5k times?

I started C25K in March of 2011 and did a 5K in 41:03. I was on top of the world and thought that was pretty decent.
Now that I've been consistently running since then (10Ks, half marathons) This year, I ran the same race in 29:02!

I also did C25k. My first 5k took me about 44 minutes (this was four months ago) - and today I set a new PR of 30:36. Hopefully I'll hit my goal of getting it under 30 minutes sometime in the next week or so! I now run 5k a few times a week, 10k at least once, and 10 miles at least once for about 30-35 miles a week.

I hope you aren't running those 5K full out trying to break your PR each time. Save the race pace for race day. Go easy the other days. Otherwise, you'll never get the adaptations your body needs and you could end up hurt.

Hey all

I've been doing c25k and am now up to week 8, happily doing 25+ minute runs 2x a week. I want to join my local parkrun, but I really don't know if I'm fast enough! In a 25 minute run, I will cover about 2 miles - so to hit the 5k I'll probably take 45 minutes! Which a) means I have a way to go before I am actually running 5k, and b) would put me about 15 minutes behind the rest of the runners, looking at the results tables!

So for all beginner and slow 5k runners, what are / were your times?

I'm training for my first ever 5K in October and am really going from being unable to run for more than 20seconds. Just managed 5K for the first time tonight doing a mix of run and walk (more walk than run tbh) and was proud of managing less than an hour (58min). My aim is just to complete and raise some money for charity, but I'd be thrilled with 45min.

I also did C25k. My first 5k took me about 44 minutes (this was four months ago) - and today I set a new PR of 30:36. Hopefully I'll hit my goal of getting it under 30 minutes sometime in the next week or so! I now run 5k a few times a week, 10k at least once, and 10 miles at least once for about 30-35 miles a week.

I hope you aren't running those 5K full out trying to break your PR each time. Save the race pace for race day. Go easy the other days. Otherwise, you'll never get the adaptations your body needs and you could end up hurt.

Oh, not at all. I have one day per week where I concentrate on speed, and I've been shaving about 20-30 seconds off each time. The rest of the week I go for consistency and building endurance. I haven't done a formal race yet but I think I'd like to soon. I'm planning to do a half marathon in a few months (already running 10 miles once a week so I know I can do it) and I've been told by a friend with more experience that it will help me to have done a few shorter races first just to get used to the overall experience, which is advice that seems very sound to me.

Okay good.

Yes, shorter races will help you prepare for the overall experience.

What do you do on that one day that you concentrate on speed? There are many different types of workouts for speed, each with a different intent and execution, and all important for the overall development of speed. Tempo runs, striders, race pace intervals and the like.

I'd also like to note that it isn't necessary to run race pace for race distance in training.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks, CarsonRuns! I'm not nearly as organized as I could be, I don't think - I usually run the first mile at my comfortable/easy pace (about 10:45 min/mile) and then just push a bit harder for the next 2.1, with occasional minute-long intervals where I really push as hard as I can. My heart rate tends to get into the 170 plus range and stay there for the full half hour on speed days, whereas it's usually in the low/mid 160s on my two-hour 10 mile days.

Right now my goal for the first race is simply to finish it. It'd be lovely to have a good time, but really - I just want to have the experience the first go-round and worry about time later!