CR6 and 35 minutes but still 5k evades me! 😡😆

[MinnieMoo55]

What do I need to do to get to 5k!? 😆

When I set out this afternoon I thought I’d target 35 minutes in the hope that the extra 5 minutes would be enough to push me to 5k.

I’m using NRC app and I still don’t know whether Coach Bennett is a help or a hinderance. I feel like he is wittering on but then again it does make the time pass. By the way, does anyone know if I can play my music on NRC or whether I’m stuck with their choices? Thank you 🙏 in advance for that answer if anyone knows it although it’ll probably wind me up more if I’ve got music I actually like and he witters 😂

Back to the 5k question... I guess I should be just pleased that I made 5 extra minutes having already done loads of cleaning and sorting (7000+ steps) before even heading out the door, and I also knew I wasn’t fuelled up particularly well, having spent more time sorting than prepping for the run by eating and drinking well in the morning!

My time remained my usual, slowing for the last split as I was knackered by that time...obviously the reason for not getting to 5k 😆😜 but heh, another target reached with 35 minutes run time 😁

I may now use NRC for some interval runs to see if I can speed up a bit. What do you think?

[Roxdog Graduate]

The fact that you're slowly increasing the times of your runs is good, now that you've run a few more consolidation runs. Getting to 5k is just about running for a few more minutes when you're ready.

I can run for 2 hours, but still can't do 5k in less than about 37 minutes. I don't care really.

You will run 5k and further, it's just about building up.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Thanks Roxdog and sorry work got in the way so it’s a late response.

I’m so impressed that you can run for 2 hours!

I realise that I may have graduated but I’m still a newbie 🏃‍♀️ and I just have to have patience which has never been my strong point! 😜

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

Yes, patience and building slowly is the way to go. Good luck!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

If you want to get to 5k, consider just increasing one run per week, keeping the others at 30 minutes, as suggested in the guide to post C25K running.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Good advice. Thank you 😊

I think I need to create myself a new plan if I want to go further, faster. I’m better with goals but also need to give myself credit for now being able to run for 30 minutes which I forget to do now that I’ve graduated 😁

[Couchphoenix Graduate]

You can use your own playlist on NRC and there are two 5k runs on there, just choose one of those 👍

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Get yourself a running watch so you can see what you’re doing 👍🏽 You don’t need a coach now. Just run 👍🏽

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Tasha99 I was thinking about putting one of those on my Christmas list! 🤔

Apart from anything else I want to get away from carrying so much paraphernalia around with me when I run! Water bottle, phone, ear buds, glasses, hat the other day when it was cold... the list goes on! 😂

[Couchphoenix Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

I used to carry a water bottle, but following advice on here I haven’t for ages, holding it no matter how small affects your running form I found. If you have a drink before you go out you honestly won’t miss it. I have an arm band for my phone, an MPow one, which is great and has a little pocket for my front door key, so I’m not carrying anything 👍

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Couchphoenix]

I think the water bottle is more an emotional crutch in case I get so puffed out I have to stop and can’t go on! 🥴

I really should just grow up a bit and have confidence in what I can do because I agree it’s a pain in the bum to carry and undoubtedly affects how I run.

I also have an armband but if my tech plays up and the wireless signal drops out for a bit I end up taking it off and running with it in my hands. Honestly, I do sometimes wonder how I ever complete a run!!! 😂😂😂😂

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

You might want to considef getting a running belt. You probably don't need water for this length of running, but when your runs get longer, you might want water. My belt has space for a soft water bottle my phone, tissues and a snack and I don't notice it's there.

[Couchphoenix Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

Trust me you don’t need the water bottle, it’s one less thing to carry.

Puffed out.....that’s down to your breathing, next time you’re out concentrate on getting your breathing into a rhythm. Me personally I take a slow deep breath in through my mouth, then purse my lips slightly as I exhale. If you do this and get it into a steady rhythm you won’t get puffed out 👍

[Littleoyellow Graduate]

I think my first 5k took me 42/43 minutes or something like that- you just need to build your running time up over a consolation period on one run a week as suggested above and you will get to 5k 😁 enjoy your running 💃😁

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Littleoyellow]

Thank you 🙏 sound advice 😊

[Littleoyellow Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

For "consolation " read "consolidation" obvs 😁

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Littleoyellow]

Hah! I didn’t notice that. Amazing that we read what we think we see 😆

However, very apt at times!

[Littleoyellow Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

😂👍

[John_W Graduate]

When we finish Week 9 of our work lunchtime C25K , we normally add on a Week 10, 11, 12 etc to help our new graduates reach 5k, in whatever time it takes them. If that means 45 minutes, so be it.

It's really very straightforward. Use the same principle as C25K itself and add on bit extra to each run, or if you prefer, just 1 run, per week.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Good plan, thank you 😊

I’m impressed that you have a work C25k group!

[John_W Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

We've run the group 7 times now... and for site of about 1000 people, we've taken 120 people through the C25K program. It gives me and the other run leaders huge joy and satisfaction to see the progress people make from W1 to W9. I'm convinced that doing it a group gives beginners a far greater chance of success than doing it on their own.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to John_W]

That’s really good going, builds exercise into the day for life hopefully and I bet it also increases productivity 😊

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Hi John, what does your week 10, 11 and 12 look like in terms of timings?

[John_W Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

Typically we would do:

Week 10 - 3x 32 mins

Week 11 - 3x 35 mins

Week 12 - 38, 38, then a 5k run, no matter the time.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to John_W]

I might give this a go so thank you 😊

[John_W Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

As long as you stick to your C25K pace, you should be fine. In preparation, identify and get to know your 5K route well in advance and maybe walk it in the next week or so.

[CazzaW Graduate]

You’ll probably find you just do it one day and likely very soon 🤷‍♀️ You’re going great keeping going for 35 minutes. I nearly accidentally did it last week but was more worried about not over doing the time. We’re getting stronger all the time and consolidation has been so important I think, just getting into the habit of getting out there whenever possible.

I use my Spotify with NRC 👍 it seems to connect automatically... maybe there’s something in settings I’ve turned on 🤔

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to CazzaW]

It’s been a long week so sorry not to respond sooner. I’m about to post CR 7 and 8 so I’ve still been running but just not had time to also post.

I googled how to organise running on NRC with your own music and eventually worked it out but I’m not getting any guided runs, just a count down to a target set before. I’ll have another look at the app 🤔

I was interested to read about you worrying about going over time as those 🏃‍♀️ 😈 still seem alive and kicking! They are for me too though. I have real problems keeping going if it’s over time or if I’m tired and look at my phone to see how I’m doing. Every step then becomes more difficult! 😂

[RamblingMe Graduate]

Good morning minniemoo, to run for 35 minutes is pretty amazing in my book. Like you I am doing consolidation runs and am more than pleased to stop at 30 minutes. And 5k is a long way off for me too. So it's smaller targets for now, hopefully more achievable.

And as for music my current favourite is to tune into classic fm. Their music early morning is short, jolly and not exhausting on the ear or my brain!

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to RamblingMe]

RamblingMe I’m sure I’m my own worst nightmare feeling as though I need to keep striving for something ‘better’ rather than just revelling in the fact that I’m now regularly 🏃‍♀️ 30 minutes! 😂

I know that feeling of being more than pleased to stop at 30 minutes!

Oh how our horizons have changed when before C25k I wouldn’t even 🏃‍♀️ for the 🚌!! 🤣

[TotalNewbie1 Graduate]

I have taken to setting the 5k on my NRC app, then play music and it just interrupts to tell me when I get to each k and how long it has taken me. When I get to 5k I stop 😂

I would love to get to do it in under 30 minutes but way off that, planning to try to do intervals this week when I have worked out which one to choose on the hope I speed up.

Enjoy your running and good luck with the intervals, will be interesting to see how you get on.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to TotalNewbie1]

I did just that on NRC app yesterday 😊 but it took me some Googling to get there!

I wonder if I should set 5k target and just see if I can get there? 🤔 I definitely flag (stop) if I set a target of 30 minutes as my 🏃‍♀️ 😈 tell me I’m done now and I can’t keep momentum going 😂😂

Everything’s feels like it’s a bit of trial and error now we don’t have the C25k plan but I’m sure I’ll settle into a new routine eventually 😊

[TotalNewbie1 Graduate in reply to MinnieMoo55]

I tried intervals, it was a disaster. I have decided to stick to setting my distance, I do often set it for less than I hope to run. So if I think I will do 5k I set it for 4K so if I stop at 4K I don’t feel a failure! Not sure what that says about me 🤣

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to TotalNewbie1]

I understand why you target less and do more and I so wish I could do that! My inner 🦦🦥 just comes right out and I’m suddenly exhausted and need to stop! 😂

[Yellowsunset Graduate]

How many km did you track in 35 minutes?

If you know that you will be able to judge how many more runs, increasing minutes a little each time, that it will take to reach 5k.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Yellowsunset]

That sounds a bit mathematical to me! 🤣

It sounds a good plan though as it’s like creating my own onward C25k and that worked 😊

Thank you 🙏 for your suggestion 😊

[Jericho2332 Graduate]

35 mins is a good steady run though, adding the extra mins and distance steadily is a good plan 👍🏻

[DexD Graduate]

Yeah, I agree, Coach B does go on a bit but, like you say, it helps the minutes tick by. Though I graduated in the summer, I'm still some way off from 5k but aiming to keep running 3 X each week and hope to get closer. Had a blow when I realized my el cheapo fitness watch was providing me with inflated distances! Now have a decent watch and can see that 4k is my usual distance for 30 mins - so room for improvement etc. What did lift my spirits enormously was trying Coach Corey's speed interval guided run on NRC - 8 X 60 min sprints over 20 mins. It was so cathartic to really, truly 'leg it'! I'm planning to do a few of these each month along with 30 min and 35 min runs.

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to DexD]

DexD am loving your response 😊

I can only imagine how it must’ve felt when you realised your watch wasn’t tracking effectively! 😱😱 Decent running watch is going on my Christmas list 😁

Work hours are pretty full on for me right now so I’m generally only getting in 2 🏃‍♀️ a week which will slow progress down a bit but I’m still pleased I’m getting out there as it is a good feeling 😊

I’ve been a bit worried about trying intervals in case I can’t 🏃‍♀️ fast but it sounds fun and it’s only my 🏃‍♀️ 😈 preventing me from doing so.

[DexD Graduate]

clearly that should be 60 SECOND sprints!!

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to DexD]

😂

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate]

I’ve been running regularly for 6 months now and it takes me about 38 mins to run 5k. You’re nearly there. I’m loving the NRC app at the moment. Yes CB does witter on a bit but he does make the time fly by. You can listen to music which fades into the background as he witters 😂 but only Spotify or Apple Music. Download your playlist too or else it really drains your battery and uses loads of data!

I’m loving the 3,2,1 Go! NRC intervals run for mid week. It’s only 17 mins so it’s quick but I usually add a one song warm up and warm down walk as well. It gets faster and faster but the time intervals get shorter and there are recovery breaks in between. It’s just enough to squeeze into a crazy working week 🤪

Good luck on getting to that elusive 5k soon!

[MinnieMoo55 Graduate in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Frizzbomb67 great post and thank you for the tips and suggestion 😁

I will go to NRC and download 3,2,1 Go now and get a grip on my 🏃‍♀️ 😈 😊😜