I'm back! I fiinally got the clearance from my PT and have started running! I officially finished Week 1 of the C25K program on Thursday (actually, I'm gonna toss in an extra week 1 run later today, just for the experience). I'm feeling pretty good, despite continuing pain from the joint repair, but I think that will be part of my life for the next year or so while I train my toe to bend again...I'm just so happy to be running after no miles at all in June and July! Despite the fact that I've been doing the Galloway running plan for a couple of years, and used it to complete a HM in April, my plan from here forward is to train myself to run without needing to take walking breaks. I'm still on the treadmill to provide a little more cushioning for the foot, so I'm doing my running segments at a 10 m/m and the walking segments at a 15 m/m. My hope is I can maintain that pace while I retrain my body for longer and longer running segments. I'm willing to take extra weeks at each level if I need the time. For those of you out there who used the C25K, how did you decide what pace to run your intervals? I'd be interested in hearing others' thoughts. I read some stuff on HRM training the other day and may consider that if I run into trouble with the plan above. Anyway, just wanted to share my joy! How are the rest of you doing?

For pacing, when I was using the program I was completely inexperienced, and I just ran whatever I thought I could do. Now, if I were to go back and do it again, I'd be running at what they call "conversational" pace, where I can feel that I'm breathing deeper and wouldn't really be interested in singing, but would have no trouble answering a question with two sentences. Eventually that would be my goal - to be able to run 30 minutes at that pace, whatever speed it happens to be.

Ditto! Glad you're back. Carol. Also glad to see that you are being careful in your return. Starting from scratch is a much better idea than getting on and off that injury rollercoaster repeatedly. Just ask backroadrunner about that. Her doctor thinks she may have stress fractures again. k

I've been using those C25K running podcasts, which make it a lot easier to know when to change my pace....I'm thinking those will be a godsend as the weeks move on...

I wish those had been around when I was doing it...of course, I didn't have an iPod back then, but if I had.... Have a great running weekend! k