Only found this forum a couple of days ago and wanted to hold off posting until I'd got the one i'd been dreading out of the way! Amazed to say it, but a 20 minute run non-stop completed it with very little fuss, so much so that at the 2 minute remaining mark I decided to finish with a section that my Strava app refers to as "Heart Attack Hill"!
Really i just wanted to say to those new to it, the c25k app is incredibly well structured, stick to it and you WILL get there! I was weezing along in week 1 doing what I call the "old lady shuffle". I felt knackered after running for 90 seconds and had every ache and pain going.
The change is amazing, for all but the last 3 or so minutes I was just gliding along, I feel fitter and am recovering quicker each time. More surprisingly has been the mental benefits, I feel happier, I'm sleeping better and I increasingly am enjoying the running.
A few tips I've found:
You will ache, but they will go!
Keep your hands down by your hips when you run, it uses up energy keeping them high up by your chest and it keeps you cooler.
Don't skip the warm up or cool down walk, they're there for a reason!
If in doubt, slow down but keep running, speed isn't important.
Good luck everyone, and happy running!