I started this programme a while back with some good friends and we almost got to week 3. Sadly they bailed and I’m looking to get back into it.
Did anyone else feel really overwhelmed at the prospect of starting it but are desperate to lose weight and get fit for themselves?
The trouble is the thought of running on my own in public makes me so anxious, any advice/has anyone felt the same as me?
Hey there Dani1201! I completely understand how you feel - before I started I couldn’t run up a flight of stairs without feeling dizzy, so running for 30 minutes felt totally unachievable.
My best advice to make it more manageable is to focus week by week - looking at, say, Week 3 when you haven’t started Week 1 is bound to be scary. Just take each step, and have faith in the number of positive success stories you can find on here!
As for losing weight, personally I try not to fixate on weight loss as a motive because I think that can turn to a bit of a toxic cycle and damage your self image. Remember you are wonderful as you are, and try to focus on improving your health and happiness rather than looking at the scales!
Lastly, running on your own - the vast majority of people will see you running and think “good on them for getting out there” rather than laughing. It’s all in our heads! That being said, for the same reason I try and run in more secluded areas, such as around lakes and in parks as opposed to on the roads.
I hope some of that is helpful - it’s just my experience as another novice! Best of luck xx
I used to be an athlete about 30 years before this plan... was it scary to come back to the start line? Hell yes. Was I afraid of being seen by people I know? Yep! Did I worry about negative comments from strangers? You bet I did!
So, for weeks I got my gear on, put regular clothes over them and drove to a really quiet park about 5 miles away. I hid my running and I gave in to my anxieties. Then one day I went from the house in shorts to go and run in that same park... but my neighbour saw me and I ended up in a conversation, part of which was why the hell was I in shorts (my legs haven’t been seen locally ever) and when I said I was running now he said he would love to be able to but wouldn’t know where to start. I was getting close to graduation so I said I’d come knocking if he wasn’t already doing it by the time I’d done. I went as promised just after and told him it was time. He, his wife and two kids are now also graduates... I no longer drive to runs unless I have to... my legs are seen daily in my street. And now when I’m running, I just think that of all the people who see me out there, one may be like my neighbour... one may decide to change their life too... and that is amazing to think about.
I had one day in my local park where I was running towards some teens and they were shouting over... I pulled out my headphones, and to my surprise they were actually encouraging me... I took the high fives and went for another lap for more of the same.
The other side of the coin... for those you don’t inspire, for those that don’t encourage you on your way, then you’re a tiny insignificant moment in their day... they don’t remember you any more than you remember the person behind you in the supermarket queue.
Go out, be seen, inspire others... and if you meet an idiot who needs a laugh at your expense it’s absolutely certain that that don’t run... and they can’t run 30 minutes... but you will. Enjoy your journey.
^^^this... should be framed or pinned or something 👍😁🤘
What an inspiration, thank you so much for responding x
Oh I love this UNM - what a great post 👍. At the start of C25k I made Mrjayval run with me on the field behind our house because I was so embarrassed to be seen. Today I ran round the running track in the park in full view of at least 10 golfers then went to Morrison’s still in my Lycra with my usual post run bright red face. I genuinely do not care any more. People regularly shout things at me or beep their horns. I don’t care! I can run 10k and I am in the best shape of my life. I agree - if people are judging they aren’t runners 🏃♀️
Well done you! I find it hard to believe people shout things or beep their horns just because people are running, that’s just mean! Have you had any positive acknowledgements? X
Well I’ve had tons of positive comments from friends and family of course. My Dad would like to know where his real daughter has gone 😂😂. But in the main comments from strangers are mostly ‘get those knees up’ type harmless comments or yelling and beeping from white van men and other motorists. I just keep my headphones in and wave these days. Not sure why they beep me...... maybe I look so knackered they think they are encouraging me 🍅 On reflection there is a slim chance I actually know a couple of them but can’t recognise them without my glasses 😂😂😂
Hello Dani1201 - softcat put it so well. What can I say. I’m starting week 3 tomorrow and you know what I was so anxious to start but I just decided this is for me. To feel healthy and more comfortable within myself. I run early around 6:30 so not many about we have a park close by and there are usually a couple runners but not a lot of folk there but they smile and run past and I shuffle along and it’s always a challenge but stick with it. I know later on I won’t be so self conscious but for now I take the programme one week at a time. One run at a time. Keep posting, let us know how you get on. Happy running xx
Don't worry about running in public places although running in a park or off road route is better than running along a busy road.
I always wonder how many people here on C25K bail out by the time they get to week 4. I began the program in April 2018 but did not report my progress until around week 3 or 4, that was because if I had bailed out no-one would have known, however, once I completed either week 3 or 4 I was pretty confident that I would complete the course which I did exactly two months after I started.
Not sure what I said on my very first post to you all here, but it might have gone something like this. (I will put quotations)
"I began C25K around 3 weeks ago and am enjoying the course so far, I have cycled since the age of 7 but only took up running recently with C25K when I saw it mentioned on the The Scottish Run on TV last October, as winter was coming up I postphoned any runs until recently "(end quote)
If any of the administrators have any copies of my early reports, well you know who I am and it would be nice to see them again.
At the moment I am rerunning some of the C25K weeks as during the winter months I tend to go long walks rather than running. 😊 🏃
Absolutely understand, for the first few weeks I was deliberately going to quiet places when on my own and running very early in the morning and not locally. Now I don’t care and part of my route today was along the main road. Just focus on building your confidence slowly and you’ll get there
Lots of us have felt the same.
But honestly? Most people just don’t notice.
I genuinely wanted to turn tail and run in the opposite direction the first time a ‘real’ runner came bounding towards me, and virtually the only thing stopping me was that fact that they would have then overtaken me. As it was we just smiled and nodded as we passed each other. They didn’t care that I was slow and puffing away like a train, I was moving faster than a walk so was automatically part of ‘the club’.
It’s hard, but you’ve done that first run once, so you already know you can do it. And you’re doing it for the right reasons *yourself*. You never know, you might inspire the friends that bailed on you to try again.
Some wonderful advice from softcat there. I can completely relate, I was so self conscious when I started but really really needed to get fit. I am so glad that I eventually got out there - because how I feel now compared to how I felt back in November when I started - it’s a different me! I am more toned, I feel strong and it’s helping me make positive changes in other areas of my life.
So many people post here with the exact same fear - imagine if all those self conscious women (mostly, but some men) were out there in the sunshine running? It would change a lot of people perceptions of who running is for - it’s for us - it’s for you! You will be doing such a wonderful thing for your body and your mind. Fear held me back for months and months too - we can’t go back in time and change our past decisions, but we can decide to sod it and just do it anyway! I am so glad I have running in my life now.
And just because I bang on about this to everyone - take a look at this
m.youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2... I run this way all the time and absolutely love it. It’s low impact and might be a great way for you to get going again.
This is a lovely kind and supportive forum and we’ll be here to encourage you and cheer you on your way. When your friends see how great you look & how well you feel, they’ll be chasing on behind you. Don’t let your past rule your future - you want change, and a new future Is right there, just outside your front door. Come and join us - c25k is a blooming miracle in 9 short weeks you’ll hardly believe it & if it worked for me, it’ll work for you!!! xx
Thanks for your lovely words and the helpful video! x
This style of running will really help with your breathing - I thought I’d die the first run! But once I’d learned how slow the slow running could be the breathing got much much easier x
I felt the same at the start but then I realised no one was looking! Choose somewhere and a time when it's not too busy hopefully a nice green space with nature for you to look at and it will be grand and you will be fab !
they bailed and you are thinking of carrying on BRILLIANT!! You are an inspiration to all those people that are out there now reading your comment and wondering about starting. Forget what people think once you start this you will find you are only thinking about the challenge ahead and to be honest most people ignore you anyway I find, except other runners that appreciate what you are doing. I think when you eventually get to week 9 and you will...those friends that bailed will be in awe of you and you will feel FANTASTIC. I did this challenge just for me one my own and got there, you can too. Keep the faith good luck
The first time I went out I was scared that someone will call an ambulance as I was breathing sooooo loudly 🤣 it gets better and as everyone says , nobody actually takes note of you running... I've lost half a stone in the first 2 weeks and it's getting so much easier each time..
Keep up the good work, you can do this!
And never forget , at least you are out there and not being a couch potato anymore, this itself deserves a pat on the back 😉
Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.
This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
You will not be running on your own.........there are thousands of us here.
Your lightweight mates obviously don't have the stickability that you have.
You can do this.........and when your mates see the new you in months to come, they will have big regrets that they did not stick with it.
Keep us posted and enjoy your journey.
I was the same so I run in a large area with open heathland that has quite good paths all around it, I found I took different routes to avoid other walkers but now ,I just run past and say hello, I don’t run in the busy parks near me because I knew all the people and kept having to stop to say hello. Don’t run on roads for the same reason.
Hello everyone!
Can I just say thank you, and that you’re all so so wonderful. You’ve all made me want to do this even more than I already did.
Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement - as soon as I’ve shaken my cold I’m getting straight onto this!
That is SO fantastic Dani1201! And we really will be there for you every step of the way. This is not a journey you need to make alone - you have us - your VRBs (virtual run buddies!), so any questions and wobbles, just post and lots of us will respond with help, kind words & lots and lots of praise. Here’s to a speedy recovery and you getting out there for your c25k miracle!! xx
Why did the friends bail? That’s too bad and you will probably find you will enjoy the journey alone with this support of this forum! So many people have posted about running alone, do a search and have a read! Xx
They never really gave an explanation, they just stopped showing up and we haven’t spoken since really so it’s very disappointing x
You will find plenty of friends on here, who will be more than happy to follow and support your journey. I am on week 4, I’ll be happy to follow you. Do you think you can get past the running alone? There is heaps of good advice on here. Don’t give up! This will be the best journey of your life x
Because of the same issues, I spent the first 6 weeks running in my ordinary clothes. Jeans, jacket and hat. Good running shoes though.
I started getting into it and bought some running gear after I realised I was probably quite scary looking as a bearded middle aged man coming running up behind you. In my running gear, I look like a bearded, middle aged runner rather than a potential murderer. Just graduated on Sunday. Don’t care what anyone thinks now!
Post graduation - feeling lost!
I want to share a feeling...
Just joined feeling desperate 
feeling bullied to sign up.
Feeling disheartened 
