Hey guys!

Long time lurker and only recently started to post. You guys are incredibly motivating and let me just say that I wouldn't have maintained my weightloss for this long (and gotten over a lot of my issues and insecurities) if it wasn't for this website!

I just have a quick question for those who are lovers of the C25K plan. The farthest I have ever gone is 4 weeks. Well I went back to it a few weeks ago in the gym. I started at 2 week plan for one session, found it relatively easy so went up to the 3 week plan; did wonderfully but then had to stop since I went on vacation.

I came back and hopped on the treadmill my mother has at home today - I've used this treadmill before on C25K (when I was about 200 pounds). Well, when I first got on this time I immediately thought it felt kind of small and shaky, but dismissed it, thinking I was just spoiled by the nice large ones at the gym (especially considering I'm at 162 pounds and thus /much/ smaller than before!)

I started the five minute warm-up walk at my usual pace (5.7 km/h). I noticed something was up - it felt a little fast, like I can barely keep up, and the part between my ankles and shin started to ache. I lowered the speed a bit (5.5) but it still felt off. When I did my first minute and a half run (8) it nearly killed me! When I hit the 3 minute run, well, forget it. I didn't even make it half way before I gave up and jumped off. As if that wasn't enough my asthma kicked in and I threw up afterwards...

Did anyone suffer through this? I know it can't be that I'm that out of shape because I should be able to do the min-and-a-half run at least. Is it the treadmill? Me? It was incredibly disheartening - I want to go to the gym to see if I can do it there again but I was wondering if I should just not go today and try tomorrow instead...

Had you eaten enough? The leg pain sounds like shin splints, which hurt! Sometimes you can just have an off day. Maybe you were nervous about the condition of the treadmill and that made your body kind of shut down? Do you run outside at all? The fresh air might help.

Thank you seagirl!

I looked up shin splints, wow I feel embarrassed! You're right, it might be it. I thought its because I couldn't lengthen my stride comfortably (taking small but very quick strides that left me a little unbalanced.) I just always thought shin splints was something more severe (enough to make you stop running and needs to be 'healed', not just a general ache.)

I used to run outside but that's a bit of a no-go now, mainly because you tend to be harassed if you run anytime that isn't 6am...And while I can brush off remarks (whether sweet or hurtful) it gets annoying and distracting - not to mention it chips off bits of my self-esteem.

Do you think I should give it another try today or wait til tomorrow? I ate a bit more for lunch in case it was due to lack of food. I will also try not to drink water just before the run.

Shin splints (if that is what you have going on) can progress. Just because you can walk on them now doesn't mean it won't get worse. You will need to ice them and I used to have to do an exercise in which you "wrote the ABCs in the air - tracing with your toes." Trust me, you will feel it.

That being said I haven't had shin splints in over 20 years but I have never forgotten them. Don't hesitate to get a medical check-up and updated care advice. If that is what you have going on, you probably won't be able to run right away again.

You also could have been overall dehydrated.

Good luck. Hopefully whatever is going on will recover quickly.

So I tried running again today despite the notion that it might be shin splints. I know it wasn't smart of me to do it but I felt like I had to at least try once more before seeking medical advice.

I didn't feel any pain and I did the whole 30 minutes! I huffed and puffed but it was the right level of straining and breathing. I was quite proud of myself! I'm glad I went to the gym, even if its just to prove to myself that what happened earlier must have been a fluke (drank too much water, didn't eat enough, something's up with the treadmill etc etc.)

Thanks again for the support Seagirl and HikingChloe, I guess this means that I'm back on schedule. Now I just need to find a strength training regimen to add to the C25K. (Any advice would be greatly appreciated in that too!)

Yay for trying again and succeeding!