Anyone else have problems with 1st session of C25k

I thought it was a great way to start running again. Years ago (ok, a decade!) I used to run all the time and loved it. SInce then I started smoking.

My lungs are screwed, so I couldnt do the first session. I also have asthma, so that makes things worse.

I got to a 20 min brisk walk with 5 bursts of somewhere between 40 and 60 seconds each time.

I am NOT giving up! Just doing what I can until the point where I am able to do week 1

PS I feel so much better for the running, even though i have only done 3 times in the format above!

I am in the same boat, trying to quit smoking and exercise. Any cardio kills me, but I can see that my endurance is increasing. I have not started C25K yet but want to soon now that the weather is getting nicer.

Hi, First congratulations on starting it !! I started off on the couch to 5k and am by no means an expert, the 'bursts' you talk about are not BURSTS as such - just step it up a bit its week 1 they dont expect you to be sprinting - they want you to move a bit quicker than the walking part and sometimes it only means a quick shuffle but it is in order to get your heart rate up higher and for you to be able to do the time aspect, the quickness will come once your body gets over the shock of what it is being asked - it will happen - trust in yourself you are doing great just getting out there x x x ps remember GOOD FOOTWEAR

Don't give up. Whatever you do, just keep trying. I too thought I would die during w1d1 of c25k. I had been doing the program for about 8 weeks and did my first 5k this past Sunday. My time was phenomenal by anyones standards but my own. I was so proud of myself for finishing the race running. I'm also overweight, I don't smoke but it was still very hard for me when I started. At times, it's still very hard, but just keep trying, even if you have to repeat a week. I repeated week 7 I believe. I'm now side-lined for 2 weeks while I recover from a medical procedure this week and hope I don't lose my endurance while I'm recovering. Great job on making the effort to move more and improve you health.

First off, congrats on doing it! Second, just stick with it - it's very hard at first for some of us (or should I say me! and I was running about 3 years ago) - A few tips I can give you that people gave me that helped a ton - don't worry about your speed. I was trying to go all out too quickly, doing my runs at 5.5...slow it down - just make sure that you are going faster than the walk part - even 4.0 is a jog to some and likely faster than your walk part. Repeat a week as many times as necessary. If you don't feel you are ready for the next level, don't rush yourself. Repeat week 1 again until you feel comfortable there. And, finally, just stick with it! You'll get there! Mix in other cardio too to help build up that lung function and you'll be running in no time! Good luck!

Whatever you do, don't give up!

When I started C25K, the first few days were tough. And I won't lie... it didn't get any easier.
I made sure to get fitted for proper shoes, pushed through and made sure I stretched and warmed up and down properly.
When I started I was doing walks at 4 mph and jogs at 6 (this is after maybe 2 months of walking on my lunch breaks about 3 1/2 miles a day.)

I'm just finishing up week 9 now, and just this week I finally hit my stride. I feel like I can jog without having labored breaths, even while I have an elevated heart rate. Its amazing. I promise if you finish this program or any running/jogging interval program it will be the best feeling you'll ever have!

I also have asthma and had it interfere with running and playing softball throughtout my life. One thing that I was able to control my asthma while I ran was to take advair daily and take a puff of albuterol 30 mins before running. I don't know if you use medicine but the combination has done miracles for me. Good luck with the rest of the program.

As someone else mentioned, you don't need to be running this quickly. I started the c25k back in January. Then, my pace was barely a shuffle, and I was constantly out of breath. Now, I'm now happily running around 10k distances, at a considerably less embarrassing pace.

At first, your body has no idea how to cope with it. Your form is going to be terrible, your breathing will be ragged and inefficient. You're just not equipped to do an all out run for any amount of time. During the "run" intervals, you need to make sure you're coming off the ground, but your speed probably won't be much more than a brisk walking speed (mine certainly wasn't). Even when you're starting to worry that little old men are passing you... that's perfectly fine. Just keep with it, no matter how slow. Your body WILL adjust and you'll be running 5k before you know it.

You are doing great! I quit smoking 4 years ago and there's no way in heck I could have done the C25K at that point in my life. I started it a few months ago and it's amazing how much easier it is for me to jog now. I remember the first time I jogged for 20 minutes straight. I was so proud of myself! You will be too, I promise!