C25K to Christmas

[UniverseRewardsTheBrave]

Just wondering if anyone else is starting the C25K and would like a motivation thread?

I've done it successfully once before (during covid then stopped) and have a couple of failed attempts, but I'm the sort of person who does well with deadlines so would like to try to complete it before Christmas.

I'm NOT a natural runner - or a natural at anything sporty - so fully prepared to hate every minute of it and would love a motivation buddy or two!

I'm back after a busy week and a weekend working where I've not managed any runs. But did week 7 run2 tonight and run 3 planned for Wednesday so hopefully back on track.

Well done to us all for keeping on getting out there!

You've got this @Borris 🙌

Yay well done @Borris keep running and keep posting 😀

I had a slower week 'off' then today started the 10km program 😮 It's meant to be 14 weeks but the first 8 weeks are essentially just Couch2 5k so I've jumped ahead to week 9 which is back to walk/runs but longer times so 10 minute run 1 minute walk x 4 - so far so good although 10km in 6 weeks time sounds ambitious!

I'll keep posting if you don't mind as I might need this group to motivate me over Christmas plus it would be good to see those of you still going get over the finish line.

sounds like a plan @lechatnoir

Please do keep posting as im sure some of us will carry on.
I will hopefully graduate 4th jan then i might try and chase the 5k in 30 mins time first and then move onto a 10k plan.
currently 20 min run gets me 1.5 miles. So need to up my pace to make up the 1 mile im missing. Lol

Brilliant @Borris. Well done to you and to everyone. It's not easy to keep going when the weather is rubbish and the days are short. Kudos to all of us for sticking it out.

I graduated with my c25k group this morning. I actually did 6k in the allotted time, so I'm happy. I'll keep running with them on their normal 5k runs and maybe start 10K training in the spring once I'm running a regular 5.

I feel like you @lechatnoir, it's nice to have an online community to chat about this with and keep us going.

Well done @LapsedRunnerC25k on graduating & exceeding the 5km target - you sound pretty speedy. I'd like to get my 5km time up a bit too @Giraff3 and although I have hit 30minutes/5km it was perfect day, no hills & was very hard so definitely not something I'd expect to repeat until I've built up some more stamina and improved my speed. I actually really detest speed training and always used to dread and sometimes avoid those sessions when I ran more often. Hill reps, fartlek's, intervals -urgh give me a long slow steady job anyday although they are the one thing that does actually make a difference to speed & stamina.

It was bloody windy this morning & I almost bailed but managed to force myself out and glad I did & it was a walk/run one (10 min run 1 min walk x 4) although that final 10 minutes was tough. Hope the rest of you managed to get your run in this week.

@lechatnoir, We had the wind this morning too! You were brave getting out in that, fair play to you.

I promise you, I'm not speedy at all! My running group has a 12wk training plan which aims for 5k in 45min, rather than the 9wk/30min on the apps. My avg splits are 7:48/km so I'm looking at 39 ish mins for a 5k. Slow AF. I'm just faster than the rest of the group so tend to be out front and loop back to them a few times, so I get more distance in during the allotted time.

I'll probably try to improve my 5k time before doing the 10K training, same as @Giraff3. Though I think 30mins is ambitious for me. If I go too fast, I get injured (hypermobile), but 35mins is doable. I'm pretty sure some of that will come with just regularly getting out there. Plus, I can use my treadmill for short bursts of speed work.

Hi all sorry I was MIA!

I've a terrible chest infection and can hardly get a breath.

I was last out on Thursday and haven't been back out since. I was worried incase I couldn't breathe.

Everyone is doing so well, it's been great reading this evening!

@scoopoftheday so sorry to hear you are unwell, I hope you get better soon!

I finished week 9, run 2 today and am going for my third and final run on Saturday 🎉 it was easier today but I'm no where near 5k in 30 mins - more like 37mins if I'm lucky. Once I've graduated I'll aim to do 5k even if I go over the 30 mins. I have no idea how to get speedier. Any tips appreciated!

@InsiderBetty you're doing so well!

Good luck for tomorrow 👍

I'm on a course of antibiotics and I feel like I've wires stuck in my back it's so sore 😁

sorry to hear you’re not well @scoopoftheday - keep off the running if you’ve got a chest infection. A week or so off won’t hurt just ease yourself back into it when you’re ready.

well done @InsiderBetty you’ve got this. When you’re ready, I’d look up a progression plan but it’s really about mixing up and swopping one or two of your runs for a training run - this might be hill reps, intervals or just shorter run at a quicker pace plus if you’re not already I’d add some strength training. If you want to increase distance then you’ll need one day as your ‘long run’ along with a training run. But dont forget there’s no shame whatsoever in running a 37 minute 5km - it’s probably quicker than the vast majority of people and unless you want to compete, no one else will be bothered except you😷.

Evening all

Thought id check in.....
Only done 2 x runs this weeks Tues & today as i went a spa on Thursday with one of my friends.

So week 7 is now complete. Whoop.

Still running next week. Ive planned in xmas eve, friday 28th and sunday 30th.

Xmas eve im gonna do my run, go for a swim & sauna, then home to relax for the rest of the day/night. Im sure it will be super quiet on xmas eve at the gym lol

Is anyone else running xmas week? Xx

Hey @Giraff3 well done on completing week three.

I did a run this morning then going out again tomorrow to avoid Xmas day (however good my intentions it won't happen) then aiming for Boxing day with Friday as a back-up if that doesn't go to plan and I'm still in a food coma )

I think, as long as we can keep running in even if they're not very long or on plan, it's worth doing. just want to keep it up over the next couple of weeks as restarting so tough.

I got out this morning!

I ran 5.25km in 44 mins lol so definitely not 30 mins 🤣

Well done to you all!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and wishing you all a Happy New Year 🥳🏃‍♀️

Well done @scoopoftheday that's great. I went yesterday and all I managed was 25 minutes and that was like running through treacle so kudos to you managing such a long one. I'm out tonight so probably won't get out until Monday now and will get back on the program.

Afternoon @lechatnoir , @scoopoftheday and anyone else still ploughing on

Well week 8 is now complete 🙌
So its my final week next week. Its fliwn by!! Like really flown by 🙈🙀🤯

My runs for week 9 are Tues, thurs and saturday . So on track to finish it 4th jan.

I dread to think how long it will take me to actually run 5k in one go. Im thinking 1hr. But im sure il get quicker with time.

@lechatnoir i know what you mean about legs in treacle. I found that my first run after all that xmas turkey lol

@scoopoftheday how are you finding running longer than 30 mins away from the app? Are you finding it a jump/hard?

Hope you all had a lively xmas too

Ive decided i might aim for 10k in 2025. Its somethink to work towards. I also want to learn front crawl 🙈🤣

Hi @Giraff3

I didn't find it too bad, even though it was 14 mins more than I've previously ran.

I had the goal in my head and wanted to do 5k that morning. I ran from the very top of my lane after stretching, so didn't do the 5min warm up walk.
I also accidentally paused my watch when checking how far I'd ran so did two extra laps of a little footpath/car park i pass by.

I'm pleased with it, but again two hills so if it was on purely flat ground I might cut some time off it?

I'm not sure if 10k appeals to me, I have zero attention span and struggle to concentrate. If I can keep up the 5k two or three times a week when I'm back in routine, I'll be happy!

@Giraff3 good luck on your final week!!

Happy New Year to everyone 🥳

I managed another 5k this morning. This time I did it in 41 mins. A different route with only 2 small hills.

How's everyone else doing?

Obviously I am way too far behind you all to join in properly but just wanted to say how inspiring you all are - so much so that after finding this thread in early December I started and have just finished Week 2, which I wouldn't have done without all the positivity on here so big THANK YOU!

@SevernWonders

No, no, you're not too late at all! We're all still here and I, for one, love hearing about peoples' progress!

Well done on starting, I remember week one being one of the hardest and I struggled to run for the whole minute.

I look forward to hearing more about your runs and how you're getting on 😊😊🏃‍♀️

I did think that I was possibly going to be sick when I was doing the 3 minute run, but I did Week 3, run 1 this morning so I'm plodding on (albeit on a treadmill in the middle of the dining room - it is too cold and I am too much of a wimp to do it outside, but hoping to come the spring)

Well done @SevernWonders good for you and welcome.

Still here. I'm struggling with the longer runs tbh - not sure if it's the awful weather, Christmas over indulgence or my general energy levels but decided I'm going to stick with the 3 x 30 min runs for the time being. Will be checking in and seeing how the newbies get on too

@lechatnoir that's all I've been doing too. Though i haven't actually got out since NY day as the snow and ice here has been awful and the roads are crap.

Hopefully next week will see better weather!

Then I'm off to sunny climes for a week and hoping to get a wee run in there!

Thank you for all your support and kind welcome.

I would not be running out in this cold weather, but have managed week 3, run 2 on the treadmill. I think it is getting a teeny bit easier