Week 6 run 3 but...

[Marzia1987]

Hi guys,

This morning I run for 25 minutes! It felt great but.. I’m so slow I feel like I’m never gonna run 5K in 30 minutes.

How many weeks did you have to wait before seeing any progress in terms of speed?

Thanks

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

C25K is nothing to do with speed, it is NOT a must to run a 5K in 30 minutes on your graduation run, congratulations on completing run 3 of week 6, you are now OFFICIALLY a RUNNER.

Most of the speed comes after you graduate and after several 30 minute consolidation runs.

You can do the Stepping stones podcasts with Laura, speed, pace and stamina, doing those your running will become quicker, onwards and upwards to week 7.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If you look at this poll of graduates you will see that only a small proportion hit 5k in 30 minutes during the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

Graduation requirements are that you run three thirty minute runs.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Sounds like you’re doing perfectly well to me... pace isn’t going to give you the health benefits in the same way as slower running, and this plan is all about getting you to half hour running sessions that deliver huge benefits to physical and mental health.

5k in 30 minutes is something that, 2 years into my running journey, I have done but rarely enjoy... I’m pretty happy running it in 32-36 minutes and ending the run feeling like I could go again straight away.

I didn’t really notice that my fast was getting faster for a while, mainly because I wasn’t using it often... my comfortable pace crept up over 6-12 months nicely though. This is the sign of that fitness level, and it enabled me to get to 13 miles of running pretty easily (I’ll have a go at getting to 26 after things return to normal). When you do start to look at setting PBs over 5k, it’s all about preparing for “race” day with some comfortable running and the odd tempo/interval day, but that’s for after C25K, consolidation and some increased endurance beyond 5k.

Do you need to run 29:59 or less over 5k? Personally I never feel that need, I’d rather go for a happy run and not worry about pace, actually I check my watch lots to make sure I’m running slowly enough on some runs!

Time is on your side of course, the Olympics have been moved to next year so there’s an extra 12 months of training time 🤣

Run happy... don’t worry about numbers on the watch... focus on how great you feel finishing runs, and when they become more comfortable then that’s the thing to really celebrate. No numbers can compare to the duration of a run in terms of benefits... or distance of a run in terms of finishing an event... rarely will both ever matter to you in the same moment.

Have fun out there.

[Verdemar Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

You have answered something I had been wondering about. I know I won’t get to 5k in 30 mins, my pace is slow but I’m happy just to achieve. Im up to week 7 and am enjoying get through it. Thanks for that.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Verdemar]

All things are relative... my fast would see someone like Mo Farah jog past me while still able to sing! If we smile like he does at our finish lines, we’re doing great.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

Umm, about two months after graduation in my case.

Speed is overrated! I now run regular 10ks and my aim is to run a half marathon, but my pb for 5k is still only (only?) 31.26 minutes.

You're doing brilliantly! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, you'll get there! 👏👏👏

[Diamondshoes Graduate]

I'm on wk7r1 tomorrow & if anything I think I'm getting slower! Jo said try & run a bit faster for the last minute and I tried but it was still little more than brisk walking pace. I'm just focused on managing running for 30 mins and hoping speed will come naturally later.

Keep going. At least you're out there running!

[OldSpeckledHen in reply to Diamondshoes]

Am starting week 7 tomorrow too!

From reading on here, it’s not about speed, and anyway when you’re out running you’re going faster than the person sat on the sofa! 😉

Just keep on keeping on, we’ll get there!

Good Luck for tomorrow 🙂🙂

[Diamondshoes Graduate in reply to OldSpeckledHen]

And good luck to you too! Isn't it lovely to know that even though we're out running on our own there's a whole gang of us all over the country running too!

[Scruffbags1]

It’s not a race. It’s about completing 5k in your own time. I am running today on run 2 of week 9. I will complete 5k but it may be around 45mins to complete. I’m ok with that. The fact is I will have run the distance expected but in my own time. I’ll never run 5k in 30 mins but that’s ok. Just run and time be damned! Lol. Good luck!

[TotalNewbie1 Graduate]

I have just done w5r3 and managed the 20 minutes and did begin to think that someone walking could go faster than me but reading these posts has made me feel that it is okay. Being slightly over weight and only six weeks ago couldn’t run for more than a minute without a lay down I have stopped mentally beating myself up about pace and now concentrate on the length of time I can run. I feel so much happier thinking in this way.