Week 9 run 2 and still finding it hard

[I_can_conquer]

Just completed week 9 run 2. I expected it to be easier than the previous run but still found it hard. Also running uphill is definitely a struggle 😫 I always end up walking for half a minute to catch my breath to then start jogging again. Out of interest should I be running 5k now that I am in week 9?? I am currently doing 4.85km in 40 mins ( including 5 min brisk warm up and 5 min warm down).

[ground_level]

Well done for completing the run. I found W8R2 tougher than W8R1 or W8R3 for no reason that I can fathom, so let's see what happens with W9.

Inclines are tough going for me too, and all I can do so far is go at a pace I like to call "just shy of going backwards" until I reach the top.

C25K, in spite of its name, is time-based. The aim of the programme is to have you running for a complete 30 minutes by the time you've completed W9R3, with the only walking being the 5 minute warm up walk at the start and the 5 minute cool down walk at the end.

For some that will also mean covering a distance of 5K, for others it won't; I think the split is around 10% and 90% respectively.

Hope this helps and good luck with W9R3.

[ground_level in reply to ground_level]

And here's the forum poll about distances covered in W9.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Congratulations with your run !

Just one to go now, your graduation run !

Enjoy it and don't worry about distance .

As ground_level has said, it's time based not distance , the requirement is that by the end of week 9 you have run 3 x 30 minutes ,

I think on my graduation I did 3.9k in the 30 minutes , I did not want to push it as I had an injury after week 8 run 1 and was out for 16 days .

So no, don't worry about the 5k, just relax and enjoy your graduation run 😁👍

[nowster Graduate]

5km is totally optional. Completing 30 minutes of continuous running three times (no stopping) is the criterion for graduation.

I'm so close to doing 5k in 30 mins at the moment that I'm going to go for it (flatter route than usual) tomorrow for W9R3.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Good luck for your graduation tomorrow 👍

[ground_level in reply to nowster]

Good luck and do let us know how it goes.