The snail has landed!!!

Since graduating at the beginning of the month I've made sure to do 3 runs each week, 2 x 30 mins and I've tried for a longer one at the weekend. I've managed a couple of 45 min runs but have been well under 5k so yesterday I went out full of determination to go for it.

The snow had melted so that there was very little left which made keeping my feet easier than last week. I went further than I've ever done on the cycle track before turning round and heading back. I knew I would hit 5k before getting home but there was a nagging voice that kept talking to me saying "your legs are knackered, you can walk the rest of the way, no-one will know". But I would know! The thought that was foremost in my mind was that all my fellow c25kers have been slogging away so I just kept going. As soon as my Garmin said 3.1m I stopped dead! Shock! I DID IT!!!

The time was very slow, I hate to admit it, 52 mins........but I DID 5K!!!!!

Now to work on picking my pace up but that'll take a while. I'll keep up with the 3 runs each week and hopefully the stamina will improve.

Thanks everyone, knowing you were there kept me going.

[Caz9 Graduate]

Well done on completing the C25K programme, keeping up running 3 times a week and for running 5k. That is excellent! It doesn't matter how long it takes you to run the distance, it's whatever is best for you at the time. So don't worry about it. Speed will come later. However, try not to run at the same pace for all your runs. For example, your first run of the week you could spend 10 mins jogging slowly then try running a bit faster between two lamp posts, then a slow jog between the next two and faster between the following two. Do this 6 or 7 times followed by a slow/easy paced jog. On your next run you could up the pace slightly for the whole run (after warming up) and then have your long slow run at the weekend. Increasing your pace will help you to run faster. I read in a book somewhere 'if you want to run faster, you've got to run faster'! That doesn't mean flat out, just a bit faster than you normally run!

Keep up the good work, you're doing really well.

[gdeann Graduate]

Isabella, you rock!!!!!! This is coming from another slow runner, I'm doing 10K training and can't even imagine how long it would take me to run the distance! I have found as I'm building stamina and not completely pooped out, I will add a small burst or two of actual full fledged runs. Usually only 30-60 seconds but I'm okay with that. Doing C25K, I never had enough stamina in the reserve tank to even consider such a thing. Very well done!!! Gayle

[Oldgirl Graduate]

I'm a great believer in Caz9's method of using lamp posts as markers for speeding up just as he/she has suggested. It worked well for me when I graduated and over the space of a couple of months I reduced my 5K time by over 3 minutes. Well done on completing C25K and good luck with your next goal in running.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Impressive, Isabella, that you've kept yourself running regularly - at week 7, I am beginning to wonder whether I will have the stickability to keep going out once I get to the end of week 9.

Congratulations on running a whole 5k too - that's a real achievement. I go at pretty much the same pace as you (though not for that long) - it's a blooming long time to keep going!

[Caz9 Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Well the answer to 'stickability' is to set yourself a goal! Perhaps to do a local Parkrun (it's free, just need a barcode, see their website parkrun.org.uk/) once you have finished week 9. Then you will get an official time and something to aim to improve upon the next time you go to Parkrun! Then you can do a 10k....

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

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Thanks for the kind comments guys. I'm going to give the lamp post trick a go tomorrow night.