Scared to start!

[joblueeyes63]

Hi all, im coming up 54, have been an ex smoker for almost 2 months (yay!) and im seriously unfit and overweight. Ive never done anything remotely active in my life but running has been popping into my head for a few years now but i think i might collapse just putting my trainers on! 😂 Any tips and advice would be gratefully received ☺

[tansleypete]

Hi

I have never been a runner either and have got really unfit in the last few years.

But all I can say is try it! It is great. Very easy to start with and the coach voices are very good at keeping you going.

Currently I am on week 3 and loving it and actually look forward to my next run!

Also my advice would be not to get competitive with yourself. Just do what you can do.

Hope you can feel up to trying the first one and giving it a go because I have found it really positive for me.

Good Luck!

[joblueeyes63 in reply to tansleypete]

Thank you, thats great ☺

[Babsicles Graduate in reply to tansleypete]

Hi I am 62 next month and yesterday did run 1 of week 3 and loving it

I got the speed issue out of my head and remInd myself that I can do this at my pace

I make sure I have the rest days from running despite the temptation to go the next day

On rest days I have been doing the bring Sally up squat challenge to strengthen my legs

Give it a go

[Bonkersbrit Graduate]

I'd say have a good read around this forum. It's seems we all appear here thinking we are the least likely runner ever to walk the earth. Whatever your situation you will find people here that started older, more overweight, more depressed, more inactive, more self conscious etc than you. They have gone on to graduate C25k and still run regularly. But more than that, years later they still spend time regularly posting to advise and encourage us newbies (I'm doing w5 and in my late 40s, life long "allergy" to running😜).

Put simply this program, accompanied by the invaluable support you get here, works. Tens of thousands of previous non runners cannot be wrong.

Download the podcast, grab a pair of trainers and get out there. Remember, "you don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great"

The advise you will see most often here is go slow🐢🐢. This applies to each run ( more of a shuffle or at best a light jog, in most cases) but also to the whole program. While it is suggested that you might do it in 9 weeks, if you need to take longer to be safe and injury free, that's fine too.

It won't be easy, but you can do it and believe me the feeling you get the first time you run for three whole minutes in a row is something akin to a six year old being given a bouncy castle and unlimited sweets for a whole year😀 On more than one occasion in the past month I have strutted around like I own the world for the rest of the day!

Give it a go, let us know, we are waiting for your first run report!👍🏼👍🏼🐢

[Rignold]

Just start. That's all there is to it. make the decision to do it and then just go. Don't sit around waiting to talk yourself out of it. You will feel so much better about yourself and more positive once you have started. It won't be easy. It may not always be fun. But you will be doing something proactive, you will rapidly be moving towards not being unfit and you will be so much happier for it.

[doubletap Graduate]

I was in the same boat 12 weeks ago

55yrs old ( hard living and fast yrs )

Totally unfit

Ex smoker

Ex drinker

Ex glutton

Ex pothead

18st 7lb

I finished the program 2 weeks ago and am now going solo , but its all good .

The 1st 3 or 4 weeks , believe it or not are probably the hardest , this is because they build up your strength and stamina in preparation for week 5 and onwards.

Give it a proper go and you will benefit from the program . Dont be worrying if you have to repeat runs or even complete weeks , it happens more tjan you know . Take no notice of 5k in 30 minutes , most people on here havent done that distance and graduated . Its all about running for 30 minutes solid . Speed and pace come eventually , just dont push too hard

One little tip , which you will hear over and over is slowly does it , this will be the most valuable and importatant advice you will get . Imagine a snail in slow motion , you need to go slower than that .

I started in not too disimilar condition than you , if i can do it , then so can you .

P.s

No longer 18st 7lb now down to 17st 1lb ..it works

[MoGr Graduate]

Get started and good luck. I am on week 3 having done up to week 5 previously (injury forced me to stop!) As an ex smoker who is also overweight and was terrified of running I have a few pieces of advice which I hope are useful:

Posture: run upright (not leaning forward) and pull your core in. Don't try and stretch your legs, just let them move underneath you - this will help prevent any lower back pain when you start (I had it - took the above advice and been brilliant ever since!).

You will be red faced, sweaty and exhausted by the end of the first run and that's OK. no-one else around you really cares all that much as they are worrying about themselves. the sense of achievement is brilliant!

When you feel yourself looking forward to runs (or even before) if is worth investing in a decent pair or trainers. Yes they cost a bit more, but they will support your feet and ankles and help prevent injury (again bitter experience and swollen ankles are a thing of the past!)

Good luck just do it! Hope this helps x

[joblueeyes63 in reply to MoGr]

Thats great advice, thankyou so much ☺

[Wizziewood]

Firstly ... well done for becoming a non-smoker, the strength of character you needed for that will stand you in good stead for C25k.

The programme works, you'll see that when you read the posts on this forum. But it does require as much mental strength as it does physical.

Follow the programme to the letter, keep it slow and steady, take your rest days and you'll get there.

Keep posting so we see how you're getting on and keep reading the posts, they're so supportive and encouraging.

We're all behind you ... you can do it! Happy Running!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Just start.. that is all there is to it..you are here, we are here.. the programme is here

"Difficult roads often lead to wonderful destinations... "

Just go for it

[Sarahb18 Graduate]

Just get out there and do your best !

I'm on week 3 and never thought I could or would ever run/jog !

The first 1 minute run nearly killed me 😱 I really thought starting this at 59 I had gone mad !

Now on W3 and feeling my strength and stamina build up I'm so glad I did .... I ran 3 minutes this morning (twice) and feeling happy about that !

If I can do it so can you !

As the good people on here have ,said read others posts and keep it slow ! That's how I do it .

The programme to me seems great in that one week prepares and builds you for the next week .

Good luck and keep going , nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment post run 🏃🏼

👍

[Alicharlie Graduate]

I'm 55, never run before, I have just done run 2 of week4. I never thought I'd be able to run for Five minutes. I'm so proud of myself. I did week one more than 3 times, to build up my confidence. Go for it, you'll be so pleased you did, you'll feel so much about yourself. Wishing lots of luck. X

[MaintainCadence]

well done for stopping smoking Be really proud of yourself and use this as an example of how you can change to feel better. !5 years after stopping, I still use it as a boost - I managed to do that!! Save up some of the money you would have spent on fags to get yourself some nice trainers / running shoes - you deserve it! Taking that step has put you in a place where you can do something you've always fancied Good luck xx

[Gladysw12 Graduate]

Hello

I am 52 overweight though have lost two stone since January, and haven't run since I was in school. I started this journey at Easter as I wanted to get fit and the best bit of advice I was given was to go slowly. I have repeated a few weeks but so far am really enjoying it and am so pleased I started. Go for it!

[Sandy_Shoes Graduate]

My advice would be: follow the programme (don't worry how many times you repeat the run) and go slow, and go slow again

And, on a seasonal note, some advice I should have followed myself today - don't run in the heat