First 5K race and only just starting week 6!

[keirah]

Well, today I did my first ever 5K - a British Heart Foundation run in Regent's Park. I signed up for it eight weeks ago and I'd hoped to be further on in the programme, but bad shin splints at the start meant I repeated weeks 1 and 2, so I went into today having only completed week 5 run 3 last Tuesday.

It was also my first run outside, as to date I've been doing all my running on the treadmill. I was hoping to get round in under 45 mins but had no idea how achievable that was, considering I've been covering 2.1 miles in 30 mins so needed to find an extra mile!

I'm absolutely ecstatic to have done it in 39 mins! So so pleased. It was definitely harder running outside with nothing to pace me and a few hills - my legs were hurting a fair bit.

I managed to jog as far as the 2k marker, then after that I did a few walking parts, but made sure to walk at my fastest possible pace. I had no clue how much time had passed - I just saw a girl of a similar shape and fitness as me and used her to pace me round.

I've worked out that I did it at a pace of nearly 4.8mph. My 20 min run on Tues was at 4.4mph on the treadmill so not only did I run for one mile further than I've ever done before but I also upped my pace!

Feel I'm going to start week 6 on Monday with a real spring in my step and I'm going to try to do my local parkrun on Saturdays from here on in. Woo hoo!

Photo is me (on the right) and my super fit friend who did it in 25 mins

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Fantastic. Well done. 👍🏻

I am sure you will love Parkrun but please do take it easy. Trying to do too much too soon is easily the most common cause of niggles and injuries.

[keirah in reply to Dunder2004]

Oh I'll be taking it easy. I just want to transition from the treadmill to outside and I think the parkrun is the perfect way. I will probably use it each week to do my third run in the programme and then walk the rest until my fitness builds enough to run the whole thing. But I'm not in any rush

[Madge50 Graduate]

You absolute star, well done, a fantastic run for a great cause, 👏 Parkrun will be fab, I promise....and you'll be hooked immediately....best invention ever! (Except C25K of course! 😉)

Let us know how you get on.

Mx

[Hidden]

Brilliant photo and well done. I have only done one park run about xmas time. Like you I naturally got into the slipstream of someone until they ran away from me or I got a bit breathless then slowed down to barely faster than a walk to recover..

Being xmas I eventually tagged onto someone dressed as Scooby Doo !! and overtook him when he ran out of puff.

Again well done !

[Razouski]

Well done, and be warned, you'll get hooked on running outside. I started the programme on the treadmill and was sure I would never want to run outside, but after accompanying my daughter on an outdoor run roundabout week 6 that was it. I even surprised myself at how much I enjoyed running in the crisp frosts of December and January. I use an app on my phone to let me know my pace and distance, and just enjoy the solace of being in the fresh air by myself.

Enjoy your running wherever you do it. 🙂

[Lorna9339]

Fantastic! Well done x