Finished week 8....feeling frustrated

[Aimeek]

I thought by the end of week 8 I'd be feeling on top of the world with week 9 just around the corner, but instead I'm feeling a bit deflated.

Week 6 run 3 was probably the best run I've had on the programme, I felt fantastic afterwards, week 7 was ok and I enjoyed the challenge of the longer runs...week 8 however has felt a bit blah - each run seems like a long hard slog and I found myself putting off my runs whereas at the start of the programme I couldn't wait to get out of the house and tackle each run.

I've started measuring my distance and I'm generally only running on average 4.10km in 28 minutes - I feel a bit disappointed by this as I have met every challenge this programme has presented with me with and now I realise I'm not going to be able to get to the 5k by next week.

I thought some of my feelings came from boredom - throughout the programme i've stuck with the same route - lengths down a long (quiet) road. I've calculated that 5k is 4 and a half lengths of this road...I normally manage 4 and a bit, however to try and spice things up on my final run of week 8 I thought I'd go off course and end up doing laps in a field. Well the sunshine was beautiful but the uneven grassy surface proved tricky to run on - I normally end on a sprint finish (to try and make up some kms) however by the end of this run despite jogging slower than a snail I felt I had given everything and couldn't find it in myself to speed up at all.

I thought i'd be really excited for week 9 but now I'm left feeling that it's going to be another long, hard slog of a week. Sorry to bring such negativity to this site however i just wondered whether anyone else has experienced this when running?

[Plinth Graduate]

Absolutely! If I can get my blog to load, you'll see I really struggled today. And I'm slower than you too!

[TeaAye Graduate]

Ditto; can I join your disheartened club?

On W9r2 and although I know I have come a really long way since week 1, I just can't get excited about my 30 mins. I similarly run the same route each time although I am really slow so know it is nowhere near 5k. I am fed up with the music but iTunes isnt working so none of my CDs are loading up there so I can download them into my iPhone.

I had hoped I would feel great and like a runner by now, but I just feel I am not worthy on the term as I am just so slow ;0(

[mabon]

I find it best to run different routes, it makes things more interesting

[Canidoit Graduate]

I agree with mabon. If you can change it, especially if you don't know where you going, the run goes faster!

[suzybenj Graduate]

I know what u mean-completed week 8 two weeks ago and struggling to finish off week 9. It's become a bit of a slog-so last run tomorrow to graduate and then I can go back to happy running without feeling I am letting myself down

[lola465 Graduate]

I'm doing my last run of week 8 tomorrow. I've lowered my expectations since the beginning of the programme quite significantly! I don't expect to run anywhere near 5k in 30 mins for a while yet.

The way I see it is the programme gives me the tools to be able to run for 30 mins over the 9 weeks. It's then up to me to make it a long term habit to run 3 times a week and over time to increase my speed and/or distance.

I've also learned some runs will be brilliant and some will be an unrewarding slog. And occasionally I won't do the full 30 mins.

Once I accepted my limitations I started to enjoy the runs again. I've varied my route, even though that means including some (gentle) hills.

I don't know if any of this will help you, it's just a shift in attitude that helped me so I thought I'd share.