The C25K Challenge

KEEP AT IT! I also have never been a runner. When I started C25K I also thought I'd die. Like I thought I quite possibly really could be having a heart attack! Those 60 second runs were freaking terrible!!!

Push through it! I promose it gets better. I had to repeat several weeks starting on week 4.

Several months now and I am at running switching between 4.5MPH to 5.5MPH for a full 35 minutes straight on the treadmill! Everytime I do it I can't believe it.

However, running on the treadmill and outdoors is so different. I can do 35 mins on the treadmill but only run 5-7 minutes straight outdoors.

I have completed six 5K's now with my best time being 42:20. But I am getting better and better!

I can only reiterate what others have said but I am in the middle of week 7. I am BLOWN AWAY that I can run for 20 minutes straight! I never dreamed that I would EVER get to this point. I cried after day 1 I felt so awful! It is coming along though and I have real 5K scheduled in just 2 weeks...right after completing the program. I am praying that I can run the whole thing.

The couch 2 5k is a great plan! I've done it a few times and I am currently doing it again I finished week 7 day 2 today. Every time I don't run for a while I'm amazed at how quickly I lose my running ability! But I am always equally impressed with how fast you can build it back up! Just pace yourself, at a slow pace and do your best. You will improve just stick with it! Don't doubt yourself and trust the program. I would also advise taking the runs outside, I find them so much more enjoyable that way and the time goes by a lot faster because I can distract myself with other things and not be just focused on me and my running. I also listen to music when I run, I find that helps a lot too. I used to hate running! In school I always walked and would take the F , I was a horrible runner. I did this program 4 years ago and I had I signed up for a 5k for the Susan G Komen Race for the cure run that timed out perfectly for it. That was the first race I had signed up for and did find a love for running with it. I enjoy the races and doing them with my friends more than the training for them. I am not fast at all! I probably run about a 13 min. mile. I have ran a lot of 5k's, a couple of 10's, one 1/2 marathon and I have myself signed up for a few more races this year and one of them is my first full marathon in December!! I never thought this would be me....I never thought I would be a runner....and it all started with the couch 2 5k....so you go girl! Stick with it! Believe in yourself! Tell yourself you can do it! And you'll do it!!