W4 ... wondering if I will make it to 5k in 30 mins

[Joolez]

I use run keeper to track my runs and today I did 3.8k in w4 - I'm trying to figure out if I run for the whole time - 30 mins whether or not I'll make it to the full 5k. What has your experience been if you've been tracking your runs - did running the whole time make much of a difference?

[EFox89]

I think tracking your runs can be slightly misleading as it's all down to pace, I know that when I start a new week my pace is substantially slower than when I finish one and therefore I cover less distance. I do map my runs, to fuel my running obsession, but that's secondary to the podcasts which are what helps me progress.. and listening to Laura of course, which is obviously a massive factor in this for all of us

It's important not to let the distance, or lack of, dishearten you. Remember that the aim of the c25k is to start you running regularly, there are 5k+ modules that can help you increase pace, distance, stamina etc.

[davelinks Graduate]

You don't have to do 5k in 30 mins to graduate, just to run for 30 mins 3 times at w9..

[GoogleMe Graduate]

You sound like quite a quick 'un. The programme is focused on 30 minutes, despite the title, so it is all about finding a pace you can sustain for 30 minutes.

Many, perhaps most of us, don't achieve 5K in 30 minutes. Ever.

[melly4012 Graduate]

Most people don't make the 5k in 30 minutes on the final run - some people never do. It's all about completing the runs and there is plenty of time to work on speed and distance once the programme is done. Some people push on for the 5k on their graduation run and then go back to running 30 minutes and build up from there. You absolutely don't have to though, only 3 runs of 30 minutes are needed to graduate.

I'd say don't worry yourself about it, especially not this early on in the programme. Plenty of time to think about that 5k later.

[RainbowC Graduate]

I do track my runs, and have done since very early on. But I've only ever once done 5k in 30 mins. Having graduated again a few weeks ago, I managed 5k yesterday in a speedy(!) 39 mins. By all means do track the distance you're covering, but do not worry about your pace. As the others have said, this plan is about the 30 mins - not about the distance, despite its name! There's time to work on pace once you've got the stamina to do the time

[june67 Graduate]

hi like others have already said you don't have to run 5k in 30 mins to graduate, on my final run of week 9 I carried on running to reach 5k in 34 minutes and was pretty chuffed since then I have just kept running for 30 mins 3 times a week and am building on strength and distance slowly