C25k beginners

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  • rnhoppe
    rnhoppe Posts: 111 Member
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    That's great! I hope I can do the same :happy:
  • shannonmci
    shannonmci Posts: 56 Member
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    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:
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    It will get easier. At the first of this year I couldn't run a mile without a break. This morning I ran a full 5k before getting ready for work in 29:19. Granted that's no world record but it's pretty cool that I can actually do that non-stop. I normally just run 2 miles in the morning which just takes about 20 minutes. Once you get to that point you're nearly there.

    If you can run a mile, you can run a mile and a half before too long. If you can do 1.5 miles then you're not too far off of doing 2 miles. If you can do a couple miles you can probably do the entire 5k. Just keep working on it.
  • perdie7
    perdie7 Posts: 278 Member
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    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!
  • SherryR1971
    SherryR1971 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    I thought the same thing! Some of the running intervals I had to walk...I am going to keep it up and do it again today, though!!
  • ALW65
    ALW65 Posts: 643 Member
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    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:
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    For some, it is too hard to start. I suggest two things to make sure you are ready.

    -1 Walk the distance you will run/walk.
    -2 Do some leg training including squats, lunges, leg lifts and crunches - may as well throw in a few push ups while you are at it. You can do this 2 days a week with a 1 or 2 miles walk, and run your C25K the other three.
  • Tracy_03311981
    Tracy_03311981 Posts: 80
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    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 :):wink:
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Week 7, ran 2mi straight (an NSV!!). I'm running relatively slowly, 5mph, to keep my HR below 170. I'll increase the speed as my heart becomes more efficient.

    I do a lot of counting - always have when I have run - what percentage of the run have I done, or countdown from 100 (each four steps, or one measure of the music I'm listening to = 1).
  • WineVine
    WineVine Posts: 14 Member
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    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!
  • rnhoppe
    rnhoppe Posts: 111 Member
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    For some, it is too hard to start. I suggest two things to make sure you are ready.

    -1 Walk the distance you will run/walk.
    -2 Do some leg training including squats, lunges, leg lifts and crunches - may as well throw in a few push ups while you are at it. You can do this 2 days a week with a 1 or 2 miles walk, and run your C25K the other three.


    I am p,anning idling the 30 day shred on my c25k off days...you think that would help?
  • ShinyFuture
    ShinyFuture Posts: 314 Member
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    (bookmarking)
  • tamimac12
    tamimac12 Posts: 36
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    I'm supposed to start week 4 today, but I am still having a hard time with the 3 minute running... so I think I'm going to repeat week 3
  • tamimac12
    tamimac12 Posts: 36
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    I also do 30DS on the days I don't run lol I can't do them on the same day now that I've started the 3 minute running... the 1.5 minute running is a piece of cake to me now lol
  • tamimac12
    tamimac12 Posts: 36
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    [/quote]

    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!
    [/quote]

    holy cow! that made me cry! thanks for posting :)

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