Any other new graduates who are happy with 30 minutes alternate days, and no desire to do more?

[Benttoe]

I love my 30 mins runs either with friends or by myself. I don’t feel the need to go faster or further. Am I alone in this lack of ambition?

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

Haven’t got there yet but am sure I will be the same. It’s my goal for now that’s for sure! Well done on graduating!

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Annieapple]

Good luck! I’m actually fairly amazed what fun it is when it becomes less hellish!

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

We just graduated and planning 2x 30 minute runs and one either a bit longer or shorter and faster

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Congratulations! More ambition than me then!!

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

It’s my goal for now! It may change but if it doesn’t I’ll be ok with that too. I don’t think it’s lack of ambition- it’s what you’re happy with that counts! Happy running!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

There are thousands running just what they want to...when and where they want to...as long as you keep running and enjoying it.....that is all that matters

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you Oldfloss. You are an ongoing inspiration to me.

[Benttoe Graduate]

Actually,that’s a better way of looking at it. I feel pretty well with plenty of energy left , and that’s how I like it! Happy running to you as well!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

You’re far from alone with this. Your goal is allowed to be a fitter healthier happier you who happens to run 30 minutes a few times a week... no lack of ambition there. I strongly believe that to go to 10k and beyond you really have to want it... it’s better to do what you’re planning than to give in to peer pressure, go further, begin to hate running and then quit. There’s also no distance required to be a “real runner” you are one, and you’ll keep improving as a runner with each and every run.

Happy running... with the emphasis on happy.

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you so much. Wise words indeed. I feel it’s enough to help me stay healthy, and by doing just this amount probably does minimise risk of injury. It also gives me time to cycle too.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

With the running and cycling fitness won’t be a worry!

[Elisabeth3 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

I cannot see that is would be lack of ambition. I think 3*30 minutes is quite a length. Most of us cannot do that much, due to lack of ambition, physical readiness, time available, etc.

And if you cycle, too, that't fantastic!

Q: if 3*30 minutes running is considered little, what would you see as satisfactory?

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Elisabeth3]

To be honest, I do see it as enough, but many many people when finishing the C25K go on bridge to 10k etc! I don’t really want to, and thanks to all the support here am now confident I’m not mad!

[Elisabeth3 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

After the C25K many experience some loss of interest. To me it's normal, as after a chapter you may want to have a break.

And not everyone is a marathon runner at all.

If more run doesn't feel good, there may be a reason for it. It can also save you from exhaustion or injury.

[Vintage61 Graduate]

I don’t see it as a lack of ambition at all. You love running, that’s what it’s about isn’t it, and that’s fab. You may decide after a while you want to go further, faster. And that’s ok too. I get caught up in feeling I should be going faster each time. And then have to remind myself that if 3 months ago someone had told me I’d be running 5k and enjoying it I would have thought they were mad! 💕🏃🏻‍♀️💕👍🏻

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Vintage61]

Thanks Vintage61. How are you enjoying it? I am also a vintage 61 (by age, not name!)

[Vintage61 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

I love it, really do. Not been graduated too long so still getting to understand how my body works best etc. I’m a big bird hoping to be fitter and healthier and feel the benefits already, especially in mental health wellbeing. But I can run 5k now which I never thought possible and have allowed myself to feel a bit chuffed!! How about you?

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Vintage61]

You are right to be chuffed! I definitely feel the benefits. I find the running better than anything else for zoning out! What sort of places do you run? I’m lucky to have a lovely riverbank to run along. I haven’t done 5k yet, although I did 4.8 k by mistake the other day...the mistake was I didn’t mean to keep running beyond 30 mins as I only graduated a couple of weeks ago, but I lost track of time.

[Vintage61 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

I run by lakes and green spaces so very lucky. Lots of variety close to me so no excuses not to get out and enjoy the view. Interestingly was told by a friend that if I was enjoying the view I wasn’t trying hard enough..... 🤦🏼‍♀️

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Vintage61]

that’s hilarious! I take it the friend was pulling your leg?

[Vintage61 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

Er.....no 😏

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

Hmm...is he/she still a friend?

[Hidden in reply to Vintage61]

You're becoming one of my favourite contributors Vintage.. you're awesome. x

[Vintage61 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Aww shucks 😊

[Hatman Graduate]

Seems an excellent idea to me too. It is the culmination of C25K. Run for thirty minutes. Take your rest days. Enjoy your running. Be happy being just that bit fitter, slimmer too perhaps? Perhaps look at it as quality rather than quantity? Satisfied! Carry on enjoying.

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Hatman]

Hooray! i. Really buoyed up by all this support, and not feeling so lazy now. I AM a few pounds lighter, but need to be careful not to lose any more!

[Hidden]

Nope... And that's not a lack of ambition, that's enjoying your running. You're an absolute legend in my eyes!

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Wow! Thanks clubberlang!

[Hidden in reply to Benttoe]

It's true, whether you're running a marathon or running week 1 of C25K, you have my respect, and you should every runner's respect. We're all in the same family.

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You are right. Week 1 certainly deserves respect!

[Hatman Graduate]

If you don’t want to lose more weight, don’t try to keep up with Clubberlang. He is a machine! Fortunately he is a really good bloke who writes a lot of running sense and gives out loads of encouragement too. We started C25K at about the same time. I am happy plodding 30/40 minutes 3 times a week. Clubberlang is just back from an 18K run with an 8K walk back too. Horses for courses. He’s great at what he does. Well Done Clubber . He enjoys it. Keep happily doing what you are doing, without feeling you need to change. You are great as you are.

[primaballerina]

er, I'm not sure if April is still a 'recent' graduate, but i still feel 'new' to running.

I certainly don't want to do anything like 10km (not yet anyhow)....

I was pretty happy consolidating 30 minute runs. Slow ones, faster ones good ones and bad ones! (LOL).

Then I aspired to get to 5KM... so I did a 53 minute run and made it (slowly).... to 5k. Then a month later I tried to speed it up, and did 41 and a bit mins... and then at the end of July I tried again and knocked 3 more minutes off my pb BUT...... ended up with achilles pain and nearly 2 weeks on the injury couch...

So the moral to my long winded reply is there is NOTHING wrong with 30 minutes every other day, and I'm now working to get back up to 30 minutes with very careful, slow running (I've done two lots of 20 mins/ 2km) this week so far. Hope to get back up to 30 mins soon... and I'll postpone any attempts at bettering 5km times until, perhaps September! Silly me.

PB

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to primaballerina]

Ooh...that’s annoying. I hope you are soon better.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I think it an excellent plan... and if and when it doesn't feel right, change something... whether that is working on pace or distance or gradients, with audio input/without (I'm back listening for a while after a long time without), virtual medal events

My main reason for extending my distance was wanting to run particular routes for the views but I certainly don't run that far all the time.

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

I love listening to Radio 4 podcsts!

[Pouches1 Graduate]

Exactly what I am doing. One and a half hours of running a week is huge, not even my kids could do that!

[Blackcat66 Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating. I graduated a month and still can't quite believe it. My goal has always been to run for 30 minutes and that's exactly what I do, either two or three times a week, depending on what other things I have going on. My goal is to run 30 minutes, without thinking this is the run I am going to fail! Good for you for knowing what you want. I'm not remotely tempted by 10k, but am considering the start of Ju-Ju's Magic Plan to see if it makes the 30 minutes any more enjoyable!

[NettieNoo Graduate]

I'm not sure really. Last week I would probably have said yes, I agree with you. My goal was to finish c25k and I did that. Then I just ran some consolidation runs (some really quite slow) and was content with that. Then last night I did over 5k in 30 mins and it's blown my mind! I didn't expect to do that for weeks, maybe ever. Now I'm thinking ok, 30 minutes is good - perhaps I could go further (I don't think I could possibly go any faster). I guess it doesn't matter - you're out there and doing something you couldn't do before - just keep going!

[Fioona]

I graduated about a year ago and also have no desire to run further. I try to exercise Monday to Friday and find that going for a 5K run twice a week and either a 20-30 minute HIIT or yoga session on the other 3 days is realistically achievable to incorporate around work and family commitments.

[Getfitok Graduate]

I graduated 2 years ago & my usual run is a circuit near my house which is 2.3km, it’s quite hard work because there’s lots of hills but that’s fine for me. Some times I run fast sometimes slow, sometimes I do another nearby run where I can run further but whichever I do, I’m happy because I’m out there in the fresh air of the countryside doing a meditative run - lovely 😊

[Falconhoof Graduate]

I’m like that too, I’m enjoying my new found running ability and quite happy where I am.

[DellBoy8100 Graduate]

Clearly there's a few of us out there! I was wondering the same. Graduated in around May and I'm happy to get out three times a week for a 30 minute run. It was all about being more active. I'm fitter and lost just over a stone in weight. My usual route is a bit mundane so I mix it up occasionally. Sometimes I push the pace a bit sometimes slow and steady. I even have a little walk occasionally! All good as far as I'm concerned. Keep on keeping on!

[Runrunner Graduate]

Same here 👋🏻👋🏻

[backintime Graduate]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it : ) if 30 mins every other day is keeping you fit and happy then no need to change unless you want to.

I have been tempted by the longer distances so that is what I am doing, because I want to.

Every now and again I ask myself what I am doing but normally all is good.

[ChipSticks53 Graduate]

Yes, I'm the same. I have always run the same route and need to be more adventurous but no desire to do much more than 30 min runs.

[Jonno34 Graduate]

I used to be like that but now I am up to 10 k. People say you have got the bug, you must love running etc. I haven't and I don't it is purely a challenge and a means to an end.

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Jonno34]

Hmm... I do QUITE like a challenge....

[AndG Graduate]

I started c25k 1st Jan 2018. I loved it and got fantastic sense of achievement from completing. I decided I wanted to progress to 10k and managed it June 2018. Although I did it, I started to hate running. I was constantly looking at my watch to see when I could stop, be-rating myself for not running fast enough and not being strong enough to motivate myself etc etc unsurprisingly gaps between my runs got longer and longer until they became nonexistent! I missed feeling I got after a run though so I have started afresh and this time when I graduate second time round I am going to do exactly what you’re thinking of doing 3 x 30 min runs it will keep me fit, get me some fresh air and thinking time. Looking back having 3 kids and a full time job and trying to work up to running 10k regularly was bonkers! This should be enjoyable after all!

Wishing you many happy runs!

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to AndG]

That is exactly what I was thinking. Thank you for having sussed it out for me in advance!!! I hope you get back to enjoying the running and the benefits within a doable time slot.

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

I think 3x30 minutes is fine. I tend to do two 5k runs a week (typically 32-34 minutes) and one longer run up to around 10-12k. It's not set in stone, and if I feel like just doing 20 minutes, that's good too.

It's whatever makes you happy and keeps it enjoyable. You may decide one evening to keep going for a bit after the 30 minutes, and that's fine. You may decide one day after 20 minutes that you aren't feeling the love and there's no point doing the remaining 10 minutes just for the sake of it, and that's fine too.

You do you. Your runs, your rules, and if occasionally you break them, the only one who knows is you...

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Good advice...thank you.

[Oldman51 Graduate]

You are not alone, but you are in a minority. More graduates post about their PBs and other achievements. The ethos of this site is faster and further. IannodaTruffe in his guide to graduates opines "nearly everybody wants to get faster" and "one thing that I think all runners should experience, at least once, is ..... parkrun." This assumes that we all achieve 5k! There is little or no encouragement to keep going for health alone.

You are lucky because you say you love your 30 minute runs. That presumably will help you keep at it. I did not enjoy C25K, nor the "consolidation runs" which did NOT become more comfortable. Consequently my jogging attempts have dwindled (I graduated almost exactly a year ago on 10/8/18). Maybe having goals helps one to keep going, but they have to be achievable. I thing I'm at my limit - 30 minutes, 3.2k.

Good luck!

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Oldman51]

Hello Oldman51, I’m sorry to hear you aren’t really enjoying it at the moment. We are all different of course, but I have discovered I much prefer running without music. I really like podcasts. In fact, I’m considering sometimes listening to some French podcasts, which I gave up when I left school 40 years ago. I hope you get your enthusiasm back. I don’t know if you like listening to something when you run, but if so, I personally really like Desert Island Discs. I’m of the firm belief I need to eat something moderate before I go, and have discovered I feel much much better for the rest of the day if I also have another snack almost as soon as I get back. Running on empty is NOT for me! On the occasions I tried it, I’ve felt exhausted for the whole day. I’m not saying this is what might help you, but it certainly changed MY whole feeling about the running. Just an idea?

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to Benttoe]

Benttoe, running for 30 minutes 3 x a week in itself is a great achievement, if it doesn't get longer or further, or faster, so what?

You run for 30 minutes 3 x a week, that's brilliant, at least I hope so, because essentially that's what I do!!!

In the rain, in the sun, in the snow, in the dark, at 05.30 in the morning....

It's not my job, my ability to pay my bills doesn't depend on it, but it is now a constant in my life.

I don't always enjoy it, but I (98% of the time) enjoy AFTER it. It has definitely improved my fitness.

Yes I did get to 10k, but only once, I might never do it again, then again I might, it doesn't really matter.

I'm doing what I want. Annnnnd I am still proud of what I can do. As you should be 😊

Thank you for posting this 🤩

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Jell6]

Thank YOU for replying. What an amazingly positive response I have had from this post.

[DiverIzzie Graduate]

Yep - me! And I’m not that new a graduate! Since Dec last year when I graduated I’ve been perfectly happy doing my 3 x 30 or 49 minute runs for 5-6 km .. I did download the 5k-10K app however it is, so far, unopened..

[Benttoe Graduate]

This is all very encouraging. I was feeling a bit unusual in being satisfied so easily, but now I see from many replies that I am in good company.

[Lynne1916 Graduate]

I graduated last August and have been lucky to be injury free. I keep on with the 30 min runs. Sometimes I speed up for kilometre 2 as that is always my fastest. Sometimes I add the odd 1k. Prefer to not push it too far as would hate to not run due to injury. Still toning up though and losing a little weight now and again. And still chuffed I can actually RUN!!!

[The_Fat_Controller Graduate]

I graduated last July and now, just over a year on, I still enjoy three runs a week come hell or high water. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are 'run' days the rest of the week exercise is whatever I feel like doing, a few minutes of indoor cardio in the morning, a walk or a long hike. Some days I just chill out and do nothing. Just do whatever you feel is right for you, there are no 'rules' that you have to abide by. 👍

[Janfran Graduate]

I've just read your post, Benttoe, and all the comments, and I'm so delighted! I thought I was the only one. I graduated last October, and have run pretty much three times a week since then, between 3 and 5 k, including 8 or so park runs up until now. I have no desire to go much further. I'd just like to improve my park run time a little bit - just over 35 mins at the moment. Have you tried park runs yet? I also love running in the woods near my home, with or without music or a podcast. I ring the changes. I'm just pleased that I'm healthy enough to do it at all, at 72!

[Benttoe Graduate in reply to Janfran]

Wow! You are a superstar. I’m 14 years younger and think you are inspirational. If I can still do this in 14 years time I will be really really super chuffed. I haven’t done any park runs yet...our local one is hilly... the last 1k is worryingly nicknamed cardiac hill! I did however do 5K today in just under 37 mins. Now I know I CAN do 5k, I shall carry on with my 30mins and not bother to measure the distance as I really don’t care about it, especially thanks to all the positive replies!