Couch to 5K

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First week of couch to 5k

Simba77Graduate•

I have just completed my first week but was really slow after my first run and not sure if I am brisk walking fast enough!

Am I doing this right as I am so slow ? And I don’t think I will be able to manage the second week.

Anyone else had similar experiences ?

15 Replies

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Hi Simba, going slowly is the single most important thing you should do on C25K. You'll gradually get a bit faster as you work through the programme, but don't worry about speed at all - it really doesn’t matter.

As long as you complete the runs in each week you are fine to move onto the next one. Good luck, keep going and report back here with your progress 👍🏃‍♀️😀

Thank you trying to get fit so this is combined with gym but have to say this is so much harder

Yes, harder than gym, but it works much better!

you are here and started so that’s the hard bit! Well done and any walk/effort is better than sitting on the couch! Keep going!

Thank you

Well done - on c25k there is no such thing as too slow - it builds stamina - when you are confident with lasting the times then you can up the speed. Its a real achievement to get through wk1 as it's such a shock to the system -so feel chuffed and best of luck for wk2 xx

Thank you may feel better once I start week 2

If you’re running slow you’re doing great... the walking bit is fast enough if you don’t cool down and your calf muscles don’t start tightening.

Week one nearly killed me, actually day one nearly killed me!

Great job, relax and keep that pace in week 2

Yes my calf muscles are tightening up that is why i found run 2&3 hard. Need to pick the pace up inbetween for week 2

Other thing you can do during the walk is shake your legs... you’ll look like an idiot, but it works for me!

Ah will try that on my next run

This girl takes it to an extreme, but she’s just staying loose after her warm up and before the gun.

youtu.be/LdexkdpkIgk

You are not in a race so go at your own pace - listen to your body! I describe myself as going for a waddle rather than a run - but just completed week 5 run 2 and run 8 minutes straight - something I thought impossible a few weeks ago!

I feel like that! Waddling and red but going to stick with it. Always feel other runners are so much better at it