Mature student graduation : Well I have now... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Mature student graduation

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate
26 Replies

Well I have now managed to complete the programme....Couch to 5K at my age (63) so I'm feeling just a little bit proud of myself

I also feel a bit of a fraud in some ways though as I’ve not actually hit 5K as yet.

Still if Sarah Millican says I’ve done "alreet" who am I to disagree....I just need to keep plodding on until I can get that bit faster and able to cover more ground in the allotted half hour

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FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57
Graduate
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26 Replies
Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate

I'm also your age and on week 8

But just to reassure you , the aim of the program despite its name is s not to get you to 5k.

It's to get you to run the 3x30 minutes .

It is s a very small percentage that achieve 5k in the 30 min.

Well done on your graduation, I'm hoping to be there soon 😁👍

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Thanks for the info... I've been running into the 5 minute walk/cool-off period to see how close I can get. I managed 38 minutes on one run, but just short of the 5K

Good luck going in to your last week... I can't believe what a struggle it was with the first week running for just 1 minute now look at us go!

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate in reply to FishOutOfWater57

I know , week 1 nearly killed me 😂

I'm actually just off the injury couch , u haven't run for 15 days but feel ready again now !

If you just short of 5k in 38 minutes your doing fine !

I think my pace is very similar from my last run .

Enjoy getting to the 5K 😁👍🏃

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Instructor57

Thanks again and good luck going forward... some achievement for us oldies!

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate

You do NOT need to feel a bit of a fraud just because you have not ran 5K in 30 minutes, but you CAN feel very proud of yourself on graduating from C25K 🎓 🏃🏾 👍

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

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to AlMorr

Thank you.... maybe it's just me thinking that as I've not actually hit 5K I should push on

That's the next step anyway... today I'm putting my feet up!

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Many congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

This guide to post C25k running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

Thank you very much!

Hareshaw-Granny profile image
Hareshaw-GrannyGraduate

Amazing achievement, well done. Go us oldies. Enjoy your consolidation and future running. ⭐️⭐️🏅🏅👏👏😁👍

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Hareshaw-Granny

Thank you.... a day or two off and then hopefully onwards & upwards

Fionamags profile image
FionamagsGraduate

Well done on graduating - that is fantastic - who cares about the distance! You can work towards 5k after consolidating your 30 minute runs. See the consolidation club for ideas of how to take things forward. I didn't get to 5k until I slowly started increasing my running time after consolidation - and that's pretty common.

You should be really proud of yourself! Now keep it up and that 5k will be yours in no time!!! Woohoo!!!!! 🏅🏅👏👏😁👍

Foxglove2 profile image
Foxglove2Graduate in reply to Fionamags

Me too, I had a good 6 weeks consolidating and just enjoying my running before I began to kick on.

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Fionamags

Thanks for the support and for the info... it's funny now I've made the end of the programme I'm itching to go further. Guess I need to learn some patience before I go chasing any targets but it's kind of addictive isn't it?!? ;)

Foxglove2 profile image
Foxglove2Graduate in reply to FishOutOfWater57

I had a sort of inner voice - I just knew after graduating that I wasn't ready to start extending the time of my runs, and spent quite a few weeks doing 3 x 30 mins. And then after about 6 weeks, I began to feel bored with that plan and knew I was ready. Other people will be different and may not need 6 weeks of consolidation! I think you just know in yourself the right thing to do.

Fionamags profile image
FionamagsGraduate in reply to FishOutOfWater57

It sure is! I never thought I'd want to go for 10k but that's exactly what I'm working towards now :)

Dtay1978 profile image
Dtay1978Graduate

Congrats 🥳

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Dtay1978

Thank you :)

Foxglove2 profile image
Foxglove2Graduate

Many, many congrats! I started the programme in February, finished it in April, and only today have I run 5k for the first time (43 minutes) - there really is no rush, move on to the Bridge to 10k forum for great advice about what next, and keep enjoying your running.

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Foxglove2

I guess we all go at our own pace....

I remember in the middle of doing the programme when the time was bumped up from 8 minutes running to 20 minutes and I really thought I wouldn't be able to do it

I didn't use the app for a week or two but went out seeing how far I could go... 11/12 minutes was fine, then 15 seemed ok and then 18 was not a problem

I think it was more in my head than anything but I psyched myself up for the 20 minutes, did it quite comfortably & haven't looked back since :)

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate

Hey! Congratulations on your graduation 👩‍🎓 👏👏👏👏🍾. We over 60s (I’m 66) have every reason to be proud of ourselves. I was waayyyy off 5K on my graduation run yesterday. I’ll try and increase pace gradually over the coming weeks, but I don’t intend to push myself too hard. I want to discover some new running routes around where I live and to enjoy myself in the process! Enjoy your success, you’ve earned it!

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Jools2020

Thank you and congratulations to you too. It's been 30 years almost since I did any running about ( when I used to play 6-a-side footy before I gave it up when I became a dad ) and all I've done in between times is chase after my kids. Now they've flown the nest I wanted to get myself fitter in the lockdown... never had any great expectations but great that we, the sexagenarian generation, still have something left to strive for :)

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate in reply to FishOutOfWater57

Indeed! I’ve never done any running about at all, so I find that for me to have achieved this without total collapse is nothing short of amazing and entirely due to this fantastic programme and forum! I think my grandchildren (especially the older 2 who run) are highly amused that Nanny isn’t sitting in a bath chair crocheting blanket squares 😂

Blossom- profile image
Blossom-Graduate

Yay, well done!🎉 Us 'oldies' have got this! I'm 65 and have completed six weeks of post grad runs three times a week, trying the c25k + podcasts Stepping stones, speed and stamina. All worth doing! Not at 5k yet but hope to be by my 66th in 3 weeks time! Go you!🏃‍♀️🏃💥

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Blossom-

Well done to you too!

I decided to push myself for my first post graduation jog and managed to make 5K

Just over 40 minutes of toil and sweat but I got to 35 minutes and thought I can do this

Took me an hour to cool down but now I know I can do this distance, I'm just going to work on my pace a bit more. Good luck getting there yourself.... you will do it I'm sure! :)

Jnubster profile image
JnubsterGraduate

Absolutely fantastic!! Well done 👍🏻

FishOutOfWater57 profile image
FishOutOfWater57Graduate in reply to Jnubster

Thank you :)

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