How's best to get from 30 mins to 5k...?

[CathCakes]

I graduated a couple of weeks ago now, and since then have been repeating the Week 9 podcast. (Which is now scarily familiar - youandjulie!youandjulie! etc etc!) I'm not at all fast - I think I'm only managing about 3.8k in 30 mins, but wondered how you genuine 5k runners made that transition. Looking at the blogs, it seems that some people do manage it by the end of the 9 weeks, but others, like me, take quite a bit longer. Did you just decide to go for a 5k run one day...? Or did you add on a couple of minutes each week to build it up, Laura style? Is it even wise to suddenly attempt a 5k?! Really interested to hear your thoughts - thanks.

[Deryn61 Graduate]

Many forums say up your pace OR your distance by 10% each week. I was doing the same distance as you at graduation. I couldnt stand listening to that podcast music a fourth time, but use my own ipod mix and downloads from Podrunner (mindless trance music but great for running) since.

My sister came out with me a week after I graduated, and, without me realising it, she got me running for 5 k!

It took me about 47 mins, mostly on a gradual uphill slope on a forest track (all my previous runs had been on the flat so it was a challenge to say the least!) but her chatting to me and reassuring me I was doing great helped me along.

After that, knowing I could run 5k ,that became my aim for each session. I am not fast (very short, slow and still 2.5 stone overweight). I have been getting slightly quicker - Monday I did 5k in 44 mins. But today, again thanks to my sister, I did a 5k Parkrun in 38.24!

You can download a personalised training plan from runners world website that might help.

[CathCakes Graduate in reply to Deryn61]

Brilliant, well done, and thank you, that's pretty inspiring!

[PatButcher Graduate]

I am also nowhere near running 5k, so any help would be great for me too!

[blueboots Graduate]

I measure in miles as my gps is set up for that as I use if for geocaching so I know I did 2.2 miles at the end of wk9. I'm now using my own music and just trying to increase speed rather than time but I do run in a fairly hilly area so yesterday I decided to run on the Test Way along a fairly level section and managed 2.4 miles in 30minutes so I still have 1km to go. That is the end of wk11 for me. I think I'll use the same route and run 5km just to see how long it takes. If my time is not too bad there are two places within 10miles of home that have weekly Park runs so I am hoping to pluck up the courage to run with other people. A friend and one of my daughter's have just begun the programme so maybe I'll wait for them to run with me.

[CathCakes Graduate in reply to blueboots]

Thanks blueboots...I think I'm a way off a parkrun, but I've looked at the webite and it looks really fun, so I'll gently aim towards that I think. Hope you're still going strong!

[CaroB Graduate]

Finished the C25K programme on Friday and have also been worrying about how I am going to build up to 5K for the sports relief 3 miles. I used the podcast again this morning and was dissapointed to realise I was going at a slower pace than usual but just didn't have the ommph to speed up. I spent the run debating with myself about how I was going to manage to run a bit longer and further today. My 2 thoughts were a) walk for a bit after 30 mins and play podcast one where you run for a min and walk for 90 secs until I got to the 5K mark, or b) just keep running through the 5 minute warm down. In the end when Lorna said only 60 seconds to go, I chose to hear only 6 minutes to go and jogged on through the warm down, it then took me another 4 minutes of walking to get to the 5K mark, so all in all I am pretty chuffed with myself! So speaking from personal experience to all of you who like me can "only" run 3.8K in 30 mins, the extra 1.2 K isn't really as big a leap as it feels before you attempt it. Any way Sports relief is for fun so who cares if we have to walk the last 10 mins at least we are getting off our backsides and attempting it!

[CathCakes Graduate in reply to CaroB]

Thanks all of you, really helpful thoughts. Of course I then went and caught a stomach bug which has put me back on the couch for a few days, so it'll be interesting to see how far back that sets me. Still determined to go on though....the 5k goal seems more attainable thanks to your advice...thanks so much.