Surprised by myself: I ran 5k!

[Lolovitch]

Hi all, I ran my first 5k yesterday evening! Not planned at this stage, let me tell you how it happened.

I have completed W7 last week. The last 5 runs were on a newly discovered course, which is in the lovely in the woods behind our house. The only catch: to get there I have to conquer a 150m elevation gain in the first 1.5km of running. This was the reason why I didn't attempt that course at the start of C25K but have been enjoying it recently.

So yesterday I went running later than usual (you can not control everything in your life). Going out of the house I was feeling good. Merely being out running at that time and by that rainy weather already gave me a sense of achievement. Because of the dark, I decided not to go into the woods but kept by the river bank where there is more light. It was going really well on this flat course, I could feel that all this recent uphill running really made a difference. I had the impression to move forward effortlessly (not really but comparatively). It felt like smaller steps (Garmin says they weren't but that is how it felt) but a lot of them (here Garmin agrees, cadence has increased dramatically since week 1).

So it was going really well and at the end of the 28 minutes, I realised that I had nearly 5k and that I was a little farther from home than expected, so I kept running.

Bottom line is, I ran my first 5k in 30:44!!! Never would have thought this to be possible 2 months ago!

Perhaps now is also a good time to make some short term plans:

> I will be going back to my now usual uphill course for the next runs. While I enjoy that, I also don't expect to reproduce that pace.

> I will probably attempt to fit 5k in the 30 min of W9R3 on the riverbank course. That would be a nice finish to C25K.

> What comes after C25K? I have set up a May goal of 50k in Garmin Connect, that should keep my going on the regular routine beyond week 9. 3 time 30 min sounds like a good thing for the next couple of weeks.

> Continue to enjoy the running, the changes in my fitness level and to be careful to stay injury free.

Greeting from a happy runner!

[Dpsl Graduate]

Well done! I have quite a few local hills which I have managed to avoid, but your progress inspires me to tackle them, especially since my post-grad runs have been a bit same old, same old. 👍🏽

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Fabulous run well done. Sounds like a very good plan. Always remember to build slowly to avoid injury.

[wigiwig]

Awesome - well done you!

[misswobble Graduate]

Great stuff! I would however be careful from here on in as this is the danger period when you can push too hard and hurt yourself. Just go steady, rein yourself in and take care

After graduation there is C25k+ Stepping Stones podcasts, which when run regularly and thoroughly, will lead you nicely to Bridge to 10k

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done.. but remember to stay injury free and to build up slowly, keep it slow and steady until after graduation