I remember finishing C25K, running that first 5k, and then being like “Now What?”
I was so excited to be getting out there and running three miles without stopping that I hadn’t really taken time to figure out what I would do once I got there. Did I want to get faster? Just run regularly? Run longer distances? Who was I as a runner?
One of the really fun parts of doing the Couch to 5k program is how quickly you’re making progress. You get out there, you work hard, and suddenly you’re able to run for longer and longer without stopping. You make progress in a week, and you’re practically halfway there in a month.
Once you can run three miles without stopping, though, you suddenly stop seeing such rapid improvements in your running progress. You no longer have an app or a calendar that’s planning your workouts for you, and you no longer have a race scheduled to keep you motivated.
I felt a little lost. Where do I go from here? A 10k? Another 5k but faster? My husband runs marathons, and I knew I wasn’t interested in that, but maybe a 10k would be fun to work towards. I didn’t really know what I was going to do next.
It’s been just over a year since I started the Couch to 5k program, and I’ve had a variety of running goals that I’ve enjoyed working towards. What I came to realize was that I had been asking myself the wrong question. Don’t ask yourself who you are as a runner, ask yourself what you want from your running. Plan your running goals with that in mind.
What can running to do for you?
Keep you healthy/boost your mood:
You don’t have to run that far or that fast for running to elevate your mood, help you sleep better, and give you all the health benefits that come with regular cardiovascular exercise. Maybe you’re a fitness runner, and now that you can run three miles without stopping your goal should just be to keep doing that regularly. Set a goal for number of runs or number of miles a week, and track your success on a calendar until it becomes a habit. (Or even afterwards… I love writing down my miles every time I come home!)
Get you outside all four seasons:
One of my favorite parts of running is that it gets me outside in the winter when I otherwise might have cabin fever. I love running hard and then stopping outside in that January sunshine and feeling warm despite the single digits!
Provide you with a challenge:
Maybe you loved the sense of accomplishment that came with improving over the course of the Couch to 5k program. Maybe you’re the type who would really enjoy working on improving your pace or increasing your distance. There’s enough running books out there to help you improve your heart out, just make sure you’re doing it because you like the struggle, you love planning and strategizing your training, and you’re enjoying yourself. Do it because you love it and it makes you feel accomplished, not because you feel obligated to keep improving! Just continuing to run is a great goal. If you decide you want to run a half marathon or marathon, it’s critical that you enjoy the process of training for it and not just the fleeting accomplishment of race day. If you love the destination but not the journey, you may find it’s not worth the time and effort you need to put into training.
Improve your social life:
Running groups are everywhere, and it’s a great way to meet up with friends regularly while also getting a workout in! Most running gear stores near us have weekly running clubs where you can show up and run your own pace. Don’t think you’re too slow to show up – you can socialize before and after, or maybe find another runner who’s relieved that someone close to their own pace came, too! (I would so run with you.) Call some running stores in your area and ask them if they have a running club.
Keep you eating healthier and drinking less:
I’m going to be honest – I love a glass of wine and a bar of chocolate as much as the next girl. But I love feeling great on my run more, so I’m careful about staying hydrated and eating healthier simply because it affects my running performance. I love the way it feels when I have a great run, I’m pushing hard and I’m in the zone, and I’m properly hydrated and not cramping. It’s helped me want to eat better foods, and pass on the second glass of wine or skip drinking entirely.
The bottom line –
Think about what you want running to do for you, and use that to decide where you go after Couch to 5k. It’s important not to get caught up in someone else’s running goals. Don’t feel unaccomplished because someone else is running marathons and you’d rather stick to 5ks. On the other hand, go ahead and work towards a longer race if you’re out there running and love the thrill of settling into the zone for more and more miles. It’s about figuring out what aspects of running make you happiest, balancing your running goals with the time you have available to run, and doing it for you and not for what you want someone else to think about you.
Happy Running – you’re at the beginning of something great 🙂
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Comparing Yourself to Your Own Running Goals
Some Thoughts on Competition
Why You’re a Real Runner
If you’ve got plans for after C25K, I’d love to hear about them!
Awesome article! You’ve made some great points which I am definitely going to think about.
Thanks! Glad to hear it 🙂 I wish I had put more thought into it a year ago, I feel like it took me a while to figure out what I wanted from running and how I could use it to best benefit my life!
I think I downloaded the Zen Labs 10K app even before I actually finished my 5K because I knew I wanted more. My big question came after I finished the 10K app. I emailed a former work mentor who used to be an avid runner and it turns out that she’s given up running for pilates. She warned me not to train for a marathon or a half marathon until I got my pace to where I could finish a 5K in under 24 minutes because the lengthy training runs would be brutal. I still don’t think I can do that, though I’ll admit I haven’t tried. I like running my long slow runs. I’m always surprised and impressed when my pace drops without effort, but I find that when I TRY to run faster I end up not enjoying the run and feeling more aches and pains later. Eventually my pace will be faster. For now I’m more interested in distance. I have my doubts as to whether I’ll ever be very fast, but I’m built like an ox, so endurance is more attainable 🙂
That’s really interesting about not training for a marathon or half marathon until your pace is under 24 minutes for a 5k… my 5k PR is just under 30 minutes, and I admit that my training runs are taking me forever! I crack up when I go out for a 9 mile run and realize that my husband could run the full half marathon in the time it takes me to do this training run that’s more than a 5k short of the half marathon I’m training for! Granted, he’s an exceptionally fast runner, but still… it is hard to go that long when you’re a slow runner.
I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I’d dropped my pace first, but I can’t delay my thirtieth birthday and I’m not sure I’d have the motivation to train if it weren’t for that milestone!
I’m built like a mouse, so I’m not sure why I thought endurance was a good idea for me! I should be doing tiny little sprints and then stopping for pieces of cheese.
I have a friend who is about 6 inches shorter than me and was my running buddy in the very beginning. She’s short, but boy can those legs move! The problem was that her lungs and heart couldn’t keep up, so she got stuck on week 4 of the C25K. Meanwhile I started training on my own and let the speed drop and actually enjoyed it more when I stopped taking walking breaks. Back over the winter I tried to do some speed work and started to suspect that I may have asthma, but I’m fine at slower speeds. I’ve also dropped my speed recently because of all this heat we’ve been having and it let me push through a wall that had been plaguing me. I was so happy because I felt like I had moved backwards and just couldn’t get beyond 6 miles anymore, but trying to run in 90-100 degree weather has a funny way of messing with your body. Granted I can afford to spend a little extra time on the runs because I have cats instead of toddlers at home!
I completely hear you about the weather – it’s so hard to get out and run in the heat! I’m actually getting up at five again tomorrow for another long run because I’d rather do that than try to run once it’s hot out. It’s nice to run before the sun is blazing overhead, and it’s good to have the rest of the day when I get back! Otherwise I feel like I’m spending the day focusing on scheduling my food and water intake around the run!
Oh … And I run so that I can keep drinking wine!!
I admit that running made me enjoy eating some fried seafood guilt free on vacation – I eat well most of the time, and I take care of my body by running. Enjoy the good stuff too 🙂
Auntie X, I also did the C25K program last August and ran my first 5K in Nov. I am 54 years old and am a slow runner averaging an 11:20 mile, so 10 minutes more than your friends suggested 24 minute mark but I am running my first 1/2 marathon on 9/8. I disagree with your friend, if you find a good training place you can do it. Last weekend we did our 12 mile run and I know I will be able to do it. If you want to do it, you can and you will, if it is too hard then you can cut back but having the goal is very motivating.
Great ideas. It makes me feel good to know that I can just keep doing my 3 mile runs after my first 5k in late August. No rules! I like it!
Yes! It’s a great feeling to just enjoy your new level of fitness! Good luck on your 5k!!
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I love this article! I have been wondering what I want next. I’m tall – around 5’9″, and I run slowly. I’m overweight and still in week 5 of C25K, so I don’t really know how many minutes are in my mile, but I would guess around 12-13.
What I do know is that I’m sleeping better overall, and I love exercising outside in my neighborhood. Somehow I feel more like I’m part of a community that way. I’m using running to become more fit, hopefully shed some weight, and for stress relief. I carry a lot of fat in my midsection, and I know that’s due more to stress than eating. I love the idea of improving my time in the 5K after I’m done with the program and getting my heart and lungs on board with that kind of speed. I’m 31, and after 2 kids I feel like I haven’t exercised for real in over 6 years. I can’t wait to feel good again, and your article is helping me stress less about what’s next. 🙂
Thanks for your great comment! I’m so excited that you’re enjoying C25K, and that my article helped you feel more relaxed about what’s next. I have seen people decide to keep running but never run more than 3 miles at a time, and I’ve seen people go from C25K to much longer races. It’s all about what makes you the happiest runner 🙂