HELP...struggling with C25K!

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  • acstein
    acstein Posts: 55
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    I have found a couple versions of the Couch to 5K. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml that is the program I am using as running is not my forte. Never has been, even when I was doing track. I did the long jump and those types of events. I'm using my husbands soldiers as motivation. I have a bet that I can pass the PT test (which I'm not even in the military) before they can. Week one seemed simple, but week 2 may need to be repeated simply because my heart rate gets too high. I don't want to overload it.

    Try not to judge yourself by what you used to be able to do and focus on what you are doing. I know it's easier said than done but that was one of the hardest things for me to realize. I'm 10 years older and about 40 lbs heavier than I was when I played rugby (40 minutes halves of constant running and "abuse") and even then I was out of shape compared to my HS years. I finally got over it and am excited to see improvement, even if it is slower than I used to do or not as much.
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    I dont think there is anything wrong with needing to repeat weeks. You are still getting up and getting exercise.

    I am on week 5. I found week 1-2 very easy and then week 3 hit and i struggled through week 3 and 4. My knees were always hurting and I just felt achy and sore. I increased my stretching. I now stretch for 5 minutes after the 5 min warmup walk and then for about 5-10 when I finish. When I hit week 5 this week I felt like everything was so much easier.

    Good luck and I would say to just keep moving!
  • bumbalina
    bumbalina Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm in Queensland, Australia. Its winter here but it doesn't last long then it gets really hot around September thru to May. This is why I want to loose all this flab, I want to spend all that time at the beach with everyone and not be ashamed to wear a swimsuit.
  • Melbourne_Mum
    Melbourne_Mum Posts: 1
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    Wow, this thread is old but I've just completed week 3 and it was really hard. No way can I move on to week 4. Will have to do week 3 again. So glad to hear its common to repeat weeks. I alternate my running (shuffling) days with Curves gym circuit. So far so good. Have very dodgy knees as very overweight but so far they are holding up! If they feel
    Sore after a run I ice them. Still going. Really like this program.
  • Drea_ann
    Drea_ann Posts: 65 Member
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    I felt the same exact way. I did week one 4 times and I struggled, I am working on week 3 now and running longer is getting easier and easier. You just have to keep trying. Like someone said, even if it takes 8 times, running is so good for your endurance, don't give up.
    You can do it!
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
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    Ok, i'm changing my wednesday c25k to saturday and will now do an optional excercise. My husband suggested I write down a few different options and literally pull them out of a jar on wednesday morning! So heres my "suprise 30 min excersise" list.....


    Golf Driving Range
    Beach walk with Dog
    Swimming ( might leave thisone til summer, its too cold at moment)
    Ride to school with kids
    Boxing on Wii
    Zumba
    Headland walk with dog
    Kawana lighthouse walk with dog
    Noosa national park walk
    Skipping
    Dance Game on Wii


    If you have any other ideas fo my suprise day let me know :laugh:

    This is the freaking best idea ever! Your husband is a genius. You don't have to tell him that, though! LOL
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    RUN SLOWER

    Also you walk on the beach with your dog this week? If I had beach access, every single one of my runs would be on it.
    I hate treadmill running.

    Your goal of getting swim suit ready and running does not mesh. Maybe its a case of your goals not meeting your workout routine. Do you enjoy running? If you hate it, whats the point.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    Ok, i'm changing my wednesday c25k to saturday and will now do an optional excercise. My husband suggested I write down a few different options and literally pull them out of a jar on wednesday morning! So heres my "suprise 30 min excersise" list.....


    Golf Driving Range
    Beach walk with Dog
    Swimming ( might leave thisone til summer, its too cold at moment)
    Ride to school with kids
    Boxing on Wii
    Zumba
    Headland walk with dog
    Kawana lighthouse walk with dog
    Noosa national park walk
    Skipping
    Dance Game on Wii


    If you have any other ideas fo my suprise day let me know :laugh:

    I love this idea! Good luck with c25k - you will be able to get through it. Took me awhile but I am now running full 10ks as of last week after starting C10K (the longer version) over 5 months ago in order to participate in the triathlons that I am now doing. Best wishes!
  • kimmianne89
    kimmianne89 Posts: 428 Member
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    You will get it!
    I struggled a lot with week 5, and kept repeating until I could do it.

    I run in the countryside, so although there were lots of steep hills etc making it worse, the fact you are actually getting somewhere helps.
  • sakuragreenlily
    sakuragreenlily Posts: 334 Member
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    I finished c25k last winter. I'm glad you changed to every other day for running. Your body does need the day of rest. I'm not sure what speeds you are aiming for but think of slowing down. I walked at 3.0 and ran at 4.5 mph on the treadmill. You can work to increase your speed later - once you are more conditioned to running. Have you thought about running outside?

    Other ideas for your jar - bicycle ride, waking DVD (love Leslie Sansone) or kettle bell workout. Good luck.

    This is how I did it too. Went through the program working on endurance rather than speed the first few times. Did the full program at 4.5 mph, then at 5.0 mph, and now am doing it again at 6.0 mph. I would NEVER have been able to start out at 6 which is what the program wants you to do if you hope to complete a 5k in 30 minutes.

    Slow and steady :)
  • Zaniejane
    Zaniejane Posts: 329 Member
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    Stretch! If you are having serious issues you can even pause and stretch in the middle of the run. It's ok to go slower. For example, during the running phase, shuffle if you need to just keep going. You can finish at your own pace. You can repeat runs. Already you are getting out and working on this at least three times a day, good for you!

    Finally, i don't know what the weather is like where you live, but I went for a run yesterday and it felt twice as hard because of the heat!

    You can do this! Congratulations.
  • Raasy
    Raasy Posts: 972 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the imput, I have taken a bit of info from everyone and come up with a good strategy to tackle this. I think I was expecting too much too soon. Let me know what you think.

    this week.... Lots of stretching!
    Mon 30 min walk
    Tues 30min walk
    wed 30min walk
    thurs 30min walk
    fri 1hr yoga/pilates

    next week and continuing for next week for three weeks
    Mon Yoga/Pilates
    tues C25k w1
    wed C25k w1
    Thur C25K w1
    Frid Yoga/Pilates

    Then I'll hopefully move on to w2!! :happy:

    I will finish c25k!! :sick: I will defeat my Tredmill!!:devil:

    I just finished week 5 this morning and I can assure you that you WILL get there. It looks like you have a good plan for this week, but I would recommend that you split up your C25K workouts next week. You need to rest your body between those sessions. I would strongly urge you to consider doing C25K on M, W, F with your Yoga/Pilates workout on T and Th. Finally, make certain that you are stretching really well both before and after your C25K workouts. There are some really good stretches on www.coolrunning.com that I have been using religiously and have not had any pain.

    Good luck to you!!!!

    ^^^^^ This is great advise.. I am on week 8 of the c25k and I found that I have to break up my running, the back to back runs are brutal when you are first starting out. Your body needs to rest and your shins will thank you for it.. Good luck!!
  • hannamarie88
    hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
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    HELP!!!!
    I'm seriously struggling with C25K. I started the programme a week ago and had trouble completing all the running sections and on the third day pulled my inner thigh muscle on the first run cycle then walked the rest of the programme. I started w1d1 all over again today and only managed 4 of the 9 runs. I feel like I'm going to be on week 1 forever!
    In my pre-fat life I was a really good runner so I'm now getting really frustrated with myself and my tredmill. Does anyone have any tips they can give, or motivation?

    Are you trying to run fast? That was my mistake the first time I started the program. Pace yourself. You are just starting and you don't have to go fast. Go at an easy pace for the 60 seconds and go faster as you improve. Definitely stretch first or you will hurt yourself :( You've got this!
  • juiletflt
    juiletflt Posts: 159
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    I agree with the poster above that said to RUN SLOWER!

    The first several times I tried C25K I failed because I was trying to go too fast. This time I am keeping my pace slower and am now on week 6! I have now run for 20 minutes straight when I used to struggle with 90 seconds!

    I recently read Jeff Galloway's book Running: Getting Started and he says that beginning runners should have a stride more like a shuffle, just barely lifting your feet off the ground enough to not hit rocks, etc. Also you should go slow enough that you could keep a conversation going. No huffing or puffing. It's about building up the distance now, speed comes after about the six month mark. He also says to not try to get extra 'junk' miles in during the week, just stick to the program because your body needs the rebuild time. I can't believe how much going slower has helped.

    Good luck!
  • Briko3
    Briko3 Posts: 267 Member
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    Run slower. Most people that have a hard time getting started with it are running (and walking) too fast. Slow down and enjoy the process.
  • ProgressNotPerfection32
    ProgressNotPerfection32 Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I do the Run a 3k program and just started week 4. If I ever have a day where i have to walk ANY of the workout, I repeat it until I can jog/run all of the running intervals. I've never been a runner in my LIFE. I run a 12 min mile (not all at once yet). LOL in middle school track I did high jump and a friend and I were recruited during a meet last minute to run the mile since we were 2 people short. Needless to say, I walked most of it! Point being.........if I can do it with that history, you will be fine. Just stretch after. Drink lots of water. Slow it down a bit. And redo whatever you don't master. Sucks but its worth it when you move on and extremely rewarding.
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
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    Don't get discouraged! Repeat weeks or days however long is necessary.

    I remember quite well how difficult it was that first week. Running for 60 seconds seemed like an eternity and doing that 9 times? Impossible! But I stuck with it and was amazed the first time I ran 3 minutes in a row.

    You may have been a good runner before, but you weren't carrying around all the extra body weight that you are now. That makes a big difference and it's so much harder. Just keep working at it and don't move on to a new day or week until you are able to do the current one. And remember: the only way you will fail is if you don't try it. Good luck!
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
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    I recently read Jeff Galloway's book Running: Getting Started and he says that beginning runners should have a stride more like a shuffle, just barely lifting your feet off the ground enough to not hit rocks, etc. Also you should go slow enough that you could keep a conversation going. No huffing or puffing. It's about building up the distance now, speed comes after about the six month mark. He also says to not try to get extra 'junk' miles in during the week, just stick to the program because your body needs the rebuild time.
    What is a "junk" mile?
  • RobynDCrossman
    RobynDCrossman Posts: 252
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    Slow down.
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
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    See if you can focus on your breathing when you do the running portions because that was the hardest thing for me when I began running miles. I realized that I was taking shallow breaths in the upper chest only and it was getting me winded and making it very difficult to continue.....basically in through the nose and out through the mouth and it may make it easier. Just a suggestion because that worked for me as a beginner. Hang in there and it will get better.

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