I guess I kinda did a pre-week one program without thinking about it. At least I built up to it. I was at 250.5lbs when I started losing weight. I hit the gym quite a bit for a couple months, did eliptical work and a lot of walking, both on the treadmill and outdoors. When I started thinking about running, I did a couple minutes here and there. I didn't actually start C25K until I was down 40lbs. With a bit of a workout base leading in, it's gone quite well. I'll finish week 7 tonite, and, as much as some of the long runs have had me worried leading into them, I've completed them all so far with no real issues outside of controlling my breathing.

I think you just need to really slow down for the runs, even if the runs are as slow as your walks it doesn't matter you can increase speed later. Or just try to walk faster for the runs and build up to a very slow jog.

I've managed to injure myself every time I've started C25K (a handful of times over the years). It's frustrating because I can walk 6-8 miles but can't even run a quarter mile. I think some of my issue is that I can at this point in time walk much faster than I can run - I can walk a 4mph pace for 30 minutes, but running I must move much slower or I'll injure myself. I managed to work up to a 5K in high school long before C25K by walking and then running a bit on a track, doing what ever I felt my body could handle. I didn't have the goal to run a 5K -I just kept walking and running, challenging myself to go a little further each day because it was fun.

I think I need to take the C25K idea and modify it for what my body is capable of rather than following their plan. I'd really like to run again. I've been building up my base fitness with walking, cycling, and swimming. I want to start trying to jog again, but I'm so afraid of getting another injury. I'm in nursing school and I need to be on my feet during the day - so injuring my foot or leg to the point of not being able to walk for a few days is a not something I can have happen if I want to pass my clinical hours.

I think you need to slow down. I run almost slower than I walk. Took me a little while to realized it but it will really help you. If you can brisk walk for 30 min you can do the first week. Be like snail or a turtle. Yes, legs want to run faster but you cannot and you fail. You can do it

In the "run" intervals, power walk instead, then on the walk intervals just walk slowly (or even stop altogether if it's too much). Try and get through the programme this way and then restart with jogging. Alternatively, you might find that part way through you just feel stronger (and lighter?) and you want to try jogging week one - always listen to your body.

When I began I jumped on a treadmill and tried to fire up the first workout on day one. My heart rate soared to about 195 just jogging for ~30 seconds. I had no idea that was too high until I finished my workout and googled about it.

I ended up walking for about 3 weeks prior to even trying my first actual c25k workout. Now I'm in week 6 and my resting heart rate is down to about 64bpm and I usually end up at about 170bpm near the end of my training sessions. I know that's still high for my age, but it's below my prescribed max (or at least what folks consider a guideline), it's consistently in the 160-170 range for the last half of my workouts without much variation even when I'm pushing my pace, and I'm okay with pushing a little bit since it comes back down very quickly when I slow down.