I really didn't feel like going to the gym and doing the treadmill today, and have been meaning to start the C25K program, and so figured I'd just get started on it outside today. I'd downloaded the iPhone app a while ago and had previously done Week 1 Day 1 at the gym on the treadmill with a small incline - and found that to be pretty manageable. Made it through all the runs, and felt pretty decent afterward. But trying to repeat the same workout outside today, I failed miserably. I only managed to do maybe five or six of the eight 60-sec runs and the hills were killing me. I'm still coughing.

I have long had an aversion to cardio workouts, and running in particular, because I never felt like I could do it well. Not back in high school when I was a much more reasonable weight and a varsity athlete, and certainly not now as an obese adult. However, over the past 6 weeks I had developed a lot of confidence by doing the treadmill at the gym. I push myself in my treadmill workouts and enjoy making them more difficult as I go along (increasing the speed, the time, the incline). I thought I was ready to start just a little running, and was anxious and excited to do it. To be excited about the idea of running - that alone was huge for me. After today though I feel weak and pathetic, and very discouraged.

It's stupid, I know, but this seriously has me in tears (ok, part of the crying might be TOM). I was looking forward to trying the C25K program, and felt like I might really be able to do it. I hate that I feel so discouraged right now. It won't stop me from continuing to try, but I'm just really disappointed that my body can't do as much yet as my heart and mind want it to be able to do.

Sorry for complaining, and thanks for letting me vent here.

If your gym has a pool, sign up for some water aerobics classes. If your gym does not have one, look for one that does! You get a great workout without getting exhausted, and no one sees your movements under water!

Monica: Thank you for the suggestion. I'm a total water person (I was always on swim teams growing up, and was a diver in high school and my first year in college) and I love the idea of getting in the pool, but I would probably rather swim laps than do water aerobics. My gym does have a pool and I plan on using it at some point, but I'm not quite ready to put on a bathing suit there. It's in my plan though after I've lost a little more weight.

However, I really do want to be able to run (or maybe "jog" is more accurate at this point). I feel like I'm getting good workouts on a regular basis, I just want to be able to do more and keep pushing myself to go further.

Thinking about it this evening, I was probably jogging faster outside today than I did when I had previously done the C25K W1D1 on the treadmill. That, along with the hills on my route through my neighborhood, was probably just more than I can do successfully right now. I'm going to keep doing the C25K week 1 workouts on the treadmill with incline this week and see if I can work up to and through week 2 there, and then try going back to week 1 outside after that. Having a plan for how to work through a challenge always makes me feel a little better.

I found your first post quite touching. Just hang in there with your plan, you'll make it.

Everybody feels discouraged at moments and tears are just fine!

It's a well-worn phrase, but it's true that it's not how many times you fall that matters, it's how many times you get up. It sounds like you're up again already

Hey there, I could really relate to your post. I always had an inclination to run, but was very out of shape cardio-wise, so it was never easy for me. I started using the C25k program too on the treadmill (mostly because it was January when I started and it was too cold to run outside!) The treadmill is much different than running outside, even when you do use an incline (though I think it's great that you did!) I remember I had been running on the 'mill about 3 months when I ventured outside for the first time.... I was sooo sore the next day, and it was really hard to run outside! I felt like I had to learn to run all over again! Quite discouraging as you know, but if you keep with it, you will continue to see improvements, I promise. Hills are very tough - I live in a hilly area and it was impossible to avoid them, and took me a long time to conquer some hills in my neighborhood.

I guess my only advice is to try to stick with it. It is easy to get discouraged, but if you are committed, you will find yourself running longer and longer as time goes on - and conquering those nasty hills! I also like treadmill runs for confidence boosters. You can do it!

Awe, I can relate too. I've been there!

I built up my cardio base first through the elliptical, spinning and walking. It took a long time to build a good strong cardio base. It wasn't until I got to a point where spin class was no longer taxing that I started running and I think I was around 190 pounds. I started the C25K program on the treadmill and found it difficult. Mind you, I already said I had a pretty good cardio base already. But I stuck it out, taking a bit longer than the plan calls for. I tried running outside and was floored by how hard it was! I ran some outside last summer, but just didn't enjoy it. Fast forward through a winter's worth of running 3 miles on the treadmill three days a week and last weekend I ran on an outdoor track. I ran six miles and barely blinked an eye! It was amazing! I could have kept going.

It takes a while. It may take a very long time. But the wonderful thing about running is that wherever you are today, it's better than yesterday.

I almost look at running on the TM and running outside as two different exercises. But you are already doing great on the TM, so running outside will get easier quickly. I am not sure where you are located - but I am in CT and we have had a few warm days in the 40's. My lungs aren't used to the cold - so that makes a big difference, too.

I felt like crying after my work out today, too. (also my TOM) I think sometimes exercising releases a lot of my emotions. And I have days where I feel bummed and days when I feel like I could run a million miles with a smile on my face.

It WILL get easier. Every day I tell myself: this will be the hardest it ever be b/c tomorrow it will be a wee bit easier. And the day after that will be a wee bit easier than that.

With running I've come to learn that we have "good days" and "not so good days"....the point is to just be "consistent"! It's ok if you can't do "today" what you did "yesterday"...it's to be expected...even with the most "advanced" of runners. Just make sure you DO YOUR BEST every day you do it!

Eventually, and very very gradually (don't push it!) you will grow in stamina and joint stability. Make sure you stretch good for at least 5-10 mins after every run!

Happy trails and feel better!

Thank you for your post, and I feel your pain! I just got back after a long walk/run outside. I have been running on the treadmill and yesterday did 2.5 miles and thought I was a rockstar. Today was my first shot outside. It's still really cold, so I had on sweatpants, a sweatshirt and a coat, plus I'm trying to get my dogs to run with me, so I had them on a leash.

I couldn't run for crap. I still ran short - very short - bursts, but it was mostly a walking trip and I felt like I was starting all over.

I am trying to remember when I couldn't run 5 minutes at a time on the treadmill and that the ability to do more time came with practice. Now, like SCraver said - I need to look at outdoor running as completely separate and start building my endurance there!

The outside running is harder for me too, I think it is for most people. I went through week 3 on the treadmill and then started week 1 outside and it was still too much for me. I decided to do a combo thing. I'm doing some treadmill work and some outside on the track. Do you have a track somewhere that you can use? The distance markers make it easier because you can pace yourself better. Plus, no hills! It's hard, but we'll get there.

Ladies, I truly can not thank you enough for your responses. Honestly. Thank you so much. I read them earlier this evening, and have been thinking about them since that time. I really, really appreciate you sharing your words, support and experiences. It's so good to know that I'm not the only one who couldn't do this at first, and that it doesn't mean I WON'T be able to do it - just that I have to work to get there, and it's ok if my progress is slow.

Last night, I was already feeling like I wanted to try again. Today was a strength training day at the gym and so no attempt at running, but I am looking forward to trying again tomorrow on the treadmill. I'm scared, but still looking forward to it. I will look like an idiot at the gym (so much on me jiggles!!!), and I will be totally out of breath with a beet red face next to all those people who seem to run with ease, but I don't care. I will keep trying, and when I can get a little further along on the treadmill, then I will go back outside and try there again (FitGirlyGirl: come to think of it, there IS a track at a middle school nearby, and maybe I can try there in the evenings or on the weekends. Good idea!!!).

Thank you again so much. Your posts have helped me tremendously.

Aww! I know how you feel. I have been there too. I could barely run for five mins last September. I started off really slow, and I still jog slow, but I recently ran a 5km. I also did the C25K, but it seemed to take me forever because I needed to repeat weeks, and stop at times because of soreness. It is possible though. Just start slow, even if it is jogging for a few mins. If you stick to it, you will also be able to make it. Listen to your body.

P.S, who cares if your face is beet red. My face gets beet red too, and I don't care what other people think. Just focus on your goals, as most people are not even looking at you (too focused on themselves).

I feel you pain as I am making the switch from TM to outside. I will tell you what has been working for me (I am by no means a good runner). First off I would try to find a place with no hills, I use the local bike path. I figure I will work on the hills when I get my endurance up. I used the C25k for about a month and a half on the TM using time as my measure, I find that do not like using time as a measure. Instead of saying I will run for 8 minutes I just say I will tunr to the next bench, stump, bridge etc. and then when I make it there I set a new marker. I do this until I feel like I might die and then I look at my time. I find that as soon as I set amount of time that I have to run it instantly becomes 1,000% harder.
Just my two cents, good luck!

Cough after exercise makes me think exercise-induced asthma. It's certainly worth bringing it up with your health care provider. I'd been running for a few years before being diagnosed because I didn't realize what normal was.

I dove in high school too! I had absolutely no interest continuing in college.

Thanks, ladies, for giving me your insights and advice!! I re-did D1W1 on the treadmill tonight, and it went WAY better than outside on Sunday. I made it through all the runs, and was really ok when I finished (though I did add another 10 minutes walking on the treadmill onto the end, because the cool down felt too short for me).

It was interesting to compare how I felt outside and how I felt on the treadmill. When I was running outside, it was my lungs that couldn't keep up. I'm not sure whether that might be the cold air as SCraver suggested, or asthma as Callahan suggested, but I was really miserable breathing-wise on Sunday whereas tonight on the treadmill my breathing was fine. Don't get me wrong - I was breathing hard - but nothing like Sunday (no coughing afterward, etc.). However, tonight on the treadmill it was my legs that were bothering me - some pain in my shins and quads, and my legs were just super tired during every run. On Sunday my legs weren't a problem at all. I'm certain I was jogging slower tonight on the treadmill than I was outside on Sunday, which is probably why my lungs kept up just fine. But my gait at that speed felt unnatural, which might be why my legs were bothering me tonight but not on Sunday.

I think the suggestion of an outdoor track might be the ideal place for me to work on this - now I just need to find a way to get there at a reasonable time (I normally go to the gym at 10pm).

Thank you again so much for your suggestions and advice. I am really happy tonight went reasonably well, and I credit a lot of that to the courage you all helped me to find. Thank you.