Making progress and actually feeling it

[Sezza2u]

At the end of July I was up to w7 r2 and then went on holiday for 2 weeks. I didn't run in the 2 weeks and on my return struggled to get back into it. I slowly increased my time of straight runs till I was running the full 25 mins again. I then decided I would run the 3 week 7 runs again to be sure I could do week 8. Today I did the last run of week 7 and what a difference. I found I could up the pace a bit and went further than I had before so was feeling really pleased that I could actually see (and feel) the difference.

What was disappointing was that on map my run, it showed my distance hadn't really changed much and my pace was only slightly faster. So I'm not convinced that it's a very accurate app, given that previously I cut a corner off and this time I went the long way round but it didn't really register the distance difference much! It reckons I'm covering a distance of 2.4 miles (3.8K) per run so I'm still a way off 5k even though I've only 2 weeks to go before I graduate!!!

Anyway, I'm feeling quite positive and looking forward to the start of Week 8 on Monday.

[Thomson3]

Well done you! Really Spurs you on for the next week. Keep up the good work!

[gary_bart]

Your distance has changed a huge amount from what you were managing in 60 second runs, though, hey? (We forget so quickly!) Sounds like you've consolidated nicely, and you're only 1.2 km short of 5km now. It will do you no harm if that target is still there to go after as soon as you've graduated.

[Idolitorus Graduate]

I'm not sure I will make 5k in 30 mins. I know I will make 5k though, 'cause I've already done it.

If I went back to my week 1 self and said, keep at it lad - in 7/8 weeks time you will run 5km without an ambulance on stand-by, I wouldn't believe myself.

That doesn't make any sense reading that back. Never mind.

Once you graduate (or maybe even before) I don't doubt for a moment that you will find a 5k route and run it. It may take you 40-45 minutes but so what?

The programme is designed to get us from non-runners to the point at which we can run 5k without dying. I envisage a day (which I really can't believe) when I may even run 10k. Not quickly. I will never be a speed demon BUT me...running 10k?

I gave up on MapMyRun very early on. I zoomed into my route and it zig-zagged all over the road even though I was walking in a straight line.

Try walkjogrun.net/ , you can plan out a route that you know around your local area. Run that (3k, 5k - whatever distance you like) and make a note of the time it takes.

I'm glad you are feeling positive about W8. So you should be, you are doing great.