Couch to 5k Graduate

lollie25

Hello,

First time poster in this forum so apologies if this has been asked before.
Just completed couch to 5k and I am attempting my first Park Run this weekend. I am hoping to just complete the Park Run without walking.

I don't know what to do next, I am happy to just focus on the 5k distance at the moment but I would like to get quicker at them.
Is there another training plan I can follow that could help me to maybe get 5k complete in under 30 minutes? Or do I just keep running 5ks until I get fitter and better at them.

Thanks in advance

aquinn

Welcome to the Athletics forumn!

Congratulations on completing the C25k.

What parkrun are you doing? Are you registered and barcode printed?

There is plenty of encouragement and they are all very friendly and welcoming.

As for plans I wouldn't be an expert. I think if you train for a distance though you have to run further than that distance so build up more running days gradually into your week but don't build up too fast.

There is a massive thread on C25k so you can check there and see what others have done?

Huzzah!

I followed this programme when I graduated C2 5k: https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/8k-training/novice-8k/ Mainly just to keep myself in the routine of running three days a week.

lollie25

aquinn wrote: »

Welcome to the Athletics forumn!

Congratulations on completing the C25k.

What parkrun are you doing? Are you registered and barcode printed?

There is plenty of encouragement and they are all very friendly and welcoming.

As for plans I wouldn't be an expert. I think if you train for a distance though you have to run further than that distance so build up more running days gradually into your week but don't build up too fast.

There is a massive thread on C25k so you can check there and see what others have done?

Thanks aquinn.

I am doing it in Oldbridge, have barcodes printed and laminated

laura_ac3

Well done. You could look to start adding in a simple "fartlek" type run once a week initially. Very straightforward and what you want to make of it. Start off with an easy jog warm up for a few minutes then run faster for the length of two lamposts, jog for 2, run fast for 1, jog for 2, fast for 2 etc. Do that for a few mins and an easy jog to cool down when you're finished. It's an easy way to start adding speed in an informal way. Or go to a football pitch and run fast for the length of the pitch or diaganol, then go easy along the width. Remember to take your recoveries easy and most of your runs should be at a conversational pace - don't race every run.

Some parkruns do pacer weeks, so when you want to aim for under 30 that could be a good shout. St Anne's do it on the last Saturday of every month, jump in on the parkrun thread if you've any questions if you feel like coming down some week.

Good luck.

orchidsrpretty

Congrats on finishing the couch to 5k!
Take all this however you want as I am a novice too but this is what I have done:

I finished mine at the start of February from zero fitness. At the start my aim was to run for 30minutes without having to walk. I also posted a thread here about it and the overwhelming advice was to slow down to a pace that enabled me to run the distance without having to walk. That pace for me was about 12min per mile.

After I managed that, I increased my distance by 10% per week and set my sights on a 10k run which I did in May.
For now I am focusing on speed. I completed my first 5mile road race last Sunday in 48minutes, but it nearly killed me running that fast!

I think to get faster you need to run slower for longer. Since I started doing that I have got my normal pace down to 10.25m. Have yet to crack the 5k in under 30minutes but as I add distance to my runs my times are definitely getting faster.

Congrats on the C25k graduation, which developer/app did you use?, (Fitness22 here).

I only started running recreationally 18 months ago. I had a decent level of fitness before starting (I'm a soldier, so running is part of my job and I'm a competitive Judoka).

As I said above, I'd a decent level of fitness but I detested running and would lose the will to live if I thought about running to keep fit.

Then I was diagnosed with type II diabetes and the advice was to drop weight (I was 130kg) and RUN, RUN, RUN.

So I downloaded a C25k app and although I was fitter than the start of the app I stuck to it and never ventured off ahead. After that I downloaded a 5 to 10k app and completed that.

But my times never really changed much until I started doing Parkrun, and immediately my 5k times starting falling as I was getting challenged by other slightly faster runners.

So that's my advice for the moment, run with more runners and Parkrun is fantastic for that.

My home Parkrun is St. Annes Park, Raheny.

Best of luck, and well done on your achievement.

mr_edge_to_you

Sorry for jumping in,

I’m starting C25K group training on Monday and would appreciate the advice of people who recently did the same. It’s an 8 week plan before a 5k race in September - 3 sessions per week. The group has 4 levels - 1 walk, 2 walk/run, 3 run and 4 improve your 5k time.

As someone who doesn’t run but walks up to 5k a day albeit at a leisurely pace, am I putting too much pressure on myself by aiming to run the 5k? I’d walk it no problem but feel that to run the 5k would be a great turnaround. Is it doable or am I aiming too high and asking for trouble?

Happy for mods to move it into its own thread if they feel appropriate.

Thanks
Mr Edge

The Muppet

It's possible that you could train yourself to run 5k by September . Whether you could to run it in under 30 minutes as per the couch to 5 k programme depends on a few variables like you fitness now, weigh and age could also be a factor .

Go do it though as it's so worthwhile .

Good luck