C25k- does speed matter?

lml1042

I'm doing c25k (on day 2 week 3). I'm wondering if speed matters? I'm walking at around 3.8-4.0 mph and jogging at 5.5-6.0 mph. Sometimes I feel like I'm going too slow, but idk if I can go any quicker and get through.

What speeds do you go? Do you worry about speed or just about finishing the workout? I'm new to running, so I'm not sure if speed is really important at first or not.

MegSommer

From what i gather from the program its all about endurance. Yes distance and speed is important too but that will come after you up your endurance.

I am on D2W4 and honestly just focus on getting through with out dying. lol. My runs are usually around 5.5 which is pretty speedy for me since i have such short legs....lol (im 5 ft.)

leilaphoenix

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR SPEED.
I was running super slow throughout but by the time I got to the end of week 9 and ran my first race I did it in 34minutes!

FairuzyAmanuzy

I'm walking at 3.5 and running at 5.0. It's about endurance and then once you can complete it you can start to worry about speed.

Nigelmouse

I've completed c25k and I found that some weeks I was struggling so I slowed down until I could complete the session.

Since getting to be able to run 5k I've slowly increased my speed. I think it's fine to slow down as you'll be building your stamina, and you can always speed up a little at a time as you get fitter.

mom2nate08

Go at a comfortable pace. You should still be able to carry on a conversation while you run. You can focus on building speed once you are able to complete your 5K.

I am a slow runner. I usually run at 5.0 - 5.2 and walk at 3.7 - 3.8. It all depends on the person. Congrats for starting the program!

Lindseysund8

I am on wek three as well and right now I am focusing on just getting through it and then when im done I plan on focusing on speed. Your speed sounds great! I usually do 5.5 give or take so I would say just do whats comfortable!

crazyellybean

Everyone says don't worry about your speed, but I disagree because I asked the same question not to long ago and decided to not concentrate on my speed and it set me back, because it would take me way to long to run a 5K and I felt like giving up because whats the point of the program if not to run a 5K?! .. Anyway, also I was out of breath come 8 minutes of running because I was taking smaller strides, when you run faster you tend to take longer strides ... so now I am training with a higher speed so that I can get a decent time and accomplish what I set out to do.

BerryH

Speed absolutely doesn't matter. You really shouldn't worry anyhow - many of us who've been running for years would love to get up to the speeds your doing! Just don't panic if you have to cut it back a bit when increasing running time.

Here are my beginner's running tips, some might help:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

lacharp

Love C25k! Speed does not matter... it is all about building your endurance. A friend of mine who runs marathons told me that even if during the running intervals I was "running" so slow I could have been walking, as long as I was doing something it would build up my endurance.

lml1042

Oh thank goodness! I was feeling rather slow. Sometimes I do have to slow down a bit (around 5.2) but I can pretty much keep at 5.5 without an issue.

I cannot wait to get my running shoes for christmas! I'm thinking asics kayano's but idk. Any running show suggestions? I have a normal arch if that makes a difference. Price isn't an issue, I want the best I can get.

auntv77

You will see people complete a 5k in less than 15 minutes - and you will see people complete a 5k in less than an hour. It is about what is right for you - and what is right for you that day as well.
Keep in mind that there is a HUGE difference in the feeling and effort of running on a teradmill vs running outside so don't be surprised if your time is quite change when you get outside.

LorinaLynn

I started C25K about a year ago walking at 3.5 and running at 5.0mph on the treadmill.

After about 10 months of running, I finished a 5k in 24:59... close to 7.5mph. Work on endurance first. Speed can come later. And it's not even necessary to go faster. At 5-6mph, you'll still be middle of the pack in most races. The only one you're running against is yourself.

BerryH

Oh thank goodness! I was feeling rather slow. Sometimes I do have to slow down a bit (around 5.2) but I can pretty much keep at 5.5 without an issue.

I cannot wait to get my running shoes for christmas! I'm thinking asics kayano's but idk. Any running show suggestions? I have a normal arch if that makes a difference. Price isn't an issue, I want the best I can get.

Go to a specialist running shop and get gait analysis done, which is usually free, and get them to recommend you a pair or two. However comfortable a pair feels just from trying them on, you will save yourself from all kinds of injury down the line by getting the right type for you foot/gait/running style!

kellicruz1978

Thanks for posting this! I am on week 5, day 1 today..and I agree, speed doesn't matter. I have been doing my training on my treadmill but Saturday I went jogging outside and was amazed at the distance I could go without stopping.

Maybe after you finish the program you can do it again and work on increasing your speed.

fasttrack27

I just finished week 5 (had my big 20 min straight run this morning!) I mostly run on a track or outside, but when i'm on treadmill I find myself at 6.2 run and 4.0 walk speeds. Any more than that is too much for me at this point, and much slower just feels awkward. Listen to your body.

I've been squeezing in my c25k before spin classes. Thought i'd be super dead afterwards with these 1100-1200 calorie workouts but i've felt great! Pushing thru to the next level makes ya feel awesome!

lml1042

Thank you all! I feel so much better. Going to keep pushing through and try running outside too. I actually prefer the treadmill because I can do it while my daughter naps. By the time my husband gets home it's dark out and I don't feel comfortable running in the dark. I'll try next weekend though when he's home during the day. I can't wait to see the difference.

veganbaum

If you go to the coolrunning site they say you can track your progress using distance or speed, and that the most important thing is to keep going, but not to push yourself to go really fast just because you think you can.I don't know what plan you're using, but the one on coolrunning will say things like "jog 200 yards or 90 seconds." It also says new runners make the mistake of doing too much too soon because some injuries don't show up for a couple of weeks. I'm not a runner, but am planning on starting C25K soon. Just deciding if I want to start in winter. I'm reading up on clothing because my only concern is making sure I don't injur my muscles in the cold.

ETA: you can also read up on barefoot running. I met a guy who used to have to wear crazy expensive orthotics until he started wearing barefoot shoes all the time (the five finger ones, but there are other styles), for everyday as well as running. He hasn't had to wear orthotics since (I don't think I'm spelling that right). Apparently a lot of people can fix their pronation issues of they use barefoot shoes. I'm going to start with a popular Merrel barefoot shoe, then I plan on moving on to the five fingers. Supposedly it's the atrophying of the muscles in the foot from misuse that cause a lot of foot problems, and barefoot shoes, especially the fivefingers, force you to use those muscles and run with a front strike rather than a back heel strike. But, you'll find different opinions. I've just talked to several runners around here who have said that issues they had went away after going to barefoot shoes, so that, and reading about them, convinced me to try them. If you choose to try them, even just for everyday, you have to read up on the various company's websites - they'll tell you to wear them a little every day until your feet get used to them because you are working muscles that haven't worked in a long time. I'm really excited to get started and try the whole barefoot thing. I would also suggest checking out the book Born to Run. Good luck!

Kriszti29

I believe C25K is designed for beginners. Or couch potatoes who - probably on high from some drugs or something - decide that they would like to run...
When I completed my first full 5K on the treadmill in September I was doing it just under 45 minutes...
Now I'm running 3 times a week: one day I do 5k and focus on increasing my speed, another day I take it slower but increasing my distance (up to 6.5-7k by now), the third time is my "Friday lazy run" when I run 5k at a very comfortable speed just to put in some cardio before the weekend. However, my best running speed is still 5mph... and that seems REALLY fast for me. Also, since I decided to train for a half marathon, I adopted run/walking: 3 min run / 1 min walk - and that seemed to be the magic formula for me to keep me going. But I did my C25K as dictated by the app on my phone, no cheating walks in between.

I find that taking my run outdoors is really difficult... First time I tried I did 3k and completely done my back in... couldn't even walk for days! Then last time I did 3k again, but mostly brisk walking, and some jogging. Elderly ladies with their walking frames were overtaking me while I was "jogging"...
This is all very strange as I can do 5k indoors no problem so you wouldn't expect such struggles outside- but hey: I can only keep trying.

I wouldn't worry about the speed until you complete the program. Then, when you get used to the distance your body feels much more comfortable and it will be you who would want a bigger challenge: either speed or distance.

I'm not a runner - I've never been - so round about the stage you are now I was happy that I did not fall off the mill by the end of the 30-40 minutes.

BobbyDaniel

Like has been mentioned, speed doesn't matter...just get in your time and work on building endurance. Speed will come over time after you are done with the program. Just stick with it, it works!

AngieM76

I hope speed doesnt matter. I just started and I am only jogging at 3.6. Thats the fastest I can go and get through it.

afigueroa_pr

I do my walks at 3.5 mph for warmups and for the actual running parts I do between 6.0-6.7 mph. I believe it is between 9-10 minutes per mile. Today I actually started week 7 and it is all continuous runs from now on, no rest periods in between. Looking forward to it!

EuphonyChloeH

Hey I'm planning on starting C25K at the New Year! Just remember that one man's jog is another man's run. Listen to your body, and if you feel that the speed your running pushes you yet is safe enough that you won't hurt yourself, then I say you're good to go. Be careful not to push yourself too much though - I have the tendency to do that and then end up with shin splints.

mrstyson03

I hope speed doesnt matter. I just started and I am only jogging at 3.6. Thats the fastest I can go and get through it.

Same here. I walk at around 3.3 and run at 3.5, and barely making it. I'm on Week 3 and seeing great results though. I'm working on stamina and endurance for now. Increasing my speed will come later.

Bubs05

When I started C25K, my "times" were slower than if I just walked. I was frustrated by that but then once I got my mind right (by realizing that I spent much of the previous years sitting on my *kitten*, so slow was better than nothing), and not worrying about my speed I did much better.
As I am a bit obsessive, I actually did C25K again from the beginning with the goal the second time of being faster. Of course the first few weeks it was easy to improve my speed. By the end of my second cycle I was faster, not by a lot, but faster.
Then I told myself "the biggest accomplishment should be finishing the program and being able to complete a 5K, then you can set a goal each time of finishing faster."
Keep at it!

samb

I think you are better off starting slow. You can work on speed later. I walk at 3mph and run at 4.5 mph (im only 5' though) right now because in the past I was running too fast and it never worked out in the end bc of my asthma and knee problems. I am trying to go slower this time so I can avoid the knee issues and overcome my asthma first. Once I get to the 5k distance of running then I will slowly increase my speed to therefore be running further in the same amount of time.

meganmorsey

Just take it at your own speed and don't worry about how fast you are going. I am running consistently at 5.0mph. I did my first 5k on Thanksgiving in 36:54. Yesterday, I did my first 8k in 57:54!!! I was so thrilled to finish 5 miles in under an hour since that is a little faster than my usual 5.0 pace.

I am training for a half and honestly I'm not worried about my speed. If I get faster, great. If I don't, I'm still faster than the people sitting on the couch! I run because it feels good. I'm still feeling great after my race yesterday!

rosieratbag

I would definitely say that distance is more important initially. I'm at about 26 minutes (did C25K for about 8 weeks and got to W6) but doing my own steady increases now. I run at about 5.5mph still and can keep going longer than if I try to go faster.

My plan is to get up to being able to do 5K (even though it will probably take me about 37 minutes to start) and then try and speed up a little.

I had NEVER runn before 3 months ago.

Also, to be honest, I'm not really concerned over speed, just about enjoying!

Good Luck

susanmax

What is C25k?? I have seen this a few times on here and I am just wonder?

lsunderl

I always set my first goal for a new distance at "to complete". As long as I can go at a speed where I can finish the distance... then I've done it. Then, once you've logged that you can start increasing your speed/distance/etc.