I know there are lots of threads about c25k but I was wondering if anyone had done it on a treadmill and if so, about what speeds would you suggest for the walking/running? It's so miserably hot down here in the summer that running outside is not an option unless I get up at 5 AM or just go for a very short amount of time.
You definitely don't get the same type of workout on a treadmill as you do outside on a trail or something, but it's still really good exercise and much better on your knees. You could always increase each interval time by 30s or so if you find it too easy, or increase speed. I usually do a warmup walk at 3mph and run at 6mph, depending on how I feel. If I'm tired I'll go slower.
I'm doing it on the treadmill. I have nothing to compare it to but I like it! (I'm afraid to run outside. ) I've been told to incline it to 1% to mimic outside running.
I walk at 3.5-3.7 and jog at 5.0. My goal is a 6.0 run (which is a 10 minute mile).
I think the speed is up to you and how you feel. Most people who are doing it go for time/distance first and speed later.
I'm doing it on a treadmill too. 1. It's less embarrassing. And 2. I live in Alaska and the thought of running outside is just insane. I'm on W3D2 today. I walk at 2.7 ish and jog at 4.
You can totally do it on a treadmill! Put the incline at 1% and then find a speed where you can sustain the run for the time in the training program. It takes a little trial and error. Maybe start with a 2.5 for the walk and a 4.5 for the run, and then build on the speed from there?
I would add that if you intend to run an actual outdoor 5K at the end, you really need to work in some outdoor runs before the big day. Running outside is very different. I don't know if it actually works your muscles differently (I suspect it does, as the the road does not conveniently roll back underneath you -- darn it!), but it will definitely challenge you in a new way! Maybe, as you work up to the actual race, you could do one workout a week at 5:30 to beat the heat. I did two runs a week at 5:30 am during the summer a couple years ago, and I am NOT a morning person, but I was able to force myself out of bed because I knew I didn't have to do it forever -- just til race day.
You are going to love the C25K program -- it is empowering!
To answer your question, C25K works great on a treadmill. I am doing it second time around (not something to be bragging about). The speed is really dependent on your own fitness level. The last time I successfully complete the C25K program and actually made to 5 miles in 50 min. The suggested speed (where time and distance is the same on the program) is 6 miles per hour. Try that and then adjust based how hard you think it is. However I won't do anything less than 4.5 miles per hour, because that's pretty much a fast walk not a run.
If you haven't tired this program before, I can tell you it definitely works! I am on week 4 right now, and working very hard.
It's really interesting to see everyone's speeds...
When I did C25K last year, I tried to keep the walk intervals at 4.0 mph so as not to cool down too much. But sometimes when I was really winded I would drop into the 3's to catch my breath.
I started running at 6.0 mph. As the run interval length increased, it quickly became clear that I couldn't keep that pace - it was basically a sprint for me - so I dropped down. And down. And down. When I finished, I ran steadily at 4.5 mph, which was plenty for me, I was sweaty and red-faced and exhausted by the end of 30 minutes.
A couple of times I ran on my sister's treadmill, which doesn't go below 1% incline and it was way, way harder. I slowed down even more those days.
Now that I am running outside, I have no idea how fast I am going, but it is slower for sure - I checked the distance and it's 2.1 miles instead of the 2.25 I averaged on the treadmill.
Have fun! I actually really liked the consistency of running on a treadmill.
Hi, I've been trying to psych myself up to switch from elliptical to a running program.
But I have a dumb question: when you switch between walking and running on the treadmill, is there a special way to do it? It seems like on the treadmills in my gym, you would have to type in the new speed every time you change between walking and running (like 3.5). Is this what you do or am I missing some more efficient way? The treadmill runners in my gym look pretty SERIOUS about what they're doing so I'm afraid of looking stupid.
In my gym you have to manually increase the speed by pushing a place on the display, so it takes a few seconds to get up/down to the new speed. Not a huge deal.
I like doing C25K using a podcast for a workout on the elliptical. I just speed up when it says to run. It's a good workout, and I'm not wanting to run a race anytime. It makes the time go fast and really gets your heartrate going. I find that running on the treadmill hurts my knees (outside does too), but not the elliptical.
I started C25K on the treadmill and it worked great for me. I ran at about 4.0-4.5 mph. Sometimes I kicked it up to 5 if I was feeling lazy. But you can do it as slow as you want to really, it's best to do what feels comfortable for you. Eventually I switched to outside, which I didn't find to be too hard of a transition.
Hi, I've been trying to psych myself up to switch from elliptical to a running program.
But I have a dumb question: when you switch between walking and running on the treadmill, is there a special way to do it? It seems like on the treadmills in my gym, you would have to type in the new speed every time you change between walking and running (like 3.5). Is this what you do or am I missing some more efficient way? The treadmill runners in my gym look pretty SERIOUS about what they're doing so I'm afraid of looking stupid.
There's two types of tradmills at my gym. The TechnoGym ones you have to manually push the button to as high or as slow as you want when transitioning from walk to run or vice versa. However, the one I prefer to use are the LifeFitness ones. On those ones, you can set a "walk" speed and a "run" speed. That way, between transitions you just have to press "run" or "walk" and it automatically switches to the speed you have pre-programmed. Sometimes all of those are taken so I get stuck on the TechnoGym ones.
C25k on a treadmill?
(I'm afraid to run outside. 
) I've been told to incline it to 1% to mimic outside running. 
