Glacial staggering? That would be me...

[Spud-U-Like]

I've got Sarah Millican cheering me on, but I'm not finding this Couch to 5K program easy in any way. I've just finished Week 6, I'm keeping up with the program, but as a fat old boy my running style leaves much to be desired. It's not really running in the accepted sense of effortless progression, it's more like a wheezing stagger at a glacial pace. When I completed the 25 minute run yesterday I looked to see how far I'd actually ran, and it was about 3.5K, so I'm wondering if I'll ever manage 5K in 30 minutes. Rome wasn't built in a day, it's took me twenty years to put on over 7 stone, from 13st at 40 to 20st now....maybe in a year's time I might be zooming along, but right now it's glacial staggering.

[Maxi80]

Youve got to week 6 which is excellent. I got to week 4 and had to take a break. You’re doing most splendid.

[Jools2020 Graduate]

You will eventually run 5K in 30 minutes! You’re doing great, and your already faster than I was on my graduation run, when I did 3.3K.

You are not expected to cover 5K in 30 minutes by the time you graduate; only about 10% of people do that. It’s just that ‘Couch to 30 minutes’ doesn’t have the same impact as ‘Couch to 5K’! At graduation, you will be running regularly for 30 minutes and it doesn’t matter what distance you cover. The programme is working on your strength and endurance to achieve that.

Keep going and try not to be concerned about what distance you are covering, you are right on plan! 👍👏

[nowster Graduate]

If you're wheezing, you might want to go a little more slowly. The distance covered doesn't matter.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

You're just doing great. keep putting one foot in front of the other, however slowly.

What doesn't challenge you, doesn't change you. 👍

(Great username, by the way.😁)

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

"It's not really running in the accepted sense of effortless progression" ...

A classic example of how people here have an idea of what running is meant to look and feel like. You need to change that to be honest... start thinking JOG instead ...

How does THIS look to you:

youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2kh...(Not working as expected?)

[Spud-U-Like Graduate in reply to John_W]

Slow Jogging is my default mode, just as that guy was saying, it's not much above walking pace. It's a rest day for me today, so I've just walked out to the 2.5K mark, then slow jogged back, and there wasn't much difference in the times of the two legs...Out in 28 minutes, back in 22 minutes.

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Sounds to me like your doing fine !

Don't forget the aim of the program is to get you to run 3x30 minutes in week 9 .

It's is not a requirement to get to 5k in that 30 minutes, infact only around 10% of people achieve that .

Distance and pace can come later if that's what you want !

I remember my last week 9 run was 3.9k in the 30 minutes.

So forget about distance, it's irelevant 😁👍

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

Can you speak aloud, clear, ungasping sentences as you run?.........if not, you are going too fast.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Nothing wrong with glacial staggering SUL - It’s what I do best! Don’t worry about whether you’ll get to 5k at the end of the programme - most of us don’t. The idea is to be able to run for 30 minutes non stop but C25K is a catchier title! It’s also not supposed to be ‘easy’ otherwise everyone would be doing it wouldn’t they?! But it’s designed to be do-able so if you’re struggling have you thought why? Are you properly hydrated? Are you trying to run too fast (glacial or not?!). Check out the Japanese Slow Running clip on YouTube- it’s weird but you might find it interesting. You mentioned slow jogging on your rest day - we’ll let you off this time but you shouldn’t run on rest days!. Your body needs to repair itself so you can walk, swim, cycle or do almost any other exercise - but don’t run! And as for style, well we all have to start somewhere - just embrace your inner snail and imagine the gazelle you will be one day! Happy running!