C25K

lol You are going at 5.5mph. I'm at a solid 4mph AND I've been working out since April. I just ended week one yesterday.

I did it a couple of years ago. And when I say I was out of shape, I mean I was REALLY out of shape. I couldn't even finish W1D1! I started it right about at the start of the hottest days of our summer so when it got too hot to run outside at lunch time, I switched to running on the treadmill and finished the program on the treadmill at 1% incline. Big mistake for me, it was a definite eye opener when I tried to run the same half hour outside! LOL, but it was the first thing/program I ever really stuck to and I was still proud of my accomplishment!

Good luck on your program and hope you enjoy it! You can DO it!

I'm repeating weeks as necessary. I'm only competing against myself. If I don't feel ready for the next week, I repeat the week until I do. I'm doing week 4 for the second time this week.

Keep at it - you'll get there.

I've never been a very good runner. I had done some walking on the treadmill prior to starting C35K, but found myself struggling around the 4th or 5th week. I agree with the advice about slowing down; after I did that I was able to complete the program. There is nothing wrong with repeating a week. Now I am running outside, and working on building up speed.

You'll get there!

I was exercising for about 6 months before I did C25K. I did the elliptical, walking and bike. Then I wanted to start running and I knew that C25K was the way to learn.

I understand how hard it is. It was really hard for me. My biggest suggestion is to slow down. When I was struggling through a week, and having to repeat the week because I wasn't successful, I finally found that slowing down my running pace allowed me to complete the running parts. So I chose to work on the endurance at a slower pace and then I would worry about speed. I was running at 5.0 which was too hard, so I bumped it down to 4.7 or 4.8 and I found that I was able to complete the runs.

I did my first 5K race on October 27. It was a hilly course that was 2 miles up, 1 mile down. I finished in 31:08 - placing 31 out of 88 women in my age group. That's a 6.0 mph pace! I was incredibly proud of myself. Without C25K I would never have been able to do it. I'm running a 4.4 mile race on Thanksgiving and hoping for an even better pace. I've run a practice 5K in under 30 minutes now too!

You can do it! Just slow down and work on your endurance. Then work on speed.

I started weighting over 300 and not having to run for several years. First week or two were harsh, but I made it through. I must admit, that for few couple weeks I just couldn't even REACH 5.5mph for anything over 100 meters, but it will all come in time, recently I ran for 10 minutes at 7mph. Not to mention that c25k and mfp helped me to lose 40 pounds in just over two months.
Don't focus on the speed now, it will come in time.

so i recently started the c25k run/jog ...and this week i start week three... im feeling intimidated!!!!! ugghhh

has anyone else out there gone from basically not working out and done this program, and if so...how well did it go?

so far for me, week 1 and 2 werent too bad...the fastest i can STAY running is 5.5mph at this point...

has anyone been compleatly out of shape and then started this program? and actually followed it week to week?

yep..me. I did c25k to break up the monotony of power walks and cycling. the notion of me being a runner was simply ridiculous.

I finished c25k in June and ran my first half marathon in august, and another one yesterday.

Don't be intimidated by the exercises, concentrate real hard on the distance/interval and NOT your speed/pace...all of that will come in time. Don't be afraid to re-attempt any day that you feel you need to...the only fail is to give up on c25k, like I did 4 times before I gave it one last chance.

Now running is my only form of exercise.


Good luck,have fun and please stick at it..you will be rewarded far greater than you could ever imagine!

I started in May at 219lbs, one month after having my third baby (and I had a horrid sickly lazy pregnancy.) I walked at 3.5 and "ran" at 4.0-4.3mph. I followed the plan exactly as it is written. No repeating and no running more than 3 days per week. I'm now running 4 miles comfortably at an average of 5.7mph. I also spent 5 weeks in an air cast in July/August right after finishing C25K for a foot condition not related to running and am surprised that even with easing back into running very gradually I am at the place I'm at. I'm planning on running a half marathon next summer! You can do it! :happy:

I am re-starting this, too. I was doing it a bit but then started 30 Day Shred at same time and it was just too much impact. I walk normally at 4 mph for my workouts with some intervals of 4.5, so when I was doing it, I was using 5.5 also. I don't mean I need to walk at this pace for the C25K. I'm open to suggestions. That's just my normal speed for my regular 3-4 mile walking workouts. 5.5 and 4.0 feels comfortable for me, but are you finding it too difficult or is it just right? I'm not sure if maybe I should kick it down a little. Anything between 4.5-5.0 is very awkward for me because it's neither a jog nor a walk based on my normal walking speed for workouts. I don't want to burn out. It's great to hear how much success people have had with the program!

Also, what is everyone using for their walk speed?

Keep going! I was up to the end of week 6 and doing pretty good. I never thought I would get here. I had to take a couple weeks off for medical reasons and now I had to go back to day 1 of week 5. It is very hard for us new to exercise and really out of shape. I seriously think the mental aspect of running is the hardest though. I personally find that if I get some good music (I use the app on my iphone so it tells me when to run and walk) I hid the screen so I'm not paying attention. Then I get more into what I'm listening to than how much longer I have. Keep at it and if you can't complete a day, don't get frustrated just repeat that day's workout the next running day. Persistence and dedication are the key to all this. I also find that perusing Pinterest Health and Fitness boards help remind me what I am wanting to do this for.