Couldn't fit Day 1 of Week 7 into y schedule yesterday so I went out at 6:00am this morning and knocked it out.

I started using Nike+ so I could get an idea of my pace. I ran 2 complete miles without stopping even though my C25K app had already said I was done. Took me just a little over 28 minutes to go the 2 miles, and then I walked another mile to make sure I could do a complete 3K. All done, I was 54 minutes and 514 calories according to my Polar FT4 heart rate monitor.

I'm disappointed at running 14 minute mile, but considering 6 weeks ago I could barely go a minute or two its really remarkable when you look back at your progress! That gives me encouragement to think I can run the entire 3 miles and maybe get my pace down to 11 - 12 minutes?

I'll find out on Sept 8!

I'm due to do week 7 day 1 today or tomorrow.i think I'm ready just nervous. I need advice on how to get faster though?

I'm due to do week 7 day 1 today or tomorrow.i think I'm ready just nervous. I need advice on how to get faster though?

I was also thinking of starting the program over when done - but instead of walk/jog intervals, doing them as jog/run to start working on increasing the pace.

I used the run/jog method once a while back when I was training myself for a 2 mile run (never running distance before in my life.)
I started with run/walk intervals until I could run the 2 miles then transitioned to run/jog to improve my speed. That was one summer a while back then quit until this spring.

I recently found a set of tempo podcasts made by NHS (availble on iTunes: NHS c25k+) that help work on speed. The beat to the music is 150-160 bpm. The intent is to make this many steps per minute for your entire run. The female british announcer periodically calls out "1 2 3 4" at the music tempo so you can maintain the tempo through out your run (if you can't hear the beat.)

I have run with this (Stepping Stone) podcast twice now and my speed was near the top of my speeds both times. (I keep a record of all my runs and the speeds.) Just repeating "1 2 3 4" at a faster pace than my legs are carring me in a run helps maintain/regulate my speed in any run (without the podcast). Otherwise towards the end of the run, I get progressively slower.

At c25k W7, I started using my own music and a watch to run the workout. I wanted different music. The NHS c25k+ tempo workouts would have been another good possiblity to continue increasing time as well as maintaining a tempo.

I finished w8d3 yesterday! The first couple days of week 7 were a bit of a challenge, but I did it, and now I can run 2-3 miles consistently without much of an issue. My breathing is finally starting to even out when I run (provided I don't start out too quickly) and I've improved my mile time from 12min to 9:36, and if I'm running 3 miles my pace is closer to 11 min.

I loved this program!! My first 5k is this Saturday and I'm stoked!

i just completed w6d2 today, so week 7 is just around the corner for me. crossing my fingers that i might be able to run my first 5k on september 8th.

Way to go Cobra! Good luck on your 5K Sat!