I was wondering if the 9-week couch to 5k plan really does get you from a couch to 5k in only 9 weeks.

For me, since I haven't even done much walking, I was thinking first I would do 2 weeks of walking 3-4 times a week for first 20, then 30 minutes. Then I would start on the couch to 5k, but do it slower, perhaps repeating each week once and instead of stopping at 20 minutes, adding a 10 minute cool down walk at the end.

Is this the best approach or have any of you been able to go from couch to 5k in only 9 weeks? I was also thinking of not doubling every week, but only weeks I'm having trouble with.

Thanks for your input!

It worked for me. It kept me pushing my limits all the time. Actually, at the end, I wasn't quite up to 5K because I was following the minutes schedule rather than the distance schedule, and I'm a slow runner. But I considered it a complete success

Yes, it really works. I actually went to running a 5k in about 6 weeks, but I'd been walking 60-90 minutes a day for 2 years. Once I started the program I did it all wrong. No days off, running longer than called for, etc. You don't need to do it that way for it to work though. If you can stand the music, go download the podcast off itunes for free. There are a couple of versions. Robert Ulley (I think that's his name) and DJ mix from podrunner. Personally I preferred the podrunner mix, but after 4 weeks I used my own music.

Yes it works, though some people can speed it up and some people prefer to slow it down. But the methodology is great.

Like Tyler Durden said, it's really the methodology behind C25k that makes it a good program. Walk/run intervals are a great way to start out running when you haven't run a whole lot before (like me) and it gives you a structured schedule to keep you pushing your limits and going further each week.

It's also flexible enough so that if you don't feel ready to move on to the next week, you could certainly repeat a week until you felt ready.