Does C25K work? Success stories?

YES! I loved C25K! I give it 100% credit for taking me to a place where I believed I could be a runner. Now I run for fun -- gasp -- and pay money to push myself in order to shave off another 30 seconds from my PR. I have lost 30 pounds since the day I started C25K (3/18/13) by running and eating at a 500 calorie deficit.

DO NOT out do the program. If it says run - run, if it sas walk - walk. it is designed to condition your body to be able to do the long run (3.1 miles is the long run in this case....). And take rest days. You're body needs to rest and repair muscles.

I hope so. I'm on week 4. Big jump from week 3 to 4 in terms of running time. I suspect I'll be on week 4 for a couple of weeks. I'm planning on running the 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving.

I did it, and it worked well for me. Started in January 2011, got to about the 7th week and switched to the 10K one, finished it and ran an official 10K in mid-April. When I started in January I couldn't run one lap around a track or between two lamp posts on the street.

Yes, I hated running with a passion but really wanted to love it. I did it in late 2011 and continued to run afterwards but never more than five miles at a time (usually 3-4). Running and Spinning reshaped my body and helped me lose 82 lbs.

Now I'm back after having a baby 3.5 months ago, and I need to lose most of that weight again (and then get to ultimate goal weight). I need to add strength training and yoga to the mix, but until I can afford the time to get back to my Spinning classes, I'll be running. As soon as it gets cool enough (I'm in coastal SC), I will be starting C25K again.

Based on other workouts I've done, my stamina is still pretty good, so I may skip the first couple of weeks of the program, but I do intend to use it to get back up to running a 5K again. Once I do that, I want to do Hal Higdon's half-marathon training program. Then that's it. I don't have much desire to run a marathon.

Oh, but as far as enjoyment, yes, once I got my form and breathing techniques down (as well as awesome shoes and comfy clothes for running), I loved it! I lose myself in the music, and it really clears my head. I love Spinning and all, and while the group dynamic makes a tough workout super fun, it doesn't clear my head the way running does. Even if you have a running partner, you'll tend to get some distance at some point, and then it's just you and the road. I find it very peaceful, and if I go early in the morning I often encounter deer and occasionally a fox

ETA that I was eating at a deficit. Exercise helped but was not fully responsible for my weight loss.

I am doing right now. I am taking it slow, I do some weeks twice or do more easing into it. Like for instance for week 5 day 3 you run 20 minutes. I may run 15 minutes on day 3 and then go an extra day to do the 20 minute run. I am getting much more fit from it. I cross train by biking and strength training on days I don't do the c25k. I am 58 years old and have never run in my life. I have tried it a couple of times when I was younger, but I gave up after the 2nd day. I did wait until I had lost weight and had been working out a few months before I attempted it. I am really loving it and always look forward to my run days. I think it is a great program. For me taking it slow is what is working for me. I also don't want to over do it and get an injury. My knees are holding up well, that was my main concern when I started. Which was one reason I waited until I had lost 40lbs, I didn't want to put added stress on my old knees.