Average speed per km

[Lelam2002]

Wanted to see what average speeds people are doing per KM? I finished W4R3 today and was going around 7.49 (obviously includes the walking parts)

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

Members of this forum cover at least six decades, come in all genders, shapes, weights, abilities and disabilities........so who do you want an answer from? An 80 year old woman, a twenty year old man, a one legged runner or an asthmatic........they are all here.

The only meaningful comparison is with your former self. Most runners only track their running for pace and only include warmup and cool down if they want to know total distance covered.

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.

[Rennur Graduate]

7'49'' or 7.49 min per km Either will get you a sub 40 minute 5K. I aim aiming for that by March! I am 57, so a bit slow (and fat!).Make sure you run at a comfortable pace so you can run 20 minutes straight next week.

Everyone wants to challenge themselves - but give yourself a break.

Make sure you enjoy it - Week 5 Run3 is a fantastic second "mile"stone. W1 R1 was the first!

[mrrun Graduate]

Impossible to answer. We are all different in terms of age, stamina and body shape. Your time is your own time, and that's the best time. Once you turn pro, start thinking about it. Top world record time? 2.47min per km over 5km. 😀

[Irish-John Graduate]

I just saw the results for my last event. The Ist place guy did it in a shade over five times faster than me. And if I was his age, and as genetically fortunate, and had that kind of time to train etc....

I bet he'd have only been FOUR times faster lol.

I've listened over the last five years to a whole lot of Marathoners and Ultra runners on "how it feels" when they run. I've come to truly believe they "see running" in a dimension I cannot. It's not a question of "better" - my guess is, its a form of being able to compartmentalise all thats going on in one's mind.

Think of the last time you said to someone "I don't know how you can do that - I never could"

And they reply in all genuiness "Sure you could!"

So much is in our minds. I regularly work at hights that scare the living crap out of me-but I do it. Ask me to touch a wee spider though and no way in hell will I So - am I brave or cowardly?

Comparison is the Thief of joy - if I run and enjoy it good, if I run and am "slow" not so good. However - its my own decision as to what is "slow" And just about every time - for me at my age and decrepit state -

Damn, but I'm Fast! 😂

Wishing you many happy miles in your future

[sribri Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

"Comparison is the Thief of joy - if I run and enjoy it good, if I run and am "slow" not so good."

Very well said. I keep forgetting and need to remind myself every day.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I've never run an average pace that fast. I feel zippy and well satisfied at anything under 10 minutes per kilometre. To add to the variety IannodaTruffe has suggested, we run in such different settings - treadmills, pavements, flat, steep, ankle deep in peaty bog and backpack on...

[Running_Up_That_Hill]

I’m 59 and about 2 stone overweight and in week 7. My pace is almost exactly the same as yours and I’ve no plan to go any faster for the coming weeks.

[Lelam2002 in reply to Running_Up_That_Hill]

Hi I feel the same although I'm 23 and about 3st overweight. I feel like I can get a better pace but need to get to get further along C25K. I think week 5 is meant to be another setup.

[Dexy5 Graduate]

The only pace you need to think about while doing C25k is keeping it to an easy conversation pace. You are getting out there and running longer each time, so you are a superstar. Enjoy the journey.

[Running_Up_That_Hill]

One of the moderators on this forum sent me this link which I found excellent.

youtu.be/9L2b2khySLE(Not working as expected?)

It’s about slow running.

[bubblebird123 Graduate]

It is worth looking at a guy called Phil Maffetone....talks about slowing down to gain overall fitness, prevent injury and cover greater distances.

I only look at my own improvement over time.....I like what sribri said....it will take all the joy away....

I completed C25K September, took me 5 months, after niggles and injury kept slowing me down due to training too hard trying to get faster. Now I slow run within HR as Maffetone suggests and times along with distances are better.

Enjoy the journey, focus on the programme, form and supporting stuff such as stretching and strength

Mindset is the biggest challenge , get that sorted and you are winning

Good luck

[nowster Graduate]

7mins 49 secs per km seems fine to me.

If it's 7.49km/h, that's 8min/km, which is almost the same speed, and that's fine too.

I usually run faster than that as a 6ft tall male with long legs, but there are some here who are much faster than me.

Then I look at the Strava heroes locally and see speeds twice as fast as what I'm doing.

We're all different. There's no point in comparing ourselves against others. We're not doing races.

We also differ from day to day and from run to run. When I'm out doing a really fast run, my pace is around 4'40"/km, but then I'm spent at the end of a kilometre. If I'm doing run/walk intervals, I may peak around the 5min/km mark on the short runs. If I'm doing a longer run, I'll aim for the 7min/km region (or slower) so I can last the distance.