I have just completed the C25K 
I have not done any significant exercise throughout my adult life beyond a lot of walking, a very little bit of leisure cycling and occasionally having to rush to catch a train. Just over 4 years ago I had an operation to remove a kidney, and did even less of everything to the point that I am overweight, unfit and get out of breath very easily. I had been aware of the need to take more exercise, and had tried some early morning cycling but was finding that hard work, coupled with the need to need to cycle a reasonable distance to make a difference.
Then, in the middle of May, a friend's daughter mentioned that she had just started something called Couch to 5k. She briefly explained what it was and it caught my interest. I told my wife and son that I thought this might work for me, but to be honest I expected to hate it and to have to force myself to do it. I bought some cheap kit and running shoes, and went out to do W1R1 with my son, who runs 10k in around 45 minutes. It was difficult, but I made it round without any major mishaps. To my surprise, I loved it. I loved the 5 minute warm up walk, and loved the 5 minute cool down walk the most, but the 1 minute 'runs' with the recovery walks was exactly what I needed.
Anyway, I carried on, and found that by the end of each week I could do a little more than required, pushing me towards the next week's target. I can remember the point where a 3 minute run seemed a ridiculous idea, then the same with a 5 minute, and then an 8 minute run.
I did my first 20 minute run at the appropriate time, then went on a week's holiday to the Lake District. I took my running gear thinking I would run while on holiday, but instead my son and I climbed Helvellyn. This was some achievement and the running I had done meant that I could climb for at least 30 minutes without needing to stop for a rest. The steep uphill walk did wonders for building leg strength and I made it to the top much more easily than I expected. Later in the week we climbed Scafell Pike, again without too much difficulty. Two months ago, both these walks would have been beyond me. For this reason alone, the running has been good.
Anyway, the fact that I could work my legs hard climbing mountains for a couple of hours steeply uphill made me think that I would try a 25 minute run when I got home. That was easier than the 20 minutes run a week before. I can recommend hill walking as an alternative to running one week!
In the last couple of weeks I extended my runs first to 30 minutes, and, not being completely satisfied with that (I only managed about 4.75km), I have now completed three 5km runs, with 5km taking around 32 minutes. I love the running. I get up early in the morning to run (much easier to do before going to work than in the evening). I'm going to try another 5km tomorrow, but I'm a bit concerned about the heat so may well split it into a couple of shorter runs with a short walk to help recovery.
My big target is my first ever Park Run on Saturday morning. The forecast is cooler, with the possibility of light rain. Although I've completed the C25K programme, there seems something appropriate about signing it off with a Park Run on what will be my 50th birthday.
Next steps will be to try and improve my time to below 30 minutes. I would also like to think about extending the distance so I can do a 10k run, possibly entering a race with my son. We may start together, but I expect it will take me nearly twice as long as him to finish.
Completed C25K during lockdown 
Week 6 completed :)
I’ve completed C25K! :-D
New PB :)
