advice

[Broc-o-lover]

Completed Week 8 run 2

Pace consistent around 7.2 km/m can’t see how a further 2 mins of running is going to get me to 5 k unless I really pick up my pace

[drl212 Graduate]

The important thing here is to create a consistent running habit.

Instead of a C25K - I renamed it a C230min. Running for 30 min is an amazing acommplishement when you look back at Week 1.

In my consolidation runs after graduating, I continued my 30 minute runs and added a few minutes each week. Got to 5K by the fourth week (slow and steady).

Since then I've been on a 10K plan and have hit 6K and 8K. My speeds have increased little by little even without working on them specifically.

As someone said in the film Steel Magnolias: "I'm built for comfort. Not for speed."

Four more runs to go! You've got this...

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to drl212]

Thank you , I’m determined to keep going ….

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Broc-o-lover]

Just because it’s been mentioned above, here’s a post about what “consolidation” means..,

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

It isn’t something that’s come from the Couch to 5k programme but it’s a popular way to start post couch to 5k running on this site and would involve sticking at 30 minutes for your longest run for a little while.-often three weeks.

Others like to continue to add a few minutes, like    drl212 did, and I did something similar. The important principle there is to go steady and stay within adding about 10% max to your run time. When you finish, the app will give you some advice and there are loads of posters here who can tell you what’s worked for them,

One step at a time,… get that graduation badge first!

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Yes, I will focus on the next four runs so I can graduate !

Will certainly be consolidating for a while before increasing

🏃‍♀️

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate]

Don't worry Broc-o-lover , many of us won't ever manage 5k in 30 minutes. Speed isn't the only measure of success. Running for 30 minutes is one goal which you're well on the way to achieving. Running 5k is another, separate goal and if you continue running at a pace that's comfortable for you it's achievable too, though probably in more than 30 minutes.

With each goal you achieve make sure you congratulate yourself.

All sorts of things affect the pace we find comfortable, especially sex (men generally faster than women because of muscle:fat ratios, shape of the pelvis etc), age - the older the slower, fitness level, weight, height, build, the possibilities are endless. Just get out there, run the way that you want to and enjoy the process.

Good luck

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

Thank you 🏃‍♀️

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate]

The programme is really badly named! Most people don’t hit 5k in 30 minutes. Couch to 5k (counterintuitively!) js best run at a pace where you can hold a conversation put loud without gasping. What number is on the treadmill/your watch is totally irrelevant, as is how far you cover. It’s purely a time based programme.

Some great runners never run 5k in 30 minutes. There are loads of way to define success and don’t let that one take away from what you’ve achieved. Enjoy your final runs of the programme and maybe start planning some celebrations!

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you 🏃‍♀️

[Broc-o-lover Graduate]

Thank you 🏃‍♀️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You have had some great advice... and mine is the same... whoaaaaaa! Get to that podium !

Slow and steady will take you there safely and enjoyably... then the runs continue They evolve and who knows where you will find yourself You will be amazed !

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Looking forward to being amazed ☺️

[Vickarillo]

I'm just about to start week 8 and was thinking the same thing. I've tried throughout to look at it as increasing my stamina but it doesn't help when people ask how fast/and far I've gone.

Keep going well done!

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Vickarillo]

You too 🏃‍♀️

[Madwife60 Graduate]

well done for getting so far. Two years on and I’m still not at 5k in 30 mins but I can run for 50 mins without stopping. Maybe even more but Ive never tried! I’m definitely a stamina over speed fan - no races for me. It’s all about moving and being in the fresh air now I’m 66

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Madwife60]

Well done you …

My ankle seems to be aching today so may need to take an extra rest day before I do the next 28 min run

[nowster Graduate]

A little nitpick.

"7.2 km/m" is not a pace. I'm assuming you meant a speed of 7.2km per hour.

That's a pace of 8:20/km. (8 minutes 20 seconds per km)

That would give you a 5km time of about 42 minutes which is faster than 18% of the finishers at my local parkrun last Saturday.

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to nowster]

I was just going by my watch , not too sure but if that’s the case it will take me a long time to build up to running 42 mins

Thank you

Wk 8 run 2

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate in reply to Broc-o-lover]

I'd read that as 7'21 per km ie it takes you 7'21" to cover a km rather than 8'20" as nowster suggests it'll take you 36'45" to run 5km, which is very respectable

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

I will hopefully manage that then 😊

[nowster Graduate in reply to Broc-o-lover]

Aha! You've got the wrong units. The pace is in minutes/seconds per kilometre. You're faster than you thought. 😆

[Petem56 Graduate]

Like others have said don't worry about distance, just enjoy the remaining runs, when I graduated about a year ago my distance was 3.2k, but within a month I reached the 5k, buty time was just over 60 minutes, now 12 months on I have that time down to 37:22 for my best 5k, but that was a really hard run. The main thing about running should be to just enjoy it.

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to Petem56]

🏃‍♀️

[StartersPistol Graduate]

On week 9 , I just carried on until my Apple Watch told me I had reached 5k was about 32 mins in total.

[Broc-o-lover Graduate in reply to StartersPistol]

That’s close to 30 mins

[jsh2803 Graduate]

Graduated in 2020, and have run consistently since redoing C25k twice .... yes can run for 30 mins and more, best 5km time 35:43 .... was over 40mins at first Park run, so as other have said do not worry ... it is not about speed / pace