25 minute experiment

[Lizzyb11066]

I ran an experiment this morning. I normally have 2 apps running on my phone when I go out - Zenlabs C25K with the perky American voice with my playlist, and the Runkeeper app (on silent as her updates on how fast I'm going is depressing!) to keep a track of the distance and also my average time. I wanted to see my actual running time, rather than the warm up and cool down times, so I ignored the Zenlabs app and walked to where I normally start running. So far, so good.

Started running/jogging to my usual landmark and went just past it, turned round and came back to where I started(ok, to within about 5 metres from where I started!). The app said that I ran for 25.41 minutes and a distance of 2.54km, average pace 10.06 min/km. I have no idea if that's a good pace, but for an overweight 54 year old woman who has never run before in her life I'd say it's not too bad.

[pollyp1 Graduate]

As an overweight 55 year old woman just about to do w2r3 who's not run since school, I'd say it was pretty good! Well done.

[Lizzyb11066 in reply to pollyp1]

I never thought I could do it, but once you run that first 20 minutes at the end of W5 it's a great sense of achievement

[pollyp1 Graduate]

Looking forward to it!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Your pace is your pace. For an elite runner it would seem slow whereas for someone still sitting on the sofa, it is impossibly fast. The main thing at this stage is that you really don't need to know what your pace is. While it is a curiosity and it enables you to make comparisons in your progress, if you compare to others you may be disappointed. Bear in mind that there will always be someone faster than you and also others who are slower.

C25k only requires you to keep running at a comfortable pace for thirty minutes by graduation. There is no mention of pace. Stick with it, you are doing great.

[Lizzyb11066 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I'm not discouraged with the pace at all as I know it's the time running that counts. Now I know I can run for 25 minutes the goal of 30 minutes at the end isn't so daunting - at least not as much as that 20 minutes run was a couple of weeks ago.

[90ldfinch Graduate in reply to Lizzyb11066]

What IannodaTruffe says is right. I will tell you, though, I timed my 20 minute run recently, just out of curiosity. You're faster than me

[yatesco Graduate]

Hey - that's brilliant. As @lannodatruffe wisely states though, the only comparison you should make is to yourself. Even better, don't compare and just run :-)!

If it helps though: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Feelingsilly]

Regardless of pace, well done for getting to 25 mins constant running, that sounds pretty awesome to me, at any age/weight or speed right now! I'm on w4r3