C25k week 3, again...

caseyandamanda
caseyandamanda Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This is my third time doing week 3! I just can't seem to be able to run for more than 2 minutes. What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should be progressing faster since the app progresses faster. I know that it is ok to repeat weeks but I am feeling very discouraged at repeating this many times this early in the program. I am getting dizzy and my heart is just pounding. Besides being 15 pounds overweight I am healthy. Any suggestions or words of wisdom?

Replies

  • The_Angry_Fish_Guy
    The_Angry_Fish_Guy Posts: 40 Member
    Stop giving up. Keep trying. The Blerch cannot win.
  • megaen29
    megaen29 Posts: 95 Member
    I find the most important thing when running is your breathing. Practice jogging at a slow pace and really focus on your breaths. As you get better at breathing increase your speed. Everybody is different with how long to breath in and out with their breaths so find what works best for you. As you become better your body will just know what to do. I find I don't have to think about it anymore until I start getting tired later in my runs.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    Part of me wants to say "don't worry, repeat weeks as many times as you need to before you move on", but part of me also wants to say "Push yourself! I'll bet you CAN run for more than 2 minutes at a time!"

    Up to you which advice you take. Either way, you will get there sooner or later if you stick at it :-)
  • shazbox1
    shazbox1 Posts: 175 Member
    Run slower?
  • AlessisMore
    AlessisMore Posts: 179 Member
    Run as slowly as you can then run a little slower. Really. It takes time for your cardiovascular system to adapt to the new demands that you are putting on it. Eventually it will all click and you will be able to increase your pace. But for now the whole point is just to extend your running interval.
  • caseyandamanda
    caseyandamanda Posts: 4 Member
    I was browsing through other logs and found so and so's method of running and found that I am running too fast. I have a heart rate monitor and I thought I needed to keep ping myself to stay in the high zone in order to "push" myself. I think I will definitely slow down tomorrow and hope for better results. I was trying to keep it around a 10 minute mile, I think I will back it down to 12 like others have recommended. Thank you guys so much for providing me with more motivation to keep on going.
  • jbeanv
    jbeanv Posts: 32 Member
    Run slower?

    ^this. I struggled for the same reason. Slow down, you'll get there!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Stop giving up. Keep trying. The Blerch cannot win.

    :heart: I have the t-shirt about this. I wear it running - it helps.

    I agree with the others. Run slower. Work on speed later - like after you complete the entire program.
  • teaparty75
    teaparty75 Posts: 170
    i can relate to this !! i'm going to say DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP ABOUT IT - if you are trainning on a treadmill , get outside for a day ! something about being outside makes it much nicer and you have better control of your speed .....regardless if you have to stop for a few seconds or not you are getting a very good cardio workout in !!
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    SLOW DOWN!! The idea is to run for the appointed time, not any particular speed. Go as slow as you need to.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Stop giving up. Keep trying.

    This.

    You may be running too fast too. Just go at a steady pace and don't give up.
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
    One way to do it -- you are going too fast if you cannot talk to someone because you are breathing too hard. There is a book by Dr. Philip Maffetone who uses a different "safe" heart rate theory than most books. Maximum aerobic heart rate is 180 - your age. (Not 220) Modify this number by selecting ONE of the following categories
    1) if you have or are recovering from a major illness, or if you are on any regular medication, subtract 10
    2) If you have been exercising but have been injured or are not showing improvement or if you have not exercised before, subtract 5
    3) If you have been exercising for up to 2 years at least 4 times without injury, or if you have not had colds or flue more than 1-2x per year, subtract 0.
    4) if you have been exercising for more than 2 years without any injury, have been making process, and are competitive athlete, Add 5.
    Exercise at no higher than this rate, instead of multiplying by some factor. This may seem too slow (it does for me) but it helps you pace yourself as well as avoid injury and heal from the ones you have.
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
    One way to do it -- you are going too fast if you cannot talk to someone because you are breathing too hard. There is a book by Dr. Philip Maffetone who uses a different "safe" heart rate theory than most books. Maximum aerobic heart rate is 180 - your age. (Not 220) Modify this number by selecting ONE of the following categories
    1) if you have or are recovering from a major illness, or if you are on any regular medication, subtract 10
    2) If you have been exercising but have been injured or are not showing improvement or if you have not exercised before, subtract 5
    3) If you have been exercising for up to 2 years at least 4 times without injury, or if you have not had colds or flue more than 1-2x per year, subtract 0.
    4) if you have been exercising for more than 2 years without any injury, have been making process, and are competitive athlete, Add 5.
    Exercise at no higher than this rate, instead of multiplying by some factor. This may seem too slow (it does for me) but it helps you pace yourself as well as avoid injury and heal from the ones you have.

    nonsense sorry
  • caseyandamanda
    caseyandamanda Posts: 4 Member
    That was it - dr. Made tone,! Defiantly going to slow it down tomorrow. I haven't given up - after all I have repeated the same work out 9 times. Just needed to know how to break this plateau. This everyone for the support
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
    This is my third time doing week 3! I just can't seem to be able to run for more than 2 minutes. What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should be progressing faster since the app progresses faster. I know that it is ok to repeat weeks but I am feeling very discouraged at repeating this many times this early in the program. I am getting dizzy and my heart is just pounding. Besides being 15 pounds overweight I am healthy. Any suggestions or words of wisdom?

    if you are only 15 pounds overweight which is nothing you should be able to run longer than 2 minutes, how fast are you running? i didn't run for 10 years and could jog for at least 5 minutes when i started
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    run slower. If you think you can walk faster, you're probably going the right speed.

    If it makes you feel any better - I had to repeat week 1 three times.

    (It does get better though - I ran 12 km on Sunday)
  • Mrsred09
    Mrsred09 Posts: 22 Member
    The first time I did C25K I repeated week 3, 3 times before I figured out I needed to slow down. I found if I focused on the time I was running versus how far or fast I was going, I could run longer. Don't give up! You got this!
  • RicaJamie
    RicaJamie Posts: 46
    I'm on week 2 right now and have about 100 lbs more to lose than you - but I have learned when it comes to running - it doesn't matter how much you have to lose. If you are new to running it's going to take some time to condition the lungs, heart, and legs.

    I use my HRM but I mostly listen to myself. If I am going too fast to think I'll be able to finish the interval, I slow down. Going as slow as I think possible I am still going faster than my husband, who just walks with me while I train (tonight he ran one of my intervals with me) and my heart rate still stays higher.

    I've also learned it's mostly mental. On days where I doubt myself I'm much "worse" than on days I have positive self talk. I am focusing on nothing but the minute I am in the minute I am in it. Seems to be working. I break it into 30 second intervals in my head. So - try to advance to the next week - and do AS MUCH as you can.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    a lot of running is mental if you dont have any physical limitations. the first time i ran a 10k i was about 100 pounds overweight and there was about 10 minutes that i ran a 7-8 minute mile. the only reason why i was able to do that was a)because i somehow my running got merged into the "elite runners" so i was just following them (the course was a 5k double loop) and b)because i had to pee :laugh: i didnt realize that i was going a pace i "couldnt do" until one of the course workers called out the pace to us. pretty much right after that i remembered that i can't run that fast for that long and dropped back down to my normal pace

    so, stop looking at the clock and just run.
  • shaybuggie
    shaybuggie Posts: 160 Member
    I had the exact same problem! I do C25K on the treadmill, and what I discovered is I was going too fast. Originally, I would go at a 6.0 speed for the 90 seconds and a 5.5 for the 3 minute run, but once I reduced it to a 5.5 for the 90 second run and a 5.0 for the 3 minute run, I was able to run the entire 3 minutes. Basically, it's not about speed right now. Just get through the work out, complete the nine weeks (at a slower speed/pace); work on your speed later. Slow and steady wins the race!
  • melsy21
    melsy21 Posts: 193 Member
    I am on week 2 of c25k. I'm about 40 lbs overweight and new to this form of exercise.

    For the running I increase my speed to 4.5 and for the walking 3.5. I am at a pace that I can do, that I won't give up.

    And because I'm a newbie, I just really can't have any injuries or knee blowouts etc. so I read the info on this app on the c25k site and it says to go very slow and that you work on speed after.

    That made sense to me! Keep at it, I'm with ya!
  • luciafernanda
    luciafernanda Posts: 34 Member
    I did week 3 twice, I only finally did week 4 for the first time yesterday. Like you I felt like I'd never get passed week 3...

    I think I was trying to do too much and wasn't bothering with rest days properly. I took three days off and did week 4 yesterday. Maybe try giving yourself a longer break?
  • mamahannick
    mamahannick Posts: 322 Member
    I agree with slowing down. I am doing that program right now, and my focus is running the full time it tells me to, no matter how slow. After I get to the end doing that I will focus on increasing my speed.
  • satellitegirl34
    satellitegirl34 Posts: 4
    I'm going to be doing Week 3, day 3 tomorrow and was already starting to freak out about Week 4. I have such a difficult time with the 2nd 3:00 of the program and I'm only jogging at a 4.5 mph pace on the treadmill. I never even thought to repeat Week 3 and build up my stamina. Glad I read that other people had to repeat this week too. Thanks!

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