Weekly virtual 5K: so my previous run was a slow... - Couch to 5K

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Weekly virtual 5K

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate
โ€ข32 Replies

so my previous run was a slow 6K as part of my plan to both increase my distance and also increase my pace over the shorter distances , yes, running slowly makes faster runners !

today i had thought about doing just a short but quicker 3.5K however , its saturday , so i wanted to do a 5K for MMD's weekly virtual 5K and also for my local Parkruns virtual 5K so that's what i ended up doing.

i have never run a real Parkrun before, in fact i had never run before starting this ! but during lockdown i decided to take on the challenge of C25k in preparation for parkruns starting again and i wanted to be able to complete it at a reasonable pace for my age (63)

so, out of the door at 06:10, dull and damp and a cool breeze , Perfect!

Jethro tull on the playlist this morning .

set off on my usual route and straight away noticed my initial pace was quicker than the last 5K so i backed off a little , after all this is just 2 or 3 minutes into the run ! a long way to go yet !

i didn't want to burn out in the first Km but it felt strangely comfortable,

so i decided to vary my pace according to my breathing and the terrain.

i picked it up a little on the flat or downhill and slowed it down on the inclines and managed to keep a comfortable breathing pattern throughout the run which turned out to be my best 5K to date.

My first 5K was 14 days ago with a time of 39:42 and this one was no less comfortable at 33:07

i have not decided yet but my next run will either be longer and slow or shorter at my optimum pace but i shall keep mixing things up a little ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

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Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57
Graduate
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32 Replies
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SammiN3 profile image
SammiN3Graduate

I'd just starting mixing things up too, it's a great feeling and obviously really paying off!! Well done ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

No virtual 5k for me this week, but I hope to join you again next week!

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toSammiN3

Thanks Sammi, yes it keeps me interested as well ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

Roxdog profile image
RoxdogGraduate

Wow! Everything you're doing is paying off and that shows in your time for that 5k! If it felt comfortable, then that was the pace for you! Brilliant.

I won't ever do a park run, because I don't like all the noise associated with my local one when I've come across it (loudspeakers etc) but it sounds like you're definitely ready for one when they re-start!

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toRoxdog

Thank you !

we will see with the parkrun !

i at least want to go and do one just to see what it's like ๐Ÿ˜Š

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate

A huge โ€˜well doneโ€™ for this run, Ian! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

It sounds like it was a comfortable run for you, too - even with all those personal bests on Strava!

Good to hear youโ€™re mixing it up a bit; it keeps things more interesting! ๐Ÿ‘

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Thanks Julia, as i think you have said before , it's nice to know you can do a slow one when you want as well .

what is it they say ,variety is the spice of life haha ๐Ÿคฃ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduateโ€ข in reply toInstructor57

It has made a huge difference to me and my approach to running. I needed a plan to follow. Then I suddenly realised - I could write my own! And modify it whenever I wanted ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ‘

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Absolutely !

i have signed up for Ju Ju's magic 10 plan and it's similar to what i'm doing anyway, it might just push the distance a bit sooner than i would if i was left to my own devices , and i might stick to it easier ๐Ÿ˜Š

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduateโ€ข in reply toInstructor57

I think that plan will suit you very well!

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toJools2020

it will help me having someone telling me what to do haha ๐Ÿ˜‚

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduateโ€ข in reply toInstructor57

๐Ÿ˜‚

Hareshaw-Granny profile image
Hareshaw-GrannyGraduate

Great result as you felt this a lot more comfortable and in a brill time too. Love hearing what your plans are as it gives us all something to think about.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toHareshaw-Granny

Thank you !

i like to have plans to keep me interested ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

SJ60 profile image
SJ60

Great run and write up ๐Ÿ‘ well done on PBs! Youโ€™ll be winning the park runs ๐Ÿ‘

Not sure Iโ€™ll be joining MMDโ€™s weekly virtual 5k this week depending on achy ankle

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toSJ60

Thank you !

and i don't blame you resting if you have an achy ankle !

PhoenixRise profile image
PhoenixRiseGraduate

A massive well done! What a huge an impressive difference in time! Seems like your plan and hard work is really paying off ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toPhoenixRise

Thank you !

i will either do a long slow one next or a shorter reasonable paced one. ๐Ÿ˜Š

PhoenixRise profile image
PhoenixRiseGraduateโ€ข in reply toInstructor57

Variety is key! Are you thinking of doing the Sept Magic 10K plan?

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toPhoenixRise

yes, already in ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ‘

PhoenixRise profile image
PhoenixRiseGraduateโ€ข in reply toInstructor57

Boom! See you at the starting line! ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ‘

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toPhoenixRise

๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜ฌ

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate

Fantastic run for you!

You smashed that PB and it felt comfortable as well. AMAZING!

It's great to mix things up a bit. I started to do that too.

Glad to hear you're doing the Magic 10 ๐Ÿ˜

I signed up in a moment of madness but am slightly regretting it.... It's a big commitment but I feel like I need someone or something to push me a bit

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toBirdlady64

Thank you !

Oh no, don't regret signing up for the magic 10.

I spent a while thinking about it and decided I needed someone to tell me what to do ๐Ÿ˜‚

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate

Ha ha!

How ironic considering you spent all your life telling other people what to do๐Ÿคฃ

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toBirdlady64

Hahaha ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

Tinytears60 profile image
Tinytears60Graduate

Well done Ian

Youโ€™re improving all the time.. they pace is phenomenal ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

Me thinks you and Jools2020 have similar taste in music ๐ŸŽง ๐ŸŽต ๐Ÿ‘

Iโ€™m going to continue mixing things up too ... had a long bike ride today to give my shins a break... they not too bad but you know better to be pro active rather than reactive .. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜€

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toTinytears60

Thanks Jane,

hmm.....think it's time I went out on my bike again ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

And yes, there seems to be one or 2 bands we both like ๐Ÿ˜๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽธ

Blackberrypie profile image
BlackberrypieGraduate

Good work, that's a great improvement in a short time. I am enjoying mixing it up too - nice sense of freedom! Though looking forward to JuJu's plan next month as it's good to have some structure too.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toBlackberrypie

Thank you, and yes, I'm looking forward that also ๐Ÿ™‚

MccHa profile image
MccHaGraduate

Hi Ian, better late than never as they say!!! Just saw your post ๐Ÿ˜ฎ and glad to hear to doing well and improving all the time ๐Ÿ‘

Great efforts and run ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ. Keep up the good work ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduateโ€ข in reply toMccHa

Many thanks !

Look forward to increasing the distance now ๐Ÿ˜

Really is great how far youโ€™ve come and what youโ€™re achieving Ian...Very Well done! โญ๏ธ

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