Just finished week 7 run 3, but each 25 minute run seems to almost be getting harder! At 5 minutes in, when Laura says that I should be 'into a nice rhythm by now', I'm more at the stage of seriously questioning how on earth I am going to manage this!
I'm a stubborn thing so haven't given in to those thoughts yet, but they're hard work, and I'm no longer sure that the reason I keep having them is just a mindset thing - maybe it is actually getting physically harder??
Anyway, it's beginning to agitate me, so I thought I'd come on here and hopefully some of you can calm my nerves...
Did anyone else find this? Does it improve?
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pineapple81
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It will get easier honestly. It takes different people different lengths of time to complete the 9 weeks. Week 7 is tough but you will get through it and trust Laura. You will begin to enjoy the running more and more importantly find it easier! Good luck and happy running
I found some days I took a while to get into rhythm and others it was easy. Gremlins can appear in week 7 and need stomping on! Have you changed your route recently as I found that doing that helped? I sometimes took 2 days off between runs so I felt fresher. Keep going only - 2 more weeks to go for your badge.
Straight away, you are most certainly not alone. I recall blogging around week seven saying I was enjoying it, but bored of the podcasts and felt I needed a slight change. The boredom of the podcast was making it seem more difficult. And at the time I needed something to listen to whilst I was running.
And by the end of week 7 you're so close to Graduation, just another 5 minutes ("just" he says! But you know what I mean ) but there's another 2 weeks of podcasts.
I'm far from a seasoned runner and only achieved Graduation a few weeks ago myself, but it does improve. You will improve. You learn pace yourself and learn to rest and recover whilst still running (instead of walking like you are now during the podcasts).
But importantly, don't get disheartened at the start of your run if you feel tired. Don't think "how am I going to get through this?". The first few minutes are the hardest for me and I know for many others because I've read and heard the same from plenty of other people. Try to keep a steady pace, remember that you CAN (and already have) run for 25 minutes, and keep going.
You've come so far to get to the end of week 7, the hardest part is over. You're running for 25 minutes straight now which I'm guessing is a long way from where you started.
If you can improve that much in just 7 weeks, imagine where you'll be in another 7 weeks!
I found Week 7 particularly hard. Remember it's the FIRST week of non stop / no walk rest running and mentally that's a bit tricksy to deal with. Even in Week 6 there was an interval for runs 1&2. Not so with 7, so.......
I've just started week 8 - my 2nd run is tomorrow - and I found it more do'able than 7 - AND IT'S 3 mins longer??!!!
I'm sure it's a mental thing & a physical thing as your bosy is getting more and more used to running for a continuos length of time, so DON'T DESPAIR! And stubborn is GOOD! HAhahaha!±
I found my first 25mins the hardest, and I think it was all in my mind, I thought too much about it and this made my body tense and it took a good ten minutes to work it out of my system before I relaxed a bit more and the running became easier. We changed our route to relieve the monotony and made sure we kept talking to each other throughout.
Just remember how far you've come and that you can run for 25 mins. You know that you can do it and the first half of each run is the hardest and that you can push through it, keep up the good work!
Ditto to all the above. Do put in an extra rest day if needs be - you may find that you miss the run (or the feel good factor afterwards) so that when you do do the run you can say to yourself - I missed running this yesterday, I know I can do this, I have run this before, I AM going to do this -
Another one here who fond week 7 soooo hard, and really painful too. Tried to go out for the first week 8 run last night, but was in so much pain right from the start in my ankles and knees, that I just couldn't do it. Will rest for a few more days before trying again I think. When does it stop hurting this much??!!
I am finding week 7 the toughest week. It is like week 1 all over again!!! I have run 3 of week 7 to go on tonight. It was slightly easier on the 2nd run of week 7 as opposed to the 1st so hoping this will continue tonight. I think it feels hard because it is! 25 mins is a long time to run and we are all so new to it. I have loads of gremlins too but stuborness also gets me through as i have never stopped on a run - yet!! Lets keep going and think we CAN do this! xx
Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond. I went out for Week 8 Run 1 feeling significantly more positive, and although it was hard again, I felt like I wasn't alone.
I did week 8 run 2 yesterday and something amazing happened - I was halfway round and I felt OKAY! It was lovely. @ashton46 for the first time I think I partially understood what you meant about resting whilst running - however strange a concept that seemed when I first read your post.
So, to summarise, feeling loads more chirpy and very grateful for all you lovely people!
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Please say it gets easier
Please tell me this gets easier
Week 6, Run 3 - Tell me it gets easier :p 
Please tell me it gets better!
