I did run 2 of week 9 yesterday.
I have jo in my ear and I also use map my run.
Yesterday I ran for a total of 34 minutes but only covered 4.2 km!
I know the program says 30 minutes of running or 5 km but I feel that to graduate I should be covering 5 km!!
Anyone else in the same boat?
Thanks x
Welldone you are almost there!!! I am still in week 6 but no near 5km . It seems thats were the majority of US are. Wait until you can run comfirtably 30 minutes and then you can increase the speed to get 5 km. Thats my opinion but sure someone more experienced Will answer
I’m about to start week 9 this week and ran 4.12k yesterday in 28 minutes. At the start of the program I thought I’d be running 5k in 30, but as it’s gone on I’ve realised that (as Laura says) it’s not necessarily about speed, but distance and building up your stamina. I guess I can say I’ve done that at least 🤣 But yeah, couch to 5k is a bit of a deceptive name 😆 I don’t believe you need to run 5k in 30 to officially graduate. Good luck on your final week 👍🏼
I think they say less than 10% of C25k graduates run 5km in the 30 minutes when they finish. All you have to do to graduate is go through the programme, finally doing the three 30 minute continuous runs 👍🏻
I’ve just graduated and I’ve just done 4km for the first time, in just over 30 minutes 😊 If you look at the October graduation pinned post, you’ll find the link to advice for post-C25k running. As someone said to me last week, enjoy your victory lap!
Well done you... try to forget the 5K and just get the runs done...many folk do not reach 5K by Week 9 and many have never run 5K in 30 minutes...ever. They run Marathons and beyond but not 5K in 30 minutes...
The FAQ for our new runners makes this clear
Distance and speed follow... the runs evolve.. your running legs and your strength and stamina all develop too.
A survey on here, and there have been many. indicated that well over 70% of us never reach 5K in nine weeks.
I did..but... only because I thought I had to , we did not have the FAQ then ! I don't think I have ever run it in that time since... but I do run Half Marathons
So..just enjoy this final run and know that as you move on, you will get to where you choose to be, you are doing wonderfully.
Run those 30 minutes and we will be waiting for you at the podium, with that well earned badge
To graduate from c25k you have to complete the plan . No need to worry about distance or speed. 😊😊
For some reason a lot of people seem to think that, but the aim is 30 mins 3 times per week.
If you do want to do the 5k in 30mins I think you need to be running at 6mph for the whole time.
Well done on reaching this stage. As everyone above says it's the 30min that counts. After graduation you can choose whether to concentrate on reducing 5k time specifically or concentrate on longer distance in which case you may want to slow down a bit to sustain the longer times running. Think back to that couch when you were going nowhere. Now you are running over 30 mins. Magnificent. Next run graduation 👍🙆♀️
I was one of many who graduated by running 4km. There was a poll on c25k and very few had graduated with 5k. But the programme gives you the tools to get there eventually. I started going to parkrun after I graduated and started with my 5 min walk with Jo Whiley, then ran, then walked. I then let her go back the newbies and ran from the start after walking to parkrun. You are so close- be proud.
The graduation requirements for this version of C25K are that you run continuously for 30 minutes three times, preferably within a week.
This poll of graduates healthunlocked.com/couchto5.... shows that only a small proportion of graduates on this forum manage 5k in 30 minutes at graduation.
Do not get hung up on an arbitrary distance/time target, you are doing great.
W9R2 - so close!! 
25 minutes, so close to 30!!
First ever Park Run- why did I wait so long.
W8R1 - so close!
Phew! That was close.
