I notice a lot of people don't manage to do 5K in 30 minutes at graduation and I know it played to my insecurities.
To avoid that for others, can I ask that you reply simply with either your distance at graduation, your first 5K time at/after graduation or both?
To make it efficient, can you please just keep it short and succinct (and yes, I get the irony/hypocrisy of _me_ asking others to be succinct ;-)).
Graduation distance 3.95k
First 5k time = 38 minutes
Just a thought - we should ask Realfoodieclub to turn this into two polls and then pin the results for all newcomers to see.
1st poll - what was your graduation distance in small ranges 3.60-3.79km, 3.80-3.99km etc. With the HU graphing/results it is easy to see what is "normal" or "average"
2nd poll - when you 1st ran 5km, how long did it take? <25 minutes, 25-27 minutes etc.
Great idea - are you happy to take that on? I haven't used polls yet...
I have been asked to make this into a poll before. I'll be honest I refrain because a poll will only give the answers of the people who post. If 80% of people graduate and are at 5km or the first 5km is 30 min then it can be disheartening to people reading then poll. I have no control over the answers and my worry is something that starts really positive can end up being the opposite. The times have to be spot on and not leave anyone out and I don't have that information as Words like normal and average can also be disheartening to some if you don't fit into any of the time zones. Even just doing did you hit 5km at grauation yes or no can be difficult if the higher percentage are at 5km. Believe me I have have spent many hours trying to work out a way to poll this without making people feel bad. the thing with this site is we don't pit against each other on speed. The fact of the matter is there are many runners who hit the 5km 30 min mark they just don't make a big thing about it but on a poll they will tick the box that refers to themselves and it very much might be a higher number than we were expecting. I'm happy to keep working on ideas but it's a really hard one and if it's done wrong could do a lot of damage to new runners.
Thought provoking - I hadn't considered that. Are you happy to leave this post running (no pun intended ;-)) and see where it goes?
Yes I think we are lucky that we don't have boasters on this site and a post about times is good every now and then because if anyone puts themselves down on their time many will post about how great they are doing regardless of time and distance That's what you don't get with a poll. I'm sure no one would do that anyway and if someone does I will be sure to get a report of it but we are not that sort of site. So I'm happy to leave it running.
I replied to an earlier post my first 5 k was in the order of 41 mins and within a week I was at 36 mins. You remarked that I had quickly put on a lot of speed. What I forgot to mention, in fact my gym buddy only reminded me was that I do a lot of heavy weightlifting. I squat and deadlift 100% plus of my body weight. Duh! so for me it was about confidence and getting the breath down plus all the little running muscles strengthened. You might want to think about weights. Sorry for not giving you the full story, it just didn't click until my mate mentioned it!
I agree with RFC this site in particular is for encouragement and advice to new runners and those progressing through the program. Think it may be disheartening to make reaching 5k more important than it is. That is a more competitive feeling that graduates feel and could be posted on bridge to 10k.
Sorry to sound prim yatesy but I have asked RFC about doing a poll before, and I think she is right. x
Graduation distance no idea
First 5k did one but can't remember the time now.
No worries at all - I hadn't considered that negative branch.
I think we could just see how this one pans out because I get many calls for this and just this once it might be good to just have some ideas. I know to some it's important. The wording of this post makes it better to have this discussion, in this case. Trust me on the bridge to 10km site we are all still sensitive about our times and distances. I really think we could do this in a positive way just this once.
As long as it won't dishearten folk!
It would really have helped me but I have a 'non-competitive but competitive'/want to know where I stand edge!
Not sure about my graduation distance, but my first 5 K was about 3 weeks later, and took about 47 minutes
Graduation distance 3.8 (but had done 4.1 the run before)
First 5k actually in week 9 (run 1) 37m 56s
My first 5K time Exactly. 
What a coincidence! Good to know I'm not alone speed wise!
Graduate run wk 9 r3 - parkrun - 5km - 43:15
I did allthe things I tell people not to. Did 5k on grad dayand carried on running for a total of about 7k IIRC.
Was not able to walk the next day.
Be Smart. Don't be like Rignold.
Just do what he says.
This has made me giggle as you are always full of sound advice for others. Obviously not yourself lol.
It is so tempting though isn't it? It really bugged me that I hadn't got to 5K at graduation, so I too did a determined 5K the one after graduation. I was soooo tired at work the next day. 7K? Wow! In awe, even if you couldn't walk!
Not sure about my graduation run, but my first 5km was 37:15
Graduate run 3.7km
First 5km 48 mins.
Nearly 2.5 years later 5km 42 min. Training time
Event 5km time 38:55. Takes me days to get over running at that pace.
I actually can't believe what a similar pace we are RFC. Makes me happy to see it!
Me too! Exactly the same first 5K time, I was a little faster, around 37 mins,
before I got injured but I'd be ecstatic to see 38 or 39 mins at the moment.
Graduation distance 3.5 K
First 5 K 44:53 ( with around 10 seconds celebration time). Penultimate graduation run.
Graduation - 5k
First 5k - around 36minutes
Two years on and some days I'm faster than that, many I'm slower.
dint really track how far i was going until a few weeks after graduation. started tracking in October and 5k took me 40 mins. This morning took me 31min 58 sec so at least I'm am going in the right direction!
Graduation distance - Unknown (on treadmill)
1st full running 5k (outside) 42 mins
(I'd covered 5k before doing run/walk in a best of 39 mins but I wanted to learn to run so I count from my 1st 'wholly run' 5k). Last parkrun was 35 mins 13 secs.
Graduation distance: 4.9 km
First 5K during W9R1: 40:24 (including warm up walk)
Haven't hit 5K from just running yet, I'm still consolidating the 30 mins runs
Graduation distance : no idea, I just kept running for 30 minutes listening to Laura
First 5k: Parkrun 36 minutes.
Graduation distance 3.8ish. I've yet to make 5k.
Graduation distance: 6.10km (including warm-up and cool-down), I'd say the running bit only was ~4.5km.
First post-graduation run: 5.04km in 30m:59s (5km in 30m:38s).
Had to check back.
Week 9 Run 1, I ran on a liitle extra and hit 5k in 32:17. (October)
Just aiming for last run to graduate. Distance irrelevant at mo. Aiming to complete programme
I am putting my graduation time on here to 'encourage the others', as there must be someone out there as slow as I am. 30 mins = 3.14 kilometers. 59 and very overweight and never done any exercise in my life before.
Just to say - I think this is brilliant - thanks for all your honesty. I know this might be 'selection bias' but i am surprised at how few people managed 5K at the end of the program.
The whole point of this post was to remove the pressure of 'must get 5K' and I think your responses are doing exactly that - thanks all.
I was glad to read this thread, because coming in to Week 9 of Couch to 5K I was really disappointed that even though I was running for 30 minutes, I wasn't actually covering 5K.
My graduation distance on W9R3 was 4.44km.
I did a parkrun 3 days later with a time of 35m 41s, after stopping to walk about 5 times.
Current goal is to get round a parkrun without stopping!
W9R3 - I did 5.94K in 50 minutes (including warm-up and cool-down walks).
Graduation run ( today) 5k time 50 minutes.
35 mins 30 secs
Finally... The elusive 5k distance a month after graduation
Graduation distance?
First 5k
First 5k!
First 5k run after graduation 
