Hi everyone.
Haven't been here in a while- I finished the 5k app a while ago. I'm not running 5k, I think, but I still run at least 30 min (not including warm-up/cool-down) three times a week. Pretty sure I'm accomplishing about 3.5k in the half hour it takes to listen to another installment of the Zombies app. You just start it and it mixes story bits with your play list while you run, "hoard" mode optional- the hoards make you sprint. All the building/fiddling you do afterwards, not while running.

As for stretching, I found this article, 6 stretches every runner should do, to be helpful and not overwhelming. You know what I mean; there are some articles that will name 47 must-do stretches, or whatever, as if we don't all have lives to get to!

Thanks Magicsusan, I will try them before my run today.

I'm not sure, but I have the impression that *after* is more effective. That's when I do mine, anyway. Happy running!

I did it before the run, and again after the run. Doing it before was REALLY helpful. Far less of a stretching pain. My knees still kind of hurt as did my calves, but far better. Then I did them again after I ran. Made it more bearable.

Wow. I'm not sure you should be in pain at all. I'm still quite heavy for my height- was even heavier when I started running- and I've never had issues with my knees.

Is it possible you need to check your form/shoes/running surface? Just throwing it out there... it's a LOT easier to prevent damage than wait for healing...

Good luck, in any case

Hmmm... I could look into new shoes. I'm seeing my doctor in a week or so, I'll ask her as well. I thought it was just normal...

Week 5, day 1, was easier than week 4 for some reason! My calves and knees no longer hurt! So YAY! Going to get new shoes still, and doctor tomorrow!

Boy do I sweat. Yay for a sweat band.

Hey guys, its great to see a C25K thread. I finished this a while back but I'm still not running a full 5k, I'm slow so I'm doing just over 3k in the 30 mins. I loved the program so good luck to everyone doing it, it can seem impossible at times but trust your body. Its stronger than you think. You'll get there.

I haven't updated in more than a month but I just finished up week 6.

I remember reading what week 4 entailed and thinking I can't run for 5 minutes straight! Oh to be back at week 4. Oddly enough day 3 of week 5 wasn't hard at all (running for 20 minutes), but I had some trouble with week 6. I didn't give up or walk or anything, but I was just way more tired. I think perhaps the change was the weather. It got HOT last week even around 10 PM along with the humidity! Plus day 2 of week 6, I ran 30 minutes after I ate (worst decision ever. I felt so heavy running and had side stitches like mad, but I did it!).

I just completed week 6 day 3 about 4 hours ago and it wasn't hard except I was uncomfortable due to the heat.

And question, how do you guys breathe while running? I read so many different methods from "professional" sites. When I was running just 5-10 minutes, the shallow mouth breathing in and out worked, but as I'm running longer, I can't seem to get a pattern in my breathing. Any help?

I'm really struggling to exercise at the moment, I'm still doing my 30mins run 3 times a week but its so hot and humid it makes it so much harder than normal. I'm having to take breaks at times and my pace is much slower than it usually is.

Hellolovely I try and breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, I think that means you get maximum oxygen into your lungs.

That's how I was breathing until last week. Two shallow breaths in through the nose and shallow breathing out through my mouth. But then I read another "professional" article saying to breathe with your mouth since it's larger and you can get more air into your lungs. So I tried that, but with the heat and just exhaustion I am finding it hard to keep a pattern. I shall go back to shallow breathing through the nose and concentrate only on breathing than listening to my music and etc.

I stopped jogging at week 5, just too hot. I now Shred inside. (My treadmill is in a hot place with no AC...). I'll do C25K again once it cools down, or when I can move my stuff!

W1D1 here...just completed my first "run" for a looooong time!

I'm horribly unfit at the moment so I found it quite hard, but just when I was thinking maybe I should finish early and make this a pre-W1 week, my app told me it was time for the cool-down

Looking forward to D2 and to gradually getting back to being fit!

Hello
I start W5D1 tomorrow and absolutely 100% terrified. I thought 4 mins then 5 mins were awful. Four wasnt so bad and 5 and I are becoming friends. But 6! Then8! when I am in the 5 min warm up I actually start to get nervous lol crazy ol'me

I've graduated the program but due to becoming lazy I'll be doing it again! I will be doing W1D2 tomorrow... wish me luck!