Achieving 5k early

[Ultra_walker]

Well what can I say, I should be coming to the end of week 4, but I joined a local running group and have been running between 4-8km every thursday for the last 3 weeks now running most of it only walking for 2-3mins total on a run, then I was convinced to do park run on Sat, what a day to do it driving rain sleet freezing temperatures I did it tho 5k in 30.05, now aiming for 10k and the program has gone out the window

[misswobble Graduate]

Don't do too much too soon! If you're not ready for 8 and 10ks you will get injured!

I know it's easy for your enthusiasm to get the better of you but if you're not properly prepared then your body will suffer. It needs to be built up sufficiently strongly to support your running.

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

The recommendation for increase each week is 10% to build strength and avoid injury. I know it is easy to get excited about running but I would say 1000's of others with more experience than us know what they are recommending works. The C25k programme builds mental confidence, physical strength and stamina in a safe way and many have progressed from it to be doing longer distance and run regularly without injury, which is fantastic considering how unfit many of us were beforehand. A running club taking a beginner runner to those distances seems to be going against all recommendations, I would consider what is going to work longer term

[AdamB Graduate]

I don't know your age, background and general state of health, but would caution you on moving too fast too quickly. You are using slightly different muscles than you've used in the past (if you are a walker, which I presume by your username you possibly are). Your aerobic fitness level is probably pretty good, but be careful you don't strain a muscle.

I've moved to running across from cycling from where I was fit enough to spend 12 hours in the saddle on a 200-250K. However I still found that some of my muscle groups weren't up to this running malarky. It's taken me the best part of a year to develop the muscles and conditioning to run injury free. In the course of that year I've had 2 significant injuries (groin strain and tendonitus) which were probably both due at least in part to me trying to move ahead too quickly. I now race with a club on anything up to half marathon, but am still conscious that there are occasions when I need to rein my enthusiasm in and not to push too hard. I don't want to end up on the injury couch for 3 months from doing something heroic but stupid.

You need to let those muscles acclimatise and get used to the additional loads you are putting on them. If you are having to walk at all on a run, it suggests to me that your strength isn't a 100% there yet.

[rmnsuk Graduate]

Most people who start c25k have little or no experience with running, and are very unfit. I certainly was. So every run was important, and I had to repeat some. However a couple of friends at work started running a little after me and did 5k straight off, albeit fairly slowly (my suggestion). Both now run far faster than me, and got to 10k and HM faster too. So it is not absolutely required that you follow c25k, but be careful and listen to your body.

Going from 5 to 10k and beyond is more of a challenge.

[Hidden]

How exciting! You have obviously built up a really good level of fitness from your ultra walking. And being prepared to walk if you need to will be good protection against overdoing it. Good luck with your 10k training.