Did week 9 run2.....30 mins plus 2 5 mins walks .......just hit 4k altogether
Feeling a bit dejected....i must be far to slow....think I must need to run for 40 mins to actually hit 5k...😭😭😭😭
1 more run to graduation though do pleased that at the age of 50 I haven't had a heart attack yet trying to run.🤣
Ah well..
I did 3.7km in the 30min of my graduation run! Most don't do 5k in 30 min at graduation.
I'm off out now aiming for my first 5k and I'm expecting 40min if I manage it after close to no sleep last night!
Thank u ...its good to know...im just gonna try adding on a couple of mins every week after graduation see how it goes x
Hey 👋🏻 I’ve not run 5k either, graduated 3 weeks ago and still struggling with the 30 min runs distance wise. Think the mantra here is slow and steady, I’m 53 and stop that dejected thing!! Every run under your belt is a good one ☝🏻 I only managed 25 mins this morning😊
I didn’t do 5k either, don’t worry 🙂 I did my 5k at a Parkrun (highly recommend them - fab atmosphere) and it took me just under 40 minutes. Don’t give up - you’re doing great!
I can't imagine doin a park run....wud be clearing up the course by time I finished😂c
Hey!! Have a hug. You're doing a great job!!
Only about 10% of people manage to get to 5K in 30 minutes by the time they graduate. But it'll come. It really will.
You're doing brilliantly!!
You can run for 30 minutes non-stop. You couldn't do that 9 weeks ago. And you probably thought it was impossible.
But it's not. And you're a runner. And you should feel fantastic about yourself.
A lot of people will pile in and now and say good, kind, helpful and supportive things. Because that's what we do here. xx
This place is great......good to know that most people don't hit 5k...just the 1s I read!!!😀x
You are right on track Couchpotatoni and doing really well. I think it’s far more impressive to run 30 mins non stop than what distance that covers! 30 whole minutes!! You’re fab! Well done. 😊💪🏼💪🏼
Thank u....x
Somewhere in the region of 90% of graduates do not complete 5k in 30 minutes at graduation, so you have good company. It is an arbitrary time and distance relationship, so does it really matter if you can run at that pace?
I’m sure Oldfloss would say there’s no such thing as “far too slow” 😉
You shouldn’t feel dejected about what you have achieved, although I completely understand as I felt really slow too when I realised a couple weeks before graduation that I wouldn’t make 5k in 30 minutes. (I still can’t, I graduated about a month ago and at parkrun yesterday 5k took me 37 minutes.)
If you think about it, after your next run you will have hit the target the program is designed for, “run for 30 minutes, 3 times a week” did you dare to believe that could be possible during week 1? I know I didn’t.
After graduation and consolidation you can, if you choose, work with different podcasts designed to help improve your speed and your stamina and work towards doing a sub 30 5k.
Or you could try slowly increasing your distance over a couple weeks so that you do reach 5k, but in a longer time.
Think of it as the next challenge, another milestone to strive for and be proud when you get there like the first time you ran 20 minutes non stop.
Well done for your run.
I reached about 3.4k on my 30 minute runs and spent the first three weeks after graduating to build up to 5k (in about 44 mins at my speed). You are bang on target for similar.
If 5k is where you want to be, we’ll help you get there in a steady way.
Thanks x
Yay! That's great! I graduated with a distance well short of 5k and am steadily running for longer now as 5k is a target. But I know I will never run it in 30 mins and that's fine! Just enjoy running because you can! 😎😎😎
I graduated last week. Overweight, 55 about 3.5K 😁😁
Brilliant...well done....im overweight too....ive not lost an ounce of weight but do feel less wobbly.....sometimes ..😂
I think everyone else has said it all so I will just say enjoy your last run and graduate with pride at what you have achieved in 9 weeks
Hey there Couchpotatoni ,
I saw your post in passing, and felt I must reply to you. I've said this before, and I'm about to say it again, the name Couch to 5k is misleading! Yes, it trips off the tongue nicely, but really it's Couch to 30 minutes. Me being the OCD type was not happy at only having run about 4k on my graduation run, and I stressed quite a bit about it. But - I didn't need to.
For a start, when you are a new runner, you are at greater risk of injury than seasoned runners because your muscles are doing things that they really aren't used to, so by going slowly, you're reducing your risk of injury. The other thing is that if you run at your limit constantly, if you're anything like me, it won't be much fun, ending a run soaked in sweat, panting for breath etc. I remember I really pushed myself, too far probably, on one of my week 6 runs I think it was, so much so that I had to collapse on a park bench for 5 minutes before I could do my cool down walk. That's not fun for me, and it's not what I want out of running.
My advice, for what it's worth, don't worry about hitting 5k for now. I would say your next milestone would be 5k, but in as long as it takes. That's fine, and I would say even more valuable than doing 5k in a shorter time, because it's building up your stamina to run for longer. You are building up the skills required to run any distance really, well, within reason.
Trust me, you are doing great, and are taking a very sensible approach, and reducing your risk of injury. Just enjoy it for what it is, and congratulate yourself on every 30 minute run. The 5ks will come when they are ready!!
Oh - and I graduated at the start of November, I still haven't done a 5k in 30 minutes, don't worry about it, really 
Neil
That’s really helpful
Thank u so much....that's really good advice.....and great encouragement.....xx
Well, I think you’re fabulous for doing what you are doing.
Being on a running forum makes you compete with all this, but put yourself in the ‘i am doing a lot more than a lot of people’ bracket and you are doing yourself a bit favour by running 30 mins several times a week.
So many people would still struggle to run for a bus or train.
Well done x
Thank u.x
I agree with all this, reading the forums sometimes however does make u feel bit of a snail 😂 I graduated a month ago & im now doin a 4K at 34 mins - do not even at 5k yet!! It’s important however I reiterate what 316neil stated in that enjoyment is important- I had bad run on Friday & was exhausted & feelin unwell trying to better my time- it’s not wat I’m after with running as I just won’t continue with it & give up! So anyways I’m off out just now for slow and steady run like I enjoy & hope u do the same xxxx
Yes ure right....if it's not fun no motivation to do it!
Reassuring to know that I'm not alone x
If you want to get to 5k we can help.
...So that means you are the same as the majority of us! 😃
You are doing brilliantly, fling aside that dejection, (all dejection rights revoked henceforth!😂) and feel super proud of yourself!😀
The thing is, calling this program “Couch to 3 and a bit K“ isn’t really very catchy. Most people gradually increase their time ( no more than 10% at a time) until they reach 5k. I’m a happy snail and would take about 43mins to run 5k at the moment. You will gradually get faster anyway and there are things you can do to encourage that, if you wish to, after you have consolidated running for 30 minutes for a few weeks. Don’t forget to look at the pinned post for what to do after graduation. Meanwhile I will polish the podium for you. 😄
Thank u.....i didn't have anything yo measure distance til bout 2 weeks ago used my son's crappy fitness tracker.....was disappointed thrn when I realised I was never getting to 5k by the end of the programme....this forum is fab..reassurance that lots don't...
X
Most don't! 😅
4K Tonkette
Graduated- 40 mins 4K
