Week 9 but nowhere near 5k!

[Jayne60]

I am due to graduate tomorrow morning when I have done W9R3. I have run for 30 mins x 2 this week but the distance I have covered is only 2.5k. I am proud of myself for getting to this point, age 60 and very overweight but disappointed also. I hoped to do a park run this weekend but don’t think I can run for long enough yet to do the 5k. Any advice welcome!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

5k won’t extend your life... 30 minutes running has. Be super proud of yourself. You can do parkrun this weekend... they’d love to have you. Weight will fall the more you run if diet is close to healthy. Times will drop too over time.

[Carolinemcd Graduate]

Please don’t be disappointed. I know that’s easier said than done but you are doing amazing. My graduation run was not much further than you and I’ve since gone out to run a very slow 5k. And I really did surprise myself. The program will have worked to improve your stamina without you even realising it. My advise is to complete your grad run, then go out and just run. Enjoy it and don’t worry about the time or distance and you’ll be surprised by what you achieve. Very best of luck to you. You’re a runner 🏃🏽‍♀️

[Jayne60 Graduate in reply to Carolinemcd]

Thank you 👍🏼

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Don’t worry Jayne60, the aim of the programme is to get you running 30 minutes and only 10% of graduates reach 5k. You can still do Parkrun, as I did post graduation. Go to the back of the runners after your first time briefing. Start your app or podcast at the start line and walk for 5 minutes as usual and run after that. At the end of your 30 minutes run you can walk for as long as you want. When you see the finish line you can start running again if you have the energy. Just keep to your normal pace and you’ll be fine. I do parkrun most weekends now and love the community spirit.

Good luck with your final run this week and don’t forget to put a post on to say you’ve graduated (and a photo?)

[Hidden]

You will get there. We are not 18 anymore (even if we feel no different inside) and you have to expect to take longer to reach the goal. Carry on and I GUARANTEE (or your money back) that within the next 6 weeks you can build up to 5k

Now that’s got to be worth waiting for.....🏃🏾‍♀️👍😊

[Bandit14 Graduate]

You're running for 30 mins - distance doesn't matter - very few people are anywhere near to 5k after only 9 wks

Be proud as you have done fantastic to get to this point and massively well done to you🤗

If you fancy parkrun have a go - you don't need to run all of it - I did my first last wk - ran about half of it and walked the rest - was a great feeling to do it - I didn't care that I hadn't run the whole 5k. 6 weeks ago I couldn't have walked 5k - or I was too lazy to😊

[sallenson Graduate]

Brilliant!! Well done you. And there's some factoid that suggests only around 10% of graduates on here get to 5K in 30 mins. And they have legs like skinned rabbits, so don't fret.

What you need now, I'm guessing is some sort of plan. So the "10% Rule" is the place to start.

Keep running your three times per week. But increase the distance of your third run by 10% of the distance. So from 2.5K, add 250m, giving you 2.7K. Nice and slowly. Really slowly. Other two runs should just be 30mins and then stop.

If that feels okay then increase the distance of what we'll call call your "long" run by 10% again. 2.7K plus 270m. Just under 3K. Again nice and slowly.

Getting running into your legs steadily will improve your pace and your endurance. Just do it nice and slowly.

Keep at it, hon. You're a runner and you should be proud. You'll be ready for a parkrun when you're ready. It's not a competition.

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to sallenson]

‘legs like skinned rabbits’ 🤣🤣👏👏 isn’t it brilliant we have such a great mix of experience, age, heights, weights, shapes - and we can all get to the end of this in our own way, in our own time (either through more individual runs, or by slowing down to what we need to do) to run for 30mins 3x a week. Not a one-off effort followed by 6 years of pizza and beer before the next charity event - but building up the stamina to be a regular runner. Hope anyone who still feels a bit of ‘imposter syndrome’ realises what a huge achievement it is to have committed to do this, and then got to the end. Distance doesn’t matter right now, not one. little. bit. 😉

[Jayne60 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Thanks - really helpful x

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Hey Jayne!! What a brilliant achievement! Join the club in not getting to 5k! Most don’t so don’t let that put you off in any way. Disappointed? Don’t be! You can run for almost 30 minutes without stopping! That’s absolutely fabulous! Run and enjoy it and be proud of what you have achieved. You will carry on picking up the pace after graduation! The achievements don’t stop there! Well done!! ❤️

[Hidden]

Hi Jayne, first of all congratulations on graduating! I finished my last run yesterday and felt elated until I realised I was way off hitting 5k.

Seeing this thread has made me feel proud again of what I have achieved, and I hope you do too. Running for 30 minutes is a great achievement but also realising what you can do when you put your mind to it - positive thinking and patience and we will both be running 5k before we know it!! 👊🏻👊🏻

I am hoping to do my first park run this weekend too, walking and running as Bandit14 suggested and build up from there.

Look forward to hearing how you get on as well and happy running!!

💕🏃🏼‍♀️

[littlerua]

Huge congrats for getting this far!!! I graduated last night and really don’t care about distance or time as I am so overjoyed that I can actually run for 30 minutes three times. You are super amazing to do this programme and I hope like me you will be as elated as I was last night. It’s the doing it that is the prize and you are in the top of the class!!!! Go out there and enjoy your last run. You are awesome. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👍👍😘🦋

[Ang33333 Graduate]

You can run for 30 mins! That's amazing. I didn't get to 5k at graduation and never will run 5k in 30 mins. But I've run 5k now in about 44 mins and am so happy! 😁😁😁😁

[TC321]

Jayne60. I am Tony 40. I am terrified to start. You have done a lot better than me.

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to TC321]

Hi Tony! It’s the hardest thing to start and I made my first run way too difficult for myself 🙄. But it is ok to make mistakes when you are learning something new - you just learn and try something different.

Can you walk for 30 mins? Start there 😉even if it is just around the edge of the local supermarket car park or sports field, so you’re never in danger of feeling ‘stranded’. Once you know you can walk it, I expect you’ll be able to jog a few strides. There is even a pre-C25k program, somewhere, I’m sure someone will have a link if you post a request on here.

If you’re walking fine then I suggest, for confidence and a technique least likely to damage joints, look up ‘slow running’ on YouTube. It was discovered and promoted by a Japanese doctor and it’s my ‘go to’ pace during a run to keep going for the full time, or I am nursing some injury along, or I just want a no-pressure, love-life, session! Slow running is still running. Hope that helps break down some mental barriers for you. You can do this!

[TC321 in reply to Equi-geek]

That helps a lot. Thank u for your support. Yes I am ok to walk. Will try your suggestions.

[Jayne60 Graduate in reply to TC321]

Go for it! You will be surprised what you can do when you simply follow the programme 👍🏼🏃🏻‍♀️

[TC321 in reply to Jayne60]

Thanks Jayne. Not feeling it tbh but will have a go.

[Robert_IS_a_Runner Graduate]

Well done 😁 👍 🎖it doesn't matter at all. I'm slow and proud!

[Irish-John Graduate]

It is quite true that LESS than 10% of graduates made it in 9 weeks/5K to the Graduation podium We had a survey here a while back and the results confirmed it

Another true fact! - On my slowest, shortest day running - I am 100% faster and stronger than the FOBOTS that I used to be. And that's on my WORST day running LOL

Wishing you all the many happy miles that await in your future - and please do believe in the programme if not yourself right now. You WILL graduate - just take it slow, steady and sensibly

[Deals1 Graduate]

don't worry, you can RUN for 30 minutes!! that's fantastic.

[skeenie Graduate]

well done for getting this far 2.5km is a lot further than Okm and the majority of us didnt make 5k in the 9 weeks but did manage 30 mins after almost collapsing on week 1. I have done 5k in 30 mins my quickest so far 38mins but so what I am not running for a living and my health is so much better. I joined a colour dash last weekend it was fun but at 11 am it was too hot. Join your park run, run as much as you can then walk to the finish .Just being with other runners may get you further than 2.5 k . enjoy the moment

[Oldman51 Graduate]

I am just a week ahead of you. I don't know your motives for doing C25K, but my main one was for the health benefit, particularly when it comes to the winter months when I am unable to swim outdoors (I dislike using the pubic pool 6 miles away). Also I was often told that I would LOVE running if I gave it a chance. Well that proved to be untrue, however C25K proved it was possible, even if not much fun. Without the structure of the plan and the constant advice here to slow down I don't think i would have persisted long enough to consider any regular commitment. Where I part company with many of graduates and mentors is the concept that the journey must be continued. Faster; 5K; 5K in 30 minutes; 10K or more. Great if you love running, but quite unnecessary for health. Even 30 minutes 3 times a week is probably too much if you are purely looking for health benefits. Take a look at:

youtube.com/watch?v=Ao9_ZC7...(Not working as expected?)

In the words of Dr Lavie (in the NY Times) "Running for 20 to 30 minutes, or about a mile-and-a-half to three miles, twice per week would appear to be perfect.”

I'll stick to that. And I'll NEVER do parkrun!