Reading posts kept me motivated

[alfreer1]

A big thanks to everyone that's posted their progress on here. Seeing others struggle and succeed gave me the perspective I needed to keep going through couch to 5k.

I started couch to 5k Jan 3rd 2021. It wasn't easy, I was 44, ex smoker, overweight. I'm still overweight but 30lbs lighter than when I started.

I do 5k regularly but can't quite get under 30 minutes yet (August), 32.30 is my usual but it is hilly here. Run 4/5 times a week, 5.5k.

Went to Troon for a few days, very flat, ran 9k in exactly an hour! Amazed myself and found my next few runs on my normal hilly route so much easier and faster which is great as I'd plateau'd and thought I'd stopped making progress lately.

Averaging 6.24mins per km, 5 minutes on the last km (the downhill stretch). BPM sits about 150-160 after the 1st km which I read is high but feels fine now, didn't feel great at the beginning.

Planning to attempt 10k next time I'm somewhere flat with time on my hands.

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

[nowster Graduate10]

I really wouldn't get too worried by the heart rate. If you're still able to talk whilst running, you're OK.

I'm 52, and my HR peaks at 180 at the end of hard runs and sits around the 160-ish mark during most runs. My previous parkrun attempt (two weekends ago) had it peaking at 197bpm for a few seconds at the very end.

My fastest 10km runs were done after doing 10km on the flat once, then on my normal route (a bit hilly) and then even faster on a moderately hilly route in Wales! It's weird!

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10]

Sounds to me like you're doing great. I nearly always run the same route which is flat, which is kind of cheating I suppose! 😊I agree with nowster that bet not to agonise too much over HR. Of course I worried about it too when I first did C25K! When I re-started running after being on the IC according to my Garmin I was peaking over 200 bpm - but I survived, and I'm 64! 😀