It's taken me 4 years but .....I ran 5k in under 30 minutes!

[jmparkview]

I joined this forum 4 years ago, and with everyone's support and advice managed to complete the Couch to 5k programme. Ok, it took me 15 weeks rather than 9, but by the end of those 15 weeks, I could run for 30 minutes non stop. I moved on to Laura's stepping stones podcasts, and before too long I could run 5k, did my first park run, and haven't looked back since. The only niggle was try as I might, I couldn't get anywhere near running 5k in 30 minutes.

So 18 months ago, I decided that perhaps I needed a different goal, and signed up to take part in the Fulham 10K. I followed the advice of all the mentors here (thank you all), and increased my weekly mileage bit by bit - and then at the eleventh hour the run was cancelled because it snowed! Leap forward 8 months (and a broken foot), and I'm in training again for the re-arranged run in November 2018. Two weeks to go and I sprain my ankle whilst taking part in my local park run...grrrrr. Two weeks of complete rest (and several physio sessions) later, and I'm standing in the starting gate queue in Fulham with my daughter. We agree I have nothing to lose, that it's perfectly OK to run a K and walk a K, and pull out completely if the ankle protests. But the atmosphere gets the better of me. I run 5k. There's a water station and I grab a bottle, and walk while I drink it. The ankle is fine. I run on again. The last two kilometres are tough, but it's my hips that are beginning to hurt, not my ankle. So no reason to give up. The last kilometre feels so long but there are people hanging out of windows and standing on street corners, all cheering us on. I complete the 10k in 67 minutes. YAY!!!! OK, I walked a few minutes in the middle, but who's counting?

So, goal achieved, what next? Back to that niggling 5k in 30 minutes.....At Christmas, my daughter read an article which advised including hills in every run to improve stamina. So I find a new route for my week day runs. It starts with a fairly gentle downhill section - the uphill bits come later. As I run through January I discover an interesting thing....it seems it's not so much the running uphill that's helping improve my time for 5k - it's that week by week I find I can keep up the pace I set for myself in that first downhill section through more and more of my run.

And so today, just over 4 years since I signed up to this forum, this 64 year old Mum ran 5k in 29 minutes and 57 seconds!

So to everyone who's struggling reaching their goal - whether it's 30 minutes of running, running 5k, or 5k in 30 minutes, please don't give up, because it will come! My advice is not to be too hard on yourself when it doesn't work out; if you can't solve it in one way, try another tack, or set an different goal. And just sometimes, a solution presents itself when you are least expecting it!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

Woooohoooo🥇. I am so very pleased for you. I’m not sure I will ever get to under 30mins for a 5km but I do believe that there should be a 5km in 35 mins in my future. Posts like these make me believe it is possible thank you and so very well done. Rfc. X

[Granspeed Graduate]

Wahoo! Congratulations. 🎉 That’s looking way ahead for me, but your post is full of inspiration and good-sounding advice. Thanks so much! 😄

[damienair Graduate]

Excellent post. I’m delighted for you and well done for your goal completion. Sub 30 minute 5K is an amazing achievement, and it is not easy to achieve.

Like you I completed C25K almost 2 years ago and my standard 5K time at Parkrun was around 33-34 minutes. I only managed to go Sub 30 minutes once at a 5K race. I got 29:56 and felt like I won the race, I gave it everything.

My local Parkrun course is 3 laps of the park and there is a hill which eats up your energy and leaves the legs tired. Not so bad the first time but 2nd and 3rd it really takes it toll. My Parkrun PB was 31:04 and I could not get near it for a year. But 2 weeks ago I got a new PB at Parkrun of 30:38. Last week whilst doing 5K interval training I went 29:48 and last night I did 5K in 30:06 so I’m going for a sub 30 Parkrun soon.

Well done again,

Damien

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to damienair]

You are so close to that 30 min 5k - well done.

[sofiaO Graduate]

Wow, that's inspirational! Well done, amazing achievement

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Yeyayayayay... good things come along! Well done you!!!! xxxx

[Dexy5 Graduate]

What a journey you have been on and you still kept going when everything was going against you. Well done, you deserve a medal and you are such an inspiration to people doing c25k.

As a 61 year old, I’m still on that quest to reach 5k in 30 minutes too. I think it will happen at parkrun as I do love to run with others and I run much quicker there. My current target is sub 31 so I’m getting close.

You must celebrate 🎉🥂🍾

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Congratulations! You certainly earned that PB.

Very inspirational for anyone thinking there is such a thing as too slow and that they might be.

Happy running.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Your story really is great to read if it take you 9 weeks or 4 years you finally achieve what you went out to do great reading and good luck continuing 😊😊

[trogdelight Graduate]

Brilliant post. I particularly liked the final paragraph.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Great to hit a target!!

Well done you.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

A most excellent post, thank you. And congratulations on that 30 minute 5k!