What do you measure?

[JoJoMo74]

I've just finished Week 7 and move on to Week 8 tomorrow.

I have until now been starting my Strava at the beginning of the 5 min warm up walk and stopping it at the end of the 5 min cool down.

However I ran with a friend yesterday who only started hers at the start of the run?

Which is best? Or doesn't it really matter?

[up_and_running]

It depends on what you want to measure. She must want to to track only her running distance, speed and pace to work on improving her running performance; hence excluding the walking warm-ups and cool-downs. In a race the warm-up and cool-downs happen before and after the start and end.

For someone just starting the program, I think the total distance covered tends to be more motivational. I use Endomondo on my phone to track my total distance including the walking portions and my Watch workout app to track just the running piece.

[AnnieW55]

Doesn't really matter as distance doesn't matter for c25k (it's the 30mins non stop that is the important bit and to be aimed for).

On the one hand you get your complete activity/distance logged and on the other just the run. I would hazard a guess that most people who start the programme don't use Strava and the like, until they find out about them and get curious as to how far they are going, and then start with the whole activity and later move to just logging the run.

Just do what suits you, grow into it (there is a whole new world out there after c25k to learn about, no need to rush it) and most importantly enjoy it.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If you want to measure the distance you cover while running, then start your app when you start running. This will tell you your running pace.

If you want to measure the total workout, start at the beginning of your warmup walk. This will give you a combined walk/run pace figure.

I have only ever timed my running intervals.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I just time from when I start to run..but if you time yr whole workout whilst on the C25K programme.it gives you benchmarks to measure progress.. ..then when you graduate..you decide how you want to use Strava..😊

Either way you are running and doing wonderfully😊

[Rumour Graduate]

We have only ever started Strava from the end of the warm up to the beginning of the cool down. Since week seven we have been getting a more accurate indication of our running ability and can now look to improve. Since graduating, we have both tended to keep to the status quo and maintained pace, mainly to build in more stamina. Next will come an increase in pace to get to 5k (4 at the moment) and train the breathing to keep up.

While the warm up and cool down are important and part of the exercise, the running bit is more important to us.