am I getting better?

[wannabeefast]

so today I did my first 28 min run. When I look back at how far I've come it is a miracle but I'm still very slow and don't have the energy to speed up as Laura suggests at the end . I don't feel as though I'm getting any better :/

[Lotty41 Graduate]

I take it you are on Week 8. I am also on the same week did my run 2 this evening, it was better than my first run that was awful, but you know you did it that is the main thing - and to quote Laura it's not about speed that will come later and overtime. I didn't think I'd have the energy to speed up but I gave it a go for the last minute and it felt great - give it a go you can always slow back down! Good luck with your next run.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

How can you not feel that you are getting better when you look back at how far you've come since week one! You're doing just great!

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

Of course you're getting better! Could you have run for 28 minutes 2 months ago?

[wannabeefast]

Thanks everyone , you're right xx

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I have been running for two years and still consider myself a beginner. There is no quick fix, but you have proved you have the determination to become a runner, so stick with it, newbie, you are doing great and you will see improvements over the next eight weeks just like the last eight weeks.

[Rignold]

" When I look back at how far I've come it is a miracle" ... " I don't feel as though I'm getting any better"

and you don't see any apparent contradiction between those two statements?

C25k is not about increasing speed. It is about learning to run for 30 minutes.

[Hidden]

could you have run for 28 minutes three weeks ago or even two weeks ago? Probably not, so you are definitely getting better!

Don't worry about Laura suggestions for speeding up, she does that quite a bit in the latter weeks but I was never able to go any quicker for the last part of my runs. At this point your speed isn't at all important, it's all about building your stamina to be able to run for that 30 minute target.

You're almost at the end of the programme and have come a long way so keep going and good luck!

[Sparkyifhungry Graduate]

Your following the plan and doing fab. Relax, trust the program, one foot in front of the other & keep it up! Imagine yourself looking back a year from now and being pleased you stuck at it! X

[misswobble Graduate]

It is amazing how much more puff you will have at week 9 than you did at week 1. It might not translate into much in the way of speed at that point but you will speed up but it takes time. Your body has to be ready for the demands being made of it, and you have a while to go yet. Like Iannoda says, two years on and we're still just beginners

Go steady, nice and slowly, and you won't hurt yourself.

Good luck !

[wannabeefast]

thanks everyone,good points ,well made

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Are you enjoying your running? Spending time thinking about it, planning routes, gawping at running shoes? If so you're a runner.... now imagine NOT running...of course you're getting better, and that will continue after you graduate. There's no rush to get anywhere in any kind of hurry... xx

[Niftyfifty Graduate]

Don't kid yourself look back to week 1 then ask yourself the same question. Of course you are getting better, you can now run for 28 mins non stop. Like you I am also slow but I think it's more important to work on stamina first then when we graduate work on speeding up a step at a time. Well done and keep going😊