Jennie I know how you feel! I am working up the courage to do a 5k walk at the end of the month but I don't know how I feel about doing it alone yet. It's the No Excuses 5K so the name alone has kept me from giving up on the idea all together. I had never heard of the c25k program but I looked it up a minute ago. I will have to really look into it. I started "running" back when I was about 20 lbs lighter but started having knee problems and quit out of fear of serious injury, or at least that is the excuse I let myself have. Nobody said my path would be pain free! ;) But after seeing this program I am starting to get interested again. I picked up a great book called The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training. That really got me moving. Best of luck to you and thanks for sparking my 5k run interests again!

Oh and I am in the same boat with being kind of new to an area and not having any of my old support crew. I am now in Ca from Michigan.

KayNicole - Good luck with your own 5k walk! That sounds so great and I also love that name. I need to look into events like that here. If you do plan on getting back into running def keep me and everyone posted! It would for sure keep me going.

I haven't done my first day of C25k yet, I'm going to get ready in a few mins. My boyfriend rolled his ankle running to my house today...can you believe that?! He said he was fine and still wanted to run, but if he shows any signs of pain I'm going to tell him to stop.

Okay so my boyfriend and I did it today!

lol we ended up going over the small hill on our road 3 times total, which wasn't bad but MAN what a workout! I just looked up the distance we walked/ran thats including the 5min brisk walk in the beginning (25mins total) and it came out to 1.5mi. I am both excited and scared of this program now, hahaha. I think I may want to drag out week one's schedule another week or so, just so I can get used to this. Overall I did enjoy it and I'm proud I was able to even do what I did.

oh and just to add...I'm already sore. O.o I'm never sore right after working out so thats a first! lol I seriously need to learn how to run correctly and get some running shoes.

Congrats on surviving your first day!! Take care of yourself. Rest and ice as needed! :D One thing I had a hard time learning when I first started out is it's ok to granny shuffle. ;)

I feel a bit better today, still a little sore...its my back thats sore. Is that normal? My legs don't hurt, my feet don't hurt. lol I didn't realize how much you use your abs while running...my abs are a bit sore too.

Jennie--YAY!! GREAT JOB!!

Back pain might mean you need new shoes. OR that you need to slow your pace and do the "granny shuffle" =) Listen to your body and keep going forward!!

Did it again today!

My back was fine before I started and now Its a bit sore again. I really do think I just need to get new shoes, its gonna have to wait till I get some money though. I'll try to take it easy on Saturday. Other than that I liked it, We got further this time, prob because we avoided the hills and stuck to the flatter ground. We got to almost 2 miles worth of walking and running in the 25mins.

Edited to just mention I am doing stretches before I run. Maybe I should take more time on that part of it.

YAY & YES YES! Stretches are SO important before you go run. In fact, I hear we are supposed to even weight lift BEFORE we go out running... and I have found this very helpful. I feel better (warmed up, loose, more energy) if I do a 30DS video before my run. Keep it up!!

Yay! Great job and keep going! I found some podcasts for the c25k training and I think I am going to try it out today! Ahhhh!!! wish me luck. I am worried. :)
You will notice a big difference when you get new shoes. Try to go to a running store and have them watch you run a little and they will fit you for the best shoes.

My back is still sore today! I spent some time to look up some reasons other than shoes thats could be the cause of this pain...turns out me being flat footed really doesn't help the situation. Even just the hills we did the first day could have done me in, because of the postural change. I do notice I have a bad form when running, I guess all stuff I'm just going to have to improve on. I'm thinking on starting over. Taking Saturday off of C25K and just doing a 2-3 mile walk instead, I can handle walking. Then Next week cut the first C25K week in half and work my way up. Hopefully I will have enough cash by then to buy myself some running shoes. I was just wearing my converse >.< I have so many issues with shoes because I am flat footed, the arch in shoes always give me serious pain so I'm definitely going to go to a running store and have them evaluate my running.

Yeah the converse will kill your feet. Being flat footed you are going to feel the pain. My husband is flat footed and is in the process of getting inserts, he also suffered from back pain as a result of his flat feet. You may want to look into that. I also got inserts about 6 months ago for bone spurs on my heel. I still have pain when I walk distances since my feet haven't quite reshaped themselves yet. :/ While the reshaping might be painful I figure the inserts will keep my feet consistently supported... and the arch pain isn't as bad as the bone spur pain was so overall I am happy with the inserts. lol :D Hopefully the store you go to will be a big help in looking for shoes!

Thank you KayNicole.

I really didn't think about my feet being an issue before, when I ran in high school I got pain but never really in my back it was mainly in my arch and calf. I was a bit thinner then too though so I didn't have that extra weight to carry.

I did find a couple runner's stores near me that WILL watch how I run first and help me find the correct shoe to wear. I'm excited about going and getting fitted now but a bit bummed it's gonna have to wait.

I talked to my bf and he agree'd we would walk a few miles Saturday and then slow it down a bit for these next few weeks. Instead of doing C25K's first week of running 8x for 60seconds we will only run 4x, so cutting it in half. It was only on about the 6-7th run that my back actually starts acting up. maybe I can run (60sec) walk (3min) that way I'm still getting in at least 25-30mins worth.

Jennie- good idea to make your own schedule. Listen to your body!

Thank you Veil. I will, I didn't think my back would be such an issue, lol. I did end up doing my Pilate's Resistance band (back of the body) workout, and after that my back did feel quite a bit better. I then did a spur of the moment walk up the street with my boyfriend's sister who just moved back last night. We walked a little less than a mile maybe 20mins worth, slow walk since she was holding her baby. So I may have another workout partner! I skipped doing my 30DS today, i didn't want to risk anymore back problems with the weights. I do plan on doing my 30DS tomorrow though and get in that 2-3mile walk. I want to keep that cardio in there.

Jennie- I just gotta say YOU are doing GREAT!! AND another workout buddy?? sweeeet!! I'm doing well, actually enjoying the Jillian video more (But why do I dread jumping jacks?? WTH? LOL!). Running is getting a lot easier. AND seeing weight drop. happy-happy! Sending you positive energy! --Audrey