Why couldn't I complete week 7 run 1???

[LadyJac]

Have followed the training programme to the letter, completed all my runs and in week 6 even managed to end with a sprint , yesterday I couldn't get to run longer then 15 minutes, my legs just wouldn't move. I feel really deflated and a bit nervous about tomorrows run.Any suggestions - did this happen to any of you and if so what did you do????

[bjammin Graduate]

What I find makes the most difference between a good and bad run is surprisingly what I wear. I run of an evening and the past few times its been a bit wet. If I chicken out and wear long pants (joggers or track pants) then I find the run a bit harder (extra weight? who knows) but if I man up and wear shorts it seems to make it easier to run and my legs don't feel as heavy.

If you are worried about doing week 7 run 2 then why not just either repeat week 6 run 3 or week 7 run 1 again? There is no shame in this and the motto of this programme seems to be slow and steady so what is wrong with repeating a run before you feel comfortable moving on.

I am out tonight for week 8 run 2 and I will be donning the shorts. Track pant won't be coming out until winter I think

Hope you get through it!

[LadyJac in reply to bjammin]

Hi .... Pleased to report I did it . Having read other commentsI think I just didn't have my head in the right place . Thanks for you response - it's great to know there are people routeing for you

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Hi Lady Jac, join the club, this happens to us all at some time or another and the secret is put it behind you, don't worry about it, it was just a bad day and it got in the way of your running. There is no good reason for it but even people who have been running for a few years me included get them, forget it and move on.

Tomorrow when you set out do it with a positive frame of mind lets face it you have had 3 x 6 = 18 successful runs and 1 not so good, so you are more than capable of this. Start nice and steady, not too fast and get into your comfortable stride, the rest will take care of itself. All the best, positive pants on

[LadyJac in reply to Oldgirl]

Hi - today was fine even managed the sprint at the end again . Think I'd got scared as Laura said it was a big jump and I just didn't have faith . Being part of this community is a great support.THANKS

[Be11adonna Graduate]

Hi Lady Jac, I can only agree wholeheartedly with Oldgirl and add that, for me, a large part of running is psychological. My first bad run was also w7r1, and I think my attitude was the main reason why I didn't complete it. I really didn't feel like running that day and was grasping at all sorts of things to prove to myself that I shouldn't actually run. I had been sick, it was hot, I had blisters, any and all excuses were good enough. And once I'd started thinking like that it wasn't long before my body felt like lead and I didn't feel like going any further

After that run I decided that rather than repeating it, and possibly not completing it again and feeling like a complete failure, I would go back to w6r1 (I had found week 6 relatively easy) and build back up from there, giving myself a bit of time to mentally prepare for week 7.

Yesterday I ran w7r1 and it was fine. And I feel quite ok about completing the rest of week 7 now too. Possibly what put me off originally was that Laura said interval training was over and it felt like a huge leap to have to run constantly for an entire session for the remainder of the programme (even though I'd already done constant running in w6r3, but I never claimed to be rational ;-)).

However you decide to get back on the horse the important thing is to get back on. Don't let one bad run stop you. You've come so far and you're nearly there.

[LadyJac in reply to Be11adonna]

I think what you said about it seeming a big jump was true cos today I did it and it was not as bad as I though .i decided to trust Laura , after all she got me this far

Thanks so much for your support .

[Be11adonna Graduate in reply to LadyJac]

That's great news! Well done! We should probably all trust Laura more often

[RachieD Graduate]

I'm so glad someone else had the same experience. I really struggled with w7r1, although I'd mentioned w6r3 fine. I was very tired and hungover when I tried it and I just lost all energy. I walk/ran the rest of it, but definitely more walking. Today I thought I'd carry on and do w7r2 and I did it. Reading this really spurred me on. Thanks v much!