Erm, have I graduated, really!

[Ellie-may]

I've only posted 10 minutes ago about my achievement of this evening, completing W9 R3 and already I am thinking I may have been a bit presumptious.

Can anyone tell me please, have I really graduated, you see although Ive completed the C25K programme, I have not quite reached 5k.

Do I have to do 5k runs before I can claim my badge, as I would not want to claim it under false prentences.

Ooh what a dilemma!! Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Gazter Graduate]

yeah you've graduated! Being able to run for thirty minutes or 5k. Very few people are able to do 5k in under thirty minutes unless they are quite lean and have an underlying previous level of fitness.

To do 5k in thirty minutes you have to be able to run at 10kph. That is tough.

You have two main ways of achieving it.

One way is to stretch your running times until you hit the 5k, dont be surprised if that's a good forty minutes +. Just by doing this regularly many people find that their running speed improves.

The other route is to actually go back to the beginning of c25k and do the intervals at a much higher pace than your completion.

For example, if you completed week 9 at 7kph, going back to the intervals of week 1 you should be able to run faster at say 9 or 10kph for those minutes at a time, and then move onto the next week etc.

I am currently on week 4 of second time round. i think the first time i ran week4 i did it at 6.5kph, this time i did it at 9.5kph.

[Ellie-may Graduate in reply to Gazter]

Oh wow, thank you, what a relief, now I really can claim my badge. I can see where you're coming from with beginning the programme again to increase speed, makes sense. It is something I will certainly consider. Best wishes Gazter.

[RhonaL]

And a badge for Alfie!

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Yes you've graduated well done.

[gezz]

it took me several months after graduation (how do I get a badge BTW) before I started running under 30 minutes for 5K - even then that was by around 40 seconds

[Eisleychick Graduate]

You've graduated!! Congratulations. Doesn't matter if you've hit the 5K distance, you made it all the way through the program and that's what matters. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!! I'm doing my third 5K tomorrow evening and have only been a graduate for just under a month. Takes me just under 40 minutes and I'm still walking for part of it. My practice runs are no where near the 5K mark but the distance keeps increasing every time I run. Just stick with it!! Congratulations!!

[TJFlute]

Congratulations!!

A big well done

[Ellie-may Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

Thank you very much to you all for your comments. I am definitely applying for my GRADUATE badge, wey hey!!!