C25K isn't working for me

[luvmylord2]

@indekee I just finished C25k last night. I had to repeat almost 3 weeks total to actually progress all the way to finishing, if I had to walk during any, even 10 seconds that meant I repeated that day, if I had to repeat a day twice I went back a full week so I could work back up to it. I know it doesn't work for everyone but it is a really good program, hell I couldn't even run for 30 seconds before and struggled like hell through those first few weeks, last night I did 30 minutes and decided to run a little extra even! I'm not quite at the 5k point (about 2.35 miles in the 30 minutes) but I'll progress up to there as I get my speed up more!

I agree with what some other people say, build up your endurance by running slowly and not stopping, the intervals do help you, from what my friend who wasn't doing c25k they actually make it tougher! She could run a mile straight before then did a day during week 4 with me and struggled to get through the intervals before we even hit a mile!

I'd say as long as you like running/jogging stick to it! It feels freaking amazing to finish it and the last 2 weeks really seemed to help me with my time as well and I could see tons of progress with speed, still slow but better from a 15 min mile to an 11 min mile, avg about 12m30s for each mile I ran even! My average before was something like 16 or 17 mins! Even if you're still not doing 8 min miles by the time C25k is done you'll have the base to be able to get there once you're done with the program, and remember that there's zero shame in needing to repeat days! Listen to your body and do what you can and push a little harder each time and you will improve!

 

[lauzerus]

@indekee Go slow. Slow enough that you finish the 5K. Even in 40 minutes if that's what it takes.

When I did C25K, I could not fun for 30 seconds at the start. I repeated each week at least twice. I made sure I was confident and comfortable with the week before moving on. It took me wayyy longer than most, but I got it in the end!

When I would be repeating a week, I would be like, I ran longer than this just last week, and I would sometimes keep running after the timer. I think that kind of thing was really great for me, mentally. Instead of each new run being this monster that I had never conquered before.

Did my entire while first 5K in 38 minutes. I. was. thrilled. Slow, but I had never dreamed I could run that far in myh life. Then I knew I had it in me. I knew now I could do it. I would run a 5K three times a week. I shaved a few seconds off each time. (Sometimes I didn't! Sometimes I, oops, gained a few!) But now I can do it in about 31 minutes. Not fast by any means, but I feel like a badass compared to what I could do before.

 

[breakdown98]

@indekee From what you've written in the comments, it definitely sounds like you need to slow down. It really doesn't matter how fast you are. I've been running for about 1.5 years after having completed c25k and I'm still one of the slower runners in races! What you need to focus on, and what c25k is really good at, is stamina. The programme allows you to gradually build up the endurance and stamina for running 30 mins without stopping. Stop worrying so much about distance and pace - being able to run for longer will solve these. All you need to focus on it being able to finish the session. If you aren't able to do that than you need to slow down until you can - even if it is only just faster than walking

 

[bigdea]

@indekee I would say it has to do with endurance - I did the first week of C25K I think three times? until I could move onto week two. Even now (granted I haven't run in a while) I start over with the easy stuff and work up to going longer and faster. It's not a race, just keep at it and eventually you'll see progress.

 

[abuzakaria]

@indekee I think it depends on your goals. What you're doing now, running as fast as you can for a very short period then walking for a short period, is basically High Intensity Interval Training. C25k is a beginner running program. Both of those are fine to do, you just get different results! HIIT is a great way to get a cardiovascular workout in a short period of time, C25k will get you so you can go on substantial runs which are also a good cardiovascular workout and many people find more pleasant than HIIT. Your goals will tell you how to progress: if you want to run, continue with C25k jogging really slowly and gradually work up your speed; if you want to do HIIT you don't progress by doing longer and longer intervals (you'll never do a 5 min interval with HIIT) you progress by running faster during your interval.

 

[indekee]

@abuzakaria So is it reasonable to do both? Like I spend an hour, give or take, and make sure I get around that track 12 times (if I don't lose count). The C25K workout takes roughly half that amount of time. Is there benefit to after that, or before? Doing some of the fast intervals?

I like them because they feel like I am actually doing something where as the slow jogging feels boring aside from being out of breath.

 

[abuzakaria]

@indekee I guess you could try, but I don't think it'd accomplish much since you'd have to compromise your performance on both. You'd definitely have to do C25k first, since HIIT should take everything you have. For HIIT to be doing anything, you have to feel like you couldn't possibly run another 30 second interval without puking or passing out or being unable to continue. If you could do C25k after, you're not doing HIIT. If you're pushing yourself, C25k should make you pretty tired after as well, though, so I can't imagine doing HIIT after.

 

[stev1parr]

@indekee Caveat: I haven't done C25K so I can't say anything there, but I will put up a passionate defense of slow running regardless!

Slow is the way to go - barely faster than walking is fine! Of course you can't run a 5K with your slow running speed in the time available. If you could, you wouldn't need to do a C25K

Yes, finding your own comfortable slow running pace is hard and it's going to feel uncomfortable for a while until you settle into it. You will settle into it.

I used to be the worst runner. I got outrun by pregnant ladies, grannies, you name it. Then I learned that in order to learn how to run, you need to run SLOW. Slow like a snail. the slower the better. Slow is where the gains are. You need to get to the point that you can run SLOW AF for 30 minutes at a time without stopping. That's the goal. That's the only goal for now.

Endurance first, then speed. AFTER you can run 30 minutes without stopping, you'll have a much better base to build from and you'll find progress can come very, very fast.

Your time to go fast will come, you will be cool as shit! But for now, embrace the slow.

 

[dmourne]

@stev1parr This is what helped me. I played basketball in high school and never realized that I really only learned to run "fast". When I tried to do C25K I started out good but it never got easier when I was trying to run the longer distances and it turns out that I tend to try to run at about a 10 minute mile pace whether I'm in shape or not. Forcing myself to slow to a 11:30 minute mile pace was difficult but it did the trick.

 

[canuckster]

@indekee Maybe you're worrying about the app too much and it's turned into a mental thing. Try just turning off the C25K and jog for as long as you can. Then stop for a few minutes. Then start again. Just keep going until whenever you want to stop. Maybe give yourself a goal, to do it for 30 minutes instead of worrying about the distance. Eventually, you'll be able to go further and further in the same amount of time.

 

[drycleaner]

@indekee The c25k sub relentlessly advises newbies to take it slow. That means every run, every week, will be at an easy, manageable pace. Go too fast and you'll not only burn out but probably injure yourself, too.

The program is not designed to turn you into a fast runner, it's designed to turn a total amateur into somene capable of jogging 5k. Slow down and worry about picking up the pace after you've completed the program.

 

[indekee]

@drycleaner My "slow" is so slow that I can't run 5k in the time of the workouts, I'd need over an hour.

 

[drycleaner]

@indekee There's no magic bullet for increasing cardio endurance. Just like you wouldn't expect a strength program to take you from deadlifting the bar to deadlifting 405 in ten weeks, you can't start off with poor aerobic conditioning and expect to be at racing speeds for distance in a matter of weeks.

If your expectations don't match reality you're gonna have a bad time

 

[indekee]

@drycleaner sigh, yeah. ok. blerg.

 

[drycleaner]

@indekee Haha, chin up! You'll get there

 

[sheppfamily]

@indekee Yeah, I never came close to a 5k in the time of the workouts, usually I barely got through 3k. 5k is the end goal, not the per-session output.

 

[abuzakaria]

@indekee At the beginning, you're not trying to go 5k. That comes later. I think at the very beginning I went 3.5k or so during the whole workout, but by the end I was doing 6k. Even then, though, 6k took an hour.

 

[mannaflavours]

@indekee I couldn't run a 5k in 30 minutes when I finished the program either, but I could run a 5k without stopping to walk or rest, which was the ultimate goal.

 

[indekee]

@mannaflavours My slow enough to do it run isn't even three miles an hour. Its barely a fast walk.

 

[dawn16]

@indekee Yup, when I first started C25K, I was barely over a 3.5 pace. When I finished, I could do the 5K in just under 40 minutes. I had plans to move to the 10K training, but life got in the way. I do plan to start C25K again within the next month or so, and expect to be around the same pace.

It's frustrating, but for me I was just amazed at the length of time I could keep going there at the end. It was more about building up my cardio endurance. I'm hoping this time I can continue to the 10K program, and begin working more on speed at that point.