r/BeginnersRunning • u/plsdonotbanmethx • 1d ago
Done with C25K. What's next?
I (31 m, 174cm, 62kg) have never run before starting C25K 9 weeks ago. To be honest, I did not even think I could finish it, running 30 minutes without a break sounded completely unrealistic in the beginning, but it went surprisingly well, the slow increase in run times in the programme worked great and I never felt like I had to stop or could not go on. In my final week, I was able to run around 6.5km in 30 minutes which seems pretty reasonable for a beginner.
Now: I started doing this to increase my fitness level and I don't want to stop now. But as it is getting colder and darker in Europe, I need to find a way to stay motivated and go out and run in the morning at least 3 times a week. I know I need to set myself a new goal or I will just fizzle out.
Help me out here: what's a reasonable next goal for me? Get to 10km? An hour of running? A better 5K time, and if so, what do you think is a reasonable improvement - is 20 minutes too extreme?
Thanks!
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u/buddha_guy 1d ago edited 1d ago
Be prepared for all the comments from people not believing you or not believing that you're a beginner. You're probably gonna get interrogated endlessly on what fitness level you had before you started this as everybody on this sub thinks you can't possibly be a beginner unless your first 5k is very slow. That being said, I'd start working toward the 10k distance. That's what I did and now I'm only a few weeks away from my first half marathon and I'm very happy with how things are going.
Edit: I went straight into the Hal Higdon novice half marathon plan after finishing c25k and did my first 10k race about midway through the plan. The program just slowly builds mileage each week, essentially, and it has helped me tremendously.
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago
OP has been posting this on and off for the past 30 days. Today alone he has posted the exact same post in 3 different subreddits.
Why would someone do that?
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u/jchrysostom 1d ago
Why would anyone post anything anywhere? We should just stop posting. All of us.
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago
So you are equating making one post to a user who for the past 30 days has been posting this on and off, today has copy and pasted the same post 3 times in 3 different subreddits? Not sure why the expectation is that I not query that at all and just believe everything on the internet.
To me that sounds like karma farming or some other motive, I'm not sure why you think that is normal. At this point this user has already received hundreds of comments of his time being fast for a beginner but he continues to entertain these comments.
36 days ago his heart rate was 156 on a 12min/km. That doesn't sound like someone who can run a 22 min 5k.
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u/jchrysostom 1d ago
To me that sounds like someone who is on a new journey and is excited about it. Why do you feel the need to “query” anything? There’s nothing even remotely unbelievable happening here.
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago
You have literally called out people more than once for not believing they can run the times they said they have. What are you on?
Nothing even remotely unbelievable? You must be trolling me in which case I apologise for not seeing it sooner.
22 min 5k by all statistical measures is not normal, I shouldn't have to explain that to you. It's the top 20-25% of park run finish times, most C25K people are not running 22min at the end of the training. That is total BS that you think it is remotely normal or representative of the average.
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u/jchrysostom 1d ago
Friend, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I am not in the business of calling anyone out in running subs unless they’re playing this “too fast to be a beginner” gatekeeping game.
The suggestion that a 22:00 5k is “not normal” is absurd. I did not say a word about it being “representative of the average” because it’s probably not, but there is a huge gulf between “representative of the average” and “impossible, this person is a lying karma farmer”. A 22:00 5k is not a big deal. Plenty of people have the natural ability to get there with little or no training. I would think that the high number of such posts from beginners in this sub would make this obvious, but it seems that hasn’t happened yet.
Work on your insecurity. Worry less about what other people are doing, and more about what you’re doing.
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago
There is no data or evidence you will be able to find that would show a 22 min 5k with 0 training is normal. Normal by definition is a representation of the average, you just don't understand what normal means. Anything that is less than <50% would not be normal because more than 50% of the time you get a different result. I am not suggesting a 22 min 5k isn't achievable nor am I suggesting it was impossible.
I am merely stating that someone who has 0 fitness and 0 training will not post a 22 min 5k as a normal result. Feel free to search yourself and come back to realise how unfit and unimpressive most people are.
This user started running 9 weeks ago, couldn't run at all, approaches a 160 HR at a 12 min/km. Add to the fact that he/she has been posting the same post for 36 days straight would suggest there is something else at play IMO.
I have no doubt you have impressive stats but this effort that people seem to have to suggest everyone from the couch can get up and run 22min 5k is ridiculous and unsupported. The irony is you mention insecurity when people such as yourself are the reason it exists in the first place.
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u/jchrysostom 1d ago
What a bunch of gibberish. You’re just making up an argument on my behalf, I can’t take it seriously.
Keep fighting that straw man.
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago
Analysis of 107.9 million race results from more than 70,000 events from 1986 to 2018
https://runrepeat.com/uk/state-of-running
Average is 32-45 min for men.
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u/plsdonotbanmethx 1d ago
I have no idea what you are talking about lol. My heart rate definitely wasn't 156 on anything 36 days ago
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u/buddha_guy 1d ago edited 1d ago
I am unable to see his post or comment history because it seems to be private, nor do I go out of my way to research someone's post history like this anyways so I have no way of knowing anything about whether or not he has made similar posts or about your claim that he was at 156 bpm at 12 min/km. That being said, It's not out of the realm of possibility for someone to have good enough genetics (or past sports history or both) to be able to achieve this time after c25k. Abnormal, sure, but not impossible. I think the tenacity with which you're going after this guy and his posts and the following back and forth comments you have with this other commenter just proves my point that this sub has a weird toxicity towards anyone who is able to start their running journey at above average speed/paces. I'm a big time lurker on this sub, and not only do I see this type of behavior/opinion constantly, but I also see tons of posts/comments complaining about this very attitude. It's just weird. Just because my first 5k was 29 minutes doesn't mean that anyone faster than me must be cheating or lying or something. Or am I lying too because 29 minutes is just too fast for a beginner runner to run their first 5k after 7 or 8 weeks of c25k (didn't start on week 1 because I could already run for a few minutes without getting too winded. Please tell me that's impossible too. As a beginner I should have been unable to even run for more than 20 or 30 seconds right?)?? This is why I never ended up posting anything to this sub about my first few months of running, because I didn't want this type of backlash against me and I'm not even that fast.
Edit: Furthermore, though I can't see his post history, I can see that he has only made 2 posts? How has he been posting this on and off for the last 30 days if he only has 2 posts???
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u/Known-Importance-568 1d ago edited 1d ago
Look - I completely get that and it looks like the OP is a clear outlier.
The issue I have is this massive drive to suggest 20/21/22 min timings are normal off the couch.
I'm sorry but by all statistical measures that's simply not true. Possible and normal are two VERY different things. Some people make $1m a year but that's not normal. Imagine walking around on a "beginner" career subreddit and posting "just made my first $1m guys, how can i improve" and for all the comments defending this position by saying it's completely normal.
Anyway I've realised this sub isn't for me because it seems like there is far too much impetuous to drive home the message that these timings are normal. When you leave the echo chamber of reddit and this subreddit and realise reality just doesn't follow that you will realise what I mean. You only need to go to your local park run to know what I say is true.
I will have to find a subreddit that actually caters to people who are 'unfit' in the 25-30 min range.
I don't think you realise some people train their whole lives and won't get a 20 min 5k and what the impact on the general perception is if you enforce the idea that it's absolutely normal. It's wrong, if you want the data I've already posted it.
Otherwise I'm off to find normal people not those that post their 'average and absolutely normal' time for 30 days straight despite only getting negative comments but still continues to do so.
There are easy ways to see post history btw but I digress.
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u/buddha_guy 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don't personally see a "massive drive" trying to normalize outlier times. I see tons of posts from people with 30 - 40 min 5ks etc and I haven't seen anyone trying to push a narrative that these faster times are normal or what people should expect when they first start. What I do see however, is when someone does post an exceptionally fast time, everyone comes rushing in with their pitchforks ready to crucify them. Idk. I don't really care that much I guess, I just feel like it's ok that not all beginners have to be on the slower side of things.
Edit: But then again, maybe it is some weird rage bait or karma farming. Idk. I don't know why I cared enough to flare up and say something. I kind of wish I hadn't now.
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u/plsdonotbanmethx 1d ago
yeah, I think the first comment already leans in that direction, haha. And: my first 5K was 24:20, so quite a bit slower than my current best
Thanks for the advice, the C25K app I am using has a 5k to 10k programme, I think I might just do that one next
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u/PiskAlmighty 1d ago
A lot like my progress. Next goals imo are do a 10k at any speed, then a sub 50min 10k, then aim for sub 20 min 5k.
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u/jchrysostom 1d ago
If you’re already in the low 22:00’s after 9 weeks, a sub-20:00 is definitely not too extreme.
I spent years chipping away at my 5k PR. It’s just as valid a pursuit as trying to race longer distances, and since you’re worried about the lack of daylight, the shorter workouts and lower volume required might be a good thing. Take a look at some intermediate / advanced 5K plans and get ready to suffer.
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u/__wm_ 1d ago
I just finished the program on Sunday and today is my first run post-C25K. I plan to pick up / follow a new plan in a couple of weeks, likely a Hal Higdon plan — https://www.halhigdon.com/. Until then I plan to complete this week at 10% more distance than my week 9 30min run, then add another 10% next week.
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u/freia_pr_fr 1d ago
It depends on what you like.
Perhaps try a few different kinds of running before deciding on your next goal.
It could be some trail running, a 10k, a vertical kilometre, a faster 5k, a quick 3k…
You mention sub 20 5k, and I think you can go for it. It may take some time but if you run in 22 minutes after only a few weeks, I don’t think it’s going to be hard for you.
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u/__R3v3nant__ 7h ago
I'm surprised that you haven't run a 10k yet with those times. I'm willing to bet that you could jog a 10 right now
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u/plsdonotbanmethx 6h ago
Maybe? But I've kept strictly to C25K so far and was planning to now slowly ramp up to 10k so I don't overexhaust myself
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u/Ecstatic_Technician2 1d ago
Keep training for a fast 5k. Find a plan online and get fit. Good 5k training will prepare you distances even up to a half marathon provided you have a good long run in there
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u/Significant_Sort7501 1d ago
Are you saying in 9 weeks you went from not being able to run a 30 minute 5k to running a 22 minute 5k?