RunningAHEAD - Topic: Going to week 9-I am so happy (and a question)

george nesrallah

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:30 AM

Hi all. I am doing the C25K program and I just finished week eight and am doing workout one of week nine tomorrow (running for 30 minutes; never thought I would be able to). In my mind I have already done it, just the physical part left. Thanks to everyone on this board for your guidance and instruction. You have all helped me reach an important wonderful goal. Just one question though. In 28 minutes I am only getting about 3.1 K (1.7-ish miles) as opposed to the 2.75 miles the program states I should be at. What do I do after week 9 to bring up the pace to 5 K in 30 minutes? Just try to run faster; run the program again at a higher speed? Just a little confused. Anyway, any help would be really appreciated. Thank you all again.

Penny_A

thumbs up!

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:50 AM

Congrats! What a great feeling. Enjoy every milestone. I am a very slow runner and was not near the 5k benchmark after running 30 minutes of C25K. In fact, two years later I'm still not. The advice I glean from this site is: run more, speed will come in time.

2010 Goals
1. get to and maintain 20 MPW
2. sub 50 min Crazy Legs 8k -- April 10 (so close! 50:13... next year)
3. sub 30 min 5k
4. improved time in Madison half marathon -- May 10

NateFromRI

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:53 AM

I'd say that you should pay more attention to increasing your distance by being able to run for a longer time than by increasing speed. As you add more mileage, your speed will naturally increase... a lot. When you have a good base, and that improvement starts to slow, you can start throwing in some days of speed work. Just remember that C25K plans, and all other running plans, are guidelines only, and can't possibly match the needs of everyone in a specific way.

-------------------------------------
5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11
10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09
1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10
Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07

Phidippides

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:55 AM

Quote from george nesrallah on 4/8/2009 at 9:30 AM:

Just one question though. In 28 minutes I am only getting about 3.1 K (1.7-ish miles) as opposed to the 2.75 miles the program states I should be at. What do I do after week 9 to bring up the pace to 5 K in 30 minutes? Just try to run faster; run the program again at a higher speed?

Don't sweat it - just run your pace - those are guidelines - so some people are probably running faster and some are probably running slower...but dont worry about how fast or slow you are running (right now at your stage of running how fast or slow you are running is LAST priority).... Just run your minutes at a comfortable pace and finish the program......

Champions are made when no one is watching

DirtyGraceFlint

The Crap Whisperer

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:57 AM

George, You might go back to week 6 or 7 and run for the distance and not the time. I have noticed that as my endurance improved so did my pace. I recently finished C25K too and I actually started running for distance instead of time during the first "long" run of W5D3. By week 9 I was running 5K in ~ 32:00 min. I would say go back to a previous week - slow down - and run for distance. Once you can do 3 mi consistently you should see your times improve. I just did 3mi at 10mm pace for the first time last night!!!! Hope this helps some...good luck and keep up the good work! ~Erica

Being the best tiny spec that I can be!

mgerwn

Hold the Mayo

posted: 4/8/2009 at 9:57 AM

I think the next step for C25K grads is the One Hour Runner program, which is incorporated into the Couch To 5K Group here on RA: One Hour Runners There's probably an independent resource for the program as well, but Google is failing me right now.

"You're Not Winning"

Connecticut Runners' Forum on RunningAhead

Kerry1976

Master of the Side Eye

posted: 4/8/2009 at 2:18 PM

Quote from DirtyGraceFlint on 4/8/2009 at 9:57 AM:

George, You might go back to week 6 or 7 and run for the distance and not the time. I have noticed that as my endurance improved so did my pace. I recently finished C25K too and I actually started running for distance instead of time during the first "long" run of W5D3. By week 9 I was running 5K in ~ 32:00 min. I would say go back to a previous week - slow down - and run for distance. Once you can do 3 mi consistently you should see your times improve. I just did 3mi at 10mm pace for the first time last night!!!! Hope this helps some...good luck and keep up the good work! ~Erica

A related option is to finish the program for time as you've been doing, then add a little more time to your runs each week. Kind of like expanding on the C25K program. Maybe 35 minutes next week, etc.

TRUST THE PROCESS

Teresadfp

One day at a time

posted: 4/8/2009 at 2:45 PM

Quote from Kerry1976 on 4/8/2009 at 2:18 PM:

A related option is to finish the program for time as you've been doing, then add a little more time to your runs each week. Kind of like expanding on the C25K program. Maybe 35 minutes next week, etc.

That's exactly what I did. Worked great! George, my first 5k race time was 42 minutes, and I was thrilled! Speed doesn't matter at this point. Just keep running!

cnolan13

posted: 4/8/2009 at 3:42 PM

I was in the same boat a couple of months ago when I was still doing C25K. I am a SLOW runner, and was nowhere near running 3 miles in 30 minutes. I think there are two ways to do C25K: by time or by distance. I think the week of the 20 minutes or 2 miles, I made the decision to focus on distance, and ignore time completely. Maybe go back a few weeks and consider focusing on your distance. Speeding up to meet the suggested times may be unrealistic for new runners, including myself! Good luck!

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 4/8/2009 at 5:25 PM

Quote from mgerwn on 4/8/2009 at 9:57 AM:

I think the next step for C25K grads is the One Hour Runner program, which is incorporated into the Couch To 5K Group here on RA: One Hour Runners There's probably an independent resource for the program as well, but Google is failing me right now.

I agree - one hour runner will let you build a better base and the speed will come in time.

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

theyapper

On the road again...

posted: 4/8/2009 at 6:07 PM

Remember, too, that a common misperception about the C25K program is that finishers will complete a 5k in 30 minutes, but that's not what the program really trains you for. It gives you the option to train by distance or time. I did it by time as has my wife. I was running a bit farther in 30 minutes than she was, but the goal for both of us was to run for 30 minutes. You've succeeded at that and should be very pleased. I've now been running for a year and can honestly say that speed has never meant SO LITTLE to me. Fast running is why we enter races. For the most part, it's about consistent, easy running. Welcome to the addiction.

I write. I read. I run. One time, I ran a lot on my 50th birthday.

Paul

xor

posted: 4/8/2009 at 6:12 PM

I've now been running for a year and can honestly say that speed has never meant SO LITTLE to me. Fast running is why we enter races.

You lost me, especially considering the time goals in your sig.

theyapper

On the road again...

posted: 4/8/2009 at 6:35 PM

Quote from xor on 4/8/2009 at 6:12 PM:

You lost me, especially considering the time goals in your sig.

Hmmm. Pretty sure all those time goals are for races. That's the reason I included "Fast running is why we enter races." in the post. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I write. I read. I run. One time, I ran a lot on my 50th birthday.

Paul

Going to week 9-I am so happy (and a question) (Read 836 times)