C25k'ers, give me hope!!!

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goal30Lori
goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I am just about to start week 2 of C25k, tonight, but today I attempted running a 1/4 mile to calibrate my Nike Sensor. I could barely do it! Now, it took me about 2 1/2 minutes, and currently the program has me running only 60 seconds at a time(well, 90 starting tonight!) Anyway, I have signed up for a 5k on October 3rd, and I REALLY want to run the whole thing! Please give me hope that it can be done!! Has anyone gone from barely running 60 seconds, to 5k all at once??? I only have 9 more weeks!

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  • Chrissun
    Chrissun Posts: 148
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    BrunetteWife has a blog about doing this! She did it! The blog is titles something like "Could you graduate in 9 weeks?" After reading her blog I am inspired to try it! Good Luck! I'm sure you can do it!
  • HealthyEscape
    HealthyEscape Posts: 255
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    Step 1 - Take a deep breath and exhale
    Step 2 - relax

    You can only do what you can do. Give it your best and shoot to run the whole 5k, and if you can't, dont beat yourself up and just sign up for another one. Listening to your body is the most important thing. If you need to go back to week one and do it again to be ready for week 2, do that. :-)

    Just some friendly suggestions. I have faith that if you stay dedicated to the program and do what you are supposed to that you will do just fine :-) Just remember to BREATH and RELAX :-)
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I finished C25K last fall. Great program if you want to get into running.

    Just focus on the week, and task at hand. Don't worry about 8 weeks from now. Follow the plan and you will get there.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I started in the beginning of June and I didn't stick to the program 100%. I ran twice a week instead of 3 times, and I didn't always follow the intervals exactly. I moved up when I felt I could handle the next week. I also jumped from 5 minutes as my max interval to running a mile and that's it. So right now I just warm up for 5 minutes and run as far as I can go. I can run for 1.25 miles without stopping. That's after only 8 weeks of less than dedicated training. I do lots of other different workouts on the off days, so that helps too. I think Oct. 3rd is a good time frame and if you have to on race day, run as much as you can, take a walking break and run the rest of it. Finishing is the most important part, not how you got there :)
  • Mom2Emery_Liam
    Mom2Emery_Liam Posts: 149
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    I only did a few weeks too- I had to stop b/c of horrible knee pain. I'd love to pick it up one day again though!
  • bear2115
    bear2115 Posts: 1
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    You can do it!!!! C25K is a wonderful program. Don't worry that you couldn't run for 2.5 min on week 2. You should only be able to do the previous week's intervals by then.

    I did the C25K last fall and ran a 5K this spring. I now run 4 times per week between 3-6 miles per run. I had tried running a few different times and never got very far. With the C25K it was almost easy. I had a hard week on week 4 and I was worried, but I just kept going and I finished. I think it took me 10 weeks because I repeated week 4. I think it worked for me this time because I slowed down. I now only run at about a 10:45 min/mile pace almost a year later. It's not fast, but it's what I had to do to get there. Your body needs time to get used to running so slow down to increase performance and prevent injury.

    Interval training is a wonderful way to increase endurance. You bones and muscles as well as your cardiovascular system needs to be conditioned to do any kind of cardio exercise. You can definitely run the 5k in October! If you have to walk a minute or two a couple of times, who cares, you still started and finished something!

    If you are on facebook there is a facebook group for the C25K plan. You should check it out, they have great articles and wonderful support for those who are going through the program and those who have finished.

    Good luck and stay positive.
  • goal30Lori
    goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! I feel better after reading all your posts.. I'm worried I guess, because I was never a good runner, even in high school when I weighed 128, I couldn't run a quarter mile non-stop. I LOVE the way it feels to run, so that is why I chose to pursue it again, but there's a little part of me that says I wasn't cut out to be a runner.

    But, you are right, I don't HAVE to run the whole thing! I will just do my best, and try to beat my time for the next one!
  • TammyK777
    TammyK777 Posts: 230 Member
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    *bump* for later... I'm starting the program tonight and will probably need some encouragement later!
  • goal30Lori
    goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
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    Good luck Tammy!! Feel free to add me as a friend! I'm only a week ahead of you, so we can do it together!!
  • bumbalina
    bumbalina Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm determined to finish C25K as well, but seriously struggling with shin splints at moment so I'm repeating wk 1 till I can do it no worries then I'll go onto wk2....
    Good luck. I'll be there with you!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    i think you can totally run the whole thing by october! :) and if not, run what you can, walk the rest and sign up for another one.
    dawn

    p.s. when i first started c25k, i repeated week one for 4 weeks. that's right! 4 weeks. if i can do it, you can do it.
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
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    I'm sure you'll be fine

    I run/jog/walk with the podcasts , keep you pace steady and comfortable and don't look to far ahead. Concentracte on the day at hand and you'll be OK.

    If you read the C25K posts on here and the web you will find that your not the only one who has to repeat a days or two

    You will even surprise yourself when you look back, and don't worry about having to repeat a day to progress

    I struggled on W1D2, D1 went OK but D2 killed me. The extra 30 seconds run on week 2 seemed impossible but here i am on W7D2.

    I wouldn't class myself as a runner but I can make the 25 minute target which when i started seemed such a long way away.

    The thing with the C25K program is that you can seem positive weekly improvements

    Hang in there and Good luck. :happy:
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    So, I am just about to start week 2 of C25k, tonight, but today I attempted running a 1/4 mile to calibrate my Nike Sensor. I could barely do it! Now, it took me about 2 1/2 minutes, and currently the program has me running only 60 seconds at a time(well, 90 starting tonight!) Anyway, I have signed up for a 5k on October 3rd, and I REALLY want to run the whole thing! Please give me hope that it can be done!! Has anyone gone from barely running 60 seconds, to 5k all at once??? I only have 9 more weeks!

    Listen, it doesn't matter if it takes you 2 1/2 minutes or 5 minutes to fun that quarter of a mile, the fact remains you DID run it.

    The program (I have never done the C25K thingy mind) is spot on getting you to run for 60 seconds at a time, I presume it gradually builds up? By building up bit by bit, you will not overtax yourself, you will not feel stressed or in distress afterwards (well you shouldn't do, if you are, you would need to go back to a previous session when you didn't feel so bad if that happened).

    October 3rd? That's a couple of months away yet, I believe if you train properly and eat correctly and drink enough, you will breeze it, seriously. You will accomplish more than you ever thought possible if you persevere.

    Forget how fast you SHOULD be doing stuff, everybody is different, they are unique, what somebody else can manage, another will find it a piece of piss and yet somebody else will virtually be on their knees.

    You have a wonderful thing to work towards there, just continue, in a few weeks you will look back and be amazed how far you have come in such a short time x
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I'm determined to finish C25K as well, but seriously struggling with shin splints at moment so I'm repeating wk 1 till I can do it no worries then I'll go onto wk2....
    Good luck. I'll be there with you!

    Invest in some Sorbothane insoles for your trainers, they take 90% of the shock away from when you pound the streets. Running on concrete is incredibly hard on your joints and bones. They are expensive for insoles but have a life of 10 years. They can help your shin splints no end.
  • goal30Lori
    goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
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    I'm determined to finish C25K as well, but seriously struggling with shin splints at moment so I'm repeating wk 1 till I can do it no worries then I'll go onto wk2....
    Good luck. I'll be there with you!

    Invest in some Sorbothane insoles for your trainers, they take 90% of the shock away from when you pound the streets. Running on concrete is incredibly hard on your joints and bones. They are expensive for insoles but have a life of 10 years. They can help your shin splints no end.

    I bought the Sorbothane insoles on the advise of LotusF1ower also! They haven't arrived yet though, so I am picturing myself bounding happily down the street once they do, LOL!
  • goal30Lori
    goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
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    Thanks to everyone for all the advice and encouragement, it made me smile all through my run last night!!

    So - I did it! I did week 2 Day one, and I didn't feel out of breath even once! I kept it VERY slow since my knees and shins were already hurting, I think from trying to run that quarter mile at too fast a pace. Anyway, it felt great, and I can't wait for my next run day! I think I am going to focus more on the actual act and form of running, versus the pace. The graph of my run from the Nike Sensor is below!

    http://go.nike.com/02t4t0ut

    Thanks again everyone!!

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