Week 5 gremlins

[Topo]

Hi - I'm just about to start week 5 and the gremlins are saying I can't do it. I don't see myself as someone who can run continuously for 20 minutes. I am determined to do it anyway, but does anyone have any encouragement / tips for not giving in? I have done every run so far (I'm 50 and pretty unfit) and I think the body will hold up. I've been really encouraged to read posts from people who have just done week 5. Wish me luck.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Don't worry about it - when you get to Run 3 it will be fine! It's only your head that is saying you can't do it. Just start off really slow, and it will happen. We all felt daunted, but just scroll through a few of the recent posts and you'll see loads of people who thought they couldn't do it and DID IT!

[Joh2020 Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

Ditto the above post, you've put the hard work in already. You can do it! Good luck!

[Northernspirit Graduate]

Go for it!!! I've just done W4 R3 today so will be starting W5 on Monday. If you've done everything so far there's every reason to think you can keep succeeding....I find the mind is as much a barrier as the body! Good luck!!

[MarkyD Graduate]

Ahh, week 5. "The flesh is willing but the mind is weak"

Laura has prepared you for week 5... and the intimidating W5r3 has set the gremlin off saying "you can't do it" into your ear. UIOLI is right - it is only your head saying you can't do it.

Everyone on this forum has (or will have) a post about W5 or W6 anxiety. And you'll find many posts that report triumphs over W5, so don't worry, good luck and let us know how you get on. Just run especially slowly.

[Hidden]

First off, dont doubt what you can do Topo , i am living proof of that , I was 56 when i did it ... You can and will do it , everything you have done in the other 4 weeks has built you for this and more , Just stay calm, run slow steady dont go off to fast .... run slower still , you will run for 20 mins on run3 beleive it then go out and do your runs and enjoy the satisfaction of knwoing you ran for a while 20 mins ,that is really one big massive achievement to have ticked off

[Atalaya Graduate]

You've managed every run up to now so it's a given that your body can do this. It's 100% only the mind gremlins that can hold you back. If and when they start gnawing away at you on the run tell them to do one!

Two things really helped me with this run:

The first was remembering that the first part of a run while settling into it is invariably hard and it's easy to think you'll not make it. This for me is the bit where I always have to tell the mind gremlins to go away. I learnt on this forum that a lot of people feel the same. However without fail after a while a rhythm seems to set in and it gets easier to some extent.

Secondly, for run 3 of week 5, I found that it helped to change my routine a little so that I was doing an 'out and back' course. When Laura says you've done 10 mins it's time to turn around and go back the way you've come. This gives you a 'home strait' mentality and really helped me.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Hidden]

You CAN do it ! End of.....Believe....

[Buffy007 Graduate]

I've just done it today and so have a few others this week - I haven't slept with worry over it but can honestly say I enjoyed it - and so did someone else on this forum. It sounds ridiculous but you WILL do it. I virtually went backwards I was going so slow (that was on a slight incline) - but I didn't stop and found the end easier than wk1, r1. Read my post on my experience today. If I can do it, and I'm older than you and haven't run since school days - then you WILL do it. Good luck.

[Hidden]

I second that. Also did run 3 of week 5 today. Consider myself to be pretty unfit and thought the 20 mins was too much too soon, but no, turns out it's not! I went v slowly and had a few doubts at the start but just kept going. You'll be fine. Good luck!

[Parky-Park Graduate]

I agree with everything that's been said. I amazed myself by completing W5R3 last week and was euphoric at the end - I felt I could take on the world! Then I had to go back to running/walking for runs 1 & 2 of week 6 and that's actually been quite tricky. I'm actually looking forward to run 3 of week 6 when I can just start running and keep going again even though I would never have believed I could do this when I started. I suspect that when you've done a longer run, you'll just want to do more and more too.

My music keeps me going and I've been mixing it up so that I don't know what's coming next, that way I don't get bored and it keeps my mind from listening to the gremlins.

You're absolutely ready for this run and I'm sure you'll feel great afterwards. Good luck with it and let us know how you go

[rmnsuk Graduate]

I too didn't look forward to w5r3. But when It came to it, it was difficult but doable. It's all about the mind now. Tell yourself you can do it and you will. I got worried at 15 minutes, but reminded myself that nothing was hurting (or as someone else said "nothings falling off") and I could still breath OK - why stop now? And a mantra might help. Mine is "do...or do not. There is no try". Your next post will be telling us how you have completed the run and you are ready for w6!

[Topo Graduate]

Thanks everyone - this forum is great. I'll post again when I've completed week 5 run 3.

[Sparkyifhungry Graduate]

Good luck topo, this is a bit of a head game. Don't sweat the small stuff, just one foot in fron of the other, keep it slow, and you'll sail through.

[Girlyswot Graduate]

You can definitely do it ! Keep your pace slow and steady - you will be fine ! x

[Hidden]

You know where your problem is, so you're better off than someone who doesn't...have something really rude prepared to say to those gremlins when they sneak up on you...say it out loud if you want.. something like (ahem) "Go away gremlins" Picture yourself outrunning them and leaving them in your dust...

[Iwilldoit]

I am 58 and just done run one of week five. You can do it. I was very reluctant to start it as I felt as if I was coming down with a cold and we are also decorating. I was really glad I did it. I felt so much better afterwards. Got up this morning and did a forty five minute walk and carried on decorating. I am sure it is sticking to the programme that is giving me this extra energy. Looking forward to tomorrow's second run.

[Walkerjusty Graduate]

I have just finished W4r3 and it was really hard today (I think it was because it is very windy). I too am dreading w5r3 and had decided earlier today that I was going to repeat week 4. Reading these posts has convinced me to try week 5 after all. I need to keep reminding myself that during week 1 I was convinced I wouldn't be able to do week 2 and definitely didn't think I would be able to do week 3 and so on. Unfortunately a lot of the advice is to slow down but I don't think I can actually go much slower than I do now and still be classed as running!

[runningphobe_no_more Graduate]

You'll do it. As long as you don't try to go too fast. All the matters is making the time.

By the way - what did your head tell you about 3 minutes in Week 3? And FIVE minutes in week 4? Mine said I couldn't possibly do either of those, but I did, and week 5,6, 7 etc. And so will you. Enjoy the sense of achievement.

[Topo Graduate]

Thanks everyone - a great forum. Walkerjusty, going straight to week 5 sounds like the right thing to do to me. I'm just going to concentrate on the next bit, then think about the bit after that when it's time to do that run. Can't do my third run this week until Sunday because of work, but will definitely do it all and finish. If I can do it, so can you.