W4R1 - OUCH!!!

[Grubby1985]

So Week 4 marks the start of running more than walking... I don't think I was expecting to find it so tough, but it HURT! For that final five minute run, I was literally running in slow-mo. My legs were like two pieces of lead that I had to force to keep moving. I did finish it, but I'm really not sure how I'm going to run for 20 continuous minutes next week. Did anyone else feel the same?

[Zev1963 Graduate]

And how do you feel now that you've had time to recover ?

You did manage the run, so I'm guessing that as long as you take it gently from the start then you will be fine.

[Maturelady Graduate]

Don't worry about the 20 minutes, we all thought that we would NEVER do it but we did. Trust Laura and go slowly and slower still and you will manage it. You must let us know though. Good luck.

[50NotOut Graduate]

It is tough, now that you are doing more running. But the programme is (imo) very well planned.

I was filled with trepidation for wk5r3 ... but the programme got me there. (Not saying it was easy, though!)

If you think about it, you ran for 16 minutes today (albeit it with a few little rests). You'll do that twice more this week.

Then next week you'll do the same time on run 2, but in two chunks.

You'll be fitter, after that. So you'll be ready for 20mins - tell yourself ths so the gremlins don't get into your head. Hopefully you'll also feel a bit excited, which will help keep you going.

If you read other posts in the 'week 5' section, you'll see your worries are quite common. But trust the programme, and go veeerry sloooowly.

You'll feel great when you've done it!

[Hidden]

Don't worry, the 4 more runs you've got before the 20 minuter will set you up nicely. If you managed to force yourself to keep going when the going got tough today you'll be fine, it's all about that inner strength.

[Grubby1985 Graduate]

Thank you for the responses! I did the run last night, when I walked home after (my 5 minutes warm down was more like 15 because I had managed to end up further from home than intended) my legs were still really sore but they eased by the time I got in and then I did a lot of stretching. Today they feel absolutely normal but I am slightly dreading W4R2 tomorrow. But so many people on here have done it, maybe I just need to have more faith!

[tired1]

You'll be fine. My tips, for what they're worth:

a) as you run, don't think "I can't keep going for another xxx minutes" just think "do I have to stop right now, or can I go a wee bit more?"

b) no matter how you feel when running, you're going o feel fab when you realise how much you can do.

c) choose an easy/familiar route, if you can.

d) go slow. If you get tired, slow down some more.

[rach___]

I did W4R2 this morning, and I actually found it easier knowing that I'd already run for 5 minutes, although on week three the second and third runs were harder than the first. I've found that

1) refusing to consider how much longer I have and

2) literally counting my breaths in

both really help me if I'm having a bad day!

[poppypug Graduate]

You can do it Grubby, you will be fine.

Trust in Laura and the programme, you will be ready. If you read the Week 5 posts, everyone feels the same , but the sense of achievement when you complete that run , is amazing.

I broke it down into 5 minute chunks in my head , rather than thinking of the 20 minutes .

Good Luck , you can do it, you really can ! xxx