C25K Complete!

[Artinum]

Back in November, I started running regularly. Being a complete beginner, I took up the Couch to 5K (C25K) running programme, aided by the wonderful podcasts that Robert Ullrey put together. It took me a couple of weeks until I could complete the first week of the course - that's how bad I was.

 

Tonight I have completed my third successful week 9 run. I have finished C25K!

 

My joy is tempered by two things. First, that it's taken me seven months to do this (I'm not including the month or so in which I could not run due to snow) when it's supposed to be a nine week course. I suspect nine weeks is unrealistic, however.

 

Second, I am unsure what to do next. How will I cope without Robert telling me how I'm doing? Should I go for more distance and aim for 10K? Should I work on speed? Should I ditch the shoes and go barefoot? Or should I just maintain my current pace and focus on strength training, cycling and so on?

 

I have time to think about this. For now - I AM VICTORIOUS! YIPPEE!

[JesterShay]

Great job!  I'm still working on finishing my C25K from January.  It's one of my goals for the current challenge.  I'm not sure where to go next either.  I think it mostly depends on your overall goals regarding running.  I'd like to participate in a 5k race, so I think I might work on speed after mine is done.

[vengefulpear]

Hi Artinum

 

Firstly, well done! It's always a brilliant feeling finish that first 5K!
 

As for where for you to go now, and JesterShay this could help you too!

 

Really it depends on what you want to do. For barefoot, I assume you're running outside as you mentioned the snow? But if so then it could be an idea to try and do some short runs on a treadmill barefoot to see how you do with that before you splurge on some vibrams or something similar?

I would suggest perhaps a couple of things: Distance and/or Speed

 

Distance

 

Well there's actually a programme for C25K graduates! It's called "Bridge to 10k" Here's the link: http://blog.bluefinapps.com/about-bridge-to-10k/  It works essentially the same as the C25K programme but for the longer distance. So starting at a 10 minute run and one minute walk four times, and moving up towards a full one hour run.

 

Speed

 

For speed you might half the ultimate goal of running a 5k in 20 minutes. 20 minutes is a very fast 5k and at the moment my goal is just to get to a 30 minute full 5k run.

But you might try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to get a greater speed as well as Tabata Training.

 

Both of those should help you improve your time if you want to, and they should also be more effective at burning fat (as a bonus side effect!)

 

 

 

I think it depends entirely on what your ultimate goals are, but those are my suggestions.

Again, well done on graduating the C25K!