Hi all!
New here- just signed up so apologies if this has been covered to death!
I've managed to get to week six, and I completed run 2 yesterday. I'm finding myself really struggling and I'm not sure I can do 25 minutes. Both stamina and leg pain are completely destroying me afterwards. I'm finding recovery is maybe getting quicker but I just don't know how I'll be able to do it!
How did you all manage?
You have already almost done it, just rest and repeat ! Nice and steady, breathe well and plod until you are told to stop!!
Perhaps take an extra day to recover if your legs are too painful?
Take extra time out if need be, There's no hard & fast rules with c25k ..
Well done getting to where you are...
Congrats for your progress - you're nearly there now! We all managed the same way that you have managed up till now - 1) put on trainers, 2) get out there, 3) tie gremlins firmly to chair in corner of mind with tv remote stuck in their gobs until you have finished. 
As everyone has suggested, take an extra day's rest if necessary, and maybe check that you have drunk enough water over the previous day - dehydration can cause muscle pain.
Start off steady and you will get there. You have done all the runs up to now and you managed the 20 minutes last week, yes? Then you are ready for your last run of this week's session - go for it! Remember there are no set days you have to run. I used to have a few days off between the following week and run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays then have until the following Wednesday to recover. Please don't fret and get all worked up about it - enjoy it and it will happen - all the best to you
Running is a mental as well as physical challenge and although it sounds like it is the physical which is causing you so much trouble, a change in your mental attitude will see you sail through this.
Of course an extra rest day or two will mean you have recovered fully before your run, but belief is a major factor. You have done really well so far and reached the latter stages of the programme. As with each week so far, the progression in W6 is carefully worked out. If you have finished the previous runs then you are ready physically and if you approach with belief, ready mentally too. The worst that can happen is that you do not complete the run, in which case you simply repeat it.
If you dig deep, slow down and grit your teeth, you will do this.
Hello Stron, I did this run on Sunday, and it was fine. Don't overthink it, just go for it, and go slooooow 
You will be fine, listen to Laura about the breathing, do the warm up, look around and enjoy yourself.
Oops! Getting ahead of myself and offering advice out of turn, Stron I will be seeking your advice this time next week...all the best though!
Thank you so much everyone! Yes Iannoda, you're quite right- the worst thing is that I don't complete it. I am slightly concerned about the sustained leg pain but I guess I'll deal with that if it carries on.
Thanks again, all!
Got up today and my legs are pretty painful. I don't want to self/ internet diagnose too much, but of course I've had a look and am thinking 'shin splints'. Did any of you have this problem?
Thanks!
Hi and welcome! Well done for getting to Week 6!
Hopefully it's just muscular aches, not any sharp pains? From around Week 6 onwards I was needing two rest days between runs in order to let my muscles recover. Don't forget your stretches after running as well. I also stretch between the warm up walk and runs which helped my muscle aches a lot.
Keep going! You're clearly doing well so stick with it and you'll be graduating in a few weeks!
If it's shin pain then icing and resting is best. Have you had a gait analysis and got proper running shoes for your running style? This is really important as I am currently out for 4 - 6 weeks with a tendon injury caused by the fact I was wearing just an ordinary rubbish pair of trainers rather than proper running shoes. Some people have had shin pain totally disappear with a proper pair of shoes! Definitely worth having a gait analysis done.
Hey! Thanks so much for the advice! Massively appreciated!
I haven't been stretching, just going by the podcasts, which was fine until the 20 minute straight run (wk5 r3). I met with a pal who showed me some stretches yday. Even a bit of that, with some tiger balm and ibuprofen and my leg feels WAY better today. Still not there, but it feel more like days than weeks.
Do you have any stretches you would recommend? I can sort of remember what he showed me, but something to reference would be really helpful!
Also- I didn't have a gait analysis, but I bought some decent running shoes. As with everything, there's so much conflicting information and I read something saying it was all nonsense- I'm a bit lost when looking for advice so a place like this is really useful!
Yes, the forum is amazing!! Glad it's helping!
You can google a lot of stretches. If it is shin pain then stretching probably won't help too much - I stretch my calves mainly which are what ache the most during/after a run. I like the one where I bend one leg forward and stretch the other out behind me keeping my heel on the ground. I feel a really good stretch in that position. Have also noticed my muscles lengthening as at the beginning of C25k I only had to lean on my front leg to feel the stretch and now I have to push against a wall or tree in order to feel it so I can tell how different my muscles are. Another good one is to point your toes up as high as you can with your heel on the ground until you feel a stretch in your lower calf. I also touch my toes to stretch my hamstrings (both standing and sitting).
Do you know if you're a neutral runner? There are various different ways of running (overpronating, supinating) and different foot shapes (flat foot or low arch, high arch) and the type of shoe which is best for you depends upon those things. Some are very cushioned and some are very stable and correct gaits such as overpronation. I only got a gait analysis after the programme and the onset of an injury which was caused by not having shoes which supported me properly when running. It's a shame if you've already bought a decent (and no doubt expensive) pair but it may be that you run in a particular way which is or isn't suited to certain shoes. The people who do gait analysis are experts, they check your alignment, check the movement capabilities of different parts of your foot and video you running so they can match shoes to your gait. I'd say it's definitely worth doing. Most shops will do it for free if you buy a pair of shoes from them but I paid £20 at my local sports specialist shop and I'd say it was worth it. Particularly if it may help certain pain go away!
Sorry for the long post, hope that all helps!
I am on week 6 r3 and I have found that leaving an extra day recovery Has helped me a lot. Keep it up you can do it!
Thanks for all the advice, everyone!
I left two weeks just in case I had shin splints (I'm pretty sure it was) and spent that time stretching my leg muscles each day instead. Last week I completed week 6 and yesterday completed the first run of week 7! It's tough- really tough! But (as obvious as this is) the more you do it, the easier it becomes!
Week 6 run 3
Week 8 Run 3 and only 3.6k
Week 6 Run 3
Week 6 run 3
Week 6, run 3 - failed :(
