Nowhere near 5k

[Percyp73]

I've just finished week 8 and am currently on 2 85k. Don't think I'm going to get up to 5k with another 2 mins running next week. I can't increase my speed yet. Will this come automatically through increased stamina? Also, do you all track the distance of just the running part? When intervals stopped I just track the running. Thanks all.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Don’t worry about the distance you’re not running... celebrate the distance you are running. Could you run 2.85k in January??? Despite the name of the plan, this isn’t about getting off the couch and running 5k 9 weeks later, it’s about running for 30 minutes... which is a great cardio workout and will both improve health and fitness, the former of which improves your life expectancy... and it doesn’t matter how far you run to achieve this. Around 90% of us don’t run 5k in 30 minutes within the plan... some of us go on to do it later... some never do, but most go on to run 5k.

There are other plans that will improve your 5k time or 30 minute distance... but they’re not for now, they’re for when 30 minutes becomes a comfortable run. They involve a combination of running for longer and going shorter and faster. For now, graduate and then consolidate.

As for tracking... its more useful to compare apples with apples, so tracking the warmup and cooldown will not make it easy to compare your current runs with maybe a parkrun further down the line, and then if you had also tracked the intervals you can compare them to similar future runs. All this is for much later really, some people just run!

Enjoy closing this out and celebrate you achievements well.

[Bluepup1 Graduate]

UnfitNoMore says it all really - the name of the programme is ‘misleading’ and I can see it may put people off attempting or completing!

It’s your journey so if you feel you need to repeat a run or week, that’s perfectly fine! The only race you’re running at the moment is with yourself (your thoughts/feelings etc)

You’re doing a fab job starting and following the programme and remember you are achieving much more than anyone else that hasn’t 👍🏻

Graduation is just round the corner so enjoy the rest of your journey and graduation 🤗 x

[SpeedMaQueen Graduate]

I too am nowhere near achieving 5k by the end of next week but I am focusing on getting through the programme and building up to the 5k after that. Didn’t quite believe I could manage to run this long without stopping so I am not going to be demoralised- particularly after reading that the vast majority of us don’t make the 5k either in 9 weeks. I suppose couch to 30minutes isn’t quite such a catchy title! Happy running- we’ll get to 5k eventually- the main thing is we are running 🙂

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to SpeedMaQueen]

Got it in one! Well done you!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Just the running..forget 5K..it is all about reaching 30 minute runs..comfortably and having fun! You're doing just fine🙃

[Debston Graduate]

My graduation run was only just over 2km,partly because I like to go slow and steady, partly because I kept slowing down to take photos! The distance doesn't matter at all at this point. About a week after graduation, I ran my first Parkrun and made it to 5k, very slowly but I did it, the stamina was there. Now I have Run 5km a few times and am getting quicker but still not near 30 minutes yet. I will get there in the end but I am more than happy just being able to run at all! 😂

[Buddy34 Graduate]

You are doing great don't worry about your pace as long as you're getting to the end of each run. Good luck 😊

[MuddledGardener Graduate]

I’m supposed to graduate tomorrow, and I’m still under 3.5k. I don’t worry about it. It’s enough to know that I can now run for thirty minutes comfortably, with a really quick recovery. Increased pace and hence distance will come with more running.

I only track the running bits, not the warmup and cool down, as it’s the running bit we’re aiming for.

Good luck next week, and enjoy your runs. You’re really close now! 😃

[Debston Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

Good luck for tomorrow MG! We're all rooting for you and waiting to hear a full report!

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Debston]

Thank you so much! 😃