Okay, there's been some interest expressed in a c25k graduates thread, so here it is. Post your training plans, your goals, your progress, your humorous or tragic running anecdotes, or whatever else you want!

I'll kick things off with a progress report on ME.

I just finished c25k a week or two ago, so I'm working on slowly building up my mileage right now. I did ten miles last week (three 3-mile runs and a 1-mile run), and I'm going to do eleven this week (three 3-milers and a 2-mile run). Next week I'll do four 3-mile runs and then after that I'll start working on adding distance to one of my runs each week until I'm doing three 3-mile runs and a 6- or 7-mile one. That's the plan, anyway. What's everyone else's plan?

I was kind of irritated this past week to discover that just because I can run three miles now it doesn't mean that one mile will be super easy. I went out for a one-mile run with the plan to do it really fast, since there was just one mile. Well, uh, that didn't happen. I forgot that I never really hit my stride until about a mile in, so the whole run just sucked. I didn't feel like running, and it was uphill, and I was going into the wind, and and and... So I wound up doing my one mile no faster than I usually do the last mile of a three-mile run. But hey, I got it done, so win, right?

Thanks for setting this up! I will be here in two weeks!

When I come over I will be taking on the 5k-to-10k app!

KarinRose - Is that the Bridge-to-10k one? I've heard really good things about it. Can't wait to see you over here.

I'm kind of bummed because I missed my run last night because of a nasty headache. That puts me behind for the week, and it's going to be hard to catch up and get my eleven miles in. I can't run tonight because I'm lifting weights (ever try to run after heavy squats? hahahaha, NOT fun). I think I'm going to try to do four miles tomorrow, one mile late Friday night, and three miles each on Saturday and Sunday. Trouble is, I've never run four days in a row before, so I don't know how my body's going to react. I guess I'll find out.

Thank you BigChiefHoHo for starting this thread.

I started the C25K last autumn, on the treadmill as my knees were too fragile to pound the asphalt, and then winter arrived. I got very bored with long treadmill runs so stopped the program after about 6 weeks. Then when the snow and ice melted I was so pleased I could hit the pavements - all that work in the gym on muscle strength had really paid off.

I then ran 5km at the end f March for the first time. What a buzz! I then used the Hal Higdon program to build up and ran in a 10km event last weekend, and managed to keep running all the way and finish in a respectable time (not that the time was important). That was incredible - I'd never done anything like that before. Talk about proud of myself!

I have really got this running bug and want to develop my form so I can just keep on going; I am really interested in the Chi running ideas. Running round the local lake first thing in the morning is wonderful - it's calm and really centres me. Right now I know I can do 3 km pretty much every day, maybe even 5km but know that a rest day every few days is really important too. Having focused more on running I do feel my upper body needs some attention too and I should stretch more, do more weights etc.

The first part is always the worst for me too, while I find a rhythm but once I get going I do feel like I can keep on going. I have now signed up to a half-marathon in September and again, with Hal Higdon suggestions for training. It feels a bit mind-blowing to attempt it, but then again so did the 10km. One step at a time I got there and hope to do the same again

Good luck all! Let's keep sharing....

I graduated C25K in...um...2010. Yeah, quite awhile ago, and I've been a slacker since then. At the moment I'm just working on being able to run a 5K distance (which I was able - just barely - to do back in 2010). I'm doing run/walk intervals, for about a 2 mile distance, to build my endurance back up.

CrazyCatWoman - A half-marathon! That's awesome. Can't wait to hear your report. How did you like working with Hal Higdon's program for the 10k? I've heard good things about it.

Novus - I've had that kind of 'do-over' too. I tried c25k for the first time in 2010, got about halfway through, and got pregnant. After having the kid in 2011, I started again and finished it, but I didn't bother trying to advance and got bored just running three miles a few times a week, so I stopped. This time I finished it, and I'm setting a goal of doing a 10k this fall and maybe a 10-miler this winter. I think I'll stick to it better if I keep trying to improve.

So, as far as my progress goes, I totally messed myself up last week. I ran four miles on Thursday (my farthest yet, yay!), and was planning on doing three miles Friday and another three Saturday, so I wanted to do the Friday run nice and slow so I felt good Friday. Well, stupid me, I felt great two miles in so I decided to try to beat my 5k record. I did (37:45, old record was 38:30ish), but my knee was so sore afterward that I couldn't run Saturday or Sunday. So much for my mileage goal last week...

So I'm going to go for 11 miles total this week, and I am NOT going to try to break any records. What's everyone else have on the running agenda for this week?

Hope your knee is doing better, BigChiefHoho!

I really wanted to go for a run yesterday but I was still hurting so much from Saturday's run that I just knew it was impossible. I think I may have pushed myself a wee bit too much on Saturday! Hopefully I'll be up for a run tomorrow.

I found this program that has very easy run-walk intervals, starting with 2/2. (Yes, I really have gotten so out of shape that a 2 minute run will challenge me. ) I think having a structured program will help me to work on my endurance at a reasonable pace (rather than doing what I did on Saturday which was to force myself to run until my legs were so much spaghetti .)

Hello All

Aren't knees a problem! I went out yesterday with only bands on my knees, normally I strap them, but I wanted to test out how they felt after 5km and sure enough, pain later in my right knee

At the moment I am just doing 5km every other day or so, and will step up after midsummer. The Hal Higdon programs are useful - they give me a guide as to what to am for and how often to run, but I don't follow them religiously and may alter the order here and there. But I think they show really well how you can build up progress. The half marathon is in September and I'd like to do at least one more 10km race before then.
Over the next couple of weeks I want to work at developing form - Chi running really interests me as apparently it helps avoid injury!

Thanks, guys. My knee is actually feeling much better. I went out for a 3-mile run last night and took it reeeeeeeeeally slow, and this morning I feel great. So I think the coast is clear!

Novus - I think starting to run is harder mentally the second time around than the first because you can remember how it felt to be able to run 30 minutes so it sucks twice as much to have trouble with 1-2 minute intervals. But I think the fitness comes back faster the second time, too, so... Hang in there, you'll be back up to speed faster than you think.

CrazyCatLady - Do you have your eye on any particular 10k? I've been looking around at a few in my area. I think I might sign up for one in November that runs through a horse-racing district. Scenic is good, right?

I think my knee is coming out in sympathy BigChiefHoHo ! I did manage to run though, with it strapped.
I have signed up to a 10km in mid-July, in a town nearby called Ii. It's pretty flat around here but the route looks fairly pretty - along a river. Scenic is most definitely good and I love the 5km route I have worked out for myself as a regular thing. The runs here are in summer as cross-country skiing takes over in winter, although I gather running on cleared paths is fine. I am not sure I want to risk slipping over so am not sure what I will do when the temperatures drop. I have my eye on a half-marathon before then, again fairly locally. This running thing is addictive, it seems

This is so true! And it's definitely why I pushed myself too hard last Saturday. Thanks for the encouragement.

I wasn't able to run on Wednesday because it rained buckets all day long and it was very cold. (Yeah, furnace running in JUNE. Phrizebqt!!!) But tomorrow I shall run and I am most excited.

CrazyCatWoman - Good luck with the 10K....and the preparation for it!

Awesome run yesterday!

The 2/2 intervals are a bit below where I'm at. (I snuck in one 4 minute run interval and it was totally doable). But I'm going to stick with this program so I can build my endurance at a reasonable pace. Plus, it's nice to be able to sit down and stand up today without being in agony.

I'm contemplating moving on to a 10K plan next. I found two 10K races scheduled for this autumn and I would really love to do one of them. But my mind kinna boggles at the thought of running for 6.2 miles.

I got my 11 miles last week! I know it's not a whole lot, but it's more than I ever ran in a week before. I'm going to go for 12 miles this week. I think I'm going to do a 4 mile run tomorrow, a 2 mile recovery run Wednesday night, and two 3-mile runs on Friday and Saturday or Sunday. Four miles is pretty long for me, so I'm excited to start building up my distance.

That race along a river sounds really nice, CrazyCatWoman. I used to have a route around a lake where I used to live. It was great, especially in the summer when people had sailboats on it. No water here, unfortunately!

Novus, I'd totally shoot for the 10k plan next! I think not having a good 'next step' planned out is the biggest reason that people quit running. I'm hoping to do a 10k this fall too.

Woohoo! Good on you, hoho, for 11 miles!

Did another easy 2/2 run today. I plan to do this interval training through the end of the month and then start the 10K training. The 10K training goes for seven weeks, and the final day of the program which is designated as race day, happens to coincide with a race I'm thinking about doing. I want to wait and see how I'm doing and not rush into registering for the race.....but I'm seriously thinking about it.