# I did my first 5k this morning! (C25k) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038 "2014-08-07T15:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/1 "2014-08-07T15:16:30Z")
Luckily for me, I’m used to walking a number of miles so I was able to do the program faster than usual - started on July 15th, did my first 5k today, 23 days later. Total weight loss since then: 13 pounds (I also gave up eating peanut butter, which I ate an ungodly amount of.) I’ve lost 63 pounds since this time last year, so go me. I was having some left ankle issues at the beginning, but analyzing the difference between my gait made me realize that I was “rolling” (for want of a better term) my left foot in a way that I was not doing for my right foot. So I made a few changes, and they seemed to have worked - far less pain (almost none) today compared to when I was doing the 3min/5min jogs. I know you’re supposed to start these threads when you begin, but _c’est la vie_. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/2 "2014-08-07T15:38:05Z")
Congratulations! Are you going to try for longer distances? StG ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/3 "2014-08-07T15:44:09Z")
Awesome! Doubly so on the weight loss. Careful on any distance increase over the next couple of months. This is the prime time period to court stress fractures. You’re probably better protected than the average new runner due to your walking but it’s still something to be aware of. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/4 "2014-08-07T16:47:40Z")
I don’t know if I’m going to try for longer distances - right now, I’m just glad that I can jog for 3 miles. I still walk with my wife a couple of miles a day (yesterday, did 2 dedicated miles, then took the family to Sea World which was good at least for another 2 miles). ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/5 "2014-08-07T16:53:51Z")
I did the C25K program a a year and a half ago or so…it’s pretty amazing to watch yourself build up distance and then run a 5k in such a short period of time, and it’s a big accomplishment – nice job! Just watch out for the danger of not having a goal to work toward – it’s easy to slack off when you’re no longer working toward that magical 5k. Maybe try to slowly increase your pace (with defined goals per run or per week) while still running 5k at a time, and then maybe work up to a 10k or longer…just to make sure you keep running. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/6 "2014-08-07T16:54:12Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t know if I’m going to try for longer distances - right now, I’m just glad that I can jog for 3 miles. > > I still walk with my wife a couple of miles a day (yesterday, did 2 dedicated miles, then took the family to Sea World which was good at least for another 2 miles). Don’t even worry about longer distance, 3 is fine. If you ever get the urge to try longer, do it because you want to. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/7 "2014-08-07T17:10:29Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I did the C25K program a a year and a half ago or so…it’s pretty amazing to watch yourself build up distance and then run a 5k in such a short period of time, and it’s a big accomplishment – nice job! Just watch out for the danger of not having a goal to work toward – it’s easy to slack off when you’re no longer working toward that magical 5k. Maybe try to slowly increase your pace (with defined goals per run or per week) while still running 5k at a time, and then maybe work up to a 10k or longer…just to make sure you keep running. My wife, daughter and I do a number of charity run/walk 5k’s every year so I do have those to “work” for. Fortunately, they all fall in the autumn-spring period with a number of them occurring in December/January - nobody but the most dedicated wants to run a 5k in San Antonio at 10am in the summer months, that’s for sure! ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/8 "2014-08-07T18:33:58Z")
Congrats! This month marks the 4th anniversary of my starting C25k. I couldn’t run for more than a minute or so before starting the program. Four years later, I am still running 3 times a week and I even ran a half marathon 2 years ago. Enjoy your accomplishment! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/9 "2014-08-07T18:37:33Z")
Go you, JohnT! ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/10 "2014-08-07T22:08:58Z")
Oh man, you didn’t get the shin splints? Beware the shin splints! After my first major run–by which I mean one where I didn’t stop at all to walk and catch my breath–I decided to walk later in the day. I was already aching and figured I just needed to limber up a bit. But did I regret doing that, I was practically stranded and had to amble the excruciating distance back home. Now all I have to worry about are my calves cramping up (often in the middle of the night). Also, my knees make fun sounds now. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/11 "2014-08-08T13:59:40Z")
Naw, no shin splints. Yet. No cramping either, but after my first day of running I was sore for a day or three. After that, not at all. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/12 "2014-08-12T01:56:36Z")
Well, I’ve done 5k twice since the OP, so at least I’m assured it wasn’t a fluke. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-did-my-first-5k-this-morning-c25k/695038/13 "2014-09-09T13:06:48Z")
A month later, did a 5k to celebrate. I don’t run 3 miles every time I go out, but those days that I don’t run 3 miles I work harder on the exercise machine. I’m even developing some upper-body muscle definition, something that’s never, ever occurred before. I generally go 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, none, 3, 2… Down to 177 pounds - I haven’t been below 180 since God Knows When™. Total weight loss since my max… 74lbs. :eek: I’m probably on the left side of the bell curve when it comes to my weight, but that’s a nice side to be on. Worst thing about this - it’s hard to sit down on plain wooden chairs as my gluteous is no longer so maximus. :o