C25K encouragement continued continued

[redcandlelight]

all welcome

total beginners
re-starters
recent graduates
fell runners

lets keep running

Oh lovely! Well done emily

@emilyjeff me too! I decided to go out earlier than usual so my run didn't get in the way of usual morning chaos of breakfast, packed lunch, lost school books/uniform.... So I was out at 6. 30am and it was gorgeous. Cool, sunny, and hardly anyone around. I also got my time down to under 29mins so I'm feeling really happy.
On the pockets/phone thing, I think my leggings must be super tight (I do like compression leggings so nothing jiggles) because there's no chance whatsoever of them falling down! I could put weights in the pockets and they would still stay put!

The only time I take water with me is if it's really hot. And then I don't carry it with me, but have it in the car to drink when I've finished. (I drive to a local park to do my run, as it's just a bit too far away to run to).

Yesterday I wasn't sure if I'd need it, so I carried it with me (I have one of these but actually I didn't need it - plus it's a major pain in the arse trying to drink and run at the same time!

[quote BIWI]@Alleycat12. I use one of these

It's lightweight and holds my phone, car keys, handy pack of tissues and lip balm.[/quote]
I've got the exact same one and agree it's a perfect size. It was hard to tell from pic how big it is so I bought another one at same time, but this is perfect.

I did it - W9R3! I've officially graduated! I really didn't feel like it this morning and if I didn't have the dog to walk whatever, I probably would have made up a reason not to go. However, I didn't, I ran and I feel better now.

My pace is just over 8km/min - is that still very slow for this stage? I needed to run a couple more mins to get to 4km so I did that. Should 4km in 30 mins be my next target or running 5km? I think I'm going to stick with the week 9 podcasts for the next couple of weeks and include some ad hoc intervals - is that a plan or do I need more of a plan?? Ultimately my aim is to comfortably run for 30 mins 3 times a week so consistency is probably more important to me than times or distances.

Well done to all the morning runners!

well done tea

I would (and did) go for the distance first and then for speed once you are comfortable doing that.

My leggings are fine without phone but don't quite stay up with phone. I can't decide if the reason they fall down is that they are too big or that they are too small. I am not a consistent size - big calves and thighs, smallish waist with a bit of a mum tum so it could be either! That is with the tie string tight as well.

Well done everyone for getting out.

I agree with the distance first then speed, but would mix up your runs so you do one
normal 30 minute run, one where you do intervals (pick an early week and run the intervals faster than before) and then do one super slow run where you go further.

Thanks for the tips. Using an earlier run sounds like a good idea, I hadn't thought I'd that! I'm going to plan out my next couple of weeks!

Hello, I've been lurking for the last few weeks (since the first long run - week 5? - which I was dreading!). Reading your experiences has really helped me.

I've now just done week 8 run 1. For the slightly longer time, I have had to change my route and the last bit of the 28 minutes is a hideous hill (a 40m rise over 410 metre distance). I swear I was "running" up it more slowly than I usually walk up it! - and luckily the 28 minutes was up before I got to the top. I suppose I'm a bit demoralised by quite how slow I am - about 12 minute miles.

Well done, teaandbiscuits on graduating!

Hi latin! Sounds like you're doing really well. I'm not doing 12 minute miles yet so it sounds impressive to me!

Brilliant well done tea!!!! You should be super proud of yourself

No idea what my pace is yet (other than slow!) but I don't think that matters at this stage @LatinforTelly - it's more about getting out there and doing it! Well done. I've just done the same run as you, and I'm so glad there were no hills involved in it

welcome latin
your speed is fine
going forward you can speed things up a bit, but for now getting out and doing it counts.
getting faster or running more distance or both are great goals to continue after graduating.

Well done @teaandbiscuitsforme! And welcome @LatinforTelly.

I focused on getting to 5k when I graduated in March. Once I got to 5k, I started focusing on going faster.

Thanks everyone. I won't worry about speed then. I think it was because the app seems to assume we'd be doing 5 k in 30 mins by the end and I am nowhere near! teaandbiscuits it sounds like we are the same speed! And nice that we are at the same stage, BIWI - I think I remember you about to do that dreaded run 3 wk 5 about the same time as me - it was good to know I wasn't alone!

@LatinforTelly a while ago I Googled to try and find out how many people actually were running 5K in 30 minutes, and it wasn't that many (can't remember the figures now) which was very reassuring!

The first time I did C25K it took me a few weeks to get under 30 minutes. That was 8 years ago, and I'm 61 now, so I'm not expecting to get that close as quickly - hence why I'm just focusing on the 30 minutes for now. I don't want to create a target for myself that's not achievable in the shorter term, otherwise it just becomes insurmountable and off-putting.

An interesting piece here about 5K in under 30 minutes

I don't think many can achive 5k in 30min in 9 weeks.
it is a great programme though and once you achived to run for 30 minutes you can built up on that.

I think I'd just like to be able to run for 30 minutes and feel comfortable doing it. That's my main aim right now!

It's the NHS app that has this gap, I find it totally bizarre that the official C25k doesn't actually involve running 5k!

I used another C25k app (didn't want a coach just the voice telling me the timings) and that had a final run after the end of the 3 x 30 minutes of W9 which was - ok, now go and run 5k!

Far more doable as I wasn't expecting to be running 5k by week 9 in 30 minutes. But I can imagine if you use the other app you'd be pretty disheartened!

Seems a real oversight on the official NHS programme & I can't believe they haven't corrected it!

I use the Get Running app and as far as I recall they focus solely on the length of time you're running, and don't say anything at the end about distance (although I'll out next week, hopefully!)

I think it's just the name C25K that leads people to expect that they'll be running 5K by the end of the programme.

we used a printed out plan the teenagers got from school. it was more getting towards 5k than 30 min.
we used the sportpark with measured distances.
but all in all the programmes are very similar speed in progress.

W8 R3 completed this morning. Think I’ll do it again on Thursday morning and then move to W9 on Saturday.

Well done to all on their runs!

I’m going to focus on 5k once finished C25k and then on getting that within 30mins. I did 5km in 33 minutes this morning, including warm up walk, but not cool down walk, so I don’t think I’m too far off.

I agree the programme is misleadingly named! I was disappointed when I realised I was nowhere near doing 5k at the end. But it really didn't take long to get there. I guess it should be called couch to 30 mins!

Should be called Couch to 30 minutes running, but it’s not as catchy!