Should I repeat week 4 ?

[Terrorrun]

Hi all, I have just finished Wk4R3 and have found this last run the most tough of the week. Had to slow right down for the last 5m run ( think I could have walked faster ! ) and hung in there whilst running and holding my side. I have had a stich for the last couple of minutes of all the runs this week. So, whilst I have ( sometimes only just ) completed them it is with a lack of conviction, so I am thinking about repeating week 4 ? Should I just keep going onto week 5 and if I fail re-do those runs then ? Thanks for any advice

[misswobble Graduate]

I wouldn't repeat it. Try moving on as it is a progressive programme. If you find you can't do it then by all means go back but I'd deffo have a crack at it

Don't worry about it though, don't overthink it. Relax and it will be ok. Just go SLOWLY.

[Terrorrun Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thanks - right that is what I will do - Week 5 it is

[chalfont_chump]

Intersting. I did W4R2 Wednesday and it was right on the limit of my ability, Run 3 I will do this evening and i had been wondering what to do about Week 5. The conclusion I came to was this. If I complete todays run in anyway, then I will treat that as a success and move on to Week 5. I will only repeat a week if I actually fail to complete a run in that week. I don't want to be doing something I have already done, I want to re-try something I failed to do!

Given you say Run 3 was the hardest (and therefore you did 1 & 2 okay), it might just be you are tired after a week at work, or a bad nights sleep, haven't eaten or drank enough etc.

That's my thought at the moment, if it is of anyone.

[Terrorrun Graduate in reply to chalfont_chump]

Hi Chalfont_chump - Thanks for your reply. Run 1+2 were completed okish, but still hard. I'm going to give week 5 a go, and keep going unless I actually don't finish the run - in which case I will repeat then. Good luck with W4R3 tonight.

[Hidden]

I felt pretty much the same as you last week when I finished w4r3, the thought of the w5 runs was daunting.

However I did the w5r1 yesterday and found it surprisingly straight forward, I felt better at the end of it than I did for the previous week's runs.

As misswobble has already said - take it SLOWLY and you will be fine.

[Terrorrun Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Stevie3005 - good to hear your experience, very reassuring. Good luck with the rest of W5

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

In line with what has been said, it is probably best to move on to week 5 and just take it slowly.

To avoid/mitigate the stitches, make sure you are well hydrated beforehand and try to take nice big deep breaths.

You are doing fine.

[Terrorrun Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

Ah ! Re stitch advise I will try drinking more before with breakfast prior to running, I often go having only had a morning cuppa. The deep breaths are happening anyway due to feeling like lungs are far too small. Thanks for your advice, it is really appreciated.

[Rignold]

" I often go having only had a morning cuppa" - Terrorrun

'There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.' - Sherlock Holmes.

[Hidden]

Echo advice from others as I had the same dilemma at this point. What seems to happen is that as you progress physically your mind starts over think things so you start to doubt yourself. You can do it ! Believe in yourself, drink water , run slow and enjoy the experience.

[Terrorrun Graduate]

Thanks for all your comments on this post - I've just done W5r1 and it was so much better than any of my weeks 4 runs. As advised I started to go a bit slower and drink something..... strangely that had not been on my radar before, doh !

[gg28 Graduate]

Hello! First post on this community. I've just finished W4R3 (having had to repeat it as I totally flunked out on my first go at it on Wednesday). Was debating whether to move forwards to W5 on Sunday, but sounds like I should - my way of thinking is that you actually end up running LESS than W4! You've given me the go-ahead to push on

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to gg28]

Well done gg.

You are right in that the step from W4 to W5R1 isn't a big one and that there is little to be gained from repeating.

[Terrorrun Graduate]

gg28 - going onto week 5 without repeating 4 was the best advice I have been given. Found week 5 so much more do-able than I thought - give it a go on Sunday

[gg28 Graduate in reply to Terrorrun]

Thanks! I did it, and ENJOYED it. Got so into it that I ran further away from home than I meant to so had a very long walk back, but was cruising pretty happily at quite a pace (for me!). I know it's not about speed at all, and after the first run I was sure I wouldn't keep it all the way around, but I didn't consciously slow down at all. This is a big thing for me: I was the kid who used to only run if PE teachers were watching and then bunk off into the woods for a leisurely stroll! Roll on W5R2! (I'll have to ease the pace off then!)

[Terrorrun Graduate in reply to gg28]

Fab, really pleased for you - glad you went for it. I really enjoyed all of week 5, hope it pans out like that for you too

[JulietB Graduate]

It's been great to read these comments! I've just done w4r3 this evening and found it quite hard...but kept going 😣I've just switched from the app to the podcasts and am finding the music mildly irritating but think I'll stay with it...I don't know if anyone else finds this, but every now and then it stops and I think 'yes! The end!' But then it starts again...just like a game of pass the parcel when the music starts again...ok, just me, then 😊 I'm so pleased that I can actually run ( stagger..) for five minutes - it seems hardly any time since I first ventured out of my door feeling very self conscious and about to start w1r1. This forum is really helpful too. Thank you 😊

[Terrorrun Graduate]

Hi JulietB, Well Done on getting through week 4 - it's a real achievement. As per my original post I found it really hard ! I can't help you out with the app/podcast irritations, as I didn't use it - I just use the times printed on the website and a watch - which was fine, although I did sometimes need to biro the times onto my hand ! Good luck with week 5 - slow is the key