W9r1 done ✔ distance 👎

[Jigglyjiggly_puff]

Hi all, I've managed to run for 30 mins!!! Yay! Super happy about that! But I am no where near running 5km. I only managed 3.2km. I am a 35 year old woman, size 14/16. But should I be able to do more at this point? Should I be pushing myself harder?

[mezziejay Graduate]

I’m on week 7 and I recon about your pace ! I can’t go any harder even if I tried !!! I have accepted I am slow and not going to get to 5k for a while yet. Running for 30 minutes is an achievement in itself so I wouldn’t get hung up on distance x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to mezziejay]

Don't push hard. . ..that will not develop your body as efficiently as an easy conversational pace.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

You're doing brilliantly. 👏👏👏

In spite of the title, the programme aims to get you running for 30 minutes continuously, not necessarily 5k. Do not push yourself to run faster, you will simply risk injury. Concentrate on duration and speed will come later.

If it's any consolation, I've been running for over a year, current goal is a half marathon, and I still can't run 5k in 30 minutes - probably never will.🤷‍♀️

Good luck

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

C25K is not actually magic and if your fitness is not good at the beginning then you will not achieve as much as those who bring a higher level of fitness to W1, regardless of age.

You are probably doing more running than you have ever done and if you stick with it you get stronger and faster but there is no need to push hard at this stage.

Only a small proportion of graduates from this forum who responded to a poll, managed 5k in 30 minutes by graduation healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

Graduation requirements are that you complete three thirty minute runs, regardless of distance.

[Babycat-13 Graduate]

Hey I did week 9 run 1 yesterday and did 4k. I'd probably need to run for another 7 minutes to get to 5k and at the moment that is not happening!!

You are doing fab so keep going. I was a bit disppointed when I realised I won't manage the 5k by graduation but now I realise that is not achievable for me at the moment and the fact I can run for 30 minutes without stopping is a huge thing for me.

[Kish247 Graduate]

34, male and 21 Stone over here!

You're doing perfectly fine. I did about 3.2k during my last run, since then I have ran 4km in 6 of my 8 of my consolation runs which takes me 33-36 minute and on Friday I did my first attempt at 5k and did that in about 45 minutes.

Tracking pace is something I've always done and I sometimes get annoyed when I'm slower than I had hoped but it'll improve over time just as you have been doing during this programme.

Keep it up!!