W5R3 20 minute run. Tick. Humble pie. Tick.

[ChrisL]

Well after a lot of faffing around bemoaning the planning of the running intervals in the middle weeks and considering alternative approaches to W5 & W6 that didn't involve a huge jump from 8 minutes of running to 20 minutes, I actually did what I was told (for once) and decided to give the 20 minute run a try.

I have to say the ONLY reason I did it was due to some very strong minded women on this forum. First MissWobble's instruction to "Just do what you're told" put me on the back foot a bit. Then I realised I was in big trouble when JuicyJu started her comment with "Right!" and proceeded to tell me to just get on with it too.

The one that swung it though was from Dewines who is somewhat older than me and with a list of very valid health reasons for not even attempting such a stupidly long run after just 5 weeks of training, but who despite her serious trepidations had gone out and and done it. That really left me no choice.

So I loaded up the new playlist, set the app to 5 minutes per km and off I trotted, wondering how far I would get. I was really very surprised to get all the way to the end of 20 minutes without stopping, without pain and just inside my 5 minutes per km planned pace. It just goes to show, this programme really does work - amazing.

So a big thank you to all you equally amazing ladies who cajoled, bullied & shamed me into doing it. I would not have done it but for you.

[YJB1 Graduate]

Hurrah for you! Well done, ChrisL.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

5 minutes per kilometre?????!!!!!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

5Mins per K ?????????

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Hmm -- looks like great minds think alike ?

[amberduck Graduate]

Well done! It looked scary to me too but it is possible, strangely enough! Good luck for the next 4 weeks!

[DelilahDogstar Graduate]

Flippin eck, 5 mins per K? That's good going! Well done. Btw which app do you set to 5 mins per k? Sounds useful.

[ChrisL Graduate in reply to DelilahDogstar]

I use iSmoothRun Delilah. It's brilliant. Does everything I can think of.

[DelilahDogstar Graduate]

Thanks.. I will check it out!

[misswobble Graduate]

Well done Chris. Easy peasy ey!

[ChrisL Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be MissW. The body really is extraordinary isn't it? 30 seconds of running to 20 minutes at a not-that-much slower pace in only 5 weeks!

Mind you, now I am wondering why it takes almost the same length of time again to get from 1x 20 mins to 3x 30 mins ????

[runningnearbeirut Graduate in reply to ChrisL]

I think it has the two-fold aim of building your stamina and trying to stop you doing too much too soon and injuring yourself in the process.