Tips!

[Nikovesbeach]

Hi I’m on week 4, I seem to find it easier to go faster in terms of the way my body feels but I wonder if uoh could advise what is a good slow jog speed on a treadmill? Thanks 🤩

[Tasha99 Graduate]

What I think is slow someone else might think is fast. What I think is fast, someone else would seem slow. Go at a slow pace for you do you can get through the programme. Don’t worry what pace that is until you graduate.

[Nikovesbeach in reply to Tasha99]

Thanks Tasha I’m worried going too fast

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

The best pace is one at which you can speak aloud, full, clear, ungasping sentences as you run. This will develop your body better than going faster.

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]

You are coming up to 20 minutes next week. Are able to try outside? You can then run at your own pace - which may not necessarily be the same for the whole run.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

This is easy to find out. Rather than asking for a speed from someone, you find it yourself on your treadmill.

Start off by finding what brisk walking speed is. That's a walk that feels a bit uncomfortable and gets you warm after 5-10 minutes. Now increase the speed by a small amount (say 0.2 km/h or 0.1 mph) and when you get to a point that you can't walk, break into a jog... THAT is your slow jog speed.

[Nikovesbeach in reply to John_W]

I meant what speed on a treadmill would class as a slow jog. Advice in terms of what speed people recommend

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Nikovesbeach]

Unfortunately that varies from person to person. My slow jog will be a different speed to yours.

I repeat, you're better off discovering what *your* slow jog speed is. Comparison is the thief of joy.

It's the same as asking what a good time for 5k is.

[Nikovesbeach in reply to John_W]

Thanks for being unhelpful and a little bit patronising tbh!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Nikovesbeach]

I apologise for sounding patronising - I really don't mean to be.

My slow jog currently (it changes as my fitness varies) is anything between 7.5-8.5 km/h.

Genuinely... is that helpful to you? Tasha99 said it right at the top "What I think is slow someone else might think is fast. What I think is fast, someone else would seem slow."

A slow jog is one which feels very comfortable, breathing is nice, easy and relaxed and feels like if you had to carry on at the end of your run, then you could. If at any stage you feel out of breath, then that is your best indicator to slow down to a more manageable speed.

As for a specific number... my brisk walking pace on a treadmill is always 6.8 km/hr. But I know that's quite quick compared to some people. I walk quickly. Many people don't.

I did the whole of the C25K program on a treadmill at 9.0 km/hr. Is that helpful? As far I can see, that's relatively quick compared to many here. But that felt very comfortable for me at the time. Some do it at 5 km/hr, some at 6, some at 7, some at 8. There's 115,000 members of this forum ... so if everyone was to reply, then you'd get a very large variation.

If you want a more accurate answer, then we should look at the average distances quoted in the survey here healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

That shows that around 40% of those answering, were running 3.5-4k in 30 mins.... that's 7-8 km/hr .

8% answered that they did 3k or less in 30 mins ... that's 6km/hr or slower. What that 'slower' is I don't know.

So we have a speed (for Week 9ers) that 48% (or about half) of graduates ran in Week 9 - between something slower than 6 (who knows what it is?) and 8 km/h.

The slowest parkrunners tend to do the 5k in around 50-60 minutes - so around 5-6 km hr.

So now (finally!) we have a range (but NOT a single number):

Depending on ability, a slow jog can be considered to be in the range of ... (drum roll)

... 5-10 km/hr. (I've put 10 cos there's many quicker than me!)

And a slow jog should either be the same speed as your brisk walking speed or a bit quicker.

I genuinely hope that is helpful.

PS why are you so keen to know?

[Nikovesbeach in reply to John_W]

Thanks. I’m not ‘keen’ just interested! This is a forum for asking questions about running and advice?

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Nikovesbeach]

It is. I hope I've answered your question.

[nowster Graduate]

It really does vary considerably from person to person.

I see some people locally on Strava doing a pace of 3min/km. My sprint pace is about 4½min/km. My easy pace (for longer distances) is about 7min/km. Other graduates here seem to vary between 6 and 8min/km.

The suggestion of setting your treadmill just a little bit faster than the fastest walking pace you can do is a good one. Couch to 5K is misnamed. It isn't about speed or distance but about being able to jog for a certain amount of time.

[AmyMimo]

Hi, I’ve done all of my C25K on a treadmill so far and have just finished week 4.

My brisk walk is at the speed of 5.8km/hour and my ‘run’ ( very light jog! ) is at 6.8km/ hour.

I’m not a natural runner so I didn’t want to try and go too fast too soon. Building up my strength seems more important - that and not collapsing at the end 😁

So hoping to just get through the 9 weeks first. Then maybe I’ll try and increase the speed. Maybe. 😁 Hope that helps!