Hello fellow runners, I have just graduated from the excellent C25K programme and now intend to work towards 10K. I have decided to follow ju-ju's plan to get there, as recommended on here, however, I am unsure whether to start the plan immediately or spend 2 weeks continuing to run for 30 minutes as per week 9 of C25K.
In the final week of C25K over the 3 periods of 30 minutes running, I ran 5.8K, 6K and 5.7K, over different routes. Should I continue to do 2 more weeks of this or should I start the new plan, given that during the first 3 weeks of the new plan I would be running less distance over each week? If I am honest my legs could probably do with a bit of a rest anyway, but interested to hear your opinions.
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Visionon
Graduate10
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Hi and welcome to the dark side Visionon ! 😬😬 Congrats on your graduation.
Personally speaking I would suggest consolidating and resting a bit. It’s also a time to strengthen. I remember reading a couple of your posts and you were flying!
However at the end of day of the choice is yours. I’m sure ju-ju- will give you some wise words of advice.
Hi and huge congratulations on your recent graduation. You are really quick running about 6K in 30 mins. I don’t think you will have any problem getting to 10K. However, I’d suggest a couple of weeks of more relaxed running to build some strength. I get the sense that once you have set yorself a goal you’ll give it100%. So before you start on the next challenge give yourself a few weeks where your allowed to rest.
Thanks O505K. Yep you are correct I will give it 100%, but that is part of my problem I am too competitive! As you say a couple of weeks of more relaxed running might be best, but if I continue to do 30 minute runs I will end up running further than if I had started ju-ju's plan to reach 10K. Do you see what I mean?
Understood, if you fancy giving the plan a go make a start. But give yourself permission to take more than 8 weeks if you need it. If you keep pushing too hard you may end up in the IC.
Good grief you are seriously fast - I am in awe! I suspect that you will progress whatever and maybe you have a background of other sports. However, just a word of warning - from other sports I know to my cost that it is really easy to get carried away and push it too far and then have to spend a long time recovering from the injury couch. Just be mindful and build in rest and push just far enough - you are way ahead of me!
Thanks for all the praise. You are right I do have background in another sport and I know from past experience when I have tried to become a runner before that I can be prone to injury. I need to control my instinct to do too much and rest sufficiently as you say.
I don't have one iota of sports knowledge and am new to it all but one thing I do hear all the time is slow down, distance not speed.You're gonna be good at this!
When you run do you feel you are breathing heavily? I think a lot of people worry that you will injur yourself. I’ve gone back to 8min km since graduating
Why not challenge yourself to run as slowly as possible for 30 minutes? Give yourself a distance limit of 4 km. That would be 7 and a half minute kms or 8kmph.
I haven’t even looked at JuJus plan yet as going to do at least 6 PG consolidation runs and only done 3 so far.
You know that answer. Unless you’re super fit pro athlete you should listen to your body very carefully because ‘fast’ can take you to a physio faster than you think and then you lose much of what you’ve gained. No idea how old/young you are so your times aren’t relevant but pushing your body hard so your breathing is laboured in the end may not be the best way to go unless you insist on being competitive, in which case l wish you all the best in your races!
Me too, I have also done the same in the past, but rarely learn, one day maybe.
I am in awe, that's so fast!!! Well done Visionon , congratulations for completing C25K, looks like you'll now be showing us all how it's done!!
All I can say is that it sounds like you have no problem with pace, but it might actually be worth slowing down a bit so as not to pick up an injury when you go for the longer distances. I'm still amazed though, that's brilliant, all the best!
I have been doing the bridge to 10K runs once finishing. I alternate the stepping stones with the speed and run three times a week and then do my park run on Saturday. I am now running 3 .7 miles in 32 minutes .. park run best has been 28.50 . I like having the trainer in my ear and fear if I do ju ju plan that I’ll lose fitness ! I plan to use the stamina podcast on repeat to increase my distance
Hello Croughtonrunner, are the stepping stones different podcasts? So you are running 4 times a week? I am not sure my body could cope with that. I must admit I don't like having music or talking in my ears I liken to hear what is going on around me, each to their own.
Hi! Well done on getting to the end of C25K! I graduated last week and did a further week of 3 x 30 minute runs but yesterday I started on Ju-Ju’s 10k plan. You have to do what’s right for you, have another couple of 30 minute runs and you will know when you’re ready to move on 😄
Hi there Visionon a huge massivo congrats to you, that's fine running there and you've done so well.
I understand ref you being competitive, but from my opinion I'd suggest doing a few weeks continuation if what you've been doing, plus to give your legs a little rest. Then start juju's plan.
Hi there - congrats on graduating! I'm in the same position as you and graduated last Friday. I gave myself a few days off and did my first consolidation run last night. The last run of the program was 5.2k in 30 mins and like you (I guess) all the way through the program I was intent on the next run being longer/quicker than the previous one - and they were - but last night I decided just to go for a 5k run but not necessarily to beat the previous times.
Well what a revelation that was - I took it slowly and decided to just plod, get the legs moving but not to end up breathing heavily at the end. I thought that I would get to the 5k in around 35 mins or so. Bugger me I did it in less than 31mins and felt great for not having pushed myself as hard as I had done previously. For me its a couple of weeks of this type of running - although I am thinking of having the 3rd run of the week as a little longer 35-40 mins - at around the same pace - then on to the structure of the 10k plan.
Great work! Those are fantastic distances for the time so early in your running journey, it sounds like you're a natural! I consolidated at 5k with no time pressures for a while, then took up Parkrun and got the speed going before working my way up to 10k just following my own path. How you do it depends on your eagerness to get to there, I didn't follow Ju-Ju but she's an inspiration nevertheless.
Whatever you do big respect for what you've achieved and happy running!
Thanks very much lardofale, I think I will take the edge off the speed, as lots of people have recommended and go for a few more 30 minute runs, then start ju-ju's plan.
Last post from me, but wanted to say hello and well done again. If i were you I'd forget about duration now and focus on distance. And to keep it safe for a while just stick to 5K for a couple of weeks. Some fast, some slow, maybe some fartlek. You'll be done in under 30mins but you'll keep safe. Now just keep on trucking tiger!!
Wow Vision, you are a speedy guy! Congratulations runner🏃🏻
I think I would maybe try to take a few consolidation, slower 5k ish runs, get the feel for running slower but building those runners legs too! When you are ready extend the distance but not at an all out speed......keep it slower......and extend the distance sensibly.
Get to your 10k at that slightly slower pace. ( claim your badge as you pass the finish line 😎🏅). Then you can look either at improving your pace over 5k-10k.......I’m betting that will be a draw for you! Or extend distance further. You have loads of choices!
What I would say is try not to am for improved pace at the same time as extending distance......our legs don’t always like that approach!
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First post- just graduated from couch25k
C25K Graduate (almost)
A year since graduating C25K 😃
I graduated C25k today! 
C25k newly graduated, what now?
