The Gap

[Running-girl]

Now at W9 and still running on the Bath to Bristol cycle track where someone has painted a 1K distance run on the track. So curiosity got the better of me and I decided to measure my distance run in 30 minutes. Not as far as I thought it would be🤔 About 3.5K. I have two runs left before graduating but there's obviously going to be a gap before achieving 5K. What shall I do? Do I just keep running for fun and hope I will get there? Wait a couple of months and join a park run?

[SC1472 Graduate]

Just keep running, enjoy the fact that you can do way more than you could at the start. The distance doesn't matter just the fact that you are out there exercising.

You can then start to build on your speed and distance because your stamina will continue to build.

[Sadamski Graduate]

There is nothing stopping you from joining ParkRun now, I guarantee there will be people doing Walk / Run.

If you want to hit 5k first, just add a couple of minutes each week until you do it. Very few people hit 5K in 30 minutes by the end of the program. My first 5k was about 38 minutes, it took me 6 months to get a single run under 30 minutes

[Running-girl Graduate in reply to Sadamski]

Thank you Sadamski. I have taken on your advice and have just registered with my local ParkRun so I'll be joining them in a couple of weeks time🙂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Don't run for anything but fun. You don't have to run 5k ever, if you don't want to. Parkrun, however, is something you should do now......you can run or walk it, but you will be inspired, I am sure.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Running-girl Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you. I'm going to the park this weekend to just walk the ParkRun route and have also registered. I'll post when I've tried out my first run 🙂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Running-girl]

Register your club at parkrun as NHS C25K, then everyone knows your calibre and heritage.

[davidhwynn Graduate]

I agree 100% with what's being said - I joined a Parkrun having been "bullied" by my elite athlete granddaughter, I joined the walk/run brigade, thoroughly enjoyed the experience, found everyone so very welcoming. I'm still working on my C25K of course - up to W8 now at last - but have added 3 Parkruns into the mix so far. I agree with the advice from IannodaTruffe about running for fun - I NEVER imagined I'd say it, but I have finally made the mental leap into enjoying my runs ... most of my gremlins have given up as a result!

[Running-girl Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

Thank you. I'll run for fun and ignore the gremlins whenever they appear and will be trying out a ParkRun in the near future. Barcode is ready and waiting🙂

[Millsie-J Graduate]

If you include your warm up and cool down walk you will be covering in the region of 4.5 k ish. Not too far from time 5k. Join Parkrun, you will have a fab time! Then build the running slowly to 5k if that is what you want.

[Running-girl Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

So I've registered with ParkRun after reading the replies. Thank you for yours. I'd completely disregarded the warm up and cool down so now it feels much more achievable🙂

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Running-girl]

Great, enjoy. Walk the first five minutes as your warm up, it allows the crowd to disperse and feels less pressured as a new park runner. Get there 10 means early for the introduction for new runners....there are always quite a few first timers. Make sure you have your barcode and away you go runner!

[Running-girl Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Thank you. I've just walked round the course at Pomphrey Hill and was a bit worried to find a substantial steep hill which you have to face 3 times. Maybe I'll have to walk up that part which isn't what I'm used to as I always try to keep going. Perhaps I need to be more flexible.