Not sure I will hit 5K upon graduation

[Saarek]

I've completed week 7, run 1 and have no worries that I will be able to push myself to the full 30 mins run by the end of week 9.

But speed wise I'm still at around 9 minutes per KM rather than the 6 minutes per KM that I need to graduate and hit 5k at the same time.

I know that for most people just running the 30 mins is the primary goal, but in my mind I want to "graduate" and hit the 5k, after all it's called C25K and the final run is 30 mins.

How did everyone else's speed build up over the last few runs, did anyone hit the 5K upon graduation?

[Instructor57 Graduate]

You do not need 6km/minute to graduate !

You do not need to run 5k in 30 minutes to graduate.

You don't even need to run 5k at all .

All you need to do is to have run the 3x30 minutes runs of week 9.

Distance is irelevant 😁👍

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

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.

To be frank, you are not going to jump from 9m/k to 6m/k in the next few weeks and you would probably be risking injury if you tried to hit the 5k in 30 minutes.

The 5k in the title is aspirational and it clearly states in the app/podcast and the guide to the plan her on this forum that the aim is to get you running for 30 minutes. We all start from different places, so hitting 5k during the plan is not going to happen for everyone, but you will be so much closer and well on your way by graduation.

An easy conversational pace is the safest way forward and you will hit 5k at some point in the future.

[Cmoi Graduate]

My speed didn't build up much at all, and it took me some time to hit 5k in 30 minutes. Even now, just over four months after C25K graduation, I can rarely manage it, and if I do, it's only on the good days when I choose to push myself.

I have, however, developed an entirely unexpected liking for running longer distances. In fact I managed my first 10k before my first 30 minute 5k!

So ignore the programme's name, do the 3 x 30min runs in Week 9, and be proud of your graduation!

[Whydothis Graduate]

Forget the 5k, and be proud of your progress towards 30 minutes! I graduated with 3.6k, and haven't gained much speed, but I can now run for 60 minutes, having never run before C25K and graduated at the beginning of August. It has made me feel much fitter and stronger, and I am enjoying it - who cares how fast other people are running?

[Saarek Graduate]

Thanks for the comments all, I'd hoped that I'd soon be doing 5K's whilst barely breaking a sweat, sounds like I was wrong! lol

[Roxdog Graduate]

As others have said, 5k isn't likely for many. I graduated months ago and I can run a very long way now, but have never done a 30 min 5k and may never do that. It's all fine, we're all different!

[Maz1103 Graduate]

I did 4k in 30 minutes when I graduated. I have actually slowed down a bit since to lower my heartrate so am still way off 5k in 30 mins. It takes me about 37/38 minutes at a comfortable pace. I don't care. I am 56, never run in my life and can run 6k comfortably. I feel fitter than I have in years. Don't worry about speed, just enjoy it x