Need encouragement for Couch to 5K. I am so not a runner.

I made a post like this not too long ago.. and had several people say this to me... You don't have to be a runner. There is nothing in fitness that says you MUST run or you'll never be in shape. If you enjoy brisk walking, and it works for you, I say stick to that. Don't do something you hate.


If you want to push yourself physically with something new, try something else you might like better than running-swimming, biking, hiking trails, etc.

I'm a runner, and I run because I love it. I started as a non-runner and did the C25K and now i can pick up where I left off, even after a year of a break.

But I enjoy that. Do you know what I hate? I hate Yoga.. I'm terribly uncoordinated and inflexible. I giggle, I think I'm going to fart, I do fart, I fall over, I squeal when I'm trying to balance.. do you know what.. I don't bother with yoga. I'm not going to do something I hate just because someone else recommends it or says I have to - there are plenty of other things I can do.

So while I know you want some encouragement - do you really? Do you REALLY want to be a runner? You can be, you just really do have to stick with it.

I agree with the previous posters. There's no rule that says you have to be a runner in order to be fit. (No disrespect to runners, of course!) Back in January, when I was trying to set some fitness goals, I thought about setting one for being able to run a certain distance, much like you have. But after thinking about it, I realized that I would just be setting myself up for failure and disappointment. I hate running! I always have, even when I was in varsity sports in high school and in pretty good shape. So I set a different goal. I love step aerobics, and I've always wanted to be able to do Cathe Friedrich's workouts (she's pretty advanced). So my goal was to be able to do one of her advanced workouts all the way through without stopping. And I accomplished it, and then some (I now own several of her videos). It was a goal I enjoyed working toward - not one that filled me with dread.

So, my advice would be to pick something you enjoy and work toward becoming better at it. Maybe as that new goal helps you become fitter, you'll be motivated to pick up your running goals again. Or maybe not - and that's fine too! Good luck to you!

You may be going too fast! Try slowing down or keeping a steadier pace to make it the full 3 min. Don't worry about how fast you are going. The first time I did C25K I was at a very slow jog (< 5.0 on the treadmill) I was passed by speed walkers. My pace gradually increased on it's own. Once you have built up the distance, you can always go back later and increase speed. It also helps me if I don't watch the clock- seems easier somehow. Good luck to you!

You may be going too fast! Try slowing down or keeping a steadier pace to make it the full 3 min. Don't worry about how fast you are going.

I agree with this! I started the C25K program on two different occasions and ended up quitting both times because I just hated it. I could hardly run for five minutes without wanting to die! I recently started trying to ease myself back into it again, but this time I slowed down my pace a lot (~5.2). To my surprise, I could run for a whole 20 minutes before I had to stop for a breather! As much as I was hating running, I want to learn to love it. And now that I'm running at a pace that I'm comfortable with, I actually do enjoy it! Even running my first 5k race on Thanksgiving morning

Good luck!

Instead of using C25k as a tool to the road to a 5K, why don't you just use it as a cardio tool for now? I mean, just repeat the first week or two and use at a kind of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session? There's no pressure to "finish" and you'll get some good workouts in. You said you could run two minutes. Why not run one minute at high intensity?

One other thing I noticed when I started to run, is that I would tense my upper body whenever I began the running portion. Once I realized this and learned to relax my upper body, it was a bit easier.

Good luck!

I have NEVER been a runner. Even in high school when I was a skinny teen I couldn't run a 1/4 mile straight. My side hurt, my throat burn and I'd get dizzy. Throughout my adult life I've hated my husband who is a running machine despite being a big time smoker. I used to think that people who proclaimed "I love to run!" were insane! (Maybe I still do.)

However, I just happened to start C25K this week because I was inspired by a woman at church who used the program to get up and going. The first day was like high school all over again. I did not run two and half of the run periods. Day two was a little better, I just couldn't run one and a half of the run periods. But day three I was able to run all the allotted time. I was so stoked! I'm not saying I love running, but I sure loved the feeling I had knowing I was able to do something I wasn't before.

I finally figured out that I had been breathing wrong the whole time. I used to breathe so stinking fast, I sounded like a panting dog. But halfway through day two I learned that I needed to take longer deep breaths. This makes all the difference in the world to me, and I wonder why the heck all these "I love to run!" friends of mine hadn't told me about it earlier! Maybe they figured it was a no brainer, but it certainly wasn't one for me. Deep breaths does not come naturally for me. My body is screaming for oxygen so my lungs want to double pump, but by taking deep breaths they fill with oxygen longer and my body is so much happier for it. When I finished day three my legs were yelling at me, my side however, was pain free!

Obviously, I'm just beginning this C25K journey, and you've certainly have passed me in experience with it. But I just thought I'd through out the proper breathing thing, just in case it helps any one else. Who knows... maybe it really IS a no brainer thing, and I'm the only one who didn't get the memo.

Raz, I think you can do it, I also think that you may just need a partner in the flesh to do it with.

I'm not going to lie, it is GRUELING work to condition yourself to run in the beginning, because you'll keep hitting that wall & stopping at it if you're not in the right state of mind to push through it. I've coached a few friends--and myself--using a 10-12 week interval training program just like the C25K plan, and having that friend there (to motivate you, to remind you to relax your form & slow your breath) is the key to breaking through that wall in the beginning. Those walls do come down & when they do, they're victorious! And every time you push through one you build a little more confidence in your abilities. It truly feels amazing.

If none of your friends are up for the challenge, look into local running clubs or even hire a trainer for that specific purpose. You won't need them long once you start to see that you can do it. Good luck!

However, I may just be saying all of this because I just got in from a quick 8k before dinner. *insert runner's high & elated sigh here, ahhhhhhh*