Took nearly 12W and only at 3,8 K., but I made it !!

[5K68]

I feel proud about the achievement and I’m excited about the next runs and new challenge. How did you approach the next steps..are you keeping the runs consistently? Thanks 😊

[RunningMigster Graduate]

🥂🍾🥂

Fantastic. You must be so proud, what an amazing achievement.

Hey, who cares how long it takes or how far you go, you are a success!!

Really well done!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations on completing run 3 of week 9 and graduating from C25K 🎓 🏃🏾 👍

To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE 🎓 next to your username leave a message on the November graduate post in the pinned posts on the right side of the healthunlocked C25K home page and tell the administrators that you have ran W9R3 of C25K and graduated 🎓 🏃🏾 👍

[RunawayBetty Graduate]

Congratulations on your graduation!! 👏👏 👍 Well done!! I'm halfway through now and longing to be where you already are. 😃

[5K68 Graduate in reply to RunawayBetty]

Every week is an achievement on its own.. you will remember them all. It doesn’t get any easier but be assured it is made to be achieved.. maybe not the 5 K but certainly the 30minutes. Good luck, keep running 🌞

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Congratulations on completing c25k you must be so pleased well done.

I have always run Monday, Wednesday and Friday and have stuck to that and also do a park run every second Saturday.

😊😊😊😊😊😊👏👏👏👏👏

[5K68 Graduate in reply to Buddy34]

That sound like a very good commitment.. too harsh for me but will try

[Buddy34 Graduate in reply to 5K68]

Get your graduate badge here .Just leave a message

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

This guide to post C25K running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[5K68 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Many thanks.. so many answers and articles to my questions. Very helpful

[Grannyhugs Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating. You can do a few consolidation runs while you decide what you want to do next, 5k, speed, longer distances, park run it’s all available to you. Happy running

[Impetuous]

Well done! What an achievement!

[5K68 Graduate in reply to Impetuous]

Well done to you too, just read you just graduated too 💪

[LittleSallyRacket Graduate]

First of all, well done!

Since I completed the programme a few weeks ago I’ve been running two or three times a week, fitting it in around work and the other exercise I do (I see a personal trainer twice a week for strength exercises). I usually try to find a podcast that’s around 30-40 minutes long and listen to that while I run and I use MapMyRun to give me updates every five minutes so I know long and how far I’ve run and what my pace is. I find that really helpful as I’m useless at judging distance and time. I’m just experimenting at the moment really - some of my runs have been quicker and shorter, some longer and a bit slower. When I graduated I was covering about 4K in the 30 minutes and it’s taken me a few weeks to build up to 5K which now takes me about 36 minutes. I don’t beat myself up if I don’t run that far or whatever. Sometimes I flag at 20 minutes and sometimes I feel like I could keep running for 45 minutes. I think for me the main thing is just to get out and do it and get a feel for what works for you and what you enjoy. At this stage, just keep running and don’t worry too much about distance and times and stuff - just enjoy it and make it a habit. And don’t be put off by the bad weather - some of my best runs have been in the pouring rain!

[5K68 Graduate in reply to LittleSallyRacket]

Thanks for your feedback. Will definitely check for MapMyRun as I will miss Jo Whiley in my ear and for the rest you are absolutely right, important we keep moving and get outside to run. Pretty stressing though with all the wet slippery leaves 🍁 at the moment 😉

[Hidden]

Congratulations, that’s fantastic. You must feel amazing 🥳

I often still use the last run of C25K along with map my run and quite often I’m at 4k at he end. I’m trying to keep my pace down so I can go further and also try some hills.

I find Laura’s encouragement and updates quite reassuring.

Good luck with your onward journey.

[DeterminedSilver Graduate]

Congratulations 🥳! It’s a wonderful feeling isn’t it . You’ll get plenty of advice but I started doing consolidating runs and have found it hard but now got a new plan of action following advice here. Enthusiasm coming back again - I did miss the structure & Lauras voice and timings .

All the best for your new steps 👍

[LeeU Graduate]

Please don't take this the wrong way, I don't care what speed you completed it at, you completed the program.

Congratulations on the achievement, it's a great feeling isn't it?

[5K68 Graduate in reply to LeeU]

Thanks 🙏.. speed was just a note as the plan is called 5K 😉should be called couch to30minutes

[LeeU Graduate in reply to 5K68]

Yes it should be called Couch to 30 minutes but it's not quite as catchy, I think the person who created it did manage to make 5k in the 30 minutes.

The way I see it is this, when you started I bet you struggled to do 60 seconds, we nearly all did.

Yes, you took slightly longer than 9 weeks, I don't care and neither should you, you completed the requirements and have graduated as a runner, running 3 runs of 30 minutes.

Your next run sees the start of your consolidation runs, it also gives you time to think about where you want your running journey to take you, run for longer, faster or just do 30 minutes 3 times per week.

Your pace WILL increase as you continue running, it's quite natural, every so often you find that your body will give you a little bit extra, rather like the runs you have already done.

I, personally, like long slow runs, just plodding on, most of the long runs have been on the treadmill, I'll run for an hour and maybe cover 6.5-7.5km, but there will be a long outside run before too long.

The main thing with this running lark is to enjoy it, never let it become a chore that you 'must' do every couple of days. I try to take every run as the first one I've ever done and possibly the last and enjoy every step as I go.

[Katnap Graduate]

I used the 10% rule - extending running time by 10% each week until I got to 45 minutes and consolidated on that.

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[Thisoneistrying Graduate]

Doesn't matter how far the distance. You did it and I bet you wouldn't have said only 3.8km on Week 1. Keep up the good work x

[5K68 Graduate in reply to Thisoneistrying]

Indeed

[Run46 Graduate]

Whoop whoop, well done you 🎉

After C25K I carried on running 3 times a week for a few weeks, then around week 3 I started increasing the length of one of my runs to get to 5K.

It's nice to have a goal to keep you focussed, especially when the weather makes it tempting to stay in!

Enjoy whatever you decide to do 🎉🏃‍♀️😊

[Portlandprincess Graduate]

Well done you...inspiring me to keep going.