W4R- how do I extend my stride

[chrisana]

Hi,

i'm really pleased to be at W4R1BUT:

Why is my distance 3:4km , not much more than Q2, how did your distance progress go.

Some times I feel I am jogging on the spot, a lot of energy

but not getting far

My speed is still 8.9m per km

So some advice please. My fear is getting to week 9 jogging 5km but taking an hour!

[chrisana]

T

[Pelephant Graduate]

It sounds like you are doing just fine to me. I really wouldn't worry about speed and distance right now. This plan is more about building your stamina and confidence to tackle the longer runs. Once you've built up to running for 30 minutes, perhaps then you can tackle speed and distance. Keep up the good work!

[chrisana in reply to Pelephant]

That is kind of you but at the moment my partner can brisk walk at the speed I jog

[AnnaDJ Graduate in reply to chrisana]

So can mine. In fact so can I. I'm on week 9 - garduation run tomorrow. My 1st challenge post graduation is to do the C25K+ speed podcast. At the moment I can do 4.5k in 30mins. With that podcast I should be able to work on getting it to 5k in 30mins. Like Pelephant says don't worry too much about the speed just yet. You have plently of time. Work on stamina first and follow up with speed when you can do the longer runs time after time.

[notbad Graduate]

I definitely wouldn't get worried about speed at this early stage, as the others have said there's time for that later on, lots of people graduate not having done the 5k - that's their next goal. Graduation from the programme only requires you to run 30 minutes, it doesn't matter how fast or far you go.

[Chewy]

I would say your speed is exactly right for you and coincidentally it's about the same as I'm doing. My take on this is that I'll get to a stage where I can comfortably run/jog for 30 minutes 3 times a week and then I'll start on the speed training.

[Fraz73 Graduate]

I got a little speed obsessed in weeks 1-3 where you walk more than you run. I'm a fast walker so I covered a lot of ground. As the numbers have risen for running, I've had to really focus on my pace which was very erratic and as a result, I'm running better and more consistently, but my distances covered aren't as good as they were earlier on. But that's fine. I want to win the minutes, then focus on the speed. I still hope to get 5k in 30 minutes by week 9 but if that doesn't happen it's no big deal. I still graduate