:( big fail again!!

[sarahjayne1972]

added to my post yesterday

im on week 7r3 and av decided to go outside now for the rest of my runs

as ive been doing my runs on the treadmill,

wen out yesterday on the park to try outside and failed miserably! !

so I went out again today local paths near where I live and again didn't even make half way!!!

am I ever going to get used to this?

ive done this run on the treadmill with my eyes shut but get me outside and I can only do 10 mins if that , very breathless! and is harder on my legs outside. why is this happening now!!

so im thinking this is not going to beat me no way!!!

so im thiking now , to go out every day and keep trying to get further until I do it? is that a good idea or not? help please.

[Toonlou24 Graduate]

Hi. I've just replied to you on other post. Don't give up. It probably just is your pace. It will click. Maybe you need to go back a couple of weeks to get your confidence again. Keep going though. You CAN do this!!! If I can you can!!!! Xx

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to Toonlou24]

thanx toon lou ,

ive just replied to you on other post thanx again for your advice.

xx

[AnnieW55]

Running outside is harder but the rewards are great (in terms of fresh air, less boredom, variety of surface.......) so keep at it. But slow down, you have probably been used to a regulated pace which doesn't relate to the 'real' world. You know you can do the distance/pace indoors - you've learnt that bit: this is another stage where you have to learn new things, the first of which is sssllloooowww down the pace. It's not going backwards - don't think that. It's giving your body time to adjust to the changes and unevenness of surfaces, doing all the work (no ground moving under your feet, it's all your own effort).

Going out everyday doing the same thing is not a good idea you still need rest days although, by all means use rest days to do other - not running- exercise. You could even plot some new routes and walk them to see what they are like. Your body will thank you for it.

Just concentrate on finishing the programme, enjoy what you can achieve within it - there is no need to put pressure on yourself, it will happen in time but your body needs to catch up with your aspirations finish the programme, enjoy running for it's own sake, to consolidate the non stop for 30mins then go for it with the c25k+, 10k training, or whatever takes your fancy. At the end of the day (for me anyway) running is for enjoyment, relaxation, me, racing and not piling on the pressure with every run.

Oops got carried away there! Bottom line don't punish yourself now and you're far more likely to stick at it and get more from it (not too much) later.

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to AnnieW55]

thanx annie w55.

well done you.

Thanks for your great advice

I wish I never started on the treadmill now , but I will do this im not giving up. i may go back a couple of weeks and repeat them like I just been advised to do , just to get me used to outside then that hopefully will help me. thanx again

[RainbowC Graduate]

Treadmill and the great outdoors are *very* different running experiences, as you've discovered. Don't give up - running outdoors is so enjoyable once you get used to it, and you can run (almost) wherever you are.

I definitely wouldn't recommend going out every day - rest days are built in to the programme for a reason. Perhaps go back to the start of week 6 and continue from there, just to build up your 'outdoor legs' - that'll only add an extra two weeks on to the plan, but should help you gain more confidence that you can do this!

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to RainbowC]

aww thanks rainbowc.

and well done to you.

yes you are so right! I didn't realise till now, inside and outside are sooo very different!!

another great advice thank you so much all is helping me.

I think im going to start from week 6 again is the best thing to do now. thanx again

I can do this!!!!

[Windswept1 Graduate]

I am the other way. I get really hot & uncomfortable on treadmill. An alternative would be to graduate on treadmill then try to get used to outside. Perhaps pick a nice route and start building stamina by run/walking again.

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to Windswept1]

hi windswept1 thanx yes im in two minds now if to graduate on the treadmill then build up outside. or start week 6 again outside. omg tough decision. ?

hmm . thanx for your advice .

and well done to you.

[RainbowC Graduate]

And yes, as the others have said, go slow! It's easy to go too quickly at first until you get used to your pace.

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

First off - there is no failure here! Ok, perhaps you didn't run for as long as you wanted, but you got out there and ran! Well done for that! Think back to week 1. You would probably have thought yesterday's run an impossible pipe dream.

It IS very different running outside, so don't be so hard on yourself at not having made the transition instantly. When you go out for your next run, go slower!!! Pacing is not easy and is something the treadmill will have been doing for you. Start running at what feels a natural pace, then rein it in a little. If you start feeling tired, rein it in some more, but keep going. It would probably help for your first couple of runs if you could run with someone, so that you could match your pace to theirs. Don't give up! You will 'get' it. Just keep telling yourself, slow is good!! You can speed up later.

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to agedsnailspace]

aww thank you agedsnailspace.

thats great encouragement just what was needed .

and well done to you!!

its been suggested to either go back a coupke of weeks and try this outside, or repeat week 6, or another was graduate on the treadmill and then wen finshed go outside and do some runs walks to build up again. Im really torn now whats the best thing to do? any suggestions would be really appreciated.

and thanx again for your great advice

[runswithdogs Graduate in reply to sarahjayne1972]

Why don't you do both? Run two of your runs on the treadmill and one outside per week. You could go back to an earlier week for your outside run and still maintain your momentum on the inside ones. That way you can still enjoy the progress you've made on the treadmill, as well as building up your skills for the outside.

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to runswithdogs]

aww great idea thanx runwithdogs. thanx I think I will do this. thanx again n well done to you.

[agedsnailspace Graduate in reply to sarahjayne1972]

I think the idea of combining the two is a great idea, but just remember not to push too hard either outdoors or inside on the treadmill (don't feel you now have something to prove on the treadmill!).

I really do think that once you really slow down outside, you will find that you can do it and once you have confidence in that, you can play around with your pace, running faster to the next lampost, then slowing down again, for example. Listen to what your body is telling you and anytime you are struggling, run through little check lists:-

1) slow down a little

2)check you are not running hunched over - stretch up tall and push those shoulders back and down (this opens up your chest and makes breathing much easier!)

3)feel how fast your heart is beating (until I had a heartmonitor, I always got this wrong! My head would tell me my heart was about to explode, but then if I counted, it really wasn't working that hard... those gremlins will get you every time if you let them)

4)concentrate on your arms for a count of 50 (driving your arms forwards and back will drive your legs - concentrating on your arms takes your mind off thinking your legs can't keep going; invariably, they can)

5)pick a target a little way ahead and keep going just that far before you think about whether you absolutely must stop again

6)slow down even more, but keep putting one foot in front of the other!

I'd be tempted to run W6r1, just for a confidence builder and then go back to week 7 (after all, week7 = 3x W6r3). Definitely still take your rest days though. You need those to give yourself time to recover.

It's a lovely time to run outdoors (though I would suggest you avoid times of day that are too hot) and if you get a chance, try running in the pouring rain - it really is the best feeling ever!

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to agedsnailspace]

thank you sooo much

thats actually sound advice. thanx all again.

[Pamchopslim Graduate]

I'm much slower outside! I've found a great outdoor surface to "run" on that's a very well kept community football pitch. It's very springy and flat whilst I build up (on week 5). Now I'm outdoors do not want to go back in again! X

[minsterjane Graduate]

I started off on the treadmill and moved outside on about week 5. It certainly is different and I found the most difficult thing was finding the right pace. As everyone says, go slowly. Maybe you are running faster outside or there may be more of a gradient than you realise. I found that after a couple of outside runs I did get used to it and it is much more enjoyable so I would say keep going but slowly slowly slowly! It might help your confidence to repeat a week but its not a race to finish so take as much time as you need. You can do it. Good luck

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to minsterjane]

aww thank you loads of help. im going to stick to outside and im going to repeat wk 6 tomorrow. thanx for the great advice thanx

[Angie-Tap Graduate]

I started on a treatmill as I was too embarrassed to run outside. Once the weather improved I went outside I think it was about week 5. It is so different from the treatmill and I struggled I was going too fast I learnt to take notice of my breathing if I started to struggle to breath it ment I was going too fast and had to slow down. I now struggle to run on the treadmill as its so different to running outside also Its so much better. so don't give up, slow down and get use to the new way of running repeat a week as often as it takes until you feel comfortable ( I did) I graduated two weeks ago outside so it can be done. I wouldn't running every day. The main thing is to go slow and enjoy it.

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to Angie-Tap]

thanx angie tap

well done to you.I will keep trying thanx again.

[JuliaM72 Graduate]

You've had lots of good advice on here. I find running outside a total mare compared to my treadmill but my friend finds it the opposite however she hasn't graduated yet! The way I look at it is when I go out and do my ten mins walk for 30 secs on min then run again for ten. Think back to before you started the programme and think how far you could run then. Anything is an achievement and if you can smash it on the treadmill keep doing that and maybe one or two runs a week outside. Don't let it beat you but don't see it as a fail you are still out there doing it! Best of luck and keep up the good work

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to JuliaM72]

aww thank you juliam72

and well done to you!!

I think im going to do both like you said. im not giving up!!

I will do both and hopefully complete it.

thanx so much for your great advice. everyone has helped me so much thanks to you all i really

do appreciate it. Thank you all.

[JuliaM72 Graduate]

I know you've had loads of great advice, this forum is fab for keeping you motivated. Just hope you stay on track but didn't want you to feel you failed. It's one small blip in a long journey. Hang in there you'll beat it before you know it

[sarahjayne1972 Graduate in reply to JuliaM72]

aww thank you juliam72

thanks for your advice , been so helpful and given me a boost so thanks again

[Xonica Graduate]

It is so much harder running outside, all those little gradients you're not even aware of, I think there's a certain element of self conciousness too ( for me anyway ) I tend to try and nt run as slow as I prob should to not look like a tit haha. Just take it slow, run when you're feeling good, sometimes when you force yourself outside and you're not feeling the best is can bum you out by culminating in a bad run. Don't give up though, you'll fall in love with outdoor running eventually xx