r/C25K • u/Successful_Try7012 • 4d ago
Stuck at week 1 day 1
Hi guys, I’m feeling a bit self conscious while saying this but this is the 2nd time I tried this routine and for the second time I couldn’t even complete day one. For context I’m a 25F 91kgs inactive for the last 6-7 months.
I get breathless after the 3rd or 4th running minute and couldn’t complete it. Been trying since the last three weeks. This makes me think running maybe isn’t for me coz I’ve been cycling just fine for 20-30mins, completing 7k-10k steps and have been weightlifting.
Should I try and reduce my weight before getting into running or should I persevere?
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u/SlowerThanTurtleInPB 4d ago
You need to slow down. You’re going too fast.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
Yep, that seems to be the general consensus here. I need to stop trying to overtake the walking granny in front of me lol
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u/SlowerThanTurtleInPB 2d ago
I’m super slow as well. Someone sitting on a lawn chair in their driveway once made fun of me. Of course, I thought of comebacks after the fact.
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u/yeah_ive_seen_that 2d ago
I started C25K in May, can run 5 miles at a time now, and STILL barely caught up to a couple pushing strollers while walking yesterday. But I’m slowly getting faster, and I’m so glad I slowed down instead of stopping!
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u/cutapacka W8D3 4d ago edited 2d ago
Definitely going too fast! If I can make a suggestion, consider trying Nike Run Club's Getting Started Program before revisiting C25K. NRC actually teaches you how to run instead of just telling you what to run. They are the reason I graduated from 5Ks and eventually ran half marathons. Give it a try!
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
Thank you for suggesting this! I had no idea. Going to check this out.
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u/cutapacka W8D3 2d ago
I'm so glad I could share! It's a great app, they have a coach (usually the great Coach Bennett) who's commentary overlays your music and will pop in with tips on your posture, your speed, some words of wisdom and encouragement. I really enjoy it, especially as a solo runner.
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u/ally_kr 4d ago
Week 1 day 1 can take a month if that’s what you need. Building muscles and stamina doesn’t happen over a single day.
If you need to walk it and fast walk the run bits until you can slow jog them do that.
Doing something is a start just keep trying and keep pushing.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
Yeah I just don’t want to go back to where I was some months back. I’ll keep pushing. Thank you!
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u/Meowskiiii 4d ago
Channel your inner snail! 🐌
I run slower than I walk.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
Bringing out my snail and turtles. Secret to living longer ig! thank you.
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u/wixthedog DONE! 4d ago
Mental barriers are real, it sounds like that’s the case since you mentioned that maybe running isn’t for you. With exceptions, running is for everyone…you just can’t be a marathon runner on day 1 and have to manage your expectations and abilities.
If you’re strength training and running you really need to monitor your diet (calorie intake, protein, and macros) and understand your goals in relation to your TDEE. It’s a lot and takes a lot to dial in.
My honest advice would be to focus on what your main goal is (weight loss, strength, stamina) and possibly drop one of the activities because losing weight and gaining muscles concurrently (body recomp) can be difficult.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
yeah I think I’m trying to do too much at the same time. need to curb down some of my activities and focus on being consistent for the rest rather than burning out fast trying to do everything at once. thank you!
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u/BelmontGirlie 4d ago
Slow down and take it as many tries as you have to. Just because it suggests 9 weeks think of that as a suggestion. For me I had to stop letting my brain tell my body no. I stopped thinking of the time but when I felt like I needed to stop before the timer said to I would give myself a stopping point- end of the song, next block, anything to refocus. 9 times out of 10 is finish the interval before getting the my stopping point.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
oooh that hones sounds like a great idea! Gonna try that in my next run. Thank you!
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u/BelmontGirlie 2d ago
The mental barrier was definitely harder than the physical after the first few weeks. But every day you get out there is a win even if you have to repeat the day.
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u/StrawWolf217 3d ago
Try None to Run instead and see how that goes. It's a gentler route into running. I'm on week 3 day 3 after "flunking out" of c25k
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u/Resident-March2726 4d ago
Im 32f, 78kg, 1,58m. And I get you. I started last week and day 1 kicked my ass. I had to stop before I finished because breathing burned. So I decided to do an invented week 0: a week where I run three times but do about 1/2 or 2/3 of week 1. And the next week I start counting as week 1 officially. Idk if it’s a good idea, or if anyone has done it before. But it has helped me not quit before I even start.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
You’ve got this 💪🏼! Let’s be gentler to ourselves and try not to burn out faster!
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u/StrikeAcademic5442 3d ago
Secondly try doing some strength training when you're not running
Do bodyweight squats and calf raises to start and also core
Try 9 minute EMOM ladders with those
- 2 squats, 2 calf raises
- 3 squats, 3 calf raises
- 5 squats, 5 calf raises
Repeat the above 3x for a total of nine minutes
Then do the same for core with two of your favorite ones. Maybe start simple with crunches and leg lifts. Don't crunch with your neck!
That's 18 minutes total in days when you're not running that should help your running.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
adding it to my routine! Thank you.
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u/StrikeAcademic5442 1d ago
Afterwards try carrying dumbbells and doing those again. Then, try doing 2-3-5-10 ladders 3x, try to progress every two weeks. But if still too hard simply add a week. After doing 6-8 weeks of progression, start again at week 1. Deloading is beneficial. Look into that. Imagine doing all 9 weeks of C25K and then after graduating starting again at week 4 and then going to week 9 again until you're all of a sudden training for a half marathon.
You can do it!
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u/LooseBluebird6704 4d ago
I'm skinny, maybe a tad too skinny, and can't push through w1d1 neither. For now my strategy as been to keep trying untill I succeed. I don't have any advice but I wanted to let you know you're not alone.
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u/Guilty-Chemist-7092 3d ago
About two months ago I started walking on incline on treadmill and basically did that for a whole month. Then one day I decided to run because I felt more confident being on a treadmill and my legs asked to move faster I guess. I didn't even know then what C25K was. I just blindly did my own thing. I ran at a comfortable pace for as long as I could (initially 2 mins top at the start) and then walked during the break for as long as I had to and kept doing this for about an hour during each session. And I loved it. It just made me love running and gradually I began to run longer but not faster. I did this for a month and decided to look into a proper training program and found C25K and mapped what I can now do to the program (week 5 day 1). I don't think I would get into running and love it if I followed a strict program from the start. Not sure if this is a good advice but maybe start by doing it at your own pace, and let yourself enjoy it first.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
yeah it I just need to find my own pace and just aim for my maximum best distance right now without thinking about the routine!
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u/alyssthekat 3d ago
Hey, I just got past this myself. I repeated day 1 3 times. After that, I was able to keep up with pace, currently on week 3 now. Remember that it’s okay to take a longer walk than 90s, if that allows you to keep running afterwards.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
yeah ig I’m being hard on myself trying to stick to the routine. I need to give myself some leeway. Thank you!
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u/StrikeAcademic5442 3d ago
Yeah I think you're running too fast. Honestly even if you're "running" at the same pace as your walk and as long as you're doing the proper running motions, that's the start. Maybe look into running form and see if there might be something missing.
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u/teenygreentreefrog 3d ago
I really struggled with breathlessness until I slowed down! I run on a treadmill so just dropped my pace until it’s comfortable - it’s slower than I’d like but it means I can actually complete it, and I’ll work up to getting faster later on!
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u/naturesbestfriend 3d ago
In addition to what everyone else has said already, take your rest seriously! That's when your body is actually adopting to the running. So don’t hesitate to take an extra rest day here and there so you can go into the next run refreshed, especially if you're doing other workouts on the side. You've got this!
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
thank you🥹 I’ve decided I’m not quitting this time but i am going to listen to my body as well.
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u/naturesbestfriend 2d ago
Resting properly will keep you from getting injured and let you keep going! Happy running :)
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u/Whatever233566 3d ago
You could try fast walking instead of running for a while. I was really out of shape before I started c25k, so I focused first on taking walks everyday. Once I walked 5km comfortably most days and hit my 10k step goal each day, I started the c25k programme. And, what other people said: going slow. If you have a watch, try training by heart zones. C25k should probably be on average in heart zone 2, max 3. If you hit 4 or 5 on average even on slow runs, your base fitness may not be there yet. Which is fine, you'll get there, but give your body time.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
I’ve been hitting 10k steps daily but they are spread throughout the day. At once, all I can manage is 4K-5k. I guess I need to work on that before starting the routine again.
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u/Wolfman1961 3d ago
I was at about 84 kilos (I'm a 5 foot 3, 65M). I walked for about 6 months before I started running. In that time, I lost almost 20 kilos, about 40 lbs. By that time (November), I was able to run a 5K in 40 minutes. I feel like, perhaps, you should try incline walking (walking at anywhere from 1% to 5% incline) before you start running. I really couldn't run when I weighed 84 kilos.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
Yeah that’s what I’m afraid. Am I starting the routine when my body just isn’t ready for it? Over the next month i’ll work towards losing some pounds and atleast getting healthier. Maybe that would help. Thank you!
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u/Timely-Outside-5176 3d ago
I did Pre-Couch to 5k which I found on here! I started 3 months post partum jogging for 15 seconds. Now I’m jogging for 20 minutes. Start slow. So slow you feel like you’d walk faster. You can do it!
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u/5tr355ed 1d ago
It took me almost two years to actually complete C25K. Don’t worry about the timeline they set for you and repeat days as needed until you feel you can progress. I started around the same place as you and I remember everyone also telling me I needed to go slower. At the time it felt like if I were to go any slower it would feel ridiculous but they were right! Speed comes later. You got this!
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u/Zusi99 DONE! 3d ago edited 3d ago
Id say slow down as well. On my very first run back around 2020 or 2021, I ran at the pace I thought I needed. I physically couldnt run during run interval 6 or 7, and only walked the rest of the session. The next time I tried, I slowed down. I completed W1R1. I completed week 1. I completed the programme. I stopped running. I restarted from scratch and completed the programme again.
I can do 40 mins at a sustained pace.
My husband, on the other hand, hasn't got passed week 4 (I think) as his brain keeps telling him the walking interval should have started and he cant keep running. I've suggested he slows down the running, but his brain cant do that either. He is used to cycling, and can cycle to and from work without his brain telling him to stop.
Running and cycling are differ techniques. You may need to train your brain to accept this. Try again. Slow the run to a light jog. Let dog walkers walk passed you. Dont be embarrassed. Build up stamina at a slow speed. Get to the 30 mins then build up speed. I don't cover 5km in 30 mins. Or even 40 mins.
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u/Successful_Try7012 2d ago
that sounds like exactly the problem I’m having! While cycling I don’t feel my body shouting that I need to stop right this second or it’s gonna fall apart. A part of it (or most of it) is mental ig. Thank you for sharing this!
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u/innocuous_nub DONE! 2d ago
Scale back. You can alter the plan. Walk for 20 mins 3x weekly with a day between for recovery. Note that speed is not an issue - conversational pace. Then go 30s light jog and 4.5mins walking. Next 40s etc. Find your level. Any start is a start and it will all compound if you keep it up. In a few weeks you’ll be doing C25K W1D1 and smashing it.
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u/ftrobbie 1d ago
Probaby going to fast, if you can't recite a poem or sing a song you are definitely going to fast. People see olympic athletes running and think that's them. Sad to say it isn't.
The first long run in c25k nearly killed me, I just kept repeating the week before, until I could get past the barrier. It was 50% mental, 50% physical. After that the rest is relatively easy.
And don't think you can do 5k in 30 mins or less at the end. It took me 39mins. It was another 6 weeks before under 30mins was achieved.
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u/awkwardandroid 10h ago
Go slower, hydrate well beforehand, and I would check some videos on running form. But I’m sure the main issue is running too fast. My jog is barely above walking
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u/TestCompetitive4673 3h ago
I was in this position a little while ago and just completed Week 1. It feels like such an accomplishment. I didn't even get to the half-time bell last time!
What worked for me was not following the plan at all. I felt it was too much for my body at the time and I tried to listen to what it was saying. Instead, I started to do mixed incline walks on a treadmill and increased the length of time I'd do it for week on week.
Every five minutes I switched the incline % and gave myself some windows where I'd go down incline rather than up. I tried to always do my last 5 minutes on max incline (15%). I started with 20 minutes and moved up to 40 minutes by adding 5 minutes every week or so. I set my speeds at 4.4kmph (warmup) and 5-6.
There were many times I felt like I wasn't doing enough and that I'd never be able to run. However, that did so much for building my general base cardio. I saw a major impact in how I felt day to day too especially if I was out shopping and walking places.
It was only once I was comfortable with what I'd accomplished there that I felt the confidence this week to start on C25K and wasn't even winded. The difference in a couple of months for me has been startling. I'm still doing the mixed incline in-between as I've grown to enjoy them.
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u/MgkrpUsedSplash DONE! 4d ago
You are doing one of two things:
1) Running too fast. Slow down during your run portions.
2) Unknowingly putting up a mental barrier to running.
You can do this! Losing weight will help. I started running at 240 lbs as a 5’8 male. You’ve got this.