1st Full 5K

[DaveMu]

Since graduating I've been running 2 to 3 times a week but including warm ups and downs in the distance travelled. 1st time today I"ve ran the full 5K start to finish in 39 minutes and it was tough. Tell me the speed will increase . I'm sure it's the gremlins in my treadmill playing with me.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Why do you want the speed to increase? Serious question: nothing wrong with wanting it if you are clear in your mind why that is what you want. However, trying to increase speed and distance at the same time is a bad idea so while you were trying to get up to 5k it would have been a mistake to try to speed up. Indeed if it’s as tough as you say then there might be a case for slowing down a little so that you have something left after a run. When you get to that point then decide if you are going to focus on reducing your time for 5k or increasing your distance. But please don’t try to do both at once!

Also 39 minutes is a long time to stay motivated on a treadmill- have you tried running outside?

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Plan to consolidate 5K . Living in Scotland the time to run outside has gone lol.

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

I live in Arbroath with the wind coming in from the North Sea and I’m still running outside

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

I'm a west coast weegie softie. It's blowing a gale tonight so treadmill for me

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

Wouldn’t fancy it tonight either with storm Diane or whatever she’s called but that’s different from not going out all winter

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Might try a park run but normally out on a Friday night lol

[Deals1 Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

Sounds like u doing great. Try outside if u can ,... Even for a short run. Park runs are great. I know what u mean about Friday Night tho 😂 but maybe once in a while....

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

Choose a nice flat one. You don’t say where you are in the West but some of the hilliest parkruns in the whole UK are in Glasgow. There are some flat ones too though.

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Glasgow weegie. Pollock is the nearest

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

First parkrun in Scotland was Pollok! I think it’s not exactly flat though. There’s a guy called Doug Mason who’s done every parkrun in Scotland this year and made videos of them all - easy to find on YouTube. Pollok is actually his home parkrun. Don’t be put off by his speed though as he’s seriously fast!

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Cheers . much appreciated

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

Unless you are in a gale... get out there

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations to you DaveMu for running your first 5K today, I hope you enjoyed it. I remember when I ran my first full 5k, I also felt more tired than when I had ran 6/30 minute runs which included the 3 of week 9 and 6/30 minute consolidation runs. 🏃😊

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Last .5 was a struggle cause the odometer refused to tick over as you watch. Just concentrate in the music.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Congratulations on the 5k.

Keep the other two runs at 30 minutes and run your longer one deliberately slowly, knock one or 2 kph off. That builds stamina and makes your long easier... then maybe drop another to 20 minutes and run 1 or 2 kph faster. The combination of along run and getting used to a faster tempo should start to increase the distance you cover in 30 minutes.

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Cheers Sir. I've been messing about with the incline to mix it up a bit but will give your suggestions a go

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to DaveMu]

Hopefully varying the runs helps too.

The other thing that was on my plan was 400m fast, rest two minutes and repeat... reps started at 4 and went up to 10.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Head outside and see what that is like The only way to increase speed and distance is by lots more runs

The gremlins don't like fresh air

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Didn't know that

[Duddles Graduate]

If using a treadmill, just up the pace a bit. I divide the 30 minutes into five segments. I start off with six minutes at 9.5kph, then six at 9.6, and so on up to 9.9 and usually do the last two or three minutes at 10k plus. You can go faster and push yourself more than you think on the treadmill - the 0.1k increases are so modest, you hardly feel them. But as the experts and motivators on this forum say, it is time on your feet that counts rather than the speed you do it at. Speed will come the more you run, as you probably know.

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to Duddles]

Cheers

[hobsonr]

It will increase but just keep putting the 5k's in. I run every lunch now and am down to 28 mins from 39 mins.

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to hobsonr]

Exactly what I needed to hear. Cheers !

[Lapsedyogi Graduate]

I was proudly 42 minutes for my first 5k. Overtaken by a man in a bunny suit, and a small child. But that was 9 weeks after starting c25k so I felt awesome that I could do it!! I'm still really really slow but grateful for all the advice on here to keep it slow. I've not had any injuries, doms, or even stitches, and I can feel myself getting stronger. I'm planning to start 10k training in January.

I'm also on the treadmill but try and run outside once at the weekend. I actually find it easier. It's nice to run in the cold and my treadmill is set at 1 degree so if the route is fairly flat then I'm a bit faster outside too, without trying. But when I get home in the dark there's no way I'm heading back out. The treadmill means I have no excuse. You need to find what works for you.

[DaveMu Graduate in reply to Lapsedyogi]

Cheers

The feedback does help and a trip outside is overdue.