Is it possible to dial down the intensity of C25K?

[Ravisankar 0]

Hi,

 

On the first day of the program, the app requires me to do eight 1 min jogs.  I find this too stenuous and not able to complete the whole 1 min from 4th jog onwards.  Is there a way to dial down the intensity and follow a more gradual plan?  I find that plans from Aptive in Audible is more suitable for beginners, provides encouragement and the background music is awesome as well.

 

Regards,

Ravi

[CarrieFo 3]

I was able to do the first day work out even though it was hard. But I did repeat week one before moving to week 2. So I would recommend attempting to do the workout and if you need to back off some of the runs to a brisk walk and repeat the week until you have those 8 runs down. One thing I have found is that the first 2 runs and the last one are the hardest. The ones in between are the easiest because my body is all warmed up. This will increase your stamina. I have been a walker for exercise the past couple of years so this is quite challenging. I just did my week 2 day 1 and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. 

[Weezie 19]

Slowing your speed down helps.  If you find it hard this week... do what you can and redo the week more than once until you can.

[Crabapple 108]

I've never been able to do one minute more than once or twice a run. This is my second week doing it, and at the beginning of this week I reset it so that I'm doing Week 1 again this week. I run us long as I can and then start walking. I am seeing Improvement so I would say definitely don't give up on yourself and don't worry if you have to walk during part or even most of the minute.

[CleBkPkr 126]

I repeated week 1 as well. I wanted to be certain I was settled in with that before moving on. One thing all of my "runner" friends have said about when they first start was it takes time... they all said repeating weeks was not a problem at all. As long as you are working it will come.

I would like some advice for a new runner. My calf muscles get pretty tight. Any suggestions for a good warm up/stretching routine?

[Sabeth 4]

Hey guys, I need help, too. I did days 1 and 2 of week 3. My heartrate went up to 177 while running and it left me completely exhausted. My legs were aching and I was tired between the runs. What should I do? Go back to doing week 2 for a while? Or continue doing week 3?

Any advice appreciated!

[Crabapple 108]

I would say go back. Your health is more important than a schedule.

I did week one at least twice and week two maybe 3 times (I've kind of lost track now). I did week 4 last week and will probably do it again this week, even though I can't really run for 3 to 5 minutes and I think I'm on a week 8 or 9 as far as how many weeks I've actually done the program.

[Sabeth 4]

Thank you so much, Silver Pie!

I will go back to week 2 then, for now. That sounds more doable at the moment. I didn't have to repeat week 1 or 2 but now I've come to week 3 I'm kind of stuck.

Thanks again for your support! 

I needed that.  :-)

[CleBkPkr 126]

Week 3 seems to be a big transition week for a bunch  of us. You are making progress! Keep hanging in there!

[Sabeth 4]

Thanks CleBkPkr, for your support. 

I was afraid I'd have to quit. But I don't wanna do that. 

You people in this forum are great!

 

[Ninjajedi 77]

Sabeth no need to quit just keep doing the week you have trouble the best you can.

[AnneM 6]

I repeated week  1 and week 4. I never in my lif thought I could ever run 28 minutes without stopping but I just did it twice.  In two days I am going for 30 and I am signrd up for my first 5k a week later.  

[Crabapple 108]

I reacted to your post with a trophy because I thought you deserve one.

That is so awesome! You give hope to the rest of us. I'm still running a minute (or, if I'm lucky, a minute-and-a-half) at a time. My 5K is just under three weeks away, and I'm pretty sure I won't be running much of it. You still give me hope that, at some point, it may be possible to run 5 or 10 or even more minutes all at once. Thank you for that.

[AnneM 6]

I originally downloaded this app in 2017 and gave up early.  But January  this year I got a super supportive sports bra, tight compression pants (I hate bouncing) and a no excuses attitude.  My calendar says run, I run (rain...I run wet, sun...I still run wet cause of the sweat).  Like silver Pi, I walk during run times if I have to but I repeat weeks until I can do the whole week running during  the run time.  And guess what I did today?  I ran a full 5k even though the app said stop running, I hadn’t reached the 5k distance yet.  So I kept running for 10 more minutes after the app said stop.    I ran slow but I ran 5k.  Distance on picture does not reflect ten minutes beyond end of C25k workout.  

[CleBkPkr 126]

Congrats! Good for you!

[Crabapple 108]

You go, girl!   

That is so awesome-

[Txlvn04 2]

My first week had 1 min runs x 8. I did every other one and repeated week 1. Hope that helps

[Meatless Marathoner 0]

On 1/13/2019 at 11:47 AM, Weezie said:

Slowing your speed down helps.  If you find it hard this week... do what you can and redo the week more than once until you can.

This. Don't push yourself. Just keep walking when the app prompts you to run, or speed up to a brisk walk at that time, or whatever is comfortable. If you push yourself too hard, you're setting yourself up for injury.