I have graduated from C25k, 4 times now. Ran my last 5k in about 45 min. Slow and steady seem to be what works for me. I will pick up the pace and mileage as my weight continues to drop. I am currently in Week 3 of Bridge to 10k (B210k) training. More of the same intervals just a little longer.

Graduated today!!! I started this program like 3 times and I've finally finished! I went from being a person who would only go to the gym with a friend and it didn't take much to talk me out of going. To being cranky if I miss a day at the gym, and I go by myself without a thought. Feeling amazing!!

I graduated today!! Took me a few weeks longer as the first 22 min run I repeated until I could do it straight. The last few 30 min runs have been great! Going to keep up the training. Looking forward to my first "registered" 5K on May 9th!!

tageekly wrote: »

Started 10/28/11 and officially graduated 12/21/11, a week earlier than the program recommended... i'm so happy!:happy: let's celebrate! :drinker:

:drinker: Cheers to you! Congrats! I'm a week away (although with the holiday it'll probably be a little longer) from graduating.

This is a month late and an excerpt from another post, but here's my story:

Right here!

I, too, had always wanted to be a runner. I started and stopped the C25K app numerous times.

In December, I decided enough was enough. I needed to do it and stick to it.

It wasn't easy... But it certainly wasn't impossible. I used the C25K group here in MFP to get some tips. Halfway through, I signed up for The Color Run 5K to motivate me to really do this.

If I felt like giving out, I knew to adjust my pace. I focused on my breathing and my form. I made sure my running shoes were fit and caused me little to no damage (I was bigger, so it caused more pressure to my knees at times). It felt less and less like dying and more like an accomplishment. I ran outside instead of the treadmill because I wanted to learn how to balance and the treadmill was always scary for me because of that. My endurance built up dramatically.

I will admit that my consistency wavered a bit in the middle. There was a week that I didn't run at all. But I got back out there as the 5K got closer. I was impatient and started trying to run the full 35 minutes. I didn't make it the first couple of tries and bounced back to the app again.

The night before the race, I really attempted to go for it at the treadmill at the gym. I did it and nearly burst into tears. I graduated the C25K! ME! The girl who huffed and puffed every 1 minute run I broke into that first day.

Race day was one of the most exciting days of my life. Though it's supposed to be all for fun and not timed, I ran the whole thing. I ran slowly and there were times I wanted to give up, but I kept going. When I saw the finish line, I don't know what came over me... But I had a burst of new energy and ran as fast as my legs would take me. I collapsed after I collected my medal with the biggest, goofiest grin.

My goal was to do it in 35 minutes. I did it in 39 minutes and 45 seconds.

I run 2-3 times a week now. If it's 2, I'll do some other kind of cardio to make up for it and to challenge My endurance in new ways.

You can run as slow as you want, just keep going!







That last one is about the most embarrassing picture ever taken of me, but I'm willing to share it cuz of that look of consternation and determination. Sorry for the faces I make when I'm running!

After starting and stopping c25k twice, the third time was a charm and I graduated today!! I can't believe tat eight weeks ago I could hardly keep running for a minute, and today, I ran the 30 minutes and then kept going through the cool down time for almost a 5k in 35 minutes. This program rocks! It's been over twenty years since I ran cross country in high school, and I finally feel like a runner again! On to the 10k program and looking for a local 5k to run in very soon.

Congratulations @samra338! Best of luck with your 5k. You should download the 10k app and keep it up! I am loving the intervals in weeks 9 so far.

I graduated!!
Now I'm doing my first 5K on Saturday! Never thought I could run 5k before starting C25K.

After starting off well in Jan/Feb then having to take breaks/repeat weeks due to weather problems, work commitments and illness I finally graduated on 26th June running (very slowly) about 2 miles in 30 minutes. I attempted my first 5k Race for Life on 5th July and completed it in 39.10 . The first 2.5k felt absolutely fine but then I had to walk for about 0.5k just after hitting the 3k mark as I just couldn't catch my breath and had awful calf pain . I think this was because I started off too fast trying to keep up with my friend whom I was running with, but I am proud that I didn't give up and managed to restart running and complete the race. Now I'm determined to keep training and actually manage to run the whole 5k .

I finished on the 8th. Didn't go as great as I hoped but I did not give up and finished. I still jog quite slow so usually only do 2 miles but i'm happy with that. I am starting a 5k to 10k app tomorrow in hopes of increasing my endurance and distance.

tslawson3 wrote: »

It's official! I graduated last night (8/10/15). I'm excited and I look forward to running my first 5k at the beginning of next month. In between now and then, I plan to keep running to work on increasing my distance and I'm contemplating moving on to the 5k to 10k app.

Great job, I "finished" last night too. I plan to keep running and find a 5K to do before too long, but I have a few backpacking trips and a hunting season to deal with first. This program challenged me at every step and really has left me with a sense of accomplishment and opened doors in my mind.

Finished C25K on the treadmill about an hour ago. I was so excited that I did 5min warm up, 40mins of running and then 5min cooldown. My numbers are all over the place though, my treadmill says I did 4.52km, my fitbit steps say I did 5.61km, and my fitbit distance says I did even more (though I get the feeling that may not have updated properly before I started). So my next step is to get outside and track my run with a GPS, if I even can run outside. Haha.
I've never been one to run. I am so proud of myself even if I am slow. I'm so proud of all you too! Yay us!

I forgot to stop by and say yay, I did it!
finished it about 2wks ago.

Did it!