What to do? Move on or repeat Wk9 till I get to 5k?

[c25ktyrer]

I ran R3WK9 this morning but am still completing just over 3k.

[Cazvs Graduate]

Congrats on graduating!

Couldn't you do both? Like do one run a week where you gradually increase the distance and then another run that week you could try and get to 5k in 30 mins. I plan to mix it up a bit once I graduate.

[PeaBea Graduate]

I hope to graduate next Monday and have been looking at the 5K+ podcasts as they should help with improving stamina and speed (as long as it doesn't kill me on the way!!}. My RunDouble app has a 5k improver based upon intervals but I am not too sure about that as it is for a 5k run/hobble.

[dottiemay Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating! Doesn't matter what distance you did, you ran for 30 minutes! Set yourself a reasonable and reachable goal. Are you more concerned with reaching the 5k regardless of time?

I just made up my mind to try and consistently run 30mins, then when I found I could do that aimed for regular 5ks and then when I'd cracked that, on running as far as I could. I still can't get near 30mins for 5k, think my best is about 32:18...but I can do 7k in 46:42 and I'll take that! I'm hoping that my speed will increase as I get stronger but it isn't something I'm hung up on. My focus for now is on distance. Decide what's more important for you and go for it!

[vikicats Graduate]

Congratulations. I carried on using with 9 podcasts and then decided to run the warm down which took me to 5k on a course I'd plotted specifically for the distance.

[Lazy_moo Graduate]

I'm focusing on getting to 5k in 30 mins at the moment. I graduated Christmas Eve and I've got up to 4.6k in 30 mins. My aim is to gradually increase my speed until I hit that 5k in 30mins. I am going to do a park run in a couple of weeks and then at the end of February when I go back to running outdoors (I've been using the gym treadmill for the past 4-5 weeks) I'm going to start the B210K.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. It mainly depends on what is important to you

The main thing is to keep running.

LazyMoo

[Esprit Graduate]

I graduated on New Year's Day and I'm concentrating on going for a 30 minute run 3/4 times a week until I can do 5k then I will probably move on to Bridge-to-10k. Good luck.

[RainbowC Graduate]

I repeated w9 a couple of times, then did a couple of weeks using the C25K+ podcasts, as I'm still aiming to get to 5k in 30 mins. Unfortunately, due to bad planning, not enough running, and too much unhealthy stuff over Christmas & New Year, I found that I was struggling to do a normal 20 minute run, never mind more than that! So I decided to go back to week 6 and repeat the last four weeks of the programme but at a faster pace. So far it's working for me; I'm still *just* outside my target time, but am at least now able to run consistently at 10min/mile pace for 25 mins (on the treadmill, at least). If in another 2 1/2 weeks I'm still not there, I'll work out a weekly plan using the C25K+ podcasts, to make sure I'm still doing longer runs in with the speed work...

It's a case of working out what your target is, and what fits in with the rest of your life. If you only have time for a 30 min run, then trying to increase your speed to get you towards 5K in that time will probably work best; if time's not an issue, then increasing the distance first, then trying to speed up may work for you. (Personally, I've never yet felt that I could run beyond the 30 mins, but I'm hoping that day will come...!)

[Ifatfirst Graduate]

I agree - it's up to you and your goals. I was so delighted to get to week 9 after a year that I have repeated it 2/3 times a week. I've tried to get a bit faster but just feel the benefit of running for 30mins is good for me. However I'm not really a runner- I'm always pleased when I finish. I'll see if I can try without Laura with my own music next run and let you know how I get on.

[KateMac Graduate]

Well done for completing week 9. The first time I graduated (I've had a couple of set backs!) I was covering about the same distance as you are. I concentrated on completing more 30 min runs then one day I noticed that I wasn't that far off 5K so I kept going til I'd done it. I think it took about 35 mins & felt incredibly difficult, it was also quite a few weeks after graduating. After that I just tried to improve my speed until I could do the 5k in 30 mins, it didn't take too long and gave me a new challenge. (After that I hurt my ankle & had to stop for ages so I'm currently trying to get back to the 30 min level, 5K seems a way off!) The main thing is to be really pleased with all the progress you've made so far and build on that at a pace that suits you. Good luck

[parkbirdy Graduate]

You will do it - I graduated a few weeks ago and repeated week 9 - then moved onto the 5k+ podcasts. I'm finding them really helpful and I can feel that I'm getting a bit faster - it's all relative! But I did the stepping stones one again the other day and when I mapped it I had very nearly done 5k - so next time I might just run on through the first couple of mins of the warm down.

I'm finding the long runs a bit difficult - but I'm going to keep plugging away and like one of the others try to do a park run in a couple of weeks.

[c25ktyrer]

Thank you very much, everyone. I had been lying rather than sitting on the Couch so it is brilliant o have gotten this far. My goal was always stamina (and getting through each Week without injury), then distance and then (a long way behind) speed.

I think I just panicked when I hit Wk9/R3! ...and I definitely will be using your suggestions.