Hi, Wingz, how is your non-planning plan working? It sounds like a simple way to keep things fun and fresh. It must be so nice to be in the position of being able to say that you have the option of doing a 5.4 mile run! You give the rest of us hope. I did week two day one of C25K yesterday. I was able to jog the full 90 seconds for the first two intervals, almost made it the third interval, and did not do the full intervals for the last three. So there's room for improvement there. I had to use the indoor track, which is 1/24 of a mile so it's a pretty tight oval AND the corners are cambered up (I think that's the right way to put it, it's like a mini-hill at each corner) so I think I might do better in the gymnasium. It just wasn't open when I went yesterday. Oh, well, I remind myself that my first try at week one day one I didn't jog more than one whole interval and by the end of last week I could do all 8, so progress is on the way.

I knew I'd do better in the gym! I did week 2 again today and jogged ALL the intervals. I think I found my stride, I kept reminding myself "baby steps" while I was jogging. I had to laugh, I was calling it the "pee-pee shuffle" because I thought I looked like I really had to get to a bathroom but was trying not to run to get there. I don't know if that makes any sense. I have nothing against treadmills besides my bad habit of hanging on. I'm so afraid I'll fly off the end of the dang thing that I'm too chicken to let go of the sides. I also am concerned about figuring out exactly how many MPH to walk or run. I'm very short, so 3.0 MPH is a brisk walk for me. I don't know much to turn it up when I do my jogging intervals. So I just do it the old fashioned way. I live near a state park with nice trails and I thought when the weather is better and the snow melts and dries up I might try running there for a change. Have you done much on trails? Do you think it's something that would work for a beginner?

Yeeha Hathorne! Nice work. Let us know how 1Hr. works for you. That's my next thing, too. 8 more runs until I'm done with C25K, providing everything goes smoothly... Huh, is there a one hour runner user group? I'm going to look. Veg-- you rock, too. I pressed post before adding that. Nice work! Keep at it. Gotta put in another plug for facing your treadmill fear. Start it at 2.0 and listen to your body. When the rate seems to match the walk and run pace that you do on solid ground, that's the pace you want. Easy bambeezy. But trails would rock, too. MTA: I just finished W7D2. Woohoo! I also had a bit of a runner's rite of passage. You see, my dryer is broken, so I was forced to run in suboptimal socks. Well, during the course of my 25 minute run and combined 10 minute warmup/cooldown, I managed to get a blister, burst it, and BLEED THROUGH MY SOCK! Yes, I'm weird, but that makes me kind of proud. I'll just give it a good scrub and try to remember to put some liquid bandage on it before my next run. Otherwise, it was a good run.

Nancy - I'm concerned. What I've understood of what you've said, you tried taking a few days off from running, but when you went back to running the same pain was still there, only this time it was accompanied by "weakness" in ankles and knees? I'm not a doc, but I'm 99% sure that's not normal. We runners have to be proactive about taking care of ourselves! Doing anything else is a short, quick trip to the end of a running career! Do I understand you correctly? If so, I'm thinking it's time to find that doc and get those legs checked out. Continuing to run on injuries does NOT make you a better runner - in only makes you a more injured runner. I'm not saying you can't get through this program... but I am thinking you need to get checked out and get to the bottom of what's causing the problem! If you don't fix the problem, chances are pretty good it won't fix itself... and can put you "on the bench" in no time. Hathorne - congratulations on finishing the program! Sounds like you've got a pretty good plan! Enjoy that race! I know it's scary the first time, but it's also fun... there's a lot of adrenaline and excitement that comes out on race day that we don't have to deal with when we're "just" running. obiebyke - I know you're chomping at the bit, wanting to go faster. Hang in there - runners MUST be patient. If you weren't before starting running, it'll help you develop it, lol! You're doing great... just a few weeks left in the program! ladyveg - I love trails, and there's no reason a beginner can't run on them. Things to watch out for: depending on the type of trail, rocks, roots, uneven surfaces, slippery piles of leaves, etc. I have twisted and sprained my ankle so many times on trails it's almost funny. I've also fallen down a number of times. (I'm a slow learner when it comes to things like that, lol!) So my advice would be don't go anywhere without a cell phone (if you have one) so that if you need to call for help you can. Know that if you twist your ankle while you're out on the trail if it's just a mild sprain you actually CAN run on it - progress from stand to limp to walk to jog to run as it loosens up - but you STILL need to ice it and take care of it when you get home, otherwise your recovery period will be longer. If you can find someone to run with you, take the company. Don't expect your speed to be the same on trails as on pavement. It'll be slower. Perhaps significantly so. Just run by "feel" rather than your watch. Trail running uses slightly different muscles (and more stabilizers) than TM or pavement running, so don't make a sudden jump to trails - just throw one in here and there and kinda work up to longer distances with them. And, from my personal experience, doing a lot of downhill running on trails, while fun, is really the most dangerous time. If you don't fall, you also risk knee strain or IT band pain... so if it's steep, walk DOWN and jog up as you are able. As for TM speeds, experiment with it. If 3.0 is a "brisk walk" then why not see what it feels like to jog at 3.0? If that's too slow, just gradually start inching it up. Give it a minute or two at each speed so you can see what it feels like to you. Experiment a bit. Don't look at what anyone else's treadmill says - that's pointless. Also, consider putting it on a slight incline. "Slight" = 1/2 of a % or 1%, not 10%. There's a lot of debate and a lot of reasons about this, some of which I don't understand or agree with, but I find my running speed is more similar if I have it on a slight incline when comparing speeds on the ground outside.

Hi everybody! I'm slowly making my way around the forum, there is so much to read and learn Congratulations everyone for completing another week or day on your plan. Stick with it, rain or shine, rest if you need to, but do not let go of what you've already achieved I too have finished, and let me tell you, if I can do it, anyone can....I WAS a self-proclaimed non-runner, but now I just run and I love it. So much that I'm thinking of getting a treadmill to start adding a day here and there, without my husband getting annoyed at me. I already disappear on him 3 times a week. My experience with treadmill isn't very encouraging, I've come off a couple of times , so like ladyveg, I'm a bit nervous. But I'm sure I can learn... Hathorne, I have my 5k graduation race on the 16th, will have to check again and see how we did!...It'll be great, no doubt By the way, Wingz, excuse my ignorance BUT, what do you do in a race? do you go faster than your usual pace or just keep it the same?

Hey, all-- I got my bday Garmin in the mail from my dad today, but I'm not supposed to open it until my actual bday, which is next Thursday. What do you think? Should I open it anyway and say I didn't? Today is W7D3. Truckin' along and overjoyed with how it's going. Congrats to everyone, no matter where you are in the program. Here's to a beautiful sunny weekend!

I like quagga's compromise on the birthday present. Of course, you want to make sure it's really working...