If the zombies come, I'm so dead

You might want to try building up your overall level of fitness and muscle strength with weight training, circuit training and walking first. That's what I did. The first time I tried a jog a damn near died. Today I did for the first time what could be described as a halfway "real" run. And it was pure awesomeness. The thing is if your leg or core muscles are weak and you are very heavy then your bone structure has to take a lot of that weight I think. Don't be ashamed to start slow with walking even. As a heavy person you will burn some pretty good calories doing just that.

To illustrate the point I had much the same problem with my first weighted squats. I couldn't do it because my leg muscles just gave up and put all the weight on my knee joint. Which rapidly resulted in pain city. I had to build up my leg muscles to the extent that they could stay "locked in" and take most of the weight before I could squat properly.

Keep up the C25K training and add classes on using a crossbow. You'll be fine.

Here is what I had to do in order to be able to run at all. In January I couldn't jog up a flight of steps without feeling winded - now I run, albeit very slowly, up to 5k's at a time. When I tried to do the training initially it was painful, so I focused on building up my strength. I started doing a lot of squats, lunges etc. and building up my endurance with those. Once I started to develop strength in my legs, then it was easier to start to jog. I used a treadmill at first. Get GOOD shoes, that fit you properly.

Bad shoes account for so much pain when jogging, especially with your prior injuries. (have you ok'd this with your doctor? perhaps you could even get some physical therapy to improve range of motion etc if needed) I have a pair of ASICS trail runners that I absolutely love - no more arch pain in the feet and my knees don't feel the impact as much either.

Once I got it down on the treadmill going very slow (slower than you walk at first seriously) then I started graduating to outdoor surfaces. Many tracks have a gravel or softer surface and they are of course flat. Once you build up there a bit, then go for hiking trails that have a bit of incline and more "texture". Don't start off straight away on the pavement - ouch.

Build up over time - make it 6 months if you have to instead of 6 weeks. The more you ease into it, the better off you'll be and much less likely to injure yourself.

Also, walking is fantastic too I get a better workout hiking some moderate to intense trails than I do jogging/running

I bet zombies can't swim. If they ever come, I'm heading for the water. I swim much better than I run.

Keep up the C25K training and add classes on using a crossbow. You'll be fine.

Bad advice. There's only one Darryl, dollface.

it's true, Zombie's can't swim.

But yeah, you should get your injuries/healing looked at to see what you should be able to do at this point. fast walking is OK if that's all you can manage. Running/jogging does put more pounding on your body. Also might want to look into special shoes, possibly orthotics, not just runners.

Have you seen how slowly those things move - they just shuffle along. I'm sure you'll be fine, even at a fast walk.

Plus the crossbow training - excellent idea. Strength training, martial arts training, etc would be beneficial as well. And most burn calories so it's a win-win.

While zombies can't technically swim, they don't need to breathe so they could be lurking just under the surface shuffling around the bottom of the ocean/lake...you never know.

I know way too much about zombies

Is everyone basing their perception of zombies on what Hollywood tells us? In the 80's and 90's, zombies were portrayed as slow walkers. Now they are fast and athletic. We really don't know they will actually move. We aren't even sure if shooting them in the head will put them down.

There is a certain level of fitness that is required to survive in an apocalyptic world, but I would be more worried about aliens before zombies.

it's true, Zombie's can't swim.

Unless there are zombie sharks, too. That might be a concern.

Or if they turned while wearing "floaties"

I'm guessing nobody in this thread READ World War Z... Isn't that where the possible first bite happened? In a lake? From underwater?

It's possible I'm mistaken. It's been a while.

I would check with your doctor before going further to make sure that your injury is healed enough that it can handle it. The last thing you want is to make it worse.

I had a small stress fracture in my foot January of 2013. This week is the first time that I've been able to do lunges without pain. I do a lot of workout videos and would try one and then do something else in place of the lunges. If I did too many, I'd end up in pain for a week and I didn't want to take a chance that I was going to re-injure it.

So, I'm trying to do this C25k program. It seemed like it would work well for me. Start slow and steady and build up to where I want to be. But, the minute my feet try to run it is all pain... in my ankles, in my shins. Disclaimer, I had a pretty wopping injury last year and have a plate and pins in one ankle and did tendon damage to the other. I know it takes a long time to heal,and I'm sure my weight isn't helping. I'm not sure if it is the impact that is hurting, is it my stance, my shoes, I have no idea. So... I took it back to fast pace walking and still worked up a good sweat. I felt gulity not being able to run so I did some aerobics at home too. But, all I kept thinking was "good lord, I hope there is no NEED to run because I would be so screwed".

1) The person stating it's still a 5K if you walk is correct.
2) I would check with a doc due to the extent of your injuries and see if they recommend running or not..and if they do recommend it, the best way to ease into it.
3) One thing that can cause problems with the knees for runners is ONLY training running forward...then muscles get out of balance and "pull" the kneecap out of align over time as your calves get more developed than shins/thighs. So if you are running, combine it with time on the elliptical/rower going in reverse to try and counteract that. This doesn't seem to apply to your specific case but putting it out there for others who might be trying running and having this issue...

As someone who is just starting running, This is good to know. Thanks.

Definitely check with your doc - don't make yourself hurt trying to do things you're not physically ready to do yet or you could set yourself even farther back.

If you're cleared to run, wanted to emphasize that shoes are a big deal when running. I'm doing C25K too, and just had the problem of running in shoes that aren't right for me. Hit me as soon as I started running more than 1min intervals. Evidently, too much heel lift == Jumper's Knee. It's a rare condition for runners, more often seen in gymnasts and others that tend to land with a lot of force on their forefoot (or doofuses like me who run in whatever old outlet Nikes they have lying around). A week's rest and then running in Keds, if you can believe it, took care of the knee, but introduced some unnecessary pounding. I immediately went and got properly fitted almost zero lift running shoes and now feel great.

Also, make sure you're not trying to go too fast - another common problem. A walk is fine if that's where you're at right now. A jog that's slower than your walk and has you barely lifting your feet off of the ground - also good and is still a progression from walking if you can manage that. Get the distance first. Think about running vs walking later, and speed after that.

What does your ortho think of you running? I can't imagine that it's going to do a "not normal" ankle any good. I had a neck fusion and C-7 fracture years ago and had to give up running for my PT test in the Army.
Pain ( not just discomfort) isn't good and shouldn't be ignored. You may need to find low impact exercises like biking and swimming, especially until you are thinner and the ankle has more time to heal.

If zombies attack, I'll be the first one dead.

You'll find me in a dark corner, brainless and soaked in urine.

I HATE zombies.