Does it ever get any easier?

[L17-12W]

Just done week 8 r 3 and found this and r 2 extremely hard. Completed them both but on my knees for the last 5 minutes. Does it ever get easier?

[Beads Graduate]

It depends how hard you push yourself. Yes a parkrun is easy, normally, if I take my time, but today pushing for a PB was hard, very hard, to the point where I now understand why some of the runners decide to have a lie down in the grass just over the finish line. I joined them today!!! The first 5k I do tomorrow will be an absolute doddle in comparison.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Yes it does. Just think back to your first five minute run. That would seem pretty easy to you, now, but back then it was probably as hard to achieve as the last run you completed. As your stamina builds you can achieve more. Three and a half months since I started and now I can do 10k and run up hills that I previously had to stop for a rest on, when I was walking. When I want to take it easy and do a gentle 5k, it is genuinely pleasurable to feel my body working with so little apparent effort. You will get there, too.

Congratulations, you are so close to graduation. Enjoy your running.

[suzybenj Graduate]

yes and no - if you don't challenge yourself then it does get easier- but if you raise the bar then it is a continual challenge. So each week you are raising the bar - so it is not going to feel easier. But look what you have achieved - so close to graduation. well done

[Poppy2010 Graduate]

Hi! I looked back at my first post earlier today, it was after week 9 run 1 (hadn't found this forum before) and I noted I had found week 8 runs 1 & 2 hardest of all; I remember I had to change my route as I got to the same place and wanted to give up a couple of times!

I persevered just like everyone else who has posted and yes, it does get 'easier' - this week I did an 11km run for 'fun', tried to run 5km in 30 minutes on the dreadmill during night shift but didn't quite make it; then struggled for the first bit of Parkrun today but the result showed a pb, so the struggling was worth it!

I think once you graduate if you can be flexible, do some runs purely for enjoyment and do others to challenge yourself, you will look back and wonder why you were worried! It is the best thing I have done for years!

Good luck for week 9 and look forward to your graduation post!

[L17-12W Graduate]

Thanks everyone for your posts. Yes, a 5 min run is dead easy now, so I agree, we are continually raising the bar. Thanks for all your encouragement. Doing the Great South 5K in 3 weeks, really looking forward to running it all and if I don't, well there's always next year!

[crox Graduate]

Found on Facebook-

Runner's World UK

"It never gets easier, you just go faster." Greg LeMond, American road cyclist

[nellmc Graduate]

so pleased to see its not just me who feels like this - just done wk 8 r2 and soooo wanted to give up - but I didn't and from your post neither did you. Therein is the achievement - it may have hurt but you didn't cave in so you are stronger and ready for the next challenge. You are so close to graduation and the feeling of achievement will be worth the 'pain' and you've come such a long way since those 1 minute runs.

[ellenyork Graduate]

I have also been finding Week 8 hard, but the advice here seems good about why it feels hard but that yes, it does get better. It's so worth hanging on in there as nellmc says. On today's run (Wk 8 R2) I was feeling really tired but suddenly seemed to get a second wind a few minutes from the end because I knew I was just about there. I think this proved to me that the challenge is partly mental, which is what Laura has been saying! Hoping I can keep going...