Need all the help I can get : Hi! I’ve been... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Need all the help I can get

Shruthi85 profile image
10 Replies

Hi! I’ve been running for a year now but not every fast/ I was concentrating on losing weight and I managed to lose 15kgs so far! Have 10 more to go! I now want to try and concentrate on doing a 5k run along with trying to lose the remaining weight.

- i can do 3k in 30 minutes :(

_ I work out 5 days a week cuz that helps me lose weight

How long of training did you achieve 5k in 30 minutes?

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Shruthi85 profile image
Shruthi85
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10 Replies
HeleneCorsa profile image
HeleneCorsaGraduate

Hi! I am not really able to answer your questions but there are plenty of people on here who can advise, I am sure.

However I just wanted to say welcome, and well done on your weight loss - what a brilliant achievement!

Shruthi85 profile image
Shruthi85 in reply to HeleneCorsa

Thank you Helene! I’ve had such bad health this year that it was a wake up call to get fit!

HeleneCorsa profile image
HeleneCorsaGraduate in reply to Shruthi85

I'm sorry to hear that - although using it as a stimulus to turn your life around for the better is a great thing.

If you are able to run for 30 mins (which is brilliant) then perhaps try adding just a few minutes to that each week (I think no more than a 10% increase per week is recommended) until you get up to wherever you want to be, and perhaps some interval/tempo/fartlek work if improving speed is your thing, though I'd be more tempted to just try lengthening your runs a bit if anything. As I say, I'm no expert though and there are far wiser people in the group!

Shruthi85 profile image
Shruthi85 in reply to HeleneCorsa

Yeah! I’m glad I’ve started getting fitter/ feels good for starters!! Your right, let me just try and increase minutes’ Thankx :)

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Well done on your weight loss. You are unlikely to lose weight by running 5ks, even on a regular basis. From what I understand, you need to run for more than an hour, on a regular basis before you are going to burn significant calories.

Even then, you have to be in daily calorie deficit to lose weight. While the exercise is good for you, it is far easier to reduce intake than burn huge amounts of extra calories.

As for reaching 5k in 30 minutes, a poll done on this site showed that about 10% of C25K graduates achieve that target by graduation. Many graduates go on to achieve that target in the months after completing the programme and many others never achieve it. So there is no simple answer to your question.

I would not get hung up on 5k in 30mins..........it is an arbitrary target.

Shruthi85 profile image
Shruthi85 in reply to IannodaTruffe

Hey! Thank you so much for the response! I guess your right, I won’t get hung up on th 5k in 30 minutes! I’ll just try and improve my personal speed and distance slowly! As for weight loss! I’ve lost 15 kgs doing 3k so I’m certain 5k would help me.

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate

If I were in your shoes I would concentrate on building up to 5km at your own pace. I was at 3.5km when I graduated and I just added in 0.5km every week, but some weeks I was struggling so I stayed at the same distance until I felt more comfortable. I would always make the training plan fit you rather than the other way round. Some would do it but just adding 3 -5 Min on to every week, that is another way that will get you there safely.

Well done on your achievement and dedication to carry on even though you haven’t felt that well this year. You will get there.

Shruthi85 profile image
Shruthi85 in reply to Realfoodieclub

Hey! Thank you so much for taking the time off to reply! I absolutely agree with you! It makes more sense to first try and do 5k at my own pace and then try to cut short the time instead of

Trying to run behind a training plan! In the next 2 weeks, I’ll slowly increase to 5k though. Thankx again :) great help

kickibro profile image
kickibroGraduate

Hi,

You're doing great things losing that weight and being active.

To increase your distance, you might just add 4 more minutes to one of your weekly runs. Next week add another minute. It took me quite a long time to run 5k in 30 mins. Maybe a year. It's not really important.

Well done.

the_tea_fairy profile image
the_tea_fairyGraduate

Welcome and well done!

I'd agree with what's been said above, but if you are keen to up your speed (some of us are just competitive, even if only with ourselves 😉), the 2 things that have most helped me in the past are strengthening my core (plank and squats and b*stard leg-raises and plenty of yoga), and doing a session of hill reps as one of 3 weekly runs (off-road on grass, because it's less impact and more fun).

You may also find your speed goes up as your weight continues to come down (if someone trained in a 10kg backpack and then took it off, they'd find it easier to go faster/longer).

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