It doesn't matter what others are doing, time-wise, with the 5K (or any, really). Do it for you, and don't let silly husbands mess with your head. Just realize that *in general* men are faster than women, and if he's already more in shape than you it makes the difference more, and his "I can walk it in that time" needs to go in one ear and out the other (and hopefully he's not going to continue saying such things).
The C25K programs are great, but don't be afraid to repeat weeks! The 9 week thing is silly when you are just starting off a fitness program, because your cardiovascular system doesn't always get with the program that fast. Around 4 or 5 weeks there's always a huge leap in the distance/time that you're jogging, and if your lungs can't take it or your heart is beating out of your chest, don't move on. Just repeat that week until you can do it.
The "say you're 12" thing is NOT what the CM on our 5K did. She had a relatively long conversation with the parent of the younger child, and while she might have gotten the child a bib later on, the child did NOT have a bib while running. And, in fact, the child's behaviour on the course made me SO glad I had left my son with his dad instead of letting him run, because if my son had acted the way the child was acting when I passed them (shocker, since I'm a slowpoke) it would have really ruined my fun on the 5K.
If I remember correctly, I finished (walking, slow jogging) in something like 46 minutes, and there were plenty of people behind me. CM was there handing out medals, it was still fun. No characters, though, not at the beginning or when I finished.
