I thought it would be easier than this

[PipsqueakC25K]

So I am into my second week of doing week 1! And I still can't manage all 8 60 second runs :(. Today I tried doing every other run instead and managed 3 of the 60 second runs and about 30 seconds of 2 runs. I never realised I was this unfit! and I'm wondering if I will ever manage to complete week 1!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

You're probably trying to go too fast! Slow down a bit, just faster than walking is all you need. Good luck - you can do it!

[Millsie-J Graduate]

You will do it! If we have done it so can you. Slow down and then slow some more. Keep going AMG keep us up to date, we are here for you!

[PipsqueakC25K]

Thank you. I feel a little despondent at the moment. I play netball for an hour twice a week, and have been doing so for nearly a year, so I'm not literally going from being sedentary to C25K. That's why this has surprised me.

I should also add that I think I have got shin splints - although it is more fatigue than pain which is stopping me completing the 60 seconds.

I will try to go slower when I next run and see if that helps. I'm still going out for my "run" every other day, it's just that I am doing far more walking than is in the program!

[ench0 Graduate in reply to PipsqueakC25K]

Think of it as light jogging, as long as you are mimicking the running motion, you're OK. You'll build your speed at the later stage.

[Lee337 Graduate]

Yes, it sounds to me as though you are trying to run before you learn to walk. You must *not* run, but try to jog as slow as you can instead. It's not down to how far you go or how fast, it's all down to building up your stamina and endurance.

If you play netball for an hour twice a week then you shouldn't find it so hard. Another tip is to make sure you have very comfortable, lightweight trainers that cushion your feet nicely when you jog.

If other people on here (this includes me) who have not done *any* kind of exercise since leaving school can do it, then I'm sure you are more than capable.

Good luck with the rest of the plan!

[PipsqueakC25K]

Thank you. I do have good trainers that I invested in after developing shin splints when I first started playing netball - they were fitted by a specialist running shop so should be good for this.

I do land quite heavily though and probably have an odd running gait due to major spinal surgery years ago and resulting nerve damage in my legs. I guess I'm just worried that having committed to this and really wanting to get fitter, lose weight (I am 15 stone) and increase my stamina, that maybe this isn't for me and I can't do it after all :(.

Thank you for your encouragement, It's really what I need to hear to keep me trying

[Lee337 Graduate in reply to PipsqueakC25K]

No problems Pipsqueak.

If you have a nose around the C25K forum you will read many many posts from people who were far more overweight than yourself and they got through the plan. It's a simple case of trusting in it's tried and tested formula. It really works! However, we are all different people and some of us need to repeat a week (or two...or even all of them!) but it's not a race so that really doesn't matter one bit. If it takes me 9 months instead of the planned 9 weeks I don't care as in 9 months time I will still be fitter than if I was still at home on my couch.

So keep going...just make sure you do it slowly!

Oh, by the way I am now following you, so you need to continue with the plan and let us know how it goes...

[Jmiss Graduate]

Stick with it....it will get easier and as has been said before slow, slow, slow, its a very gentle jog. All of us who have done the C25K have been through it and understand so keep us updated and remember you will get plenty of support here.....so good luck.

[PipsqueakC25K]

Thank you. Will keep you posted after my next run at a snails pace

[Hidden]

Don't worry. I didn't think I was that unfit. I used to cycle to work 2 or 3 times per week (not now am semi retired ). I still couldn't run for a bus never mind 5 minutes till I started C25K in about April ?

Over about 2 years I lost about 1 and half stone (was 13 stone and as the song goes 5 foot 2 eyes of blue ). Lost about 10 pounds over 9 week C35 K and now only a few pounds over my normal BMI.

I regularly run 2 or 3 times a week ( moving house soon , which has upset routine a bit).

My last 5K run was like a "walk in the park" or "like riding a bike" !

Everyone comes here with different levels of fitness and health issues. Don't worry about comparing to what others may be doing. I just stuck to my own modest goals. at week 9 was probably doing nearly 4k in about 40 minutes. Now naturally without even trying doing 5K in 31 minutes on a good day sometimes 33. I'm gradually increasing to 6K.

So as others say take it as slowly as you like. Every jog/run is progress. Keep it up and let us know how you get on.

[Feliiicia]

Hi,

Your post feels like a flashback for me. I remember being surprised at how hard I found the first week, I had a running buddy and was embarrassed to expose my unfitness. I decided to do a few runs on my own and found that I was asking too much of my body because in my head 60 seconds should've been a short time I was running far too fast and was very focused on the time passing. I found it helpful to focus on my breathing, not the number of breaths but the depth of each one. It was also helpful to make little plans in my head for example tomorrow's breakfast or laundry or planning someone's birthday presents, basically just something small and inconsequential as distractions. That way I was not focused on why on earth 60 seconds refused to pass lol. It was also helpful to run on flat hard ground.

[lightweightkate Graduate]

Hi there! Great advice from everyone else - my experience was around getting myself to really, really slow down and to find the right shoes. I had shin splints and achey calves for weeks but all gone now 😀

Keep at it - you will do this and we are all behind you 😀

[Indiscoot Graduate]

Good for you for carrying on. You'll definitely do it - I can hear the determination. I do an 'out and return' run, which means I turn round at the half way point and start on the journey back to home. This really makes me feel like I`m nearly there. Psychological I know, but I`ll use any means possible to get to graduation - 3 more runs to go!!! Good luck.

[Irish-John Graduate]

Forget the '5' and '9' in the programme name They really are arbitrary figures for the vast majority of us.

Had to be that they figured it sounded better than 'From lolling on the couch eating crisps all day to running for thirty continuous minutes in whatever time it takes you'

Forget the 'schedule' as a result Trying to beat the clock as it were is a recipe for injuries, quitting, feeling miserable etc etc. Most people drop out at three weeks in the programme and I do believe it's because they think that because they are not 'where they should be' in it they 'will never do it'.

Read as many posts as possible from the Graduates early days and you will see that your worries, fears and level of fitness are NOT unique

Take it slow...then slow some more. Don't miss the Rest Days. Keep posting and reading here to encourage yourself and to encourage the rest of us. Forget about 'nine weeks' and '5K' and just run to your ability using the programme schedules as a guide - not a rigid mandate.

Do all that and I can promise you that sooner than you can even imagine now you will graduate - and soon after that you will be moaning like the rest of us that we can't run the 5K in twenty minutes or some such lofty time

Best wishes and onward and upward

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Slow, slower, and slowest ever... Think a snail on a go-slow!...

Breathe, relax and just really take it steady. It really does not matter how slow you are. When i started... everyone overtook me.. and they were walking!

Keep posting and we will keep supporting you... think of things other than the runs.. look around...sing songs in your head.. count.. anything...

You can do this..

As a very famous man said, " It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop..." Confucius knew his stuff... x

[Sofargoner Graduate]

Keep going! You will get there! You'll be encouraged to know that as the weeks progress the recovery time reduces so once you've done a wee burst of running and are on the walk you'll be running again without feeling that you're going to expire. While I found week one ok, week four was a pig, I just kept going, trying and trying again then - bingo- it worked! So don't give up

[orchards Graduate]

If you are managing some of the week 1 run then you are doing more than if you hadn't started, which has to be good. Allow yourself to gradually work up to the full run. And make sure your running is slow. I included a bit more of a slope than usual yesterday and I know I was slower than I could have walked it but it was a running action and having gone very slow sooner or later it will be a bit faster but until then, slow is good It can help if you focus on something else at the stage where you are beginning to flag - count steps for breath in, steps for breath out, guess then count how many steps to a particular point, how far do yu think you will get before end of that bit of running. Probably best not to do what I did, and get lost - working out how to get home takes your mind right off how much you can run! Enjoy it!

[PipsqueakC25K]

Well. I did it !

I took a bit of a break from the program to let the shin splints rest a bit (I was also still feeling a bit discouraged) and then today I went out to do day 1 yet again. I took on board all the advice and went really, really slowly - at least it felt like that to me!

And I did the whole thing, all the 1 min runs, with no problem at all! I concentrated on going slowly and challenged myself to see how slow I could go lol.

It was so easy, that I was tempted to do additional minutes and very tempted to go again tomorrow.

I think I would've given up if I hadn't posted on here and got so much advice and encouragement. So thank you

[Lee337 Graduate in reply to PipsqueakC25K]

Well done Pipsqueak for completing week 1! But please DO NOT attempt to do any more running (jogging) than the plan tells you to do. When people fail, it's because they do exactly that (or they try to run too quick) and get demotivated quickly. The plan is designed to slowly build up your stamina, so don't go off the plan and do more than you're advised as tempting as it may be. Another thing to bear in mind is the rest days in between your runs...ALWAYS take at least one day of rest between your runs as they are just as important...they give your body time to heal and prepare themselves for another session.

Best of luck with week 2!

Lee.

[Couch42]

Well done 🙂 I've only just started yesterday and found it really hard to complete the 1min runs and only managed 2! and walked the rest.

But having read your comments and the encouragements I no it can get better. 🙂

[Lee337 Graduate in reply to Couch42]

It certainly can Couch42!

Remember, even if you repeat week 1 for 3 months, it's *FAR* better than still lounging on a couch!! So well done for even attempting it.

Just stick to the plan and follow what Laura says. Before long you'll be catching the rest of us up! I've just completed week 4 and I've already surprised myself getting this far as I had not done any kind of exercise since leaving school many moons ago!

[Irish-John Graduate]

You will Believe me, it does get easier and we all had our struggles but somewhat to our amazement even now we run further and faster than seems "real"

[Hidden]

Stick at it! Took me several repeats to get week one done. Go slow and slow down some more was the best advice. and try reciting something in your head t take your mind of it!!

[RunningGeek Graduate]

Like your determination ☺ Keep going you will triumph 😀 Happy running 🏃👟🏃👟

[PipsqueakC25K]

Week 1, Day 2 - tick.