5k or 30min - What's "graduation" for you?

I assume most people who graduated didn't hit the 5k mark the exact second the timer jumped to 30minutes...

I wonder, when did you consider yourself a graduate? After 30 minutes (and less km) or after 5 km (and maybe more minutes)?

I myself am only about to finish week 3 tomorrow, but I'm curious.

[MamaG Graduate]

Personally I will feel like i've graduated when I've completed the week of 30 min runs - I am quite prepared for it to take a while longer to reach the 5k in that time but that seems to be the next natural target

Good luck for week 4!!

[EllaBear]

My aim is 5K and I don't expect to reach that in Week 9! (Just come home from W3R3)

[AliB1 Graduate]

Was definatley in achieving running for 30 minutes non stop. However, just after i graduated I did run 5k...just took an extra 10 mins!

Good luck with your journey

[blueboots Graduate]

Definitely when I achieved 30 minutes non stop running. 5K only happened today for certain, that took me almost another 9 weeks. Feels great, still smiling. Which one do you think you will choose?

[juicydee Graduate]

I counted 30 mins (week 9) as my 'graduation'. That was miracle enough for me!! I did about 3.7k in that time but then tried 5k which took me 45 mins (it's still not much below that tbh). As I'm now going for more distance (to get to 10k for a race in May) I've not upped the speed on my longer runs, just so I can complete the distance. Speed work is also on my agenda now, but I certainly didn't worry about it while on C25K.

[Hidden]

Thanks for the answers. Seems we are all on the same page here. I'll be glad if I make it through 30 min straight! That will be my graduation too (hopefully sometime in June).

Thanks for the answers!

[Hidden]

I counted both because covering 5k was a significant improvement on my pace, and also because it was good to have a post-C25k target. My new target is a sub-30 min 5k.

[Minuette Graduate]

Hmm interesting question. For me graduating meant being able to run 3x30 mins in week 9. However I'm now still chasing the 5k, currently running just over 4k so should do it in a couple of weeks and that will be another cause for major celebration

[TJFlute]

30 minutes. But then there are new challenges: eg. 5k, one hour, 10k, 10 miles.....etc etc You don't realise it at the start but graduating isn't the end, it's just the beginning!

[juicydee Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

Hear hear TJ!! What a lovely addiction we have

[drillfielder Graduate]

Definitely felt I'd graduated after 30 mins continuous running. Since then I've managed the 5k but not yet timed it at under 30 mins. My speed is still quite slow but I can manage 10k now but it is taking me about 75 mins. I'm happy with that though as I feel the speed will improve gradually as I run more. Might have a go next week at trying the 5k in 30 mins to see how far off I am now.