Graduation, what now?

[Soontobefunmum]

So I’ve graduated 🎉🎉 but I’m a bit lost as to what to do now. I went for my first run without Laura last night and quite enjoyed it. I ran for 30 minutes but maybe slightly faster than last week. How do I progress going forward? I’m still not running anywhere near 5k.

Thanks in advance!

[Hidden]

I graduated early January and am running 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week + 1 longer run in the weekend. I need about 45 minutes to run 5K. So please don't focus on that 5K in 30 minutes, not a lot of people can do that.

What you can do now is run a bunch of consolidation runs, meaning 30 minute runs, in which you focus on getting it to feel normal. So giving your body a chance to accommodate itself to running 30 minutes.

After multiple consolidation runs, you can either work on your pace / speed on or distance. If you join the Bridge to 10K group, there is a scheme to train to reach 10K or 60 minutes running. I am for example now 'training' to reach 60 minutes, running 30 minutes on weekdays (always still keeping a day rest between 2 runs) and a long run which gets extended every other week with 5 minutes until I will reach 60 minutes.

Success!

[Soontobefunmum Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Great, thanks for the tips!x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Many congratulations on your graduation, fellow runner.

This guide to post C25k running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

To get your Graduate Badge leave a message at this month’s Graduation Badge Post, which you can find in the Pinned Posts here healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

If you need some ideas about what to do next, pop over to the March Consolidation Club and have a chat. healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Soontobefunmum Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks for the help

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🏅

I felt a bit lost too after finishing C25K as the plan kept me motivated. Join the Consolidation club where you’ll find other runners at the same stage as you and you can encourage each other. It should be in the pinned posts. Then you need a plan to keep you on track. Perhaps join the March Quest ( again on the pinned posts) where you set a goal for the month and you check in every week to report your progress. Most runners after completing the plan aim to get to 5k so extend just one run per week by no more than 10% until you reach it. To add motivation you could sign up to a virtual challenge like Race at Your Pace, Conqueror or This Girl Runs to get medals or t shirts for reaching your goal. This Girl Runs are doing a nice blue runners vest this month 😂. I signed up to virtual 5k race to raise money for a local hospice which really motivated me to push on to that 5k. The Nike Run Club app is free and is great for guided runs if you enjoy having some company on your run. There are lots of different distances as well as some interval runs. I enjoy them although Coach Bennett can go on a bit 😂. You just need something to keep you motivated until you get to the stage where you just love running for the enjoyment of it. Hope some of that helps.

[Soontobefunmum Graduate in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Thanks so much that’s really helpful!