I did it. I am now registered for a 5k - my first EVER. It is a virtual race, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be walking it rather than running, but adding in a few bursts of speed to get my time down would be nice. The race is end of March-first of April time frame and I just started really walking again for exercise. I have an app that I use that should help me track my progress, but looking for some advice from real people as well.

Have any of you gone this route as a method of exercise? How did it go for you? Any advice?

Have you looked into the Couch to 5k Program? There are apps available for it, as well as the official web-site that has a training schedule:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

It really does work! It's crazy that you can go from only running a minute at a time to running for 30+ minutes straight, but you can! Just follow the program, repeat workouts or entire weeks as needed, and you can get there. It took me about 12 weeks instead of the target 9 weeks, but I did eventually make it to where I could run a whole 5k without stopping to walk at all.

@@JamieLogical I have heard of it and have been really tempted. The only reason I haven't is because I'm currently using Zombies, Run! for my workouts (Basically an app with a story line that has you running, or walking quickly in my case, from the undead. It is strangely motivating. But then I am a geek. A BIG geek.) I'm going to do some research to see if I can find a way to work it into the program I'm doing now. Awesome to hear that it worked for you! Not stopping to walk a 5k seems almost impossible for me right now, but man it would be cool.

I love C25K! When I started running I couldn't run for more than 30 seconds. Last week I ran for 5 minutes straight. On Monday I ran for 8 minutes straight. Yesterday it wanted me to run for 20 minutes but I made it to 12 so I'll have to repeat this week next week. I'm still impressed I went from 5 minutes to 12 minutes in 7 days!

Couch to 5k is awesome!!! Started it just about two years ago (1 month post op) and ran a full marathon last May and am training for my second (lots of 5k's, 10k's and half marathons in the books too!). I did my first 5k race in April of '14 which was four months after I started couch to 5k!

I love C25K! When I started running I couldn't run for more than 30 seconds. Last week I ran for 5 minutes straight. On Monday I ran for 8 minutes straight. Yesterday it wanted me to run for 20 minutes but I made it to 12 so I'll have to repeat this week next week. I'm still impressed I went from 5 minutes to 12 minutes in 7 days!

I repeated some days/weeks as well, so it took me more like 12 weeks, but it was still so impressive to me how far I came in such a short period of time.

I used c25k to get started, loved it. I'm now in love with running. I run about 3x a week now.

+1 for any of the C25K apps out there. When I started I had to repeat week one a few times. Now I am working on 5to10K program.

Yes, I'm signed up for a 5K in May...couple of them in fact. I started my "training" program about 3 week using the 5K Runner Program. I like it so far.