don't tell yourself you cant do it!

I started the C25K in May with the expectation of running in my hometowns 5K race in August. It did take me 11 weeks to complete the 9 week program, but I finished and I ran in my first 5K! I was dying in the beginning of the program but pushed through it. As someone said eariler, the biggest accomplishment is when you run 20 minutes without stopping. If you can run that far, you can run the 30-35 min that it finishes on. I had never ran a day in my life until I started the program. Now, I look forward to getting up at 4:00 three monrnings a week to run!! You hang in there and you will be surprised at what your body is capable of! Good luck to you where ever your running journey takes you!!:happy:

When I started in March I couldn't do it either...I had to do week 1 two times. It did get eaiser, then one day it told me to run 2 miles and I thought yea right....and I did it! Then I ran three miles...then one day I was running and decided..hummm wonder if I can do 4 miles, and I did, then one day I thought hummm wonder if I can do 5 miles, and I did! I ran my first 5k on July 4 in 95 degree heat and got 34:50.. One thing that seemed to help me is that about week two or three I started walking after I finished the c25k...till I hit the 3 mile mark (not counting the 5 min warm up and cool down)....

You can do it!

it gets easier.....lol.... eventually.....

It is hard, very hard to go from not being active to running any length of time, I know this because I have done it. I started by trying to follow the c25k but like you say I thought my heart and lungs were going to pop, and running even for 1 minute nearly killed me. I gave up, tried again, gave up again, tried again got to week 4... almost died, gave up.... tried again gave up... you get the picture. Although I threw the towel in on several occasions I picked it back up again determined that one day I would be able to run. It has taken a long time of consistent training (almost a year) to be able to run 5k but over the past few weeks I have started to call myself a runner (a slow runner but still it is running). It was the cardio fitness that I ws lacking and as that has improved (through cross training) so has my ability to run.

It does get easier, but the best advice I would give is, take no notice of the weekly time schedule of the set c25k, use the set intervals as a guide to your training but don't get fixed on the fact that you can't complete what is recquired in week 2 by the end of week 2, just do it at the pace that is best for you and your body, it might take longer than 8 weeks or in my case eight months.

Best wishes with the training, keep with it because when you do achieve your goal you will feel awesome

Just about every thing she said! The feeling of accomplishment you have once you get through the program is amazing. I still can't run the whole distance and need to take short walk breaks, but who cares? I'm entering 5K races and I'm not finishing last :bigsmile:

I am on my third time doing the program. The first time I was on Week 2 Day 2 and in the middle of the program I got terrible shooting pains in the inside of my knees, which was a sign I wasn't ready.
My second time I tried it, I ended up getting sick and wasn't able to stay with it.
I started again last week, I am now on Week 2 Day 1, which I am starting tonight, and Week 1 Day 1 I also felt like I was going to die.
I use a HRM which also monitors the calories I am burning, and I watched my heart rate on the first day of the program and it spiked at 186 beats per minute. At the end of Week 1 Day 3 my heart rate is down to the max of about 170 beats per minute, which to me shows that it is working because my heart rate is down that means my body is adjusting to running.
I also find that breathing is key, and it is very hard because automatically you want to breathe through your mouth and pant the entire time, but I found that breathing through your nose and out of your mouth really helps because you are concentrating on breathing and not so much how hard it is to run.

Good luck! Everyone can feel free to add me

I started the c24k last night. Week 1 day 1. Please tell me it gets easier..I thought I was going to die!

I know it's been posted before and often, but I think about this every time I head out running in the daylight:

http://flintland.blogspot.com/2012/05/hey-fat-girl.html?spref=fb

Got through week 3, due to work and life took 2 weeks off and just restarted week 2 last night. I felt SO STRONG! Just stick with it- you are getting more fit even if you don't feel like you are!