C25K - What next?

[IsolaPribby]

I am on week 9 of C25K. Sarah Millican is telling me well done, I've done it. Well, I can run (jog, lurch) continually for 30 minutes. But I am only covering about 3.5k, may be 4k on a good day, and that is including the warm up and down walks. So how do I progress to actually running for 5k? If you have done it please can you tell me how you got there?

It s not obligatory to run 5 k in 30 mins....if you older (that s me) or less fit (hands up) to begin with or going slower to protect joints (also me) ....so what if it takes 40 ? Or 45 on a slow day.
It s doing it that counts. And enjoy. It s the benefit from getting out in your own space. And building front 0 to 30minutes or more.

So glad to find this thread. I was wondering the same thing. I'm on week 7 so running for 25mins. I thought I was getting a bit faster but I started my fitbit at the end of the 5 minute warm up walk and I only actually ran about 2.2 or 2.3 miles. Upping that to 5k (about 3.1 miles) with only 5 more minutes running seems an impossibility at the moment (especially as I'm pretty knackered when I stop as it is).

Thanks to all of those who have posted with advice. I'm going to try to add some (very short) sprints tomorrow.

Isola what is WK1R2?

i use Strava and Samsung btw. Both can be annoying. Samsung asked me if I was well enough to be put the other day as I was ignoring coaching and walking after running a mile warm up!!!

Oh, I think my route is 3 miles not k. I give myself 45 mins. it is a mixture of terrains, roads, shingle and sand tracks and hills. My plan is to keep it going regularly - almost daily, to get the habit. Then I hope to start building on that - speeding up, alternating with longer routes etc.

Just pleased to have made the start in time. Feeling so much better, and what else can you do at this time? (I know, online etc, but so good to get out!)

I managed my 'run' this morning again and feeling it now? but in a good way.

Samsung has also recorded my better efforts as a 'light jog'!!!

I’m on week 9 of c25k and the last couple of weeks started using map my run to see how far I was actually running. It was around 3k. So last week I decided to just keep going for 5k. First time nearly killed me so the next time I slowed down my pace and did it! I didn’t worry about how long it took me. I’ve now done it 4 times and my pace is improving already, I did it in 34 mins today, 38ish the first time. I still have Sarah Millican on as I’m determined to officially finish the program but I just keep running when she says to stop. I plan to keep running the 5k route and aim for 30 mins then try and increase it. So my advice would be to work out how far 5k is and try and run it even if really slowly. But I’m obviously no expert!

@BlueTuesday20 it means week 1, run 2

If you want to run 5km, stop worrying about the time and slow down so that you can keep going. When I started running in January it took me 37 minutes. My last 5km race was under 29 mins and I now run 10km 3 times a week and I'm training for a half marathon.

When I started running on my own I worked out a 5km route which began and ended at my house and set off, not knowing how long it would take me but it really didn't matter. Speed will come over time.

I'm now running 5km in under 30 mins independently (much harder than in a race) and 10kms in just over an hour.

Following with interest! Nowhere near you guys. First run of week 2 c25k

I am impressed at you all, but I would not be able to keep going for a full 5km at the moment. I am currently doing 2.7km in 30 minutes. That is why I am trying to increase my speed. Not to be fast, just to be faster than I currently am!

Thanks vegan. So bloody obvious now I look at it again. Brain totally fried with lack of stimulation and endless frustration.

@IsolaPribby I did W1R1 today running fast and slow jogging. I had to walk one walk but managed the rest! I think I’m going to do a mix of my normal route just steady jogging (as I am slowly getting faster) and sometimes do I week 1 with fast runs 1 when I get good at that I’ll move on to week 2.

I run 3.6 km in 30 minutes at moment and about 4.2 in 35 minutes so not too bad but I would like to get slightly faster just for my own personal target!

Have done run 3 of the first week this morning, and I think I have figured out what will work best for me. I ran properly, then walked! Sounds familiar, eh?

Before I was finding I wasn't recovering enough to really give the run a proper go, and at some points when I got tired, I couldn't remember if I was meant to be running or jogging!

So I am going to carry on like this. I came back this morning feeling like I had worked hard, so my overall aim to get fitter will be being achieved.

Disclaimer, my fast running is probably still quite slow, but it's fast for me!

Really interesting to see the different ways that people are trying to get their speed up. I'll try a few and see which works for me.

I was going to try intervels yesterday but changed my mind and decided keep building up my stamina instead.

I'm on week 7 so supposed to run for 25 mins but kept going until I had run 5K (took about 35 mins). I'll keep doing that for the rest of the c5k programme.

After that I'll try alternating early weeks with intervals to get a bit faster with 5k runs to keep up my stamina.

I never got any faster. So I started going further, which I was less bad at, surprisingly. I'm not a natural runner!

I should start again. Lacking motivation and too many people around my route now.

Stepped on scales today and it's not moved! Been using mfp to track. Will try again tomorrow. I've exercised three days in a row so hoping it's fluid retention.

I was looking on the Internet to find out what the average times are for completing a 5k. The first sites I found were very depressing because they talked about winning times for Parkruns which would be completely unachievable for me.

Then I came across this article which I found interesting and very reassuring. I feel much happier now. The other slow runners amongst us might also like it.
www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/average-5k-time

Tks 1066 great link and reassuring

Many runners complete a 5K in 30 to 40 minutes, and many runners are satisfied with their time if it’s around this benchmark.

I m happy!

That’s a really useful article. I haven’t run much - did C25K before pregnancy and not much since, he’s now two. I usually walk a lot so started running again as alternative during lockdown. I’m coming in exactly average according to that at 38 mins. I guess I need to keep doing it regularly and hope I get faster, 30 mins seems like a good target to aim for.

Yeah, thanks for the link. Good article. I ran well yesterday. Today was more of a walk, but still good to be out!

I'm slow. I ran 6 miles this morning but it took well over an hour. My absolute best for 5km is 35 minutes and that was a dark evening and I didn't want to be left behind by the others, I couldn't have done it alone!

On w3r1 and time my runs with a fitbit. It's taking me 15mins for a mile I've been skipping some of the walks to get to the runs. Think I'm going to try and different tactic and run for some of the walks rather than leaving them out.

Err, Trilby, that is not slow! I have been doing 2.7km in 35min! That's slow!

Our local road running group have a 'slow and steady' group who do 6 miles in 'around an hour' - I'd be 20 minutes behind them

Honestly just keep going out, because going out is better than not going out. I've been getting really stressed out about speeding up and it just wastes valuable oxygen and then I get lost!

Have just stumbled across this thread as I was searching, so apologies for resurrection of a slightly zombie-zone thread!

I'm shielding but am lucky enough to have a garden that is big enough to keep jogging for 28 minutes without getting dizzy! Does anyone have a recommendation for measuring distance that would work in this scenario? I'm afraid it would just think I was standing still! 😂