I am a fit and active person, train 3 times a week but somehow always struggle to complete the C25K!
Inevitably something will hurt, or I will run out of steam go back a week or two and end up stuck in an inevitable loop of weeks 3-6.
Am I the only one struggling? Are some people just “runners” and others not?
Do you train on the same days as you attempt to run, perhaps?
I do an ab or arm workout after my run, but nothing else on “run” days. On rest days I do an hour gym class or something like yoga or pilates.
If you are struggling to get beyond a certain point you might be trying to run too fast, too soon. Running quickly for a minute or so is fine, but once you get to 5 minutes, 10 minutes or more you absolutely need to learn to pace yourself or you will just run out of steam, feel discouraged and either go backwards or stop.
Also, you are more likely to damage something and feel pain if you are overdoing it.
C25K has worked for thousands of people, and anecdotally most of us found the prospect of being able to run for 30 minutes an impossible dream when we started out. You just need to trust the fact that this is tried and tested, that you aren't asked to do anything that should be beyond you.
There is no need to go fast, you just have to run for as long as the app tells you. You don't have to cover a certain distance, just cover ground (or your treadmill) with a running action for however many minutes. This distance/time will gradually increase, it's daunting to read about but when you actually do it it's definitely achievable.
If you are in pain when you run get checked out by a doctor or physio to make sure there's nothing going badly wrong.
Many of us struggle(d) and many of us succeeded. A lot of the barriers are as much in your head as in your legs. Believe in yourself and you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Good luck and let us know how you get on 
Hi there TreadmillTrader, I agree with everything said above, thank you Yesletsgo! I would just add that when the people say 'slow down' it can literally feel like you could walk faster than you're running...Sounds weird I know, but trust me, it works. Next time you go for a run, go slowly....really slowly.........still short of steam? Even slower.......speed will build over time, just try to keep moving with that running motion, until your coach says walk. You can do this!
Just so you know, I'm a 50 something person with medical issues, including asthma.......and I've had to do couch to 5k very gradually, but I still love running, and you will get faster!
Just keep on keeping on......😊
Thank you for the motivation! I’m late 40s and it feels that other types of fitness/exercise come so much easier. Will keep on following the plan and all the good advice.
I have to remind myself that if you have both feet off the ground at the same time, it's called running! Believe me, I can walk ALOT faster than I run, but I will continue to run.,slowly, as long as I can.... 74 and 3/4s!
Lots of good advice and I would be adding more core strength and stamina work.. . it can be the key to ending the struggle...
A simple easy maintained and enjoyable ( we tend to abandon stuff that isn't) regular routine... that will support you in the running. Your running body and mind need support... and there are loads of ideas on the Strength and Flex Forum..
I've not made it past Week 6 either. Muscle pulls have been my issue. I'm doing strength work now on calves abd hamstrings to give it my best shot when I return to the programme next week. I'm also going to train one day and take two off (running that is, as I also Zwift cycle). Fingers crossed ot works out this time for both of us. Keep going.
Same to you! Hopefully the strength training helps with the muscle pulls. It’s good to know I’m not alone in having to repeat weeks.
Try slowing down more. If you are struggling to get a sense of what "slow" is, say "A,B,C,D,E,F,G" out loud in a single breath. If you find yourself inhaling to finish it, then you're going too fast.You WILL break through and finish the programme! 💪
Hi TT. That sounds very frustrating.
I had repeat calf problems in C25k. Starting to run aged 66 was never going to be a walk in the park 😉. After three runs in week 6 which I had to cut short because of pain in my calf, I made an appointment with the sports physio used by local ultra runners. We fixed it; she teased out the lumps in my calf, gave me a calf strengthening and stretching exercise routine and packed me off to the local running shop to buy some suitable shoes. Oh, speed reduction was another thing. That carried me through C25k, but as I extended distance and then pace, and ran on different surfaces, I found that I needed to change other things.
I run mainly on trails. In winter, they tend to get very claggy, which makes your legs slide about, straining lateral peroneal muscles which are designed to keep you upright! Between runs I check out my calves for lumps, and smooth them out with a spiky massage ball. Finally,I bought trail shoes for winter use. That was just this year. They took a bit of getting used to, but 🤞 my calves are now much happier running through the mud!
Add to that dedicated strengthening exercises aimed at the right muscles, and I now have far fewer significant injuries….but I always grimace when I say that! There will be other niggles !
My point is that having the right shoes for what you are doing, doing the right exercises to help your legs get used to running, smoothing out any muscle lumps between runs and having a “go to” sports physio were fundamental to my being able to continue running. That may be just me of course, but just being very fit isn’t enough. My youngest tried to run too far, too fast, too soon; result was a serious achilles problem. He still plays five a side football, but doesn’t run. I hope that you find your bespoke solution.👍
From long reading of this forum it is often the person who does lots of other fitness stuff who struggles with C25K - at least as often as the person who is, for example, living with overweight and a chronic health condition and a serious lack of confidence. It reminds me of what they say about training police dogs - you can much more easily train one to be aggressive when needed than dial down an already aggressive dog.
There's two things: one stays with the physical, and that's essentially about not going at C25K like a bull at a gate... as others have said, learning to pace yourself appropriately aka 'slow right down'. Treadmills and gyms can be tricky for this, so if you have the option to do C25K off the treadmill and out in the fresh air, I'd really recommend that. 'Something hurting' covers a multitude of sins but you may need to look at what you are wearing (keeping your legs warm perhaps, the right footwear so you aren't heel striking etc etc)
The second one is the mind. The thing with C25K is that it is all about pacing yourself to complete the session - yes, slowing down, but it is also some 'just do what you are told' (it's very revelatory how many people struggle with this - many of us enjoy a good retort to the coach and that's where the rebellion is best kept) Look at how you are occupying your mind - running can be very 'confronting' at times (even though it can sometimes be a wonderful release from other stuff) You might be using a soundtrack that's too fast, too driven. There's value in the podcast presentation which comes with music which is appropriately paced (and even if you hate it that's a distraction). Many of us find spoken word is most helpful for sustained running. Do not go back a week in any circumstance other than not having sustained a running motion throughout a run segment (even if it is practically on the spot or feels like slow motion) and a walking motion throughout a walk segment. Absolutely do not stop and start - build that commitment to completion in full, so if you have to stop, you walk the rest of the session and don't try to run again. That way you have a clear marker to build on next time.
You've had some great suggestions. I'm going to add something else to consider if you want to crack this (and I am 100% certain you can if you want to, whether you choose to continue running after you've acquired the skill or not) My suggestion is that you make C25K your priority and ease off some of your other fitness activities for a while. I'd suggest if you keep anything else in make it the flexibility/breath work ie yoga/pilates. Frankly if you are doing an ab or arm workout after your run, you had it in you to complete that run session in full.
Let everyone know when younintend to run and just do it. Use the community to hold you accountable
To add to all the other advice: it's absolutely normal for the first few minutes of any run to feel hard. Explanation here: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
The Toxic Ten will be exacerbated if you've not warmed up suitably before starting to run. For me, post-run static stretches (legs, hips, back) are also vital to avoid muscle pain. An abs or arms workout after running wouldn't fit the bill.
I found it really hard and 7 years on it’s still a challenge some days. Slow is definitely key and I’m still slow - I will never run 5k in 30 mins but I’ve made my peace with that. I’m guessing you run indoors which I’ve never tried but maybe outside might make a difference. Outside you have to navigate other hazards (dogs, dog leads, tree roots, muddy puddles) which force you to slow down (I love a traffic light and the 15 second stop that necessitates) but being outside is also a distraction so you sort of forget you are running or shuffling along as you see the bird/trees/river/sea etc. and surprise yourself when you find you e run further than you think. Maybe worth a try
Hi Treadmilltracker
When you say you run out of steam, what do you mean?
I suspect that as a " fit and active person" who trains 3 times a week, mostly at the gym, then your perception of 'running' is something that is a 'good workout', that gets you out of breath and fairly sweaty - yes? You have an idea that 'running' is ... hard! You probably see young folk in the gym going at it full pelt on the treadmills, which may reinforce your idea of what 'running' is..., what it should look and feel like.
For a non-runner, a C25K beginner, then embracing the idea of 'jogging' (forget any negative connotations about that word) will lead to success... It's something that is much slower than your idea of running and it feels... effortless !
So ... C25K - the name sometimes doesn't do it favours. Many beginners get fixated by feeling they have to cover 5k in 30 minutes in Week 9. In reality, it's a time-based program, not distance - you're asked to 'run' (JOG!) for a specific amount of time - not any particular distance.
I did the whole of the program on a treadmill and forced myself to slow down - the treadmill is great for this.
Curious - what speeds are you using on the treadmill?
John
This is so true! I have slowed down from 9.6km to 9km on the speed, the incline is set to 1. I am used to doing sprints on interval training so 9km feels slow but going to follow all the good advice here and slow down even more and see how it goes.
So this is not an issue of outside v inside, footwear, or strength ... you've simply been going too quickly.
What you want to find is your 'conversational' or 'chatty' pace - something that feels very comfortable, like you could carry on for hours if you had to. When you find it, everything will click into place. For someone as active as yourself, C25K should be easy - it's just a matter of perception regarding that pace and losing any ego around it.
Oh, and forget about any incline - it's completely unnecessary and only adding some extra difficulty which you don't need.
John
9km/hour? That's 6m40s/km. Possibly still a bit fast for a beginner.
I'd suggest 8km/hour (7'30"/km) instead for a start, maybe increasing to 9 for the last couple of minutes.
If you haven’t already (or even if you have), may I suggest you read (or reread) the pinned post on this page… “FAQ HOW TO RUN C25k.....A GUIDE”
Go back to basics and slow down. It includes the you tube video about “Slow Running”…please watch it .
C25k is not a race, it’s about running/jogging non stop for 30 minutes. Embrace your inner snail and enjoy!
You *can* do it 🙂🐌🏃🏻♂️💕
So WHY is week 6 run 1 so hard?
Why is it still so hard?
Why do I find this so hard?!
W8r1 why is today so hard????
Just why is running so hard...?! (only semi-rhetorical!)
