Hi,
I'm currently on Week 5, and I'm concerned I'm not running hard enough.
How tired should I be feeling after the run? Should I be exhausted at the end? Should I be feeling that I couldn't have ran for any longer? How can I know whether I've worked hard enough?
I think at week 5 you should just be focussing on running for the required amount of time, not how exhausted you are - speed is not the key here - just running. By week 6 or 7 I'd stopped sounding like I was dying when I finished the run and was recovering from the longer runs in a few minutes.
Your recovery time is a great indicator of how much fitter you're getting so I think this is a good way to think about it. I guess your previous fitness levels are also important.
Are you tracking your runs? Do you know what kind of speed you're running at. That might give people an idea of your work rate?
I agree with lambeek. Just run the full time duration and don't worry about the distance or how tired you feel. If you are finding it too easy, then you can just increase the pace slightly as that is the measure.
To date I have never had to stop running as I was 'too tired', but I have run 'too fast' on some of the longer runs meaning I had to stop for a breather before I had ran the full duration - which was what I had hoped not to do.
I agree with lambeek - it isn't a challenge to exhaust yourself, it's a programme to get you to running for 30 minutes.
Having said that, if you are finding you can achieve the runs without great effort, run a bit faster. The general rule of thumb is to be running at a pace whereby you could still just about carry on conversation but are on the verge of that becoming too difficult. That is going to be a different speed for different people depending on age, fitness level, weight etc. If you feel you are not doing 'enough' for what you want, do a bit more. Simples.
If you can talk while running, then you're running too slowly.
If you can talk when you stop, then you're running too slowly.
In fact, if you can do anything but stop and puke your guts out, then you're not putting enough effort into it.
Now drop and give me twenty!
Just kidding, of course. If I was you, I'd be happy to not be worn out and just carry on with the programme. The runs will get longer and harder, so just be happy that it's not too bad at the moment 
Happy running.
It's been a while since I went through the programme but I recall that in at least some of the podcasts Laura encourages a final sprint. I wouldn't recommend at week 5 that you go flat out but why not try ramping up the speed a bit in the last 30 seconds or so and if that feels fine then push a bit harder in the following weeks. I love finishing off all my runs with a sprint, but perhaps that's just me!
Thanks for the replies all. Have since done the remaining runs in week 5.
Will just keep going as normal for now, as Tomas says, the runs get harder so I'll just see how I feel as I progress.
How do you warm up and warm down?
How do you guys feel about hills?
Do you feel sick mid-run? How to stop feeling so ill?
How long should you stretch for after your run?
