I feel confident I will graduate as I am doing Week 9 run 2 tomorrow evening and then my final Graduation run on Sunday and I feel great going into these two runs.
Has anyone went from graduating from 30 minutes to then trying the next 9 week course to get up to 10k? Did it take time to adjust to running longer or did it come naturally?
Aiming from going from couch to Great North Run inside a year!! Am I mental?
I consolidated for about 6 months before doing the bridge to 10k programme, which I'm still doing. It ramps up the times relatively quickly (first run is 4x 10 minutes) and I'm finding it difficult to find the time during the week. Means I can only really do the longer runs at the weekend, which is dragging it out. To be fair I managed to get up to 10k on my own relatively soon after graduation. I'm doing this programme to get more stamina and consistency. If you're a 'natural' you can probably get some good distances in relatively quickly, but don't overdo it or you run the risk of injury. Many have come a cropper! And you'll need a training plan (myAsics seems to be recommended). Good luck!
Hi Gaz, ,my own experience was that once graduated i continued running the 4-5 k distance for quite a few weeks to really feel confident at that distance . I then slowly increased by approx 10% every few runs/weeks to enable the increase without injury or too much disappointment!!
I graduated end Nov time and managed my first 10k race the following March ...good luck !
I think if you're relatively young and untroubled by health problems there is little difference between 5 and 10 from a physiological point of view. The problem for most of us is the extra biomechanical stress. The problem for some is mental - this shouldn't be the case as I think if you can do C25K then you should be able to cope with anything up to an hour and a half.
If you take the conservative advice of adding 10% to your longest run each week then you'd be unlucky not to make it fairly soon.
I was less conservative because I was already in fair cardiovascular condition from cycling and I run close to 100% off road. I think this is less stressful and build resilience in a way that on road or easy trails doesn't.
I graduated end of July, covered 10k very slowly by early September and did a 10k trail race end of September. Last week I accidentally (underestimated distance and got lost) ran 15.5k but again very slowly (7:15mins/km).
I tend to do 3 -4 runs a week with an easy/recovery, hard, long, easy/recovery pattern.
I think I've been doing OK because I'm very slow on my longer runs (HR ave < 60% max) and have been doing stretching and strength training alongside running. I've also paid attention to diet and lost about 10kg which I think is crucial to injury avoidance.
I think running with a club or a strava/garmin group can keep motivation going. I would highly recommend getting out in the great outdoors and getting muddy. Difficult to be bored when you're being chased by cows.
I've just signed up for a hilly HM in February - committed to keeping up a proper training plan through winter - be reassured if you are mental, there's someone worse! I would find a proper training plan from ASICS or Hal Higdon and work backwards from the GNR date. This will take you through Summer. You can probably afford to put in an intermediate race/goal for late spring, perhaps a 10 mile and stick in a decent block of training before that.
No not really but you can end up hurt if you try and do too much too soon. It takes 18 months to 2 years to no longer be considered a beginner. That's the estimated time it takes to build your running legs to be strong enough to support sustained long and fast runs
You have to build up gradually using the 10% rule. Getting to 10k from 5k is not difficult but do it properly, please. I used Stepping Stones podcasts, which I ran to death til I got them off pat and then embarked on Sami Murphy Bridge to 10k. You need to bring in other exercise at this point, if you are not already doing so, to strengthen your whole body ready for the increased levels of exertion
I suppose how easily you make the transition to longer runs depends on how fit you are. I was 57 when I did it and got stuck on week 7. You push through though if you keep plugging away.
Always take a day or two off between runs as that's when your running legs get built, during the down time between runs is when all the mending and strengthening gets done. If you go too hard you could get shin splints etc so take care
I enjoyed the journey from 5 to 10k and I'm sure you will too. Just take it steady won't you
Yeah the 5k to 10k app is steady increases but not rushing to do it in 9 weeks like I have with C25k as I needed this for the MO Run next month.
No you are not mental. The GNR is nearly a year away you have stacks of time. I did C25K messed around for a couple of weeks then signed up for GNR2014. I realised it was only 14 weeks away. I found a 14 week beginners programme from Liz Yelling Performance. I actually never run much more than 8 miles before I stood on the start line for that first HM. I did not use the 10k programme although I did enter a couple of 10k's during the 14 weeks.
You have plenty of time to prepare for GNR2017, set yourself some intermediary goals and go for it.
Not sure whether or not to drop back after a setback
trying again
Time to get the snazzy running tights
Life after Couch to 5K??
