I am similar weight and I remember those first days well. Don't give up and don't worry about repeating days. I'm on week 6 of the program now and I can run for 8-10 mins before I have to slow to a walk. Actually I am trying to go even slower to make the longer distances. Don't worry about speed. Running uses different muscles and engages the body in different way than walking. Your body needs time to adjust to that. Even if your runs are as slow as or maybe slower than your walk it's OK. A short stride length is OK too, actually its better to keep your feet more underneath you. I know that you can do this! Keep with it and you will amaze yourself!

I repeat days so I can pick up speed.

I ran and walked at about 4 mph at the beginning. I concentrated on keeping my running speed the same as my walking speed. Just let your body have time to adjust to running again.

Looking back at my times, I didn't break 4.0 for a few weeks. Also, about stride length: there are a lot of points of view on this. But, in general, shorter is better. It helps you land with your foot under your body. Much more efficient and less risk of injury.

Good job with completing Day One. That was my hardest day.

Way to go, AJL Daddy!

Great job for starting up again! That shows some real commitment.

A better question: "How slow?" The answer: very slow.

C25K is NOT a program to make you a speedy runner. It's a program to help you gain fitness so that you can sustain an elevated HR for more than a few seconds.

I'm on week 7. My last run and my next are 20 minutes continuous. I know I am running a slower pace than when I started. My HR now is lower during the run. I feel so much better when I'm done than I did at the start of the program.

It's really hard to not think about running for speed. I am running in my first 5K in a couple of weeks, just as I finish my C25K program. As I run longer duration training each week, I realize that my desire to run it in less than 30 minutes is unlikely. But, what will happen is I will run for 35 minutes or so -continuously-. That's a huge accomplishment since at the start, just 7 weeks ago, I felt like my chest was going to explode after running just 3 minutes.

Stick with it and go slow, tortoise.

-Bob

That is awesome news! Good for you.

You might want to start slower with your first run too. As one person put it, your goal for your first 5k is to "finish upright," not go for any particular time. Starting with a slow, consistent pace will help you get there.

You're actually "supposed" to do the program about three days a week, so you're doing it right.

I started C25K at around 280 pounds. At first, I was running at about 3 MPH. Now (just finished week 7), I am up to 3.5 consistently, although I start at 4.0 (and try to make it through 1 song before I drop down!!)

Hey, everyone. I'm 33y.o., 5'11", 160. Recently stopped smoking and have been walking/jogging off and on for months now, so I figured I's try this out. I started this workout and my shins were killing me and assumed it was my Reebok Reflex (too tight and definitely worn out) . I got a pair of Asics gel-lyte 33 and decided to try again. Now, the problem seems to have shifted to my calves and I can't even "go" on the treadmill for as long as I could. After only about 15 minutes into the first workout, my calves couldn't get any tighter. My legs always seem to be tight and I definitely try stretching and have been using a foam roller to no avail. I am beginning to think I'm just not cut out for this. I'm starting to get very frustrated. I am walking at a speed of 3. 3.5 is a brisk walk for me...I started out running at 5.5-6, but bumped that down to a 4 to see if that would help. So, even with 3 walk and 4 jog, I can't do it because everytime I try it seems like I'm going to get a Charleyhorse (sp.? - hahaha). I think what is most frustrating is that I don't seem to be getting winded at all and smoking for 15 years, I figured that's where my problem would be...I feel like I could go further and faster if my calves would cooperate. I'm thinking it may be the shoes, but like I said my old ones seemed to be causing shin splints. I would like to be professionally fitted at a running store, but since I live in BFE (middle of nowhere), the closest running store is 2 hours away. Any pointers or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm 36 and weigh 215lb's and 5 foot 4 and my average pace so far (only on week 2 day 2 is 9.30 per km. I am more than happy with that as I have some friends who are doing it. They have tried to go faster and have ended up with injuries. I figure if I can get through the programme at a slow pace once I have the stamina to do the distance and have lost more weight I will naturally get faster. I'm doing it outside on the road though and obviously the UK has to be having its first heatwave in many years so it is hard work at the moment!! I'm just chuffed I'm sticking with it.

You should be happy with yourself!

If you just get out and do it three days a week, you WILL finish, you WILL be able to run for 30 minutes straight and you WILL get faster. All you need to do is run when the nice lady say run, walk when she says walk and go as slow as you can without stopping.

My story sounds a lot like yours - 210ish, 5'3"ish, and NOT a runner. I tried C25K about 2 months ago and almost died after the first 10 minutes, and was really sore the following few days. This was when I was doing a walk at about a 3.0 and a run at about a 4.5. It was ridiculous.

We got a treadmill, and I worked up a walking base. I was doing about a 3.1 or 3.2 walk for 30-40 minutes every day. And wanted to give C25K another try. When I looked up this very question, over and over I read people not only saying going as slow as you want, but literally as slow as you CAN. It's about building endurance, not speed. I jumped back in walking at 2.9 and running/jogging at a 3.4 and I've actually been able to make some progress. I've made it through the first two runs without too much trouble, and I'm actually looking forward to my next.

The question if you're just into running, and trying a program like this, is not how slow SHOULD you run - it's how slow CAN you run? Figure that out, then start there.

When I started out with C25K, my fast walk and slow run speeds were almost the same (3.7 and 4.0mph, respectively) I think you definitely just need to slow it down.