Runners! Needing encouragement :(

Doubt gets us all. I started out with a similar program, the basic walk/run and as much as it sucked I just kept working at it. Eventually I noticed it got easier and then I ran my first 5K which was hard but awesome! Now I've run so many distance races I can't count them all and am going to run my 3rd marathon in October. Even though I do a ton of races I still doubt myself and my ability. Trust me when I say half way through this marathon I will question if I am capable of finishing but you know what, I will finish because in the back of my mind I know I CAN do this and so can you!

Hang in there. I started C25K in January and if you'd asked me then if I would be running a 10K in 6 months, I never would have believed you. I went from not being able to run for 3 minutes to running for 90 minutes on my long runs. After I finished C25K, I just ran a few miles 3-4 times a week for a couple months before I got serious about running. I went straight from 5K to 10K and I'm now training for a half marathon. Losing a lot of weight also helped

I never thought I would get past many parts of the program, and restarted it more then once. Then a friend who runs marathons gave me some helpful tips. One of the big one's was investing in a heart monitor. So I bought a Garmin and started wearing it. I calculated my maximum heart rate and instead of stopping because I "thought" I was dying, I would only walk when I encroached upon my maximum target heart rate. Well to my surprise, when I thought I was dying was NO WHERE near the maximum. So I just kept checking that watch and running. Now I have learned how to control my heart rate on runs when it starts creeping up there I slow my gait a little and bring it back to my target zone, so I don't have to walk at all.

Also, having visuals in the beginning helped me as well. I liked running the same route in the beginning so I could look ahead and see the point I had to stop last time and fixate on a point beyond that to run to.

That being said I got through the program, have run 3 5K's, lost 88 lbs and am training for my first 1/2 marathon in October.

YOU CAN DO IT!

The first time I tried C25K, I was astounded at the jump between W3 and W4. I actually quit because I couldn't handle it. The second time, I prepared myself mentally for the hurdle, but it was still difficult. One of the things I realized I was doing was running too fast, or at least starting too fast - slow way, way down, focus on making the time rather than sprinting to the finish. You can work on speed once you build endurance. (: Once I started slowing down my pace, the runs got easier for me. I finished the program last summer, and even though I don't run quite as consistently anymore, I can still go out and run 2-3 miles on a given day.

C25K is a great program - I really recommend joining the group dedicated to it! - and it's a great way to ease into running. Just get that game face on and don't give up!! You can do it!!

try training more than a 5K everyday until 5K is just a benchmark in your workouts. I used to run 5Ks for my workouts and I couldn't get faster, so I started increasing mileage until running a 5K was about 2/3rds of my workouts. Next time I run a 5K, I have confidence I can finish and I am comfortable being uncomfortable

I am very interested in being a jogger. I love to watch other people run because it gives me such motivation. I have been working on it slowly for a while now. I jogged 10 minutes one day and I thought I was amazing!!!-never mind the guy next to me jogged for an hour straight. I am just going to keep plugging away at it until it clicks. I would really love to run a 5k someday.

SJL has a good point...when I first started running about 5 years ago, I started by running 1 song, then walking 2, then after a couple weeks running one song walking one song...its sometimes easier to keep track of then timing out minutes. (and it gets you running longer faster since an average song is anywhere from 3-6 minutes.)

This! I completely agree. I also really like the Zombies, Run! app. It makes it entertaining. Totally cuts the boredom. Some people might look at me funny when I burst out laughing, but that's ok. It makes it really fun.

Sign up! You can do it. I'm on week 5 day 4 of the Runkeeper beginners 5k (similiar to C25k). This last run I did I almost ran a whole 3 miles! It was crazy. I just did it. I was using my music as a guide. So I started out by thinking can I make it through the chorus of this song, then can I make it through the chorus and a verse, and so on until I was running through an entire song. Then I was running through 2 songs, etc.

One thing someone told me was you have to find your comfortable pace. For some people it maybe faster for some it maybe slower. Mine is really slow, but for someone who didn't think they'd be able to run at all I'm pretty proud of myself.

That's the one thing I love about running is there is a clear begining and end and you have to push yourself to make it to that finish. It is a mental thing. You have to know you can do it and your body will follow through with it I promise. Find/make yourself a kick butt playlist, look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you can do it, and then do it!

Rule #1 - Running is for you and you only. Do not waste time wondering what other people are thinking because I don't know anyone yet that can truly read minds! Find a race in your area and go watch it from the finish line. You will see the people receiving the biggest cheers are the ones finishing in the back of the pack, not the front.

My favorite thing about races is going back to the finish line after I have completed a race and cheering on the rest of the finishers. Those are the most inspirational. They may be dealing with weight issues, illness, disease. I just ran the Seattle Rock 'n Roll half marathon and was almost brought to tears by a double amputee vet running the race. Run, walk, crawl nobody cares. But we want to see you succeed, whatever that means to you. And we'll know it from the smile on your face when you cross the finish line.

There are barriers, mostly mental. The biggest one seems to be right around 3 miles. I still have problems with it to this day. Your body just seems to say it is time to stop. Your mind has to override that. When you do you will find your body adjusts and it gets much easier after you break through it.

One of the earlier posters recommended running outdoors and using landmarks. Couldn't agree more. You know if you made it to the stop sign last time you can go a little further this time. The key to running further is to add a little more each time. Rule of thumb, add 10% to your long run each week, but never more than 1 mile.

AND RUN SLOW!!! Biggest mistake I've seen people make is running too hard, too fast. It can only lead to injury.

You can do this. 18 months ago I couldn't run. 13 months ago I ran my first 10k. 12 months ago I ran my first half marathon. 6 months ago I ran my first full marathon. Next month I will complete my first half Ironman. Your body is an amazing thing. It will do things you never thought possible. Train carefully, build in small, consistent increments and the sky's the limit!!!

Rule #1 - Running is for you and you only. Do not waste time wondering what other people are thinking because I don't know anyone yet that can truly read minds! Find a race in your area and go watch it from the finish line. You will see the people receiving the biggest cheers are the ones finishing in the back of the pack, not the front.

My favorite thing about races is going back to the finish line after I have completed a race and cheering on the rest of the finishers. Those are the most inspirational. They may be dealing with weight issues, illness, disease. I just ran the Seattle Rock 'n Roll half marathon and was almost brought to tears by a double amputee vet running the race. Run, walk, crawl nobody cares. But we want to see you succeed, whatever that means to you. And we'll know it from the smile on your face when you cross the finish line.

There are barriers, mostly mental. The biggest one seems to be right around 3 miles. I still have problems with it to this day. Your body just seems to say it is time to stop. Your mind has to override that. When you do you will find your body adjusts and it gets much easier after you break through it.

One of the earlier posters recommended running outdoors and using landmarks. Couldn't agree more. You know if you made it to the stop sign last time you can go a little further this time. The key to running further is to add a little more each time. Rule of thumb, add 10% to your long run each week, but never more than 1 mile.

AND RUN SLOW!!! Biggest mistake I've seen people make is running too hard, too fast. It can only lead to injury.

You can do this. 18 months ago I couldn't run. 13 months ago I ran my first 10k. 12 months ago I ran my first half marathon. 6 months ago I ran my first full marathon. Next month I will complete my first half Ironman. Your body is an amazing thing. It will do things you never thought possible. Train carefully, build in small, consistent increments and the sky's the limit!!!

^^ some of the soundest and most genuine advice you will ever get^^

I've stopped/started running many times. I've signed up for the Nike Women's half marathon in October in san fransisco, and waiting to see if I get picked (it's a lottery). But I've re-started running last month. I typically do run/walk interfals, right now I'm running 4 minutes walking 1 minute. I'm concentrating more on increasing my total distance, so I'll probably keep doing the intervals and making the running intervals longer, but I don't know if I'll ever do away with them completely. That 1 minute walk is my carrot. No matter how hard it feels, I know I can always push myself just one or two minutes more to get my 1 minute walk break.

SO I have a few questions all you runners out there!

First off I JUST finished C25k Week 4 day 1 and I have to say WTH? it was quite a big surprise how far it jumped up. My cousin who runs tons of Marathons tells me it is all a mind game, but I was SOOO not mentally prepared for that! Anyways I look at this now as something that will only get harder and I ask myself will I actually be able to do this?

Anyways for those of you that have made it to that 5k mark and beyond did you feel like you would never get there!?

My goal is to run a 5k on my birthday and i have to sign up by July 12th for Color Me Rad to get the early bird fee.. and I keep second guessing myself. What if I'm not ready by then? what if I can't run it? what if I completely embarrass myself?

Did anyone else feel this way when starting out?

I have never used C25k so I can't speak to it. I can tell you what worked for me. This is my third year running 'seriously' and I have completed several 5ks, 10ks, half marathons and 2 full marathons. I used a method by Jeff Galloway and I continue to use it to this day. Check out his website www.jeffgalloway.com. His method is to always incorporate walk breaks at different intervals. Right now I am 4 and 1. I run for 4 minute and then walk for 1 minute. Repeat until desired distance is covered. You may start with walk 3 run 1. I know it may not seem like 'real' running, but Jeff Galloway has completed over 150 marathons without injury. With walk breaks I have completed a 5k in 29:29 (and this is not pushing myself running either) and my best half is 2:24:00. He has free beginner training plans on his website. The only investment is time and an interval timer that beeps when it is time to run and walk so you don't have to stare at your watch. My Garmin 10 had the interval timer built in. but you can get just an interval timer for 20 bucks or a free app if you have a smartphone.

There's a helluva lot of good advice from the folks here. I don't mean to be rude but if you are more worried about embarrassing yourself than what the potential consequences are for quitting without trying, then you need to reassess some priorities. It's your life and, above all, your health. When my wife and I ran our 5k last October (she's 63 and this was her first) we had a couple of run/walkers pass us. All I saw were motivated people, some needed to walk others didn't. Every freakin one of them did what they set out to do and could give a damn about what I or any others thought of them.

On a side note, we finished that race at about a 12 minute per mile pace, not burning up the course by any means but we were both real happy with it. I struggled with my c25k because my left knee has some torn meniscus and constant running put me in hobbled pain for a couple days after. Since then I discovered Jeff Galloway's run/walk method. I just completed a 10k this last weekend at a 10:04 pace, running for 4 minutes, walking for 1, without any knee pain during or after. I passed my fair share of pure runners. My best 1 mile pace is 9:28. I've got my eyes set on the Philly Marathon in November, if I can continue to run pain free.

OP, don't worry about it. If you need to take a breather and walk, it's truly no big deal. The color run is more about having fun. I did 10K last Friday morning (not a race, just a solitary workout), had to walk a few times, and felt generally good about the workout. I plan to enter a 10K race that is taking place July 4. I'm sure I'll have to do some walking but that does not bother me. If you need a breather, take it. The most important things are that you are out there doing something and that you are having fun.

I ran track in high school, stopped for several years, and when I started back up again I couldn't run a qtr mile! I thought I was going to pass out lol. I couldn't even do a C25K....I would say I did a "modified C25K" back then just to get back into shape. Finally I was able to do a 5k, 10k, half and full marathon. This year I've run 3 half-marathons and routinely do 4-5 different races a year. Just go at your own pace and don't be afraid to walk....not sure why people feel you have to "run the whole thing" but if you do research you'll see that it can help and in fact you can have better times.

At my half in March I came in 1st in my age group so I was pretty happy! Just go at your own pace and have fun