Heading into week 8 but 5k still feels a long way off

[Spacemonkey14]

Hi are there any tips to increasing speed and endurance? This is my third attempt at C25k and so so pleased to have just completed week 7, I feel positive about competing the programme this time, however running 5k doesn’t feel achievable yet. Do many people achieve this in week 9? My average pace has been 10min/km, today I achieved almost 8min/km 😮😀 but that’s running 3k. Any tips to stay motivated and get closer to 5k? Really want to try a park run but can’t face being the last one to finish by a country mile! 🙈 thanks in advance

[ToniCR Graduate]

I'd say just keep running at a pace comfortable to you that allows you to complete each run. Don't worry about how fast or how far yet. I don't think most people get to 5k in 30 minutes. I managed 4k in 30 minutes.

Once you graduate, if you keep running regularly, you can work on your pace. I find mine is naturally getting faster as I keep running. I'm not trying to go faster, it just happens. I shaved 3 minutes off my 5k time in a couple of weeks. Maybe in a few more weeks I'll be a bit faster still.

[SW16 Graduate in reply to ToniCR]

Thats good advice, Toni. The C25k should be renamed C230mins but it doesn’t roll off the tongue so well 😆I graduated about 5 weeks ago, and am only comfortable now running 5k in about 32 minutes, though I am getting quicker. I doubt you would be the last at a park run if you are running 4k in 30 mins! You are already faster than everyone on the couch. Give it a go and watch your times come down each week!

[Notsobigdoug]

It’s not about running 5k it’s about being able to run for 30 minutes. When I graduated I was only running about 4K but managed it on my second run after I graduated. Today which is 4weeks later I completed my first 10k run

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The aim of the plan is to get you running for thirty minutes non stop, for some that will be 5k or more at graduation, but for about ninety percent of graduates it will be a lesser distance. don't worry about it, 5k is an arbitrary distance. You are doing great.

You might find reading through the guide to post C25k running useful healthunlocked.com/couchto5... although you will then realise that the prevailing wisdom is not to spend your time chasing speed but in fact to spend most of your time running at an easy conversational pace, which is what builds endurance.

Speed will come later.

[NeD54]

Just keep relaxed and try listening to something motivational plenty on the Web for runners, I use Jason Stephenson, to me running is as much a case of mental focus as well as fitness.

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Hi Spacemonkey , I have done 2 runs of week 8 now and also have a target of a Parkrun when I graduate. But I think the advice is to stick with the programme and consolidate your 30 minutes for a few weeks. Therefore I will certainly be walking the 1st 5 minutes and then the remaining distance. There will be people on Parkrun who have done less running than you have achieved by now so don’t worry about being last. Everyone is really encouraging so I can imagine you will get carried along by the taking part with other people.

[Spacemonkey14 Graduate]

Thanks for all the comments, going to keep focused on the amount of time I can run for and not the distance, and hopefully in a few weeks I’ll be getting ever closer to 5k 🙂