Week 1, Day 1 Complete!!! WooHoo... feels good! Got to waddling pretty good. Of course, that familiar feeling in the shins and ankle were there... but not too bad.

I'm excited to be back outside with my ol' pal Robert Ullrey! http://www.c25k.com/podcasts.htm

I was pretty disappointed with my run last night. I did week 1 last week and it was challenging, but I was able to do it with few problems and felt good at the end of the week. I didn't get any workout in over the weekend between bad weather and not feeling good. So last night I decided to do W1,D2 again rather than move on to week 2. It was way worse than last week.

FIrst of all, my knee started hurting almost immediately. I couldn't run one minute at a time. But I didn't want to quit. So I did the entire workout changing the 60 second run to 30 second runs and walking 2 minutes instead of 1.5 minutes between. I did tons of stretching afterward. Later at home I was able to stand on my knee and cook dinner without any problems. Then this morning when I woke up I could barely stand on that leg, my knee was bothering me so much. Are you kidding me?? I took ibuprofen and the pain has largely subsided for now.

I've read on here that you need to learn the difference between injury pain and out-of-shape discomfort. Well, I can't tell that. I am so used to finding excuses not to exercise that I don't want to let myself quit when my knee hurts. But on the other hand, I don't want to seriously damage my knee and ruin my running future. I have so many people telling me how running is bad for your knees, especially when you are older (I am 47). I don't want to believe them.

Hoping I am able to run again tomorrow...

Ugh - I'm right there with you. This is my third week of W5 D2. Just this week I started adding a minute to each run but I haven't cracked W5 D3 yet. Honestly, I feel once I conquer W5 D3, I will be able to conquer running the entire 5K. My heart rate is coming down much quicker and my highest heart rate is no longer in the 180's - I am making progress!

I've stopped (given up) at this point before - let's help each other get over the hump!!

Completed C25K - W1D3 Felt good. Started out with 30 min of FitStar's Chest, Shoulders & Core workout and then went outside for my C25K waddling on a beautiful Colorado Spring day!

How's everyone doing? Please post your stories... motivates me to go again.

I start week two tomorrow. I'm really nervous because I am not a "runner". I have a friend doing this with me and that helps with motivation. Everything I've researched said to repeat any weeks you need to to build up endurance. I will repeat any weeks necessary until I can do this. Has anyone else repeated weeks and found success completing the program??

Hi all from sunny Madrid! Just completed Week 4 Day 1 but got confused in the middle (I don't have the app and do it from memory on the treadmill) and added an extra 3 min run and 90 sec walk before the final 5 min run so am quite pleased I completed it. Cannot see how I go from here to the Week 5 Day 3 run in less than 2 weeks though!

I did W2D2 yesterday, and it felt good.

I've been reading some great books about running/fitness. "what makes olga run" (about a 90-something track athlete!), "born to run" (about a tribe of Native Mexicans who routinely run ultra-marathons through the Sierra Madre mountains) and John "the Penguin" Bingham's book "Running for mortals". These are all very inspiring!

"Born to run" is a great read - compelling, good story-telling, and it also makes a compelling case for how running injuries can be caused by our (gasp) modern running shoes. There is a follow up book, "the Cool Impossible", written by a running coach, that talks about proper running form and the importance of foot strength (which is screwed up by wearing cushioned shoes) to injury prevention.

"running for mortals" outlines some great novice running plans - and all are much more gradual than the C25K plans, especially for those that haven't been recently active. I noticed that even though I've been active for about 6 months, Bingham suggests a very gradual increase in my number of running minutes, with liberal walking intervals.

Anyhow, all this to say, there are lots of ways to train.

I am following the C25k, but I am also listening to my body. A big reason why I wanted to do the app was the convenience of coaching from my iphone, as opposed to doing intervals with my watch. If W5D3 arrrives and feels too much, then I will repeat what feels do-able, and go the distance on my 5k, but maybe not as fast as I would otherwise! No shame in walking, it's better than sitting on a couch!

And as for the idea of foot strengthening.. I am intrigued by it, I may change to a different kind of shoe, and do the strengthening exercises that are recommended.

Completed W2D1 last night. Felt good.

I was proud of myself for doing it. Had a long day at the office and didn't get to walking/jogging/waddling until around 11PM, but it was the day I had set to do it and gosh darn it, I was going to do it. I'm sure some people will think that's dumb, but it felt good to me.

W2D2 coming up on Thursday.

Hello!! I found this group today, I'm on week 2 day 1, it was good even though I had to run slower than last week!
Good luck to all of you!

So I just took W5 D3 and showed it who's boss

Onwards I go!

Nice job, Lau_uk!!! Way to go!

So I just took W5 D3 and showed it who's boss

Onwards I go!

Awesome! You have this - the rest will be a piece of cake! I tried again today and didn't make it. No excuses - the weather was perfect. I was shooting making it to a certain tree and I bypassed the tree and she still hadn't told me "you have one minute left". I must have been going faster than last time (seems impossible though :happy: ). I will try again Sunday.

Completed W2D3 today! It was a glorious Spring morning here in Colo, so the time went pretty fast. Exceeded my upper limit heart rate on one uphill portion, but it went back down during the next walking cycle.

Looking forward to W3!

I FINALLY finished W5 D3 tonight!! My husband said "was it because you ran so late" - I said "no, it was because my MFP friend across the pond who helped pull me through". Thank you Lau-UK for all of your encouragement and helpful insights!! Now on to W6 D1!!

I finished Week 3 Day 1, and I'm feeling good. I didn't know if I would be able to actually jog 3 minutes, but I DID IT!

So, proud of those that are pushing through with this.