Week 5 Run 3, took two takes, but I totally took it..!

[ChinaGirl]

I was scheduled to run W5R3 this Tuesday, and went out two hours after lunch, feeling ready to take on the challenge. It was the hottest day of the year so far, though, and at 14.00, the sun was beating down on me. At 17mins, I had to give in. I was seeing stars, critically dizzy and my heart was thumping in my throat. Thinking back, it was stupid for me to carry on jogging when I knew I was too hot, but I couldn't face not completing the run, especially when I really felt that I could do it, and that I really wanted to.

I came in feeling defeated, I'd been just 3mins off completing, but I knew that I simply couldn't carry on.

I've had to re-think my running schedule - temperatures have skyrocketed here in the last couple of weeks, and the rains have stopped now. I went out today on my morning tea break, at 09.30. It was only a few degrees cooler than on Tuesday, despite being so much earlier, but this time I was ready. I had some ice with me, to put on my head and neck, I was wearing light colours, drank lots of water beforehand... et cetera. This time, I was going to do it.

It was pretty hot. I'll admit that there were rivers of sweat running down my legs. At points I was running comically slowly, feeling a bit givey-uppy... But I thought of all the people on here, and the mantra 'no matter how slowly', and I just...kept...running...

In the end I couldn't believe it when Laura told me to stop. I actually didn't register it for a few seconds and kept going, not realising what she was saying.

Although I've done it, and I feel proud of myself in a way, I also seriously don't believe that it's happened and feel a bit anti-climactic. Did anyone else feel like that?

(Also: My boyfriend asked if he could come with me, but I told him no. He's really effortlessly fit and sporty and while I know he was trying to be kind, it made me feel a bit dumb. I felt silly getting worked up and nervous about a run that he could just do on a whim like that, especially when I've been working hard at this for so long! This stuff comes so easily to him but I have to fight to get anywhere with it...that's what it feels like anyway. I'd feel awful if I couldn't complete the run and he could, when I'm the one who's making such a big deal about training for it.

Maybe I'll be confident enough to let him join me soon. Does anyone else have any similar experiences with that sort of thing? Should I have let him come?)

[bookyanna]

That's great to hear - I'm scheduled to do it later today, but I think I might try w5r2 another time before I face the 20 mins. It seems like such a massive jump! I've no advice on the boyfriend thing, but if you feel comfortable running now, on your own, I'd stick with it and he can always join you a but later in the programme.

[Plinth Graduate]

Well done you. Trying hard to imagine running in heat - not an issue here in uk! I do run with my husband, but only because we are as unfit as each other!

[ChinaGirl]

Thanks for your comments! Bookyanna, why not give the third run a go, but be nice to yourself about it? Just gently say: "ok, if I need to stop that's fine, let's just see how far I get" - I'll bet you'd surprise yourself! And Plinth, I'm hoping that when I return to the UK in July, it'll be like switching to easy mode, I'm dreading coming back to the weather...apart from when it comes to running!

Too self conscious for the man to join me now, I'll let him join me later on. I was planning a run together when we go on holiday to Hong Kong next month, maybe I'll stick to that.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Really well done for cracking that big run, and not letting the first hot attempt put you off completely.

I think you were wise to run on your own - my husband is at the opposite end of the fitness spectrum to me, and I haven't yet run with him (I graduated in February!) because I know it would really put me off that he can walk faster than I can run, however encouraging he tried to be.

By going out on my own, I go at the pace that I need to, and focus on what I'm doing, and feeling good about it, rather than on what I think he might be thinking and whether I should go a bit faster so he doesn't think I'm slacking etc etc - which I'm pretty sure would be enough for me to go too fast for it to be sustainable.

I'm much kinder to myself on my own - and it ends up with me doing more.

[Stubbyp Graduate]

Well done for getting through it, we did ours today. My sister came with us and she can run longer and at a quicker pace but she stuck at our pace and I made her talk to us to help us get through it and take our mind off the effort we were making. So if your boyfriend is likely to help in this way then go for it. If he's not then get a new boyfriend!

Don't compare yourself to your boyfriend, compare yourself to how you were before week 1, you've come a long way.