We've all been there. Looking at the app or our spreadsheet/wallchart at a particular run and thinking "OMG! No way! Are you kidding me? This doesn't make sense."
So DYO C25K is an interesting paper exercise for you. Why? Well, you've signed up for this and while you may think that 5k in W9 is the goal, it isn't... 30 minutes of continuous JOGGING is.
OK... so "Design Your Own" program, that is 9 weeks long, with the aim of running (JOGGING!) 30 minutes, 3 times in Week 9. In fact, while we're at it, let's rename it for the sake of completeness... "CouchTo30min" (awful name!)
Let's start...
Make a reasonable assumption that it's for genuine couch potatoes. No fitness whatsoever. For ages anywhere from children to pensioners. Maybe overweight. Maybe other issues eg cardiac, respiratory, compromised immune system etc. But no limiting issues e.g. clinical obesity.
Start at Week 9, 3x 30 mins and work backwards. What does Week 8 look like? And Week 6? And what about Week 4? But what of the all-important Week 1? How are you going to make W1 achievable to give people the confidence to move onto Week 2 (whatever that looks like).
Go on, have a try. Again... 9 week program, going out 3 times a week. Goal is 30 continuous mins, 3 times in Week 9.
Written by
John_W
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
So far I've liked it as is but if I were to try it I'd consider smoothing the transition from weeks 3 to 4, probably by making W3R3 and W4R1 both 3x 4 minute runs with 3 min breaks. So the running time would increase from 9 to 12 to 15 with the walking time decreasing proportionately.
Yes, I was in week 3 when I read the posts about how week 5 wasn't anything to worry about because week 4 was a bigger jump. I didn't find it quite so reassuring then! But it turned out fine.
I think the confidence I had in the programme was that it was the same for everyone - and the number of successfull graduates VASTLY outnumbered the handful who quit after posting "it's too hard".
A "programme" based on all different "ideas" and "personal opinions/definitions" would not have appealed to me whatsoever.
Basically, while I certainly did not think when I started I would ever graduate - it was "fun" to see how I'd "measure up" against the "average couch potato newbies" So, I did think I'd make it a few weeks however the big discovery for me was that when it came to doing ALL the weeks - I could because turned out I wasn't "terminally unique"
The consistency of others experiences and journeys was"proof" it could work for "just about everyone". If there had been a big number of "variables" - nope. "If's" "ands" and "buts" would, and all this is only my personal opinion and response to your question, have, for me, boiled down to "You decide for yourself - but how can I do that when I haven't a clue about how to run?" And I would also have quit because I would have thought my problems along the way pertained to me only and not known so many have them but can overcome them.
And I still can't "run at a conversational pace" despite my best efforts lol. So, an individual handicap but one so many others had and that encouraged me to continue to where I now have adapted and keep running anyway
A solid dependable experientially proved foundation by a large number of participants is definitely a huge plus to instill confidence, again just my opinion.
I think one of the interesting things for me is that the programme seems to work both for people who are really unfit starting and those who, while reasonably fit from other activities, are not running fit. Coming from the second group it took me a while, and a few days resting with a sore calf muscle, to realise that even though I wasn't finding the first few weeks hard work from a fitness point of view, my body needed every bit of that time to make the adaptations so I could run for longer without hurting myself.
I was totally unfit. Two or three times a week I'd walk a mile/mile and a half around the park. I'd never "indulged" in any aerobic type sport or activity since childhood because of asthma, screwed foot ones, later on a heavy smoking addiction and a total conviction that "I can not run". Only real exercise I continually followed for years were a form of Martial Arts, and I could swim effortlessly for miles for some unknown reason - but Tennis, Cycling (apart from leisurely outings), Rowing etc etc - nope, would run out of wind rapidly.
Only started the programme because of 'very hazerdous to one's health's boredom, and only kept going because it worked for "people just like me - could never run"
And that's the beauty of C25K - it NEVER trys to tell you that you need some perquisite. It fully assures you that it knows you "could never run" and then shows you what the real reason you can't run is - it's a self fulfilling prophecy. Then all the Graduates and near-graduates tell you that you are just like them - and the unarguable proof is where they started from and where they are now.
"Real world data" versus "I think....(I can never run)"
I bought a book once that was going to tell me how to catch more fish. First line started with "In your boat..."
But - I didn't HAVE a boat! So, a useless "programme" that, whereas C25K and the members of this Forum never assume a newcomer believes truly they can graduate - because none of us did either at the beginning. By the time I figured out that it sure wasn't going to happen for me in nine weeks - I didn't care, because I knew I would graduate "sometime"...because no longer did I buy into the false premise that I can't run.
It's a genius programme sustained by a great group of people
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
So, I did think I'd make it a few weeks however the big discovery for me was that when it came to doing ALL the weeks - I could because turned out I wasn't "terminally unique" 
Am only managing to run 3.8K not 5K in 30 mins, am I very slow? How far do other 40+, female, novice runners run? Are there 40 min podcasts?
C25K completed a week ago now.
Training for a 10K post C25K
Why I love the C25K plan 
How much distance do you guys cover?
