Completed the couch to 5k, last Friday,Only managed 9 laps of track in 30 mins, so only 3.6k ran.
Went out again last night managed to run 11 laps in the baking heat in about 37 mins.
I would like to be able to run 5k in about 35 mins, I am 55 years old and not ran since at school .
How can I speed up a little,
I am out of breath after I run for a couple of mins, so my breathing is very heavy all the way through the run, my legs and body feel quite good just my breathing.
Chris.
🍏👏⭐️🎉🥳Well done on completing the course. Huge congratulations!!!
I am going to give you a link to help with your query. However you need to run for for 30 mins 3x a week now for a few weeks to consolidate. This should be at a pace where you can breathe properly! The distance doesn’t matter! Once your legs & lungs are stronger you can look at increasing distance about 10 percent. Have a read!
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Something else for you to look at!
Thanks for that, I will have a good read through that information,I just thought it would be nice to actually complete the 5k run, I was going to do it last night when I got to 11 laps, but my wife had just completed 12.5 laps, and was resting so I stopped at eleven, even though I think I could have done the lot 🤭
Keep running regularly and consolidate with at least a couple of weeks of 30 min runs. You will find as you increase the time you run and get to 5k, naturally with consistent running over some months you will be speed up a fair bit anyway as you strengthen.
My first few weeks of 5ks were also about 37mins but this gradually came down over time as I made the specific effort to get it down. I am anything but speedy but when I make the effort I can get under 30 mins comfortably. Although I regularly don’t actually try to preferring an easier pace.
If, after consolidating, you really want to work on speeding up then alongside the key of consistency (running regularly and often) working on running up hills and particularly ‘interval runs’ also massively help to speed you up and get you used to different paces and efforts. Like others on here I’d recommend Nike Run Club (NRC) as a free app as there are guided runs that take you through intervals and other types of workouts. This helps with variety particularly when regular running becomes a little stale. However, i think you should be some weeks away from this currently as it’s really important to establish that base first to guard against injury and overdoing it too soon - loads of us fall into that trap and spend time on the injury couch soon after completing C25K. I think because it rightly makes us feel great and ready to accomplish anything!!
Huge congratulations by the way on completing it - it’s a great feeling isn’t it!
Good Morning
Congratulations on completing the C25k. It’s such a good feeling.
Can I just tell you what I did wrong and so maybe stop you doing the same…
I completed the programme in the 9 weeks and was euphoric. I was doing the consolidation runs, (slowly, I only ever got up 4km) as suggested before moving on. It seemed I had done everything right but by the third week I began to feel a dragging sensation in my right shin which then seemed to be a swelling on my shin bone. Thinking my Gp would dismiss it quite lightly I was shocked to be sent for an X-ray.
I had managed to develop shin splints. This has derailed my running career!! Really annoying. If I had kept running this could have worsened to stress fractures so I did have to take it seriously!
I now wish I had built myself up to 30mins running more gradually and allowed my body to adjust over a longer period. I so wanted to run 3times a week for 30mins as I thought I was physically ready.
I’m not wanting to put you off at all, I really do want to be back to exactly where you are now! I’m just saying it might be wise to proceed gently, build gradually and then you won’t get set back. You will get faster/further but maybe for a few more weeks it’s worth not over stressing anything and getting yourself ready for more when your body has properly and fully adjusted to its runner status!
Thanks both of you for the comments/advise I will certainly take this on board and take my time to get to where I would like to be.
Congratulations on completing C25K!
You are doing well, keep running the 3 times a week, take your rest days the 35 mins will happen when your body is ready. We are the same age, it takes a while to adjust, do not push it you may injure yourself
Thank you both,Yea I am going to take my time there's no rush.
Bought new trainers and shorts last night, to add a bit more comfort.
I've been doing the last nine weeks on a running track, I don't know whether to start pounding the pavements or not, I've just felt more comfortable running on a nice flat track, and I know exactly how far I'm running.
Week 9 run 3 completed this morning!!!
Week 6 completed
Week 6 completed
week 9 run 1 completed
Week 9 Run 3 Fail 😭
