C25K success stories?

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res119
res119 Posts: 27
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and I am starting C25K tomorrow and I am super nervous, but excited! I know that by the end of the program you are supposed to be able to run a 5k (obviously!) but I just want to know how those of you who have completed the program feel about this? Do you really think you can go out and run an entire 5k now? I'm only asking because I am just starting and I am debating whether or not to register for a 5k that is 10 weeks away! Keep in mind, I am literally going from couch to 5k, so I am nervous my body won't be ready by then!

Any advice/opinions would be very appreciated!
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  • stoked2b
    stoked2b Posts: 136 Member
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    Hi Rachel. I am re-starting c25k and I tried to do the program last fall. It went well for me but the longest I was able to run without walking was 25 minutes. Here's the thing though - you can still do the 5k regardless, because you're allowed to walk at anytime.

    This spring I'm trying a different approach. I'm going to be at least 20-25 lbs lighter so I'm hoping that will make things easier.
  • yshahy
    yshahy Posts: 8 Member
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    I am not exactly a success story but hopefully will be some day. I am in week 4 now. I couldn't do 30 second jogs to start with but now I can do 3-5-3-5 minute jogs. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be able to do 5K. I would totally register for 5K. That would be good motivation.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    I tried to run two different times in my life in the 80s and couldn't. I tried running with C25K in late 2008 and in March 2009, I ran my first 5k and I ran the whole thing! By the end of the season, I ran a Half-marathon!

    I just LOVE that program. I think it really works.

    Just take your time. It took me 12 weeks to get through the official 9 weeks because I got off to a slow start. But I just kept going and it worked!
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    P.S. At the end of the program, I could run 25 minutes without stopping but that wasn't a 5k. So I just kept going adding 5 minutes every week until I could run a 5k without stopping.
  • 4Boys4Me
    4Boys4Me Posts: 16 Member
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    I totally agree with registering for the race for motivation. I've started to the program a few times and have wanted to do a race but never actually registered and lost motivation along the way with the program. So even if in ten weeks you can't run a full 5k, it's okay. You will have progressed....... a lot. I've read a lot of people that usually need to repeat a couple weeks in there. At the end of the program, you might not be able to run a 5k but you will be able to run 30 minutes at once. If you can run a 5k in that time, awesome. Personally, I'm slower. About a 12min/mile. So go register and get motivated.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
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    I'll be a success story. :)

    I weigh 280 lbs.

    I did week 1 last week, I completed all 3 days. I went from 2.5/3.5 to 3/5 over the course of the week. This week I'm repeating week 1 and trying for 3.5 and 6 mph by the end of the week.

    Getting off the "couch" is the first success.
  • troystweets
    troystweets Posts: 15
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    I did it and LOVED it! I'm a slower runner (5.5mph) and the program has you running (by the end) a 10min mile (6mph) to reach the 5k mark in 30 min. I just kept with it and am now doing the next app - training for the 10k. Last week was the first time I ran a full mile at 6mph. I did it 3 times with a 2 min walk in between miles.
    I went from a couch, too. I thought I was going to die the first time I had to run for 5 min straight. But I did it. And my husband did it, too.
    The program works! Have a great time in your 5k race!
  • res119
    res119 Posts: 27
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    Thank you so much for the great advice, motivation, and support! You guys are awesome! I completed day one yesterday and it was tough, but I am more excited than ever to reach this goal. And you have all convinced me to sign up for the 5K! Thank you thank you!
  • AmazonRDH
    AmazonRDH Posts: 203 Member
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    i'm on week 6 and i have a 5K this saturday and another in two weeks. you can stop and walk during the 5K, you're not obligated to run the whole thing. and even though i'm jogging 22 mins this week, my distance is low because i'm a slow turtle jogger with an injury, so even by the end of week 9 i wont be at 5K's, per se. just do your best!!!
  • walleyebob977
    walleyebob977 Posts: 201 Member
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    I'm doing c25k right now week6 day 1 I'm on. I was never a runner and last night I ran for 20 mins it was awesome. If you or anyone needs motivation friend me be glad to help out. Good support is awesome to help get through as I found last night. I have had to go back and do a few days but I'm moving right along good luck you got this.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
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    Finished Week 8 Day 1 today. 2.75 miles (4.4 km) in 28 minutes. 40 laps around my gym's track. People stare at me now because I do so many laps.

    It works.
  • res119
    res119 Posts: 27
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    I'm doing c25k right now week6 day 1 I'm on. I was never a runner and last night I ran for 20 mins it was awesome. If you or anyone needs motivation friend me be glad to help out. Good support is awesome to help get through as I found last night. I have had to go back and do a few days but I'm moving right along good luck you got this.

    That is so awesome! Thank you so much for the support and motivation!
  • res119
    res119 Posts: 27
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    Finished Week 8 Day 1 today. 2.75 miles (4.4 km) in 28 minutes. 40 laps around my gym's track. People stare at me now because I do so many laps.

    It works.

    Wow! Congratulations! That is so amazing. I am very excited to get to where you are!
  • evilmj31
    evilmj31 Posts: 55 Member
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    Last year in an attempt to show my son that I am more than just talk, I agreed to walk the 5K in the Bluenose Marathon. Somewhere along the way I thought I may as well train to run it. So I started the C25K program. When I finsihed it I was able to run the whole 5K, and you have no idea how proud I was of this accomplishment, and I have been running every since.
    I totally reccomend it, I started thinking I was crazy and that I couldn't do this, but I made it through. I even inspired some coworkers to come to the gym with me at lunch and train and we all ran it together.

    Keep up with it, it is hard at times but you will make it through!
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
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    Getting off the "couch" is the first success.

    QFT Moving is winning!

    As for my experience, I hated any exercise but find that jogging and walking in intervals is actually an interesting way for me to get exercise in. I started the program in September and kinda ran out of steam around week 4 or 5. Now I have my own routes plotted and can do my own 5K in 50 minutes. I figure if I hack away at that time minute by minute, I'll be good.

    Wouldn't have started that without C25K, even though I never finished the program.
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,031 Member
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    I did the programme late last year and loved it. I followed the first few weeks religiously though I had to repeat week 3 however from about week 5 I discovered I could go a little further and ended up doing 5k (in about 37 mins) by week 7. I am in my 40's slightly overweight and never run before or done any other sports apart from lots of long walks with my dogs. There were sessions when I had had enough and wanted to give up but the structure of the programme tends to be fairly easy to stick to. Having the option to run outdoors, straight from home also meant that I avoided excuses re driving to a gym, not having time etc.

    I never quite made 5k in under 30 mins but I did find that running 5k on a weekly basis is quite achievable though I am off running at the moment due to an injury.

    Best tip I could give is take the running parts very slow. Even if you think you are slow go even slower as it is so easy to run to fast in the first few weeks and then give up as it gets too hard
  • katie__pillar
    katie__pillar Posts: 55
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    I just have the last session of C25K to do, which is a 5k route that I'm hoping to run all of. I didn't start from nothing, I could run a little bit, but I'm definitely better now. The other day a song came on that used to be too fast for me to run to the beat, but this time I kept up with the whole of it - it's things like that that really show you how you've changed and make you proud. You'll definitely be able to do a 5k by the end of it, but don't push yourself to run it all, loads of people at 5ks do a combination of walking and running, you won't be the only one.
  • Mimisam45
    Mimisam45 Posts: 132 Member
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    I did it about 7 years ago, love the program and it works. You may have to tweak it for yourself but you will be doing more all during it and after than you would have without it!!!! I am currently finishing week 7 and have a 5K scheduled for March 16th!!

    Try to do it outside rather than on a tread or track, it makes a huge, huge :bigsmile: difference!!!!

    Good Luck!
  • donna_glasgow
    donna_glasgow Posts: 869 Member
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    i didnt use the program C25K .... I went out and walked/jogged 2km twice a week ... after 2 months I done a full 5KM (in about 47mins) then done another a month later in 42mins .... I went from literally couch to 5KM without a program ... so in answer YES you can do it .... I wasn't fast but I still completed it :D
  • RNWall
    RNWall Posts: 40 Member
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    I started the program January 1st this year. I have stuck with it week by week and I am now able to run the entire 5K. I can't run it in the 30 mins that it wants you to complete it in but I am down to 38 mins. I have my first race March 16th and I'm hoping I can get my time down more by then. I'm just excited I can go the whole distance without stopping, there were times I never thought I'd make it running even 1 mile. You can do it, just stick with it!!!! Also in that time I have dropped 16 lbs :)

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