Welp, I'm an official graduate of the C25K training program! I managed to get every run in plus some extra despite TOM, my husband's 4 day hospitalization and just day to day business being a mom to 4. I am *very* proud of myself for sticking with this. I can run for over 30 minutes! YAY!

How's everyone else doing??

Wow, jelynn!! Congratulations!!

Today I planned to do 5-minute jogging intervals, like I did last week, because I didn't think I was ready to do more, but when I got out there I felt ready to go longer. I did four 7-minute jogging intervals!! I did two minutes of walking between them, and let me tell you...those 2 minutes went by FAST and the 7 minutes went by REALLY slowly! I felt good, though. I really felt like I was comfortably able to do the longer intervals. I definitely had to push myself, but it felt great, even though I still have cramps today (ugh).

I can't wait until I can go for 30 minutes like you, jelynn!!

You go, Jelynn!! That's awesome. I started week 4 this morning - doing 5 min intervals aren't as bad as I thought. I actually did 1 3-min interval, 2 5-min intervals and 1 4-min interval w/ some walking in between.. (I'm really trying to stay on top of this & do a little extra so I don't have to repeat a week). I'm looking forward to completing this program on time. Week 9 I'm looking for a victory!! I'm also looking forward to doing this outside. That's another reason I try to do more time/ intervals inside; because I know that running outside is definately harder (tried it twice and almost died/ passed out when I hit those doggoned hills... who said "hills are our friends"?). When I can hang at least 20-30 mins, I'm planning on joining a jogging club here in Raleigh. Just don't want to be a thorn in anyone's side right now.
I'm really enjoying this program, and look forward to doing a portion of it almost every day..

Well, I thought I'd do 7-minute jogging intervals again today, but when I got out there I pushed myself a little and did more! I don't want to go too fast, especially since I'm still just doing it on the weekend, but I didn't want to hold back either. So I did three 10-minute jogging intervals with 3-minute walking intervals in between!! I seriously can't believe I jogged for 10 minutes straight, and that I did it three times!! It certainly wasn't easy, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I'm thinking about getting up as soon as there's any light outside in the mornings and trying to squeeze in a quick 10 minute jog before work. I can't figure out another way to fit it in, and there's no time for more than that. I'm starting to get addicted!!

No one's posted since the weekend!!

Well, I got out in the cold rain today and jogged -- and I did two intervals of 15 minutes each!!! I don't know what got into me!! I did a 4-minute walking interval between them. My husband and I estimated that I ran about a mile and a half in 15 minutes -- does that sound right? I don't feel like I was going fast at all, and I felt like I could keep going, believe it or not, but my hips were starting to hurt and I was afraid of the impact on my knees. Plus, I was freezing to death and getting rained on!!!

How's everyone doing?

Way to go LisaMarie! I rocked my last session of week 4 yesterday. It's crazy to see how much you improve on this program in such little time--in less than a week I went from being unable to finish the last set of 5 minutes, to being able to finish it at a faster speed AND do 2 extra minutes. As usual, the transition to a new week looks pretty daunting but I'm up for the challenge.

Wow, I didn't know there were so many sort-of beginner runners out there!

I am kind of finishing C25K, which was a program offered by a local running place with a 5k at the end.. it's on Dec 2nd. I did SO great for the first 5 weeks, and then broke a toe. I was out of commission for 2 weeks I'm technically just ending week 6 and am pretty nervous for this race. But I'm committed to finishing it. Any advice? How long does it even take to run 5k? Last time I went out I ran 3km, did 1.5k, walked for 3 minutes and ran 1.5k.

I am just rambling on here.. I'm SO happy to find other runners, you have no idea!! I am off for another run tomorrow and am going to try for 3-10min running intervals with 3 minutes between them. Gotta get this body used to the running thing again!

-Aimee

Ok, get this....I ran 20 minutes straight today and yesterday! Woooooohoooo!!

I was in my hometown for the holiday, so I went to this park where each lap is about 4/10 of a mile. I always thought it was half a mile, but I measured it with my car and it's actually .4 -- so I ran around it 4 times without stopping, which took 20 minutes. That means I'm running at about a 12 1/2 minute pace, which is slow but for me it's fantastic that I'm running at all! Even my crazily fit runner husband said I'm doing very well! Yay!

It really is odd how you progress so much more quickly than you think you will. Once I got past running five minutes straight, it changed everything. Now I just want to keep it up and work up to doing a 5k sooner than I'd hoped.

And thanks for the encouragement and cameraderie, swimgirl and futuresurferchick!!

Great job, Lisa!! And that is faster than I am doing my miles, lol.

Thanks, jelynn! I probably just think my pace is slow because I'm married to a running coach! I'm always hearing about people running 5-minute miles and stuff (not that I think I'd ever run THAT fast!!)

Honestly, I'm just excited to be running at all!

Lisa - wow thats great! 20 minutes is actually quite a long time to run if you remember back to when you first started. My thought is that the pace will come, but first you gotta get the body used to that kind of movement!

My run is cancelled due to the weather! I'm sure they might still hold the actual run, but it's just too cold. My lungs are doing funny things, yesterday when I was hiking home (too much snow to drive) I felt like I was breathing in sand it was so dry. Since running is pretty much out for the next couple of days I'm going to aim to hike around my house which is up a moutain, keep my fitness level up.

-Aimee

I was doing this plan then my sister who was pregneat was int he hospital for a week and it fell apart. I think i may start again later today. I need to get in shape for tennis and it sounds like ti really really works. was everyone else having alot of trouble when they were doing it? starting off I mean like you get so drained and so tired and want to die? also I live in a hilly town, we have hill in our name and I dont like running on hills cause I know its harder but also it is a better workout so any advice there for hill running?

Hey everyone. Well I graduated a few weeks back (and haven't really been back on this thread since...oops!) but just wanted to share that since graduating I've been steady with 3 runs per week but sometimes I'll do less that 5k..sometimes more with so real set pattern. Well I was feeling really good last night so I did a bit extra. I ran for 50 minutes. 50 whole minutes....I covered about 7.5k in that time so it was pretty slow but I don't care!!!! I was thrilled with myself!

I just got back from the gym where I ran 20 minutes straight on the treadmill!! Well over a mile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I NEVER thought I would do something like this, EVER.

Well, folks, my running days are over for a while. Ugh!! I had worked up to 20 minutes of running and I was loving it!

I fell the other day on some steps and I sprained my knee. I'm not even sure what I tore in there -- I have to make an appointment with an orthopedist. Right now I'm wearing a brace and it HURTS. I won't be doing cardio at all, it seems, so I'm really afraid my weight loss will be stalled. And I was on such a roll!! I'm keeping up with my eating plan, though. Sigh...