When do you start timing your runs?: I've just... - Couch to 5K

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When do you start timing your runs?

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate
13 Replies

I've just completed W1 and about to start W2R1 tomorrow morning. So far I've just concentrated on getting out there and actually putting one leg in front of the other with no worry about timings.

Any thoughts on when it's worth making a record of timings? Your comments are most appreciated. Thanks. Dan

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danzargo profile image
danzargo
Graduate
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13 Replies
laj1987 profile image
laj1987Graduate

Start now, it's good to have a record of what you have done and to see how far you have come. In respect of what to time everyone seems to have different ways of doing this so I would say it's up to you. Personally, whatever run I am doing, I include my 5 minutes warm up/cool down walks into my timings/speed etc.

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate in reply tolaj1987

Thank you. Thats most useful.

PamJK profile image
PamJKGraduate

I agree. I use Map My Run to record all my timings, routes, pace etc. I also include warm up and cool down too. Good luck!

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate in reply toPamJK

Thank you Pam. Appreciate your posting.

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate

Hello and welcome! As soon as you get truly addicted to this running palaver, (give it 4 weeks) get yourself a Garmin watch. Wear it when you run. Download the run when you get homw and you get all the stats you want (i.e. pace, time, distance, calories burnt etc.) PLUS a moving graph of the run! The Garmin 10 is the cheapest. Happy running!

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate in reply toDeliaItaly

Now THAT sounds fun! Thank you.

Pat184 profile image
Pat184Graduate

Welcome to this running programme ,I use Endomondo. Download it for free it tracks all you need to know. Good luck Pat

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate in reply toPat184

Thanks Pat.

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate

I don't include the warm up and cool down walks (as they're slower, so they make the running look slower!). They usually take me about 0.5km in 5min, without much variation anyway. Maybe I did include them in the earlier runs when there are walks in the middle though.

I got a garmin watch fairly early on too - I absolutely love it, and probably get at least as much fun from the stats as from the actual running! :) It's the only thing I take with me (I don't use music anymore - suits me better to not have all the faffing around with earpieces etc and I like hearing birdsong) - though today I took my camera too, as I thought I was only going to walk. Mistake! A real pain when you are running!

danzargo profile image
danzargoGraduate in reply togreenlegs

I better start saving! Cheers for that,

lizfish profile image
lizfish

I've only just started measuring my runs with the mapmyrun app. Seems ok so far. I don't include the warm up walk though as I want to know how long this 3k might take me. I'm just starting week 5, and up til now I've just followed the podcast for timings. Later on I might use my own playlists with the seconds app. Throughout I've used a heart rate monitor which I note down the average and max hr. my max is thankfully coming down from 190 now!

Good luck with the program. And getting out there and doing it is the most important bit. The rest is just icing.

DavD profile image
DavDGraduate

I started mapping/timing my runs as soon as I began the program. I find it's great to have records of your sessions so you can appreciate your progress too. I include warm up/cool down walks in them.

I'm currently switching between Runtastic and RunKeeper - I just can't decide which one is the best for me since the first one can be linked to My Fitness Pal and the second to Zombies, Run! on which I'm planning to use when I'll finish NHS C25k (just a week and half to go from now!). Good luck and have fun! :-)

mrqwest profile image
mrqwestGraduate

I started timing my runs at around week 6 or 7. I always thought that the walking breaks would bring down my average pace and as most runs were different, I'd have nothing to compare with so only started timing when the solid blocks of running started.

In hindsight though, I wish I had started from week 1.

I used RunKeeper on my phone for the times I did record my runs but got a Garmin 110 for xmas so I've been using that since.

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