Just in case anyone thought I'd given up on this running lark, here's an update. I try to get out three times a week, having settled on a there and back route to a bridge on a disused railway line, 5km total there and back. By this means I don't "cheat" and discover loads of short cuts.
I have had weight loss! About half a stone since January, and the visceral fat is down to 14, but stubbornly refuses to drop further. In addition I play tennis three times a week, and do a fair bit of walking, so not bad for a 65 year old.
I don't think 10k is happening. My fear is that I would peak and then fall away, I'm happy on my present plateau. Doing 3 runs a week is the important thing.
Unless you guys tell me otherwise....
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Couch2couch
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You are doing very well indeed Couch2couch, yes, long time no heard but I am glad that you are still enjoying your running, another guy I have not heard from is a 'runner' with the username "5K to couch 5K2C" perhaps he has indeed gone back to the 🛋 couch
Same as me, I still run 5K's, my PB is 32.23, I have also ran one parkrun which my time was 34.16, they have age grading at parkruns, if you are more than 50% in age grading I would assume that you are running better than the average person of your age, I am 73 and my age grading at that parkrun was 53.53%, if you are at 60% you have achieved Local Class Level, above 70%, Regional Class Level, above 80%, National Class Level, for me to get 60% I would have to run a 5K in around 27 minutes, 70% in around 23 minutes and 80% would be a sub 20 minutes 5K, there was a 73 year old lady who ran a sub 20 minutes 5K and got nearly 100% age grading at a parkrun, wow. 😊 🏃
There's a Park Run just started, on Beverley Westwood, which would be great to have a go at, if a little uneven under foot.
I use Runmeter, which fastidiously records every detail, but, on advice from this forum, I don't worry too much about speed. Actually, I do well to get passed the dog walkers. But I really enjoy getting "out there", nodding knowingly to other runners (as they whizz past).
Just looked at that age grade calculator, my age grade at parkrun was 53.53%, however, three days later I ran a PB of 32,23 near to where I live, as I told you in my previous post, if that had been at parkrun the age-grade according to the calculator I just looked up would have been 56.09%.
In my mind this is primarily about health and fitness and 5k runs deliver that nice and “easily”
To go further it has two more requirements... it has to be fun, and you have to want to do it. 10k and beyond isn’t for everyone and I’d much prefer reading about someone who runs and maintains what they’ve built than people pushing further, hating it and returning to the couch.
Good on you! You sound just like me maybe it’s something to do with us being 65 - same weight loss similar amount of extra exercise other than running and I feel 5K 3 times a week is enough.
Let’s just smile and keep doing what we’re doing 😆
Well, that's a glowing C25K success isn't it? Bravo!
If it's all feeling good, it is good... and if and when it doesn't, if you feel the motivation slipping or whatever then it will be time for a change, whether that is different routes, longer runs, intervals.... I suppose some strength and flexibility stuff might be worth adding in a couple of times a week.
I'm really glad to hear someone happy just to keep running for fitness. At the moment I too wish to run 5k but am only running 3.8 - 4.2k in 30 minutes. I hope to get a bit faster but I am happy to run for just 30 mins 3 times a week. I think if I challenged myself with more distance I would it myself off....
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