trouble with my c25k!

kristinsteck · December 2012

I just started my c25k week 1 day 1 exercise today. I have NEVER been a runner/jogger. I don't really work out to much either but I am a waitress so I am on my feet all day. I began with my 5 minute walk and when i went into my jogging/walking repetitions I only made it through the one minute jog twice before I had to stop. I was so out of breath and tired. I know some people can't finish the first week but I couldn't even finish the first day! Any advice??:yawn:

iWaffle · December 2012

Run slower. There's no race to win here except for beating your own personal time. Slow down and take it easy on your jogging portion of the exercise.

khowlett1 · December 2012

hang in there.... i have done this program and loved it.... honestly it took me 3 weeks to get past week 1... i would not let myself progress to the next week until i could do that Week effortlessly. It took me 3 times as long to finish the program.. but now i can run a 5k in about 35 minutes... still working on improving my time... and i have lost 40 lbs doing it... you will come to love the endorphines you get from running.. i crave it now and cant wait for my next one!

AllonsYtotheTardis · December 2012

Same here - I'm on week 5 now. But I have to repeat weeks.

Slow down - run as slow as you can until you can complete the day. Try again the next time - it will get easier each time.

Duck_Puddle · December 2012

#1-slow down your jogging portions
#2-no rule that says you can't keep working on day 1 until you're comfortable with it. I took a LONG time to finish my c25k program because I would not proceed to the next day/week until I felt I could comfortably do whatever day/week I was on.
#3-slow down your jogging portions
#4-running is not easy and if you don't work out much (and don't have any aerobic base) running will be even less easy
#5-slow down your jogging portions

Patience, grasshopper. A year ago, I was morbidly obese and couldn't run to the mailbox. I now run 20-25 miles/week (slowly, but I run every step).

trogalicious · December 2012

Run slower. There's no race to win here except for beating your own personal time. Slow down and take it easy on your jogging portion of the exercise.

Try again the next time - it will get easier each time.

listen to both of these.

kristy6ward · December 2012

Everyone is right, if you can run any slower, you are running to fast. Make sure to stretch before and after your workouts. Are you using a podcast to announce the intervals? I'm loving the ones from the nhs.uk site. Laura is really encouraging and offers up helpful tips. I'm battling week 7 now.

You can totally do this!

mmk137 · December 2012

patience my friend.

we live in a world of instant gratification. we want it now.

It's new for you, so yes expect failure. But that just means next time you will be able to do a little more.

get the podcast runner academy it will answer a lot of your running questions.

KevinLamb77 · December 2012

Shorter steps and smaller tight arm movements. breath through it. I had more problems with week 1 and 2 than I had in week 5 and 6. I had to learn how to pace myself.

katanasnk · December 2012

Agreed with most everyone else. Drop your speed by some if possible, and keep trying. I usually feel like i"m going to die by the end of my intervals but if I can tough it out I make surprising progress.
That said, I've hit stalling points where I really just couldn't do it (like, I have yet to make it through Week 5).
Once I successfully made it through a day/interval set, I went up to the next day and worked on that until I could do that, but as soon as I complete a day I have to move on to the next, more challenging day.

tehzephyrsong · December 2012

Seconding the advice to slow it down. If you don't work out much on a regular basis, you need to work up to it. Even a slow, I-could-walk-this-pace jog or an old-man shuffle still gets you moving, and if that's how slow you have to go to be able to finish the workout, then it's good enough. Speed will come with time; be patient and keep at it. I just finished Week 9 of a modified 12-week program; an 11:30 mile is nothing to sneeze at, but I couldn't run for that long at any speed nine weeks ago.

niknak2308 · December 2012

I too struggled at first and after a few weeks of nearly dying each time I went out, I made a conscious decision to "run" slower during one particular session, and instead of sprinting for the running portions, I jogged at a very comfy pace, and suddenly it all clicked into place!

I was told by my serious runner friend that the speed you're looking for is this - walk as fast as you can until you can't help but break into a jog rather than a fast walk and that's it. You should be able to have a conversation whilst running, but not be able to sing. It's not about speed at this point, you can work on that once you can cover the distance

You will get there, just stick at it... Go slower and you'll start sailing through. I was a complete non-runner before C25K and I'm now training for my half marathon - if I can do it, believe me, anyone can :happy:

timebomb821 · December 2012

Slow down- you're not on a race. And hydrate yourself an hour before running and try not drinking much water during the workout. Buy yourself good running shoes, play your favourite music and stop smoking if you do it.

kristinsteck · December 2012

thanks everyone for the advice!!

Gabriall · December 2012

the first time I did it, and went on to run a half marathon, there were days when body said noooo. and it was on days where i didnt even see it coming. Just stop, move on try again another day

HypersonicFitNess · December 2012

If you can run slower...you're running too fast.

So you need to SLOW down your jog and maybe even slow down your walk; it's about completing the minutes, not how far you go. Remember you are just STARTING....it takes time.

Don't give up; try day 1 again, this time take it much, much slower. You should not be out of breath during your jog sessions at all; if you are...slow down.

KBGirts · December 2012

Definitely slow down. You need to find a pace for your runs that you can sustain for the time. It may take practice to find out what that pace is. Start as slow as you can go and as you get more comfortable or realize you can go faster, then pick up speed.