I’ve completely lost track of what week and day I’m on in the couch to 5k program. Week 9, maybe? Is that the last week? I guess that’s the downside of switching to my own music rather than using the magical podcasts that help me keep up with this stuff. Oh well. Bottom line: I’m done with the prep-work for the 5k, and I'll be a couch to 5k graduate after I run my official 5k run on Saturday.
Yesterday I did my final pre-5k run, and I approached it differently than the other c25k runs. The couch to 5k program is set up such that you can run based on length OR time. All along, I’ve been running based on time … time was easier to keep up with, and I could pace myself as needed as I built up to longer and longer runs. But yesterday, for the first time, I ran based on distance. Instead of running for 30 minutes, I went to mapmyrun.com and created a course that was exactly 5k. Then I didn’t set my timer to beep at 30 minutes – I walked to my starting point to warm up, and I ran until I got to the end of my 5k distance.
I ran 5k yesterday!
It took me 35:35 minutes to run my own personal unofficial 5k. When I’d been running based on time I’d only worked my way up to running for 30 minutes, so this approach increased my running time by a little over 5 minutes. I could definitely feel the difference. It was hard. My original plan was to finish the couch to 5k program about a week or week and a half ago, and then work gradually up from the 30 minutes to longer to get to 5k. I think that extra time would have benefited me from a comfort perspective. But whatever – comfort schmumfort – I did it, and now I know with confidence that if I pace myself on Saturday I can do it then, too. Woo hoo!
I was very pleased with my 35:35 time. My hope was that I’d be at or close to 35 minutes. I’d run/walked a 5k and the time was around 45 minutes, so 35 minutes seemed like a good first-run goal. Now, the question is whether I can do the Saturday run in around 35 minutes. I figure I’ll have the adrenaline going for me, but I know the actual race route is a little hillier than my completely flat neighborhood. But I also had the wind working against me during some of my run yesterday, so if the wind is calm Saturday morning, maybe … just maybe … I can still be around 35 minutes.
And hey, ultimately, it doesn’t matter all that much how long it takes. The primary goal is to RUN the entire 5k. If the running is slow, so be it. That’ll just give me another goal to work towards.
5k, here I come!
(Oh, and PS, I did watch BL last night. Yay!)
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30 comments:
Awesome!!!!!! Just Awesome!! You have rocked the 5K! I'm proud just reading your blog
Look at that scale progress. You're really rockin' the track these days - way to go.
Way to go on the 5K! you go girl. Very motivating for me!
You can do it! I will NOT be running the entire 5k. /sigh Stupid knee.
I will be finishing it though. I want to try to finish in less than 50 minutes. I guess we shall see how I do!
Oh awesome! I can't wait to hear how you do on your 5K. My 5K is the following weekend and I'm not as close to prepared as you are. I'm sure I will end up walking some. I have never run in a 5K before so I just need to get it over with and get rid of some of those "first time" jitters.
Congrats on your great run yesterday! I think you are going to be pleasantly surprised at your time on race day!
Hi Couch to 5K twin! I'm going to map out a 5k route and run it this evening... just to see. Can't wait to read your race report on Saturday. I'll be racing "with" you (across the country)
Congratulations on your first 5 k run and good luck Saturday. Can't wait to hear how you go... And I agree Saturday is all about getting to the finish line...You can work on reducing times later on :)
Look at you with your 129. :) Congrats on doing that whole 5k! The third run of the next few weeks I'm going to do on the actual 5k course, because I'd like to know where I stand distance-wise, since I've only gone on time lately.
Good luck Saturday, I know you'll be great. 35 minutes, here you come!
:)
~briy
p.s. I tagged you, if you're interested. See my blog.
AWESOME! Great time! You are going to do so great on the race this Saturday!
I watched BL this morning. LOVE that show. So inspiring. I'm going to miss it now that it is over.
I remember not too long ago when you had serious concerns on keeping up with the program... and now you're running 5K! It's pretty darn cool that you were able to rally against your doubts and push yourself forward to reach your goal. I'm sure Saturday will go great! I don't know much about running, but 35:35 looks pretty impressive. I can't quite imagine myself running for 35 straight minutes!
Speaking of C25K, do you have a link for the program itself? I did a search, and came up with a few of them... I wonder if they are all more or less the same.
I briefly looked at mapmyrun.com... how awesome is that? Kinda geeky, but it also does altitude! I mapped out my walk between my hotel and the training center, and indeed, it's uphill, just like mapmyrun says. I'll definitely have to play with it some more.
Good luck Saturday!
Fabulous! You did great! You should be very proud.
You did a 5K, girl! How awesome are you?!! We'll all be there on Saturday, in spirit, to cheer you on.
PS - If you have a chance, head to my blog and cast your vote this week...
Congrats on making it through the C25k!!! :)
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Hey, nice work on the 5k run. Keep at it as now you have got a benchmark to improve on. I train alot of marathon runners in my personal training business in Brisbane, Australia www.exclusivefitness.com.au and we all started with the 5k runs. Keep up with the stretches and get massages especially as you start to get up in the km's you do each week.
Nice effort, Dean..
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