I completed week 4 ten days ago and was due to start week 5 last Monday. However, I have put it off and put it off and convinced myself that I can't do it. Had a good long talk to myself yesterday, telling myself if I don't try then i'll never know if I can do it or not. It's the start of a new week and I was meant to get up early and do it this morning but again I talked myself out of it. Stupid thing is that I was exactly the same at the beginning of week 4, scared of not being able to do it, and I managed that fine so why can't I get past this mental barrier? If I was reading this post I would be "oh, for goodness sake, get a grip girl!" Been reading loads of posts of people on the same week but no motivation is rubbing off on me - however, when I finish my run I do always actually feel really good about myself. Please somebody say something to give me the kick that I need - going on holiday in September and really wanted to be at the finish, there or thereabouts! 
Why am I being so silly?: I completed week 4 ten... - Couch to 5K
Why am I being so silly?
i've just started week 4 and was worried I couldn't do it but then I thought 'just try it and if it doesn't work I can always do another couple of week 3 runs then try again' I tried it, it was a struggle but I did it. So my advice is just try it, its not a race so what does it matter if you do a few extra runs on the previous week
Okay Lorraine - bossy AuntieMossy is going to say - just go. Go and get those shoes on and go. Come back and tell us once you have been out. You have 3 five minute runs to do today with walks in between - you can do it - OMG I sound like Laura - she has so got into my head!!! ( I keep the programme on my wall as a reminder)
I have had days like that and I kick myself after I do go out and say "what was all that about ?" You are not alone - that is what this forum is all about - plenty motivation around here
It's totally normal to feel like that - if you start telling yourself you're being stupid, it'll only make you feel worse and then you won't want to go at all. Sometimes when I feel like I can't do something, I just let those feelings happen without trying to challenge them. After a while, they start to lose their impact and I can get up and go. You can always 'take them with you' on your run, or tell yourself you'll leave them at home and deal with them after you've been out! Sounds silly but these kind of exercises can really work with negative feelings.
Thank you, I tend to be a reader more than a blogger and have taken other fellow C25k peeps advice and not looked at the next run until I have to, but when I was reading other posts of Week 5 it said that there was a 20 minute run. I am trying not to be pessimistic but there is absolutely no way that I can run non-stop for 20 minutes, even at the very slow pace that I do?? I know my glass is currently massively half empty though. So is Week 5 just 3 x five minute runs then?
Hi again
week 5:1 is just three five minute runs - the 20 minutes is in week 3 and you can always repeat the earlier ones if you are not comfortable moving on. Don't let the 20 minutes put you off, that would be sad. I also felt I wouldn't be able to do the longer time and it surprised me that I did. Just keep going with it and at the end of the day if it's not for you then so be it. You said you managed week 4 fine so you never know - what's the harm in trying and as the podcasts say - a bad run is better than no run at all.
I am not really that bossy - don't tell my OH
What I should also have said is you are not being silly - you have no idea how many people have been anxious on hearing about the 20 minutes in week 5 - honestly.
Don't worry about the time or the distance. You've come this far, so it means that youre definitely ready for whatever comes next. Lace up them shoes and hit the road, because when you finish week 5, I promise you, you will be beaming from ear to ear!
Right I think some tough love, first get your running gear and trainers on, gather all the items you need for running (keys, iPod/phone, water bottle etc) Next get out the door, start warm up walk, now then you are ready for this! In week four you have already done five minutes running, your body knows how to do this so you can do it because you have finished week four! Take it nice and slow, if you want break it into small chunksi sometimes say I am going to run to that tree, now I am going to run to that lamppost repeat until your done.
If you do find it too hard, you can repeat a run there is nothing wrong with that. If you don't run you just won't know how much you can do and trust me this programme is designed to get you running for 30minutes. So trust Laura !
Final, thought from me if it has been 10 days have you just been doing week four? If you haven't run in that 10days it might be hard, so maybe just do week four first and see how you go. If you have been doing week four then give week five ago you will surprise yourself, plus there is no such thing as a bad run.
Can I just add that it is supposed to be enjoyable as well as everything else (amazing, fulfilling, challenging...etc) and as great as it is to graduate it really doesn't matter in the great scheme of things if it takes you 9 weeks or 19 weeks. I think that doing it, being in it, running is the important thing. So if you do need to do week four again until you find the mental confidence to move on to the next run than that is ok. Go out and run three times a week and enjoy it, I think you will come to a point where you will want to move up to the next run.
I had a rotten night last night - I had a second helping of chilli and 2 tins of yummy beer, then I couldn't sleep because I had indigestion. Serves me right. I had set the alarm for 5.40 am so I could get up and at 'em, but I felt really naff when I woke up. I turned over and tried to get back to sleep ... and failed. So I thought I might as well be miserable and panting round the village as miserable and lying in bed so ... I got up and ran Wk7R1 - 25 mins! I had a little mini walk for about 30 seconds when I had to cross a busy bit of road, but apart from that I did it. It was hard work, but when I got back home I felt great.
As the advert says, Just Do It.
Oh you have got a very bad case of gremlinitis. The only cure is, as you know and have already said, to get a grip and get out there. Running shoes on, arms backwards and forwards, legs off the ground one at a time. Come on !! Banish those Gremlins !! Hup two three four !! Forwards movement !! You can do it !! You really can !! Mind over matter !! Quitters never win and winners never quit !!
Right Lorraine, it's your old mate Marky 'Mark' D.
Picture yourself on holiday, looking toned, trim and more beautiful, getting envious glances from everyone around you. Now look at yourself stuck indoors, not going for a run: You know what you need to do.
Week 5 is just in your head. don't worry about W5r3 just yet, you'll surprise yourself. I remember doing W5r1 or r2 at Willen Lake and thinking I'll never run for 20 minutes. But I did, and just a few weeks later am running 5km Park Runs and doing a longer 60 minute run (10k) once per week.
I'm with Vixchile's advice - get all your gear ready... find your socks, get your mp3 player charged and cut the excuses. And try a completely new run so you get distracted by the scenery. You are probably bored with your current run.
I believe that you can do this. But please look after your knee.
M
Hey you - thank you and I can confirm that my knees seem to be holding up - apart from general aches (which I think is more age than anything else!!) its all good. Tend to strap them up and was referred for physio which also helped - tried not to find excuses to not do this and now my knees are coping ok I can't use that one!! Just have to sort the mental stuff out now!!
Lorraine _1108_... happy birthday????
Thank you everybody, I've put off saying anything on here for a week coz nobody likes a moaning Minnie but I'm glad I did now. Surprising how people saying the right words kinda spurs you on and kicks you in the behind to get this show back on the road. I will do W5R1 tomorrow morning, (am off out for a meal tonight) and I'm not even going to think about W5R3 until I have to. My kit is already laid out ready to go, my water bottle is full up and I'm clean out of excuses - will keep you all updated. Thank you again, genuinely - I do want to be able to do this! x
Absolutely completely megatastically loving this - thank you so much KittyKat007. I genuinely hope I can do it and genuinely hope that all of the above applies to me at the end of the week (although I am somewhat doubtful at the moment - run for 20 mins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but I desperately wanna prove myself wrong!. Thank you for those lovely words, that's really lovely of you.
"am off out for a meal tonight"
Don't overdo it! That could be another excuse tomorrow morning.
But enjoy yourself tonight.
Nope, definitely doing it tomorrow morning before work, and now that I've said it I have to do it!
Hey Kitty, what a fab post , this is so so true I just couldn't put it into words , so thankyou , this is exactly how I feel too ! xxx
Aw thank you , that is so nice of you to say so , so are you ! xxx
Awaiting your 'Post W5r1 Post' tomorrow morning
Good luck for tomorrow morning - enjoy it! Just remember we're all here rooting for you while you're running. I never thought I'd get through this programme, I'm overweight, asthmatic and didn't do any exercise at all. I was were you are 5 weeks ago. I graduated today and I'm still buzzing about it. You can do it. We all can - we just need to trust Laura and believe all those who have gone before and made it through!!
xxx
Good luck for tomorrow morning! I'm also in week 5... Got my big 20min run tomorrow.... At the start of the week I didn't think I'd manage 8 mins but I did. The longer I'm running the more I'm finding out that's it's less about body (physically my body can run) but more about my head and self doubt. Keep going, don't let the niggles stop you...you are already half way there!!!!! Looking forward to hearing how it goes xx
So, how did it go? Don't leave us on tenterhooks! As everyone has said, the program works. If you had completed week 4 then, physically, your body is ready and fit for week 5 - it's only your head that is stopping you. The only way to get over that is to put your kit on and step out the door...
Yeehhhh, W5R1 accomplished at 6.30am this morning! It was actually do-able although I don't know if I will be saying the same about R2 and the evitable R3!! Just one question though, when I started the programme I decided that longevity was the name of the game so although I am running, well, more slow jogging, but running all the same, I am only covering less than 2k. Should I be trying to step out of my comfort zone and speed up although if I do that there is a danger that I won't be able to breath, will adopt the attitude that I can't do it and pack it in altogether, or do I adopt the tortoise and the hare approach and get there ....... eventually? Does that all make sense?
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
I am so pleased!
Graduated!!!!! But why are run 3s so hard?
Am I happy? You bet your sweet bippy I am! PB Half Marathon distance.
Am I useless or correct?
W6R1 Am I missing something?
Week 7, I am done with you
Am I being a wimp?
So....what next
Why am I struggling since graduation?
Oh my gosh, I did it! I have graduated! :)
