Done it! Desperate to maintain the momentum/interest

[MordenRunner]

Done it, but so have loads of others ....so a small & brief self-congrats. If you’ve done it too, well done it feels great doesn’t it? If you haven’t....keep going for the same reasons. Ultimately it turns you from being unfit to fit so massively worth it. 5k 3 or 4 times a week must mean your at the recommended levels of fitness as recommended by people a lot clever than me....any thoughts/views/insight on that welcome. So what now? Any advice also welcome on how to keep this as fun and engaging as the C25K app. Right, now to get my t-shirt which actually what it’s all about right?

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Listen, thousands of people have done it but this is a unique moment because it's the first time YOU'VE done it so enjoy your moment, you deserve it and you'd better believe the rest of us didn't worry how many people had done it before when we rejoiced in our own success The usual advice after 9 weeks of rapid improvement is just to consolidate for 3 weeks before looking for any further progress. You could even use the app, maybe with a different coach, although I'm beginning to prefer running without headphones now that I don't need to be prompted to change from running to walking and vv! There's a pinned FAQ post about how to approach the weeks after graduating and it's pretty good. Oh and if you have the option definitely look in to parkrun.

[Gran4z Graduate]

Hi there, and congrats on having done it. So now what? I floundered about, not knowing what to do. Most people say do 2-3 weeks of consolidation runs. So that's what I did. If you need structure you could just repeat W9 runs till you feel able to let go.

There are also NHS5k+ podcasts, which are really good in helping to build up speed and stamina. Been there too!

Joining a running club can be good, and Parkruns are excellent. And .... What about Bridge 2 10K? A challenge awaiting all us C25k graduates 😀

So have fun, explore what's out there, and keep on running 😎

[MordenRunner in reply to Gran4z]

Awesome advice, thanks Gran4z! Bridge 2 10k sounds interesting particularly as a few weeks ago I wouldn’t have entertained the possibility but now could see a way to dong it...initially moderating pace and building up from there not absolutely doable. Yamas! (See previous reply to Arthur)

[MordenRunner in reply to MordenRunner]

Dong it?! Ha! Typo resulting from aforementioned Rosé.

[MordenRunner]

Sound advice and a kind opening comment, efcharistó polý Arthur! (W9R3 completed in Fiskardo, Kephalonia and currently being celebrated with a modeslty-sized glass of finest Greek rosé)

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

After you have "consolidated" your 30 minutes of running - you can start to go longer but slower or shorter but faster. Hence you can train to run for (say) 60 minutes - or you can train to run the Mile distance faster. There also 5K training plans that go from Beginner to Intermediate to Advanced levels. If you wanted to concentrate on parkrun , it could take you easily a year to advance through those levels of 5K training.

[GTTOBS]

Big congrats!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

This guide to post C25K running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running keep smiling.