Speed

[kjlbrown_]

Completed week 6yest,

What speed do you guys run at on? On the treadmill?

[VictoriaRuns Graduate]

I started off running at around 8.5, but at week 4 I slowed down to 7.5 and occasionally take it up if I feel I have it in me. My brisk walk is about 6.5.

Bare in mind though, it's very arbitrary. We all have different strides so treadmill pace is not very accurate. Just go as at a rate you comfortable at and speed up only if you know you could go at that speed till the end.

What I would recommend though is putting it on a slight incline. Not only is it better for your knees, but it helps to mimic the conditions outside such as wind resistance and the odd hill.

I do my brisk walks at 5% and run on 1.5-2%

[MarkyD Graduate]

I run at 12 and walk at 6.

But I wouldn't trust the speed on a treadmill, especially because they never properly define if they are in mph or kph. Just find a setting that is comfortable for you and lets you achieve the week's goal. Adjust the speed up if you find it too easy, and nudge the speed down if you find it too hard. This is your own journey, and of course everyone runs at the pace that suits them: a strapping 6ft teenage lad is going to run at a different pace from an overweight, 50 year old coach potato.

On C25K the only important metric is time. Make sure that you run for the specified duration (worry about speed 3 months after graduation).

[kjlbrown_]

Jeez, I thought I was doing ok but walking at 3.5 and running at anything between 4.4 to 4.8 😢

[Hidden in reply to kjlbrown_]

If that's your natural pace and you can run for the required minutes then you are doing great. Not everyone has long legs and a natural runners body.

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to kjlbrown_]

No! No! No! You have this all wrong. The numbers are 100% irrelevant. You are doing OK, if that is a comfortable speed for you. You must never compare yourself to anyone else. Your treadmill tells you a number. Over the months you may get faster. But you’ll never be faster than Mo Farah and you shouldn’t expect to.

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to kjlbrown_]

Oh, I see. I deliberately gave you my speed in kph and not mph to demonstrate how numbers are meaningless.

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Argh! This mph/kph stuff makes it even more confusing, (I'm pretty sure mine are kph?) but honestly, just work on the extending the time you can run for now and the speed will come later. Or so they tell us!!

[mrrun Graduate]

Speed? This program isn’t about any speed. What I call speed is Bekele’s 5K with 12:37, instead we jog at our leisurely pace trying to stay injury free, relaxed, healthy & happy.

Speed at our level = injury. Been there, done that.

[Mummarunna Graduate]

I walk at 5.5mph for brisk walk and run between 6.5 and 8. I’ve just graduated. I think speed is definitely dependant upon comfortable for you ... not what everyone else runs at. If you find your right comfortable speed you could pretty much run forever it’s all about rhythm and almost forgetting your legs are running as it feels comfortable for you x