NEW TO C25K!

cfinley21
cfinley21 Posts: 18
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I am seeking some advice from anyone who has tried the C25K program. I have been at it for almost 2 weeks went a total of 6 times. I cant seem to get through the running part. I am really out of shape. 5'6" 320 lbs. I can make it through the first 60 seconds of jogging but after that I can only do about 30 seconds each time a run part comes around. I keep doing Week 1 day 1 and I have told myself I will not move on until I can do it correctly. I have never been a runner or a person who likes to exercise at all. But I want to be that person.

So basically I would like to know how long it took you to get where you could do the entire sequence. Its not that I cant keep going on the jogging part but my legs start to feel like they are going to give out. I physically feel like I could run a marathon because I have that much energy and ambition. I know my body is just trying to adjust and I know that my legs are not meant to have that much weight on them obviously. So any suggestions or advice from someone who has been or is where I am. Thanks!

Replies

  • SunnyDuckz
    SunnyDuckz Posts: 59 Member
    I'm there with you... I can run 5-6 miles on the elliptical, but can't for-the-life-of-me run outside for more than one minute (barely one minute!). I'm chalking it up to the heat and humidity, and I'm trying not to get discouraged. You are doing the right thing though! Just keep at it, and try to stay positive! You will be able to move onto the next phase before you know it :bigsmile:
    Good luck!!
  • Jennyryan21
    Jennyryan21 Posts: 69 Member
    I just started it too. I, personally, am very motivated by music. When the run is coming up I skip back to my favorite song that I know is going to send an electric current through me. Towards the end (the last run or 2) when I'm 95% positive my left lung just fell out, I just have to mentally remind myself that it's only a minute... anyone can do anything for a minute (at least I fool myself into thinking so). It usually gets me through. I'm with you though, I don't move on until I can do the full week correctly.
  • Kayamooh
    Kayamooh Posts: 45 Member
    A bouncy pair of trainers helps!
  • fthoodbaby
    fthoodbaby Posts: 52 Member
    I did the C25K -- twice. Once and loved it. Then had to have a D&C so after the recovery I started over w/the C25K. I highly recommend it. I'm what I consider "not athetic" yet I can do it! Go for it!
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    I'm a BIG fan (literally @ 260 lbs and figuratively) of C25K. I'm slow, but tenacious. :smile:

    Here's a thread I started a while back, with some of my experiences/lessons learned, plus some great comments from others: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/245276-my-c25k-experience-so-far

    I have three 5Ks under my belt now, the last being a mud/obstacle course (thedirtydash.com), plus two more already registered. It's been an incredibly fun experience.
  • WendyDemers
    WendyDemers Posts: 17 Member
    My friend and I are on Day 3 of week 6. In the beginning we could barely make it through the minute runs. But we did it at our own pace and if we needed to do it longer that was ok. Better to do it that way then get discouraged or injure yourself. Just last week we ran 20 minutes straight and it felt great. It may have taken us 9 weeks or so to get there, but we don't care. So, just take your time and it will get better. I promise you:} Also...just having a friend to run with helps. I KNOW that I would have quit on the longer runs if she wasn't there to keep my going.
  • DancinSMartiPants
    DancinSMartiPants Posts: 363
    I did couch to 5k in January and LOVED it. Changed me from a person who did running for punishment (i.e., as penance for being fat or eating a Wendy's frosty) to a person who actually enjoys the RUNNING part. I know. It sounds insane. My HW was 330, but I started C25K at 286. I would offer 5 suggestions for success:

    1. Drink lots of water the day BEFORE the run, not just before the run itself. Tracking myself over time I found that jogging was significantly easier when I was completely hydrated.

    2. If you have an smartphone, download an app. There are several of them. Send me a message if you want to know the specific one I use. This made a big difference for me because I wasn't having to watch the time. A magic voice pipes in over your music and tells you when to start or stop. The one I have (which costs 99cents) also has a GPS feature you can activate for an addition 99 cents, which means that afterward you can look at a map of where you have been.

    3. Listen to songs that make you want to dance.

    4. Breathe consciously until you develop a rhythm.

    5. Slow down. If you can't finish the 90 second run it's because you're going too fast in the first place. The prize comes in finishing. After you have been jogging/running for a while you'll naturally pick up your pace a bit.

    I hope this helps! Happy running!
  • cfinley21
    cfinley21 Posts: 18
    My friend and I are on Day 3 of week 6. In the beginning we could barely make it through the minute runs. But we did it at our own pace and if we needed to do it longer that was ok. Better to do it that way then get discouraged or injure yourself. Just last week we ran 20 minutes straight and it felt great. It may have taken us 9 weeks or so to get there, but we don't care. So, just take your time and it will get better. I promise you:} Also...just having a friend to run with helps. I KNOW that I would have quit on the longer runs if she wasn't there to keep my going.

    Several people have told me a running buddy helps, however I dont get off work until 10:00 dont get home until 10:30 and by the time I get the laundry started and dishes ran and the house cleaned up from my kids and husband its ussually about 1 am before I can get out of the house! LOL I have had several people offer to go with me until I tell them what time I go! Thank you for your kind words and encourgement!
  • cfinley21
    cfinley21 Posts: 18
    I did couch to 5k in January and LOVED it. Changed me from a person who did running for punishment (i.e., as penance for being fat or eating a Wendy's frosty) to a person who actually enjoys the RUNNING part. I know. It sounds insane. My HW was 330, but I started C25K at 286. I would offer 5 suggestions for success:

    1. Drink lots of water the day BEFORE the run, not just before the run itself. Tracking myself over time I found that jogging was significantly easier when I was completely hydrated.

    2. If you have an smartphone, download an app. There are several of them. Send me a message if you want to know the specific one I use. This made a big difference for me because I wasn't having to watch the time. A magic voice pipes in over your music and tells you when to start or stop. The one I have (which costs 99cents) also has a GPS feature you can activate for an addition 99 cents, which means that afterward you can look at a map of where you have been.

    3. Listen to songs that make you want to dance.

    4. Breathe consciously until you develop a rhythm.

    5. Slow down. If you can't finish the 90 second run it's because you're going too fast in the first place. The prize comes in finishing. After you have been jogging/running for a while you'll naturally pick up your pace a bit.

    I hope this helps! Happy running!

    Thank you so much! I do have the app and I like it alot!
  • cfinley21
    cfinley21 Posts: 18
    I'm a BIG fan (literally @ 260 lbs and figuratively) of C25K. I'm slow, but tenacious. :smile:

    Here's a thread I started a while back, with some of my experiences/lessons learned, plus some great comments from others: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/245276-my-c25k-experience-so-far

    I have three 5Ks under my belt now, the last being a mud/obstacle course (thedirtydash.com), plus two more already registered. It's been an incredibly fun experience.

    Thank you!
  • lehuagirl
    lehuagirl Posts: 40 Member
    Good for you! Makes me want to start C25K again. You can bug me about this! I went out the first day of week one and thought "60 seconds, how hard can it be?" Well as we all know it IS! One thing that helped me was a forum on active.com of people in the same week sequence I was in. When you do move past week one (and I highly recommend you take all the time you need to do it) join up! Also I really babied myself after a run. I stretched a LONG time my feet and legs and calves, had some muscle relaxing oil to rub in and sometimes took a hot bath so my legs could be ready for the next run.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993

    Several people have told me a running buddy helps, however I dont get off work until 10:00 dont get home until 10:30 and by the time I get the laundry started and dishes ran and the house cleaned up from my kids and husband its ussually about 1 am before I can get out of the house! LOL I have had several people offer to go with me until I tell them what time I go! Thank you for your kind words and encourgement!

    have you tried doing it *before* work? :noway: I highly doubt I could run a full minute at the end of a long day of working and taking care of the hubby & kids!!
    *edited to add* also I want to say good for you for doing this the right way! redoing the first part until you have it done right is definitely the right way to go rather than pushing yourself too hard and hurting yourself or half-arsing the rest of it :)

    I'm actually restarting it but am doing it a little unconventionally: its been too hot & humid to go outside so I did day one week one inside: walking the stairs for the brisk walk and running in place (barefoot on my yoga mat, nice and cushy=happy shins!) for the runs. this gives me the added perk of probably annoying the heck out of my devil incarnate townhouse neighbors whose unit shares the stairs wall with mine *cue evil laugh* :devil:
  • cfinley21
    cfinley21 Posts: 18

    Several people have told me a running buddy helps, however I dont get off work until 10:00 dont get home until 10:30 and by the time I get the laundry started and dishes ran and the house cleaned up from my kids and husband its ussually about 1 am before I can get out of the house! LOL I have had several people offer to go with me until I tell them what time I go! Thank you for your kind words and encourgement!

    have you tried doing it *before* work? :noway: I highly doubt I could run a full minute at the end of a long day of working and taking care of the hubby & kids!!
    *edited to add* also I want to say good for you for doing this the right way! redoing the first part until you have it done right is definitely the right way to go rather than pushing yourself too hard and hurting yourself or half-arsing the rest of it :)

    I'm actually restarting it but am doing it a little unconventionally: its been too hot & humid to go outside so I did day one week one inside: walking the stairs for the brisk walk and running in place (barefoot on my yoga mat, nice and cushy=happy shins!) for the runs. this gives me the added perk of probably annoying the heck out of my devil incarnate townhouse neighbors whose unit shares the stairs wall with mine *cue evil laugh* :devil:

    I have my kids in the morning before work! My husband and I work opposite schedules he leaves for work at 4 am and gets home at 4 pm! I leave for work at 1:30 and my mom stays with them until my hubs gets home! I would love going in the morning but I dont have anyone to watch my children! They are 2 and 6 months so they are too young to take with me! But that is a very good point. I ussually am exhausted but I HAVE TO MAKE MYSELF fit it in! thank you for the suggestion I will look that up!
  • ysamatar
    ysamatar Posts: 484 Member
    Bump!
  • mdickhaut
    mdickhaut Posts: 26 Member
    I have never considered myself a runner. I used to hate running, but have always been jealous of runners. This program is great. I struggled during the first week, I would feel good during the first half, then die during the last runs. I repeat weeks if I can't run the whole time. I repeated week 4 three times because I couldn't run for 5 mins. I am on week 5 now, and I ran the complete 8 mins twice. I couldn't believe it! I get excited for runs now. Just keep it up, you can do it!

    I run inside on a treadmill. I tried running outside, but I think it's much harder on your legs. I didn't like it.
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