The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks.  This is the results of the first workout, week one, day one. Program:  Brisk five-minute warmup walk.  Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.  Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: Yeah!  I completed the first workout.  My pace was slower than prescribed.  I did more of a slow walk than a brisk walk and my fastest run was about 6 mph.  I ended the workout just under a mile at 0.95.  My breathing was heavy, though not overly strained.  My heart rate was good, above the threshold and comfortably below the maximum.  The biggest problem I had was with my achilles tendon, from just above my ankle to just below the calf muscle.  It began to burn during the jog segments of the second half of the intervals.  As a result, after 30-40 seconds of jogging, when the burn got too intense, I reduced speed to a walk early.  But, I still managed to finish the program. To avoid worrying about traffic and possibly collapsing too far from home, I ran barefoot on the treadmill in my basement.  For timing, I used Robert Ullrey’s podcast, played with the Routine Timer iPhone app, and kept an eye on the treadmill timer. A contributing factor to the achilles burn may be that I forgot to stretch before the workout.  When I stretched afterwards, the achilles did not hurt.  So, it should be okay going forward.  I suspect the achilles burn is from running barefoot and landing mid-foot instead of using the heel-strike common when running while wearing shoes.  I think the achilles burn may be overcome more easily than the shin splints of heel striking, at least I hope so. Overall, it was good first workout.  But, as a geek making a change from nothing to something, I almost wish there was a week zero to get started more easily.  It’s all uphill from here; should be good.