Which week of Couch to 5k is the hardest? Expl... - Couch to 5K
Which week of Couch to 5k is the hardest? Explain why it was hard for you in a comment.
I found week six, run one really tough. You actually run for shorter periods of time than in the previous run (week five, run three) - so it seems illogical but this is surprisingly common amongst Couch to 5k-ers...
Thanks for this post –it has made me feel so much better! I completely agree - I just did week 6 run 1 last night and was surprised and disappointed at how difficult it felt, especially after having done really well on week 5 run 3 just two days before. I’m not sure if it was over-confidence or what, and funnily enough going into it I had thought ‘maybe I’ll run faster this time’ and was glad I listened to your advice on the podcast that precisely advised against that!
Yes, I too found week 6 run 1 difficult, I imagined it would have been easy after the long run at the end of w5, maybe its the over-confidence that knocked me back 
(currently W8 R2 tomorrow)
yeah hated w6r1 had to do it twice to complete it
why i dont know but like others i felt possibly overconfident and went too fast
week 5 number 3 was the toughest mentally for me ( and I'd read others worry about it on the forum!) but it was actually better than I had expected and the runs after that were much easier once that 20 minute run had been acheived!
I've got to do this on Monday and I am nervous. Today's run, which I wasn't anticipating to be difficult, was. My knees were burning and my thighs felt like lead. Nevertheless, I will not give up. Any advice, however, would be welcome.
Start slow! Remember to breath and just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don't think about the time, just keep going until Laura tells you to stop.
I thought Wk5R3 was tough, but mentally, I found Wk 6 even harder, and that 25 mins at the end of it was the hardest. I think once Laura told me I was a proper runner I punched the air and after that things got better.
Oh week 5 run 3 !!!!!!!
Though I have to say worse in the anticipation than the execution like so many things in life!
Week 6 run 3 I was praying for it to end it seemed to go on forever but I must admit I felt fantastic once I'd completed it.
after running 20 minutes at the end of week 5 & feeling as if I could do anything, week 6 run 1 was so tough. it didnt make any sense after the last run but the rest of the week did seem easier. I think going back to intervals in week 6 stops you being over-confident & getting yourself an injury.
Week 6 was really hard. I thought I could conquer the world after completing the 20 minute run at the end of wk5, so came into wk 6 feeling a bit over confident. Then I found it really tough going.
Now that I've managed 7 weeks it has taken me a while to decide which week was the worst. I thought it might have been week 5 R3 but that was better than I had imagined. I decided Week 2 was my worst as I was still struggling to breathe properly and definitely could not talk. I remember trying to work out how many more runs I had to do. I was so tired I couldn't work out what I had done and what was left to do. I was so relieved when Laura said that there was only one more run left to do. Although I struggled with each run after week 2 I did start to recover more quickly than I did on those first two weeks.
Yes I found week 2 the toughest, I think because week one didnt build on my fitness at all, i found it quite ok, then just the extra 30 secs running in week 2 nearly killed me!! week 2 run 2 was a little easier and just built on my fitness from there!!
Week 1 and having the confidence to run in public was the biggest hurdle for me. Yes week 6 was tough, but it took me 6 weeks to get to that stage, whereas I spent the past 6 years thinking I was too overweight to run in public.
Week 1 day 1 was the hardest for me. I had to take a 2 day break as I was so stiff and aching after not doing any formal excercise for 30 years, but it's become easier with each run ever since. Week 7 day 1 was a bit difficult to get through the last 5 minutes, but by day 3 I was OK.
I haven't finished the program yet, but W1R1 has been the hardest so far; mostly because I had the inertia (physical and mental) against me!
W5R3, by far the most strenuous psychologically before the run, but physically the hardest test during. 15 minute barrier worst - my head and body wanted to give up - but Laura is good - encourages you to plod on - the last two minutes felt longer but it was worth it when we slowed down to a walk. Buzz!
I have to say week 6/7 (sorry I cant decide which between them!) as it does become very much about keeping going when it may seem like a long time without a break... I find that to concentrate on your breathing for the first few minutes helps greatly... its well worth it though!!
I agree. I ran outside for the first time for WK7, and I went too fast out of the box, so that threw me off and discouraged me a LOT. I went out again two days later at a more moderate pace and that made all the difference.
week 1, first run, to get motorvation To get my butt off the chair, and not care who may be looking at my feeble attemt to jog. now I'm jogging 2.7 miles and feeling on top of the world,
Definitely week 1 - just getting out there and huffing and puffing quite a lot. Now I'm on week 9 and berating myself that I didn't quite reach 5k in my solid 40 mins running last night....! Who'da thought it back in Jan when I started??
Week 8 has been a shock.Weeks 1-4 went really well but I worried about 5 & 6 after seeing comments on here. Managing them ok gave me confidence for week 7 which also went well. Week 8 run 1 was a real slap in the face and I came so close to walking for a bit near the end. Laura's reassurance that the previous weeks prepared me well kept going round my head and made me keep going and I did it but slightly dreading my next run now which is the first time in the whole programme. So close to the end now though- I will do it!!!
Week 4 and 5, I repeated both these weeks about 3 times each- yeah I know! I have been doing the 12 week programme for the last 6 months- I have 1 more run in week 7 to do (this is week 7 -again!)- I can hear Laura's voice saying "its all about getting KM under your belt"- so slow and steady thats my motto!!!- will get to the end and be able to run for 30mins while holding a conversation. Might even go for the 10KM after that- would like to be able to do a 10km run before my 50th (I am 44 so should have plenty of time....although........ )
Week 7 was hardest for me - the increase in distance, the lack of variety compared to weeks 5 and 6, and the sense that the end was still quite far off contributed to that. In addition, there was less "Laura" in the podcasts - I was pleased to see that in week 8 she makes a more regular return to my ears! And I couldn't stand the music. Glad I'm over it!
I think week 5 is the hardes t as you start the week only runnning for 5 mins at a time and end the week with 20 min run. it was a big jump. Yet week 6 run1 you don't repeat that
week 5 run 3 , we jumped from 5 min run to 20mins in 3 days, seems a big jump.
I found weeks 6 and 7 the hardest and hit a bit of a mental block those weeks but managed to keep on going until the end!
I found week 8 the hardest as mentally I struggled to get to grips with no intervals, although I'd completed week 7 with no intervals that didn't seem so hard somehow.
W6R1 has been the toughest one yet for me, I have still got 3 weeks to go though so might change my mind!
Week 8 has definitely been the hardest for me. I think this is due to a combination of over-confidence (found week 7 quite easy) and a switch to running outside having done the first 7 weeks on a treadmill.
Wk3 runs 2 + 3 really really struggled and stopped seconds before the end of the 3 minute runs. Decided to have a go at week 4 but ran much slower and completed it!! Week 4 run 3 tomorrow then i dare i say on to week 5.
Week 1 without any doubt. I thought I would never been able to breath again. It took me a week to pluck up the courage to leave the house with my Ipod knowing that in 5 minutes I was going to have to 'run' I couldn't even run for a bus, what was I thinking about when I uploaded this to my Ipod 
But hey I managed it, I was still alive, but oh no I had to do the same again twice more!!! I really thought that first week that it was the last time I would ever run. Then I went on to week 2 and for some unknown reason found it less traumatic than week 1 had been, I don't to this day understand why cos I had to run for longer. I never looked back after that, each time I completed a week I couldn't wait to start the next one.
My hubby has the answer to why I carried on and finished, then after being crippled for 6 weeks with sciatica went and did the whole programme all over again! He says its the masochistic streak in me, well he is a couch potato after all!!
Week7 by far - I really struggled & hated every single minute of those 3 runs. I think it was a combination of for the first time running continuously for 3 runs, realising I was nearly there & asking myself did I really want to do this (Yes!!). Also I was so unfit at the beginning of the program, so doing 3 runs like that was hard despite the previous weeks. Earlier weeks I felt I was improving but W7 was a repetition of W6R3 so no real sense of achievement despite my struggles - tho' now I realise it was an important week as it was about consistency.
Also there was less of Laura, I think less than week8. I found her comments really helpful & usually timed well to motivate me to keep going - so more Laura please.
WK6R3 found that really difficult think I went to fast, couldn't do any more than 20 mins, but on WK7 paced myself and haven't looked back since, although I'm very slow
W7 - as jenniej says, it was the first week I couldn't see the improvement as it was just W6R3 again. Looking back I was significantly improved at the end of the week as I was in better shape as I finished and recovered faster, but I struggled mentally.
For some strange reason I had an awful time for week 4, just three bad runs that exhausted me. Each week had its challenges but week 4 just sticks in my memory!
Week 1, for sure! Firstly overcoming the hurdle of being out in public in running gear. I didn't tell anyone I was starting the programme and only admitted to running rather than walking in about week 4. Secondly discovering that I could not actually run for 60 seconds and feeling ancient, blobby and hopeless. I just kept telling myself that I could bear anything for 60 seconds and sneaking peeks at my watch. Amazing how long a minute can be! Thirdly being so stiff the next day that I could barely climb the stairs (just my luck to live in a 3 storey house!)To be honest it pretty much had to get better from there and it has! Still can't believe I can run for 30 minutes though and find the first 5 mins or so of every run tough.
i thought week 5 would be the toughest with the 20 min run W5R3, but know once I'd got through that I thought week 6 would be a breeze, but W6R1 was really tough! Glad to say in week 11 now and still going!
Week 5 run 3 was the most difficult one as it went from running a maximum of 8 minutes on run 2 to 20 minutes on run 3. At the beginning I thought it was a mistake from Laura and it was very difficult but... ehi, I survived ! What does not kill you, makes you stronger !
Week 7, found it so hard, the mental adjustment to long runs and no breaks.
Week 9 - but for some reason that isn't on the list!!!
Hi all,
I've put this poll back up as the community has trebled in size at least since it was first posted and I'll be interested to see if anything changes in the results. Please send me any ideas for new polls & I'll pop up a brand new one soon.
Happy running
John
I found week 6 the hardest. There is a lot of talk about w5r3 so the nervous energy gets you through that but I felt a little bit like I was the only one worried about w6r3 so I doubted myself more. Also It is strange going back to intervals and then a long run at the end of the week.
The weather was also hotter during week 6
Week 8. I did two of the three runs with bad hangovers. Not a good idea
Week 5, Run 3 -the thought of it gave me the collywobles and it was fine in the end!
I definitely found week 6 hardest. W5,R3 was exhausting and I obviously hadn't recovered when I did the next two runs with only a day's rest in between each time. I gave myself an extra day off before I tackled W6,R3 and it was the best run I've done to date.
I forgot to say that now I'm really glad the first two runs of week 6 went back to intervals. I hated the walk in the middle (it made me feel exhausted and starting to run again even harder) and has made the transition to long runs 'easier'. I'll keep psuhing myself on now, rather than go back to walking! I don't know if this was the intended effect, but it's worked for me. 
I found week 9 the hardest, but it's not on the poll! I found keeping myself interested for 30minutes was really hard. I think it's time to start varying my route a lot more!
I found week 5 run 3 far and away the hardest - it all got easier after that and before that i was becoming almost complacent that i could do it!
Week 6 run 1 after that long run, just didn't seem to make sense how difficult it was, and after that it would have to be week1 run 1 and the what if people see me feeling and thoughts, who would think a few weeks later and who cares!!!
On a purely personal level, W8r1 was the hardest for me because of the drop in my blood sugar level. It was the only one when I had to walk, I was running at the 1/2 way stage then I lost it. I can't quite shake off the knock to what little confidence I had.
i agree that extra three mins on the run has completing thrown me i have lost all my confidence and when i ran on Monday could only manage 25mins!!!! I am due to go out this evening and feeling very un confident about it.
got in about an hour ago from my run and still can only manage 25mins. It seems like i have a mental block about completing week 8!!!!!! I covered a distance of 4.24km in that time and i feel so near to either the 30mins or the 5k but somehow i cant do it, so frustrating. I WILL try again on Friday cos i so want to do this run. Week 8 is defo my Nemesis!!!!
just done first run of week 1,glad to see its get better after!
W1 was the hardest for me, the mental blocks were biggest of all, I felt self conscious, I got out of breath really quickly and those minute runs felt never ending - I came home after R1 and lay exhausted on the sofa. W6 & the return to intervals was tricky but nothing compared to that first jolt into running - yes it does get better bipbip.
So far, Week 2 was the hardest, as I had to keep resting my legs for a week due to shin splints. It took me 4 weeks to eventually complete it, but with the help of lots of calf raises, heel walking and a foam roller I've made my way to Week 5 - and not a twinge of pain in my legs so far!!
I found week 2 the hardest. Dealing with aching and sore muscles which had not been used in such a long time together with finding motivation to keep going through it (and not give in to excuses) so definitely week 2!
Week 3 was the hardest for me. I think it was because I had to make a mental shift. It was the week where I had to decide for myself whether it is something I am going to perservere with or not. My heart said yes, my body said no. Week 4 was suprisingly easy after I've made that commitment to myself again. I also struggled with week 8 for some reason.
Week 5 was definitely the hardest i felt, not necessarily physically but mentally as you have the longest runs so far for run 2 and then you have to jump all of a sudden into a 20 minute run all the while wondering if it is actually possible to do that. Though the feeling once you complete it is absolutely awesome!
Week 6 definitely, lost my motivation as it had just started getting really really tough for me... however I am through it, just, on week 7 now and the longer runs don't seem such a big hurdle anymore.
Week 7. Those long runs were a nightmare.
Definitely Week 4. It was a struggle to get through all three runs, I very nearly repeated it, I found it so tough. It was only the thought of having to listen to the week 4 music yet again that pushed me on, I reckoned the W5R1 music couldn't possibly be worse and I could repeat that if necessary. But W5R1 was a doddle in comparison to W4. (The music was quite nice too) Now I'm at W8R2 and nothing has been as bad as W4.
Week 6 run 1... Thought it was never going to end...
So far, week 5 run 3 - running non stop for 20 minutes was hard.... hope I manage the week 6 run 3 tomorrow which is even longer!)
Week 6 runs 1 & 2. Having completed a full run without walking at the end of week 5, having to go back to walking at the beginning of week 6 again was an absolute killer! Was glad to get to the last run and complete it. I knew I could keep going after week 6 was completed!
Well I'm in the minority but I'm glad I'm not the only one that struggled with week 8.
I don't know why it was so hard, it just was. I was absolutely shattered by the end of each and every run, to the point where I was contemplating redoing week 8 rather than going on to 30 minutes and my graduate runs. Glad i didn't though as week 9 has been relatively easy (apart from the uphill sections).
Definitely week 6 (though I recall the first run of weeks 2 and 4 being particularly tough too). I hated going back to those long intervals after the high of w5r3 and was losing motivation and interest in the programme. I think this was because for the first time I felt like I hadn't progressed run on run. Thankfully my mojo came storming back in week 7.
It has helped to see others have struggled in week 6. I have completed run3 which seemed easier than run1. Strange!! Think it's a psychological battle now as all the runs are long. If I look back to week 1 though I can really see my achievement. Determined to complete the programme
Week 7 for me, at the start of it I thought I would never get through it, but sheer determination got me there. It was horrible, but obviously stood me in good stead as I'm now loving week 8
I feel so much better reading these comments. I've just completed week 6, run 2 and struggled so much, as I did with run 1. I was so frustrated, angry & upset that I found week 5, run 3 surprisingly okay and now having gone back to shorter runs with breaks, I'm struggling to the point of having to walk for a few seconds to get through my second 10mins.
I've been doing okay with my breathing but have found it quite difficult in these two runs and feel a bit chesty. I'm dreading run 3 now but am hoping that I can persevere to complete as well as I did last week and move on to more confident runs from week 7!
I almost made it through W5r3 on Sunday, other than a 30-second walking break after 18 minutes. That left me in two minds about repeating W5 or starting W6 today - but the decision was made for me by the podcasts disappearing from iTunes! The first run this morning felt terrible, which I assumed was to do with it being 6.30am and me not having had any breakfast, whereas I normally run in the afternoon or evening. Somehow the second and third running intervals weren't so bad, which gives me hope!
Being dark when I went out, I didn't run my normal route as there's no light, so it was also lovely to see the light changing around the village, and good to have a different route for once. Not sure I'm ready to brave running past lots of houses during normal waking hours yet though!
Really hoping the podcasts are available again before next Monday, as I'm hoping I'll be confident about moving on by then...
I am finding the post graduation really challenging in the area of goals. I would really, really, really, like some more goals on the nhs c25k+.
Bah! I've tried week eight run one today!!! Worst one yet..... Weeks one and two were bad physically, but I was so excited to be doing this that my mind was wonderfully up for the challenge,,,, seems since week six my mind is sabotaging me allll the time! Driving me nuts...
Thanks for listening to my rant... X
Definitely week 6. I think it was such a shock after the high of week 5. I was anxious and I think that caused trouble with my breathing. I also got an injury at week 6 when I tried this programme the first time and I think there was a bit of negative psychology going on, will I get injured again? Is week 6 my limit?
Weeks 1&2: they hurt!! Physically painful so I wasn't sure I could keep it up.
I seemed to get stuck on week 5 for ages. A holiday, a death in the family, other family commitments all seemed to play their part in making me take breaks. Every time I started again I felt I should repeat the whole of week 5 before moving on but then something else would come up! In the end I forced myself to do W6R1 and found it easier than expected so that gave me the boost I needed to keep going to the end.
The first three, voted two but all three were very hard for me. I had lots of pain and just suffered the runs. After that the rest seemed easier.
I think all the longer runs were hard mentally. Week 7 wasn't too bad as you were glad to get back to no walking. In week 8 your mind and body started to think that it was hard.
Psychologically W5 has been the toughest and given the most cause for self-doubt (so far - I have only just finished W5) but W1 was the only week to give me any pain (due to trying to run in old tennis shoes) causing me to skip a run.
Week1 - the hardest step was that first step outside the door to start the program. Once you've done that and committed yourself, anything is possible.
I found W1 R1 to be real tough as I did not know what to expect. I did not think I could run a second let alone 60 seconds. The doubts I had made this the hardest. now on W2 R3 and it's the best thing I've done in years
I found week one the worst but that was because I was soooooooo unfit.....60 seconds of extremely slow jogging and I was heaving for breath and my legs were like lead.....it was very embarrassing for a 30 year old to be THAT unfit!
I found the jump from running/walking in intervals to running for 20+ minutes as a block difficult mentally. I missed the interruptions and Laura's coaching. Instead, my mind started dwelling on how hard running is. I decided to make things more interesting by listening to podcasts/audiobooks, while sticking still with the C25K timing (using Endomondo to prompt me to walk/run). It got me through the rest of the program.
I think week 6 was also when I went from feeling exhausted because I ran out of breath to feeling exhausted because my legs were actually starting to get tired.
Now a few weeks post graduation, I find the long runs less difficult mentally. But if I run with music, I prefer picking a podcast that matches my cadence, or I'll run with an audiobook.
I run in the mornings. For me the most difficult one was week 7 run 3. I had had a few drinks the night before and I wasn't feeling so good. I could not complete the run and had to walk twice to recover. Two days later I repeated the run. This time I had not drunk anything at night and went to bed early to have a good sleep. The run was a breeze and I wasn't even tired afterwards. This was the only run that I could not complete. I think the plan in general is very good and very well thought out. There really are no barriers, no breaking points. It's a constant natural progression. If you are resting enough in between the runs, or if you don't get sick such as a bad flue, it should not be very difficult.
20 yr old lad, 10.6st, average body all over except decent leg muscles but have a bit of a belly, cycle to work 1.5m each way 6-8 days in a row, started C25K about 3 weeks ago, to help lose aforementioned belly before my 21st Birthday.
Had to repeat the first week.
Had problems running too fast (without realizing) and tiring myself out, I'm now able to keep it slow, steady and in control 80% of the time which immensely increased my running endurance ability.
Week 2 isn't much extra running/walking ratio wise, but I definitely feel it.
I used to run at night (more peaceful and relaxing) along a very secluded river. But now the nights take longer to arrive and them big balls of flies in the air stay around much longer (esp down my river route) which are not, I repeat, NOT fun to choke on & be blinded by whilst running along a river in the pitch black of night. So, I've taken to running across this public footpath nobody really uses in the afternoon. 80% of it is over fields which itself Is bumpy & uneven, so having to control my balance a bit more feels like I'm extra work in.
Any run I've done without being adequately hydrated is an issue for me. I used to be rubbish at drinking enough, but I'm better these days.
It's the psychological aspect of running that can trip me up. If I think itll be hard, it usually is, irrespective of the actual difficulty. I've learned to be mindful when running. When I want to stop, I ponder 'are my legs too sore,am I struggling to breathe' and the answer is always no. So on I plod.
I've loved the idea of running to an audiobook. I reckon I may well enjoy that, as I find the longer runs along the usual route somewhat tedious. I enjoy the cadence and upliftedness of running to music, but might try a book post graduation.
W9 r3 was my worse run but I have done it !
I now run for 30 minutes three times a week but found week five and six really hard. I had thought of increasing my run but I'm waiting until I can run for half an hour more comfortably before I increase the challenge. Also there's something 'do-able' about a half hour run. I'm so glad that I started though, I wouldn't have believed I could do it a year ago. I do find the first ten minutes the hardest though.
Week 1 run 1. I probably went too fast for myself. The incredulity and relief when I found wk1r2 less hard was massive.
By wk9 I'd learned to pace myself almost slower than my walk , but it feels a bit like running on wheels. Slowly getting fitter now. Brilliant!
I have never ran before, so just started and week 4 was a huge jump for me from week 3. I am still trying to master the 5 minute run. I think I'll be stuck on this one for a few weeks longer. Does anyone have any tips?
Week 7 seems like an impossible task, i physically couldnt complete day 1, ended up walking for 2 minutes at minute 20 and like, limp running the rest. Pure torture. Also was doing it in like 90 degree weather tho lol. Day 2 was indoor at a treadmill. It sucked too. By minute 10 i was really over it but by minute 20 i was giving myself an inner motivational monologue and counting down every second to the 25 minute mark. Day 3 i thought i might die by the end of the run. No point in repeating because week 8 is the same with 3 extra minutes 😑
Where is week 9? I actually had my worst time after my first week 9 run--totally exhausted and it took HOURS to recover. I think I went too fast....
I start week 5 week so I will let you know but so far the jump to 5 mins because my fitness is low. I have been reading some articles that said anything outside a 9 minute mile is low fitness. I am definitely low fitness.
Week five run 3 was the only time I had to repeat a run. A giant leap of faith and mental challenge but o ce I had done that 20mins There was no stopping me!
