Advice please, should I be trying to increase distance or pace?

[Evol]

Hi all, I am new to running and this group. I completed c25k a couple of weeks ago. I am a slow runner. Since completing I have been working at increasing my running time and distance. Should I be trying to increase my pace? Any advice would be good. Thanks

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

Hello... if you've been doing your consolidation runs...then it depends what you want to do next? Speed running or longer runs like HMs or Marathons Do you want to do it for you or for races:}

Increasing running time and distance comes, certainly for many of us, with the lovely, longer slower runs... those are the ones building up stamina and strength and the new running legs too. C25K just started the whole thing.

So your two weeks of consolidation should have had short runs 30 minute runs and longer runs.. even new routes...your strength and stamina work on some of your rest days too, needs upping, as you move forward; and then you could try the C25K+ podcasts..they are challenging, fun and very useful

[Evol Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks oldfloss. The first few times I went out I used the week 9 plan. After that I started to increase the distance a little each time.

[backintime Graduate10]

I found that my base speed improved by itself with, as oldfloss said, an increase in distance at a slow pace. I have been pushing distance without worrying about speed 🐌 and managed a 5k on Friday at my fastest pace ever. I have done a few intervals but nothing really intensive, it just seemed to come.

I would love to manage a sub 30 5k one day and may concentrate a bit more on speed after getting to 10k.

[Katnap Graduate10]

Good news. There's no right or wrong.

I started with extending running time by 10% each week upto 45 minutes continuous and'measured' my pace using the local parkrun 5k

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[Katnap Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

I don't know your personal circumstances but I found that the extra calories being burnt from longer runs made me lose weight and pace improved anyway 😀

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Personally I don’t care much for speed work, but you might find you enjoy it, and there are useful apps to help you (JogRunSprint is a fabulous intervals app for example.) I discovered that I’m pretty good at endurance, so I gradually upped my distances week on week without much consideration for pace at all - sometimes a PB just happens though which is fun!

So basically the running world is your oyster. You pick your own journey. Have fun! 😀👏👍

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Lots of good advice above. After c25k I made the mistake of running successive 5ks trying to build up pace each time. It was both boring and ineffective for me. I decided to build up distance first..so I followed ju-ju’s 10k plan, and I then went on to have a short run(3.5k) then a 5k and finally a longer run (increasing in 1k stages) each week. I used intervals on the 3.5k run. Result long run distances increased and my 5k Pb improved by about 3 minutes, all done gradually. The important bit is the half hour leg exercises every day plus dog walks..I found that I picked up injuries if I let distance or pace get ahead of the leg strengthening lots of us need. Main thing is, enjoy it 😊

[Evol Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thanks for the advice. I will look into the leg strengthening exercises, this is new to me! Sadly no dog and I don't think my cats would be impressed with a lead! 🙀

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Evol]

Or with a dog I would guess 😊. On strengthening there is loads of advice to be googled and on Bridge to 10k and marathon sites. 🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♀️