Advice from graduates please on pace

[Inforthelongru]

Just done week 6 run 2 and very slow. Although I’m convinced I’ll run for 30 mins by the end of the programme I can’t imagine running 5k in half an hour. Has any graduate who was a complete novice at the beginning of 025k been able to run 5k in 30 mins straight away?

[COVEY2009 Graduate]

Not me anyways, i think my first 5k was about 40 mins. Its not slow its just your pace. Don't worry about speed at all, you've done great so far.

[Inforthelongru Graduate in reply to COVEY2009]

Aw! Thanks. That’s good to know

[damienair Graduate]

Very very few do it straight away. Many will never do it. 5K in 30 minutes is not important. Being able to run 5K is what is important no matter what time you do it in. At this stage just concentrate on running at a nice easy pace for which you could comfortably hold a conversation.

Plenty of time for working on your pace when you’ve graduated from the C25K plan. Parkrun is a great way to monitor your progress when you have finished the plan.

Damien

[Archieandme Graduate]

No way ! Just done my 5th parkrun with a PB of 36:33 and I finished C25k weeks ago 😆

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Some do.. but many, many, many no. The idea is to get to the 30 minute runs.. and that is what matters We have had polls on this and so many posts... many of our most awesome runners never reach in 30 minutes..they run marathons and more, but not 5K in 30 minutes

Just run and be amazed were the running gets you!

[Buddy34 Graduate]

I can't say no one has done 5k in 30 minutes on wk9. As I started c25k in October 2018. The main thing is that you can run for 30 minutes. I've only done it once this year in under 30 minutes but not again. Good luck 😊

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Hi Inforthelongru ...well.done for getting so far, sounds like you're enjoying your progress. I graduated a couple of years ago and I have never done 5k in 30 minutes, my fastest is 32 mins but I think that might've been a tech hiccup because i average around 36/37 minutes. It used to really bother me and just lately I've started doing park run again to see if I can improve but miracles don't happen and 7/8 minutes is a big ask so i don't worry about it, distance and time are.two separate things, sometimes I run for distance and other times I just run for time but whatever I base my run on, I always try to enjoy it and that, for me, is the main thing...

Good luck on the rest of the programme

[Jell6 Graduate]

It's not really an expectation, running for 30 minutes is the goal, regardless of distance. Those running legs have a lot to learn, be patient and give them time 😊

[Inforthelongru Graduate]

Thanks everyone! Really helpful and motivating to know. I’ll concentrate on the time and hopefully the pace will take care of itself once I get better

[Coddfish Graduate]

I have been running since 2015 and I have never run 5k in 30 minutes, the fastest I have achieved is 37 minutes and it usually takes me longer. I am in my 60s, short female with an old adductor injury and an odd gait, it’s never going to happen. However I persevered through C25K and worked on so I can run for more than an hour without stopping if I want to, and can run 10 miles so long as I take the odd walking break and have 2.5 hours to spare. So don’t worry about it!

[Coolcookingteacher Graduate]

Distance over speed. Distance over speed....keep repeating!

[Inforthelongru Graduate]

Thanks!