Just out of interest....

[Hepsibah]

Has anyone measured how much distance they cover in the 'runs' leading up to graduation?

[backintime Graduate]

I know exactly, cos I run on the treadmill at the moment (allergy season).

My treadmill taunts me with the readings of my slow pace, the low amount of minutes and the low distance (I often cover the readings up with a towel )

[Hepsibah in reply to backintime]

Ahh yes of course! I am running outside so haven’t got that. Have u got to 5k in 30 mins?

[backintime Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

Oh, never in a month of Sundays Not sure I ever will, although I would love to

I did get up to 18k though before I was injured (not running related) - I prefer distance to speed

[backintime Graduate in reply to backintime]

If you have a smart phone you can use Strava or Runkeeper or one of those apps that will track your distance as you run. They all have free versions.

[Hepsibah in reply to backintime]

Wow 18k!! Well done. I did 5k in 37 mins back in the day. I’ve got Runkeeper now, thanks.

[backintime Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

I think my fastest ever was 39 mins, now I'm back to 50 mins as I build back up

[Hepsibah in reply to backintime]

I’m building back up too after 10 years.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Ah, you're concerned with distance and if anyone else manages 5k in 30 mins during Week 9.

Despite the catchy title, it's a time-based program and your objective in Week 9 is to run (JOG!) for 30 minutes continuously, 3 times. Nothing more or less.

A survey 2 years ago showed that 90% of graduates do NOT manage 5k in 30 mins ...

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

[Hepsibah in reply to John_W]

Hey JohnYeah I’ve read the premise, and that loads of grads don’t do 5k in 30. It just occurred me on my jog today that’s all. As has been pointed out to me obvs if u r on a treadmill you wld know lol.

[Magellan Graduate]

I graduated last March with 3¼ km, did my first 5k in a shade under 45min last April, and first cracked a 30 min 5k on New Year’s Day.

If you particularly want to get to 5km in 30 mins you probably will, but don’t pressure yourself to do it, there’s nothing wrong with your pace, be it fast, slow, or whatever. If you’re comfortable running then you’re running right, and if you like to push yourself and feel a bit uncomfortable now and then that’s fine too but those uncomfortable runs should be matched by at least 3 - 6 comfortable runs.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the programme.

[Hepsibah in reply to Magellan]

I agree.

[Tommy38 Graduate]

Did my first run of week 9 this evening and my first outdoor as been doing the previous weeks on treadmill at the gym, was happy to run the 30 mins in just over 4.5k but on treadmill I’m running faster as always run on 10kph so I should be doing the 5k in 30mins on my final two runs.

[Hepsibah in reply to Tommy38]

I’m impressed.

[SkiMonday Graduate]

Since graduating, I always run to a target distance. It just suits me better than a set time (although I've usually got a reasonably good idea how long it will take me to do a particular distance).

[Hepsibah in reply to SkiMonday]

There’s two types of people in the world...distance oriented and time oriented. Lol.

[HS1965]

I’ve been running for about 18 months and still only manage 5k in about 37 mins and I don’t think I will ever do it in a better time as I’m just not a fast runner. I’m 7-7.30 mins per k

[Hepsibah in reply to HS1965]

well if I get back to 37 min (after 10 years) I'll be happy. well done.

[HeavyFoot Graduate]

In week nine I was chuffed to think I was covering 4.5 km in the 30 minutes. Then I realised that included the two five minutes of walking. So more like 3.5 km.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

Good morning HeavyFoot, before my first 'official' run 1 of week 1 of C25K in April 2018 I had a few short two-minute "test runs" to find out if I could really run for 30 minutes or more, this was during the winter of 2017/18, one of the two-minute runs was up a hill, they all went quite well and I decided to start the course after all that cold weather in March 2018.

I had been a spectator at our local December Santa Dash in 2017, I knew the course and in January 2018 during a short milder break in the weather I decided to run/walk that course, I timed it with my wristwatch starting at a specified time, it took me 41 minutes and it was that walk/run that I decided to start C25K a few months later, I got through C25K in 9 weeks without having to repeat any runs or weeks.

Apart from two parkruns when I have run sub 31 minutes my average time is around 33/35 minutes for a 5K and 71/74 minutes for a 10K.

[HeavyFoot Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Good morning, Al. You’ll always be faster than me, but at the moment I’m just happy to be running again.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

That, of course, is the main thing HF to enjoy the run, I am looking forward to running my 15th 10K next Wednesday which will be that London Vitality Virtual 10,000.

[Hepsibah in reply to HeavyFoot]

haha, theres always something😆

[Reggit Graduate]

Everyone hits different distances in the 30 minutes of week 9.

I was at 4.3k recorded on Strava my first 5k was about 37’40” still not hit 30 minutes although the time has come down a bit. I graduated in July last year.

[Lechunk Graduate]

Like many who have replied, I am running/jogging at 37 minutes for 5K. My week 9 runs were 4.2K. I am running outside (the treadmill would do my head in), and using a smart watch for measuring the distance. I must say that the first time I measured my distance at only 4.2K I was surprised and a little disappointed. I now realise that it is fantastic and a real privilege; my sister has MS and cannot run at all!

[Hepsibah in reply to Lechunk]

I understand, we are so lucky.

[Jazzy6663]

I think I got up to just over 4K. Takes me around 37-38 mins to get to 5k. Runkeeper is a good app

[Hepsibah in reply to Jazzy6663]

I got that app cos it looked simple with not too much stuff i wldn't need.

[LesleyLiv Graduate]

Hi, when I initially graduated I was completing about 4.5k, I think I was running about 3k initially, I built up the distance during the runs as I was ending the run at the same place but adding loops over the weeks.Now I run over 5k in 34/35 minutes, so not bad really.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Hepsibah in reply to LesleyLiv]

athletic I'd say! well done.

[Stu80]

I use Strava which is helpful. I did the last day of week 8 (2nd attempt) and managed 4.5km in the 28 minutes. Not sure if I’ll manage the 5km in the 30 minutes but even just doing the time is a good achievement.

[Pink4eva Graduate]

Hi Hepsibah I started running outside in February, but have been running on a treadmill since the gyms opened in April. I did my WK5 R3 (20mins) last week and I covered about 2k in that time. I know that I am probably one of the slowest runners. 😊

[Hepsibah in reply to Pink4eva]

Hey, 20 minutes is amazing. If I had £1 for everyone who claims to be the slowest here I’d be a rich woman!😂. I think a lot of people run/jog about the same here. Thanks for yr reply.

[Gagsy Graduate]

This is a good site to put your route into and see how far you’ve ran on your previous runs if you haven’t used a tracking app. Also good for planning routes and it shows inclines etc.

onthegomap.com

[Crolla]

Decided to look back at the data I have in my phone health app from starting C25k in April 2018 to graduating 9 weeks later. I'm not sure how accurate the app is, mind you, but it was quite interesting looking at the data.

Run 1 Week 1 - 2.8k

Run 3 Week 9 - 3.7k

Three years later, and I'm running 5k at an average time of 32 mins.

[Hepsibah in reply to Crolla]

interesting, im def gonna compare my stats when finished (LOL IF I finish!!!)

[Louise084 Graduate]

I’m on week 7 run 2 only just made it to 4k this is my longest run usually only getting to about 3.5k in the 25 minutes, tried to pick up the pace today

[Hepsibah in reply to Louise084]

sounds like you'll make 5k. so impressed.

[Louise084 Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

I managed 5K!!! Time wasn’t the best 38minutes but I did it so I’m happy ☺️

[nowster Graduate]

I'm one of the few who actually did exactly 5km in my graduation run. However, it came at a price: a doubly sprained ankle which kept me from running for four weeks and needed two physio visits.

[Hepsibah in reply to nowster]

yikes!! there shld be a club for 'the few'. you cld be founding menber.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

After that I eased off on the pace, but naturally crept faster as my legs got lots more miles on them.

I've since beaten that time for 5km by 43 seconds (29:17) without feeling as though I was pushing (it was 9 months later, though).

[Hepsibah in reply to nowster]

A success story for sure. just looked you up to see your age, thought i cld let my self off if you were 32 or something.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

Nope. Add 20 to that. 🤣

If I were still in my early 30s, I'd probably be a fair bit faster.

[Dee2609 Graduate]

W4R2 did 3k, long way to go! 😳

[Hepsibah in reply to Dee2609]

W4R3 3.3K, guess we are about the same!

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to Hepsibah]

W4R3 for me today (after work)

[Hepsibah in reply to Dee2609]

yay, then W5!!!!!! cant wait to hear how you get on Dee2609