Week 9!!

[Carltonmagpie]

I have followed the couch to 5k religiously but as this is my final week (of the plan, not running, I'm hooked) , I was a little concerned that I was only running around 4 maybe 4.5km in my running sections. I was achieving almost 6k in total as my brisk walk is at 6km/h but was itching to see if I had 5k running in me. I decided I would enter my local park run but play the app through my headphones and consider stopping after 30 mins if I felt I was struggling. The weather conditions were awful which made the ground conditions but imagine my surprise when I found I was well into the last kilometre when Sarah Millican told me 30 mins was up and I could walk for the next five minutes. However this running bug just doesn't let that happen and I completed the full five kilometres (in a time of 35mins!) which absolutely amazed me. I did walk back to my car (for 20 minutes) so my warm down was fulfilled to. My reason for posting is not to brag, other than to confirm I would not have even considered this some short weeks ago, and to encourage the week 1 and week 2 runners, who are thinking 5k is beyond them. I was there only a short time ago and now look at me! In the process I'm over a stone lighter and loving it so stick at it. Happy running everyone......

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

No your not bragging Carltonmagpie, you did very well indeed running in that time of 35 minutes, good luck for your graduation run 🏃.

[Carltonmagpie Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks I'm looking forward to it!

[Tippyrunn Graduate]

Wow, that's amazing. What a story. I'm on week 5, run 1 tomorrow. I would love to do park run with a group of running friends for my birthday at end of April. They are all super fit and quick. Haven't told them I'm doing c25k as I don't want to fail. Your story give me hope. Though you are probably younger and fitter than me by a long way.

[Carltonmagpie Graduate in reply to Tippyrunn]

Hi tippyrunn. Age is but a number and if it matters I'm fifty in three weeks. I don't know about being fitter than you either, just that I'm fitter than I was at Christmas! Keep it up, it's not easy but rewarding nevertheless.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If you look at this poll of graduates healthunlocked.com/couchto5.... you will see that only a small proportion actually run 5k in 30 minutes at graduation.

Well done, you.

[Carltonmagpie Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks Iannoda. I used that poll to help me decide whether to enter the park run. I have entered a 10k in three months time so by my reckoning, I will graduate this week have three or four weeks of 5k/30 minute runs before picking up 5k to 10k training plan. What do you think?

[Dowat Graduate]

No bragging at all, justifiable pride in great achievement and it is inspiring to hear that the c25k is totally successful in getting once non-runners (like me) to become runners. Enjoy your next run.