Last week i completed the 3 runs of week 1. All went as well as could've been expected from me not exercising properly for years apart from the trainers im using are an absolute joke and gave me blisters on W1R1 and i am subsequently dying each time i put them on since (but this is another discussion).
Im keen to know the distances that W1 runners are achieving in their runs as its not tracked in the C25K app. Im using strava to track my runs so i can report on my progress beacuse i think i went in to fast the first run and it kind of killed me. My pace has been getting slower with each run.
Ive wondered this since the app is technically called Couch to 5k and have been thinking that the final run just says 30 minutes. Seeing as i wrote the post, i guess ill go first.
W1R1 - 2.36Mi 12:19/Mi 0h29m
W1R2 - 2.42Mi 12:29/Mi 0h29m
W1R3 - 2.29Mi 12:37/Mi 0h28m
By no means do i want to make this a 'well look at my time' post and obviously no one needs to post their respective times but just thought i'd share. To be honest, its really to work out if my goal of 5k without stopping is achievable in 30 mins (by week 9) and i am tracking my runs to look at progress.
Hope to speak to many of you in the future for motivation.
Luke
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Flukioni
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I did some of wk1 on the treadmill last wwek. I didn't do the full cool down walk as I was short on time and NEED to stretch but the treadmill said about 1.7 miles I think. I can't say I paid much attention as I'm not fussed about distance. I walked at 3.5 mph (I feel wobbly walking fast on a treadmill) and ran at 5.2 -5.5 mph (faster as I got more convenient I wasn't going to splat!)
Hi Luke, Firstly well done for starting. To be honest you're over thinking it at the moment in my opinion I would recommend just following the programme, listening to music and focus on the end goal of running for 30 mins. Timings are something I never looked at until week 9 and then after that I started the Park runs so I could measure my progress. A good set of trainers are, I believe invaluable and it's worth getting a gait analysis done. Good luck and keep going.
TBH, i think you might be right about over thinking it but with me, that extends to pretty much every aspect of things i start. I cant help but instantly try and work out how X will affect Y in the future and want things to happen right now. I guess the fact ive started is the good bit and the rest will come.
On the point of footwear, any pointers as best places? Any nationwide retailers that come recommended, or would you suggest local running gear shops?
Local running shops are the best, usually will give you a free gait analysis. I've always believed you can never cut costs on footwear. Regarding the X affecting Y , celebrate every completed run as they all build up to the 30 mins straight run at the end, so you concentrate on time running as opposed to speed/pace.
According to the Survey we had a while back, less than 10% graduate in 9 weeks or with 5K in 30 minutes.
The only requirement for graduation is three 30 minute run days. That's it! ☺
Personally I was thrilled a year ago when I did a 33:24 5k in a race, and just last Saturday 38:43. I would get a kick out of doing a sub 30 5k but I'm having too much fun to focus on "speed" as I just like running for "as long as is wise and enjoyable"
The programme aims to get folk running for 30 minutes. Distance covered isn’t important.
As a new runner you need to build running legs slowly. Trying to increase pace and distance covered at such an early stage has potential to lead to the injury couch.......thus running stops 😳
Thanks for the reply. I agree that trying to build pace early on isnt a good move at all and running beyond ability isnt advisable and im not saying i want to get my pace up right now, but my reasoning was that i chose this regime due its title being couch to 5K. Towards the end of the programme, i would like to take part in frequent local park runs and assumed this would set me up for them.
Just thought id ask if others are posting similar times / pace and if they beilive that building the pace required to complete 5k in 9 weeks is achievable based in this programme and my current times.
I am going to start week 4 tomorrow, so I am not an experienced runner. However, what I would say is not to worry about anyone else, it is just down to you and your personal progression from starting out to being able to run continuously for 30 minutes. The 5K thing is nothing more than a suggestion that 30 minutes is about 5K.
This is about your journey through the programme. You will measure your own progress by how you feel during and after each session and finding how your body adapts and develops.
Stick with the programme and good luck. We expect regular reports...
By the way, I habitually overthink things as well. Before my first run I was asking about everything from tracking software to route planning.
One piece of advice that I would offer, though, is to have a backup plan for the app. Mine seemed to start playing up after the first week, so I downloaded the podcast and used a wrist stopwatch as a backup plan.
Thanks for this, i did actually already have an issue with it. Albeit not a technical problem, more that just the runs in each week are the same recording and the voice over tells me that i need to run twice more this week to complete 3 runs in each week even though i was on run number 2, and he said it on run 3 also.
Well, he said something like that anyway. It wasn't word for word as at the time he said it i was trying not to die at the end of the run. I think they have recorded 9 different weeks and play them at each run. I had to make sure i had re-run the W1R1 so was fumbling for a few seconds on the app.
I think what you have to think about is that at the end of this programme you will be able to run for 30 minutes non-stop. If you want to do a park run, bear in mind that the boost you get from the other runners and the helpers is insane. If you have to run for a further 5-8 minutes to complete 5k you will be able to. You'll have the legs for it and I think at that stage it will just become mind over matter. Couch to 5k will help you to run 5k, it doesn't matter if it's in 30 minutes or not. Happy running ☺️
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