C25k - Slow down during weeks 4 & 5?

rapat

All my running is on a treadmill with 3% incline (just arbitrarily decided on 3%)

I started Couch 2 5k running 6.4-6.6MPH during weeks 1-3.
Week 4 (3,5,3,5 min runs) that speed was too tough to finish, so I slowed down to 5.5 MPH

Week 5 day 1 (5,5,5 min runs) was fine at 5.5MPH
Week 5 day 2 was 8,8 min runs. I couldn't complete the second 8 minutes -- so only got 8, 5.5 min.
Week 5 day 3 is a 20 minute run.

Should I, repeat Week5, day 2 until I can complete it? Is that what you typically do -- just repeat until complete?
Or Should I just move forward to day 3, stick with 5.5MPH and go as far as possible, possibly falling short of 20 minutes?
Or should I slow down to a pace where I think Ill be able to finish 20 min?

saraann4

Repeat the week if you feel like you have to or slow down your pace.

bymyslf892

I went ahead and tried to do the 20 minute. I went on to week six but I am considering doing wk 6 day 2 until I can do those 10 minute runs with ease. Then going back to the 20 minute run and trying to complete that. I had to slow down too. If you feel like you need to stop just go slower and take off the incline. You can do it! Keep up the good work!!!!

Capt_Apollo

All my running is on a treadmill with 3% incline (just arbitrarily decided on 3%)

I started Couch 2 5k running 6.4-6.6MPH during weeks 1-3.
Week 4 (3,5,3,5 min runs) that speed was too tough to finish, so I slowed down to 5.5 MPH

Week 5 day 1 (5,5,5 min runs) was fine at 5.5MPH
Week 5 day 2 was 8,8 min runs. I couldn't complete the second 8 minutes -- so only got 8, 5.5 min.
Week 5 day 3 is a 20 minute run.

Should I, repeat Week5, day 2 until I can complete it? Is that what you typically do -- just repeat until complete?
Or Should I just move forward to day 3, stick with 5.5MPH and go as far as possible, possibly falling short of 20 minutes?
Or should I slow down to a pace where I think Ill be able to finish 20 min?

you can repeat it until you get better

or

you can start just running on your own. your own pace, your own intervals. you are on week five, so obviously you have progressed pretty far.

and just my two cents- take it outside. the weather has been pretty good in the neighborhood.

rapat

Thanks -- I'll probably just go ahead and try the 20 minutes on Monday.
If I fail, Week 6 resets back to shorter runs, so I'll have another opportunity to buildup again.

Thanks for the outdoor tip, but for now I like the consistent / no-thinking-involved pace that the treadmill gets you so I'll probably keep it indoors until I can do 5k on a treadmill, then attempt it outdoors.

Capt_Apollo

Thanks for the outdoor tip, but for now I like the consistent / no-thinking-involved pace that the treadmill gets you so I'll probably keep it indoors until I can do 5k on a treadmill, then attempt it outdoors.

you're going to be in for a major shock when you go run outdoors. running outside is a different beast.

Firefox7275

If you cannot complete a week you are still going too hard and/ or not warming up effectively - those are probably the two most common mistake new runners make. It's not supposed to be super challenging, you are spending this time acclimatising your tendons and ligaments as much as your muscles (including the heart), connective tissue takes much longer to strengthen than muscles so is easily damaged/ injured by over exercising.

If you want to continue at your current level try a longer warm up - ten minutes low impact is generally recommended for an intense intervals session and few beginner programmes allow for this. But be aware intense interval sessions are generally not longer than twenty minutes in duration - not long enough for most of us to complete 5K. I hope you are wearing running shoes that have been fitted to you following a gait analysis (often free in a proper sports/ running shop, should involve being video'd jogging on a treadmill).

Mokey41

Slow down and knock your incline down a bit. You need to build endurance before you worry about speed. 1% incline is good enough because no matter what incline you set it's not going to simulate road running.

JessieTangerine

I tried c25k twice before I was actually able to complete it. Both times I got stuck on w5 days 1 and 2, kept thinking I needed to be able to do those days with ease before moving on to the long run but the truth is running isnt always easy-in fact many times its exceedingly difficult. My advice, based completely on my experience, is to just move on to w5d3 and take it very very slow. There is nothing wrong with going 5mph instead of 6, or taking a short walk break at 15 minutes in to get your heart rate under control. You are probably more prepared to run the 20 minutes than you think.

*Another thing that helped me was running for distance instead of time. In fact, I didnt even start timing my runs tills after I finished c25k. Without having to worry about time, I am more inclined to slow down when I need to slow down and even take walk breaks when necessary.

ReinasWrath

I would redo it until you feel a little more comfortable with it, I am on week 7 about to start 8 but have repeated weeks many times.

raggs07

In my personal view, you should slow down.. .as many has said that it is not about how fast you can run it is about were you able to run whole time in the slot.

Think it of this way if you want to compete in 5K run how you will train yourself. Your first worry will be that weather you will be able to run 5K continuously without worrying to much about pace and once you do that you will think of building pace so that you can win it.

Before starting C25k i ran on my own until I start running 1 km. Than i started C25k and right now I am @ W7D1. From the day one my thought was to run whole time when it ask me to run, When I was in week 5 i was afraid that I will not be able to run 20 minutes but to my surprise I completed it without any problem.

I run outside, at slow pace @ 5Mph, which allows me to complete the run. So my piece of advise will be care about running whole time not pace. you can always build the pace once you are able to hit the 5K mark every time you are on drill.

Also, yes W5D2 is very hard, but W5D3 is not that hard.

rapat

So I slowed down to 5.1MPH and was able to complete the 20 minutes. It wasn't too difficult physically, a little difficult mentally -- but definitely don't think I could've completed it at 5.5 (my HR at 5.5 was 180-ish after 8 minutes, at 5.1 it was 175 after 20).

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Firefox7275

That is great news, well done!