My first day!

[anni-p]

Hi all! Just wanted to introduce myself - my name is Anni and I’ve just started Couch to 5k today. I’m proud I made it to the gym today but honestly feeling quite demoralised - my brisk walk pace was 5kmh and my running was 7.5kmh (I googled what the average fast walk and jogging speeds are and I’m so much slower). Wondering if anyone felt the same when they started? Would be great to hear from you Thanks!

[HenriettaDoodle]

I’m a very slow runner too - but don’t be demoralised! I’m not sure if I’ll get much faster - but I just think that I must be doing some good if I get my heart rate up. I ran a 10k back in 2010 - very slowly - it was a Christmas fun run and I was overtaken by people dressed as Christmas trees, postboxes, Father Christmases, daleks (I know - not Christmassy) - but I did it!! You can too. Keep going!

[Lousylungs]

Welcome to this excellent programme and forum. Brilliant that you have made a start 👏. The problem with a treadmill is it is giving you all those numbers which distracts from the fact that you are walking and jogging which is great! Forget the numbers and just let C25K increase your stamina and pace. Try running outside. No numbers there. Happy running 🏃‍♀️

[Tartancat Graduate]

Slow is good! The slower the better, as it increases stamina and strength, and reduces the risk of injury.

I graduated in June 2018 and still don't run much faster than 7.5kph, but I enjoy myself and am slouch fitter than I used to be.

Think snail 🐌 and you won't go far wrong!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Welcome... google isn’t always a friend to us. Average running speeds will include everyone from Mo Farah and all the other runners with Olympic medals right the way to those that have just got off the couch and started C25K... and so, we will all be below the average. Likewise walking, the record for walking a marathon is under 3 hours... and there are a lot of very fast walkers out there.

C25K turns us into runners... we are not runners just because we started this... it takes a few weeks. We should have no expectations in terms of pace or distance, in fact we should slow right down to give us the best chance of completing each run as we are running to a clock.

Today you went out and you completed run 1... how many years since the last run? When you run 30 minutes in a few weeks, you may also be slow, and that’s actually good, you’ll be a stronger fitter runner for running slower. After graduation you may want to go and get a medal for your efforts and enter a 5k race... there may be thousands of runners there, but there’s only two in your race... you and the old you... and unless you are planning on trying for a gold medal in 2020 that will always be the case.

You did really well today... go do it again in the next run, relax, and be proud of yourself.

[anni-p]

Thanks so much for all the great messages! It’s made me feel a little better and more motivated to keep going Onwards to the second run (on Friday!)