If you started C25K whilst overweight and unfit, how bad was it?

[wowl]

I used to love running but was never great at it - used to get shin pain etc but I loved just putting music on and taking off!

I've barely done any exercise since getting pregnant with DS over 3 years ago I'd love to get back running, properly this time, and have downloaded the app but I'm now 3-4 stone heavier than I was last time I did this and am prone to planar fasciitis and shin issues.

I have proper running trainers which helped but not enough. Is this going to be too hard to do? Should I try to lose weight first? (I was hoping it would help!)

I'm going to try and persuade DH to do it with me but wanted opinions first on whether it's worth persisting with if you're of the hideously fat and unfit variety...

I say start, and if the running gets too hard at any point during the workout, you can switch it down to a brisk walk instead, so you're doing brisk walk when she says run, and normal walk when she says brisk walk. As long as it's getting you out of breath and making your muscles work ( but not injuring them), it's doing you good. And if one of the weeks is too much of a leap (as I do think Couch to 5k has pacing issues and jumps ahead too quickly near the end), don't be afraid to do the week twice or change it up however works for you. I did know a GP who said the 10 week programme is too ambitious for some people - but it's just a training aid, nobody is saying it's the only way to get to 5k. I knew people who walked parts of Parkrun for a year before they could run the whole thing. Good luck :)

The first time I did it I started walking briskly an hour everyday for a month beforehand, just so it wasn't as much of a shock to the system. That worked well.

I also know a lot of people who've just done Week 1 or W1 and W2 for the first month.

You can definitely do it, you might just have to repeat a few weeks along the way!

It was really tough for me, but I was amazed at how quickly it got easier. Honestly, by week 2 I was more confident and less breathless. Combining running and weight loss has been a big improvement for me. Ive been running for few years now. I've lost a couple of stone and have been surprised by how much easier it is to run now and also how much faster my pace is. Go for it wow, it'll be worth it!