Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster here.
So today I ran the second run of week 5, although I made it through the first of the 8 minute run , I only made about 4 minutes into the second. I had completed the first run of week 5 two days earlier, but have to admit I have enjoyed neither of them.
Has anyone else felt disheartened around week 5, and if so any advice on banishing these new found gremlins? I have felt great after every run so far, however exhausted I may have been, and I am not willing for the gremlins to get the better of me now!
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Feliiicia
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Hi, welcome to the forum! I do think this is where the gremlins can start to kick in...if you let them! You have to really put your faith in the programme and believe Laura when she says you can do this! Also, remember it's ok to repeat runs and even weeks, better this than struggling on to the following week when your body's not ready. Just keep getting out there regularly (remembering those rest days) and I promise you today's doubts will one day be a thing of the past! Keep posting on here - it is great for support and when you are out there doing the hard bit, remember how good you will feel afterwards! Good luck😀👍😀!
Thank you Sandraj39! I am determined that the gremlins shall not win *flexes muscles*
I think the transition from interval runs to continuous means having to let go of the 2 more minutes, 1 more minute etc approach and instead to just go with the flow of the at times surprising song choices of Laura et al
Hi, welcome Feliiicia. I agree with everything Sandra has just said above and would like to add.. Try slowing down, sometimes we get to the middle stages and subconsciously speed up a bit. So when you think you are going slow, go even slower
Mentally, week 5 is massive and I think around week 5, I was not enjoying running and wondered if I ever would. By week 7, I was loving it again and even got over confident! All the running u have done to date has built up your stamina so that physically you can even run for 20 minutes! Just nice and slow, make sure ur breathing is slow.
The first 10 minutes of running are often the most challenging bit, so if you can get through the beginning, you will start to feel that you could plod on for a lot longer.
Don't give up now, grit your teeth and tick run 2 off your list. Running is fun, but sometimes it feels very hard, just press through the tough runs.
That is great to hear as week 7 seems a lot closer than 9!
Its my rest day today but I am itching to get out there tomorrow. Here's hoping for a second time lucky
Most has been said. As for the music well I found it was all part of the process. I quite liked 'Both feet on the ground' and Julie. I think they tracks were studied to have a beat which means that you don't run too fast at the beginning. Anyway good luck with weeks five and six. It's plain sailing afterwards
Having read many posts, there does seem to be a struggle at week 5. I was fortunate to avoid it as my hubby accidentally downloaded week 6 instead of week 5! Rather than give up I did week 6 twice before moving on to week 7. Just keep pushing throughand you'll be graduating in no time
Yes, I have been feeling disheartened too. You're doing much better than me!
I've just struggled through Week 4, and I didn't manage to do the whole 5 minutes running once. Most people on here seem to manage to 'keep up' with the programme, and the increases in running times, but I sometimes feel like I'm not getting much better each week.
I've decided to try W5R1, but I'll keep repeating it until I can do all the 5 minute runs (could be a long time). You actually made me feel better, that I'm not the only one who struggles to keep up. :/
Its cheered me right up that my plight has made someone else feel better! I think you have the right mindset for W5R1, it takes the pressure off if this one run doesn't feel like the be all and end all. My aim from the beginning has been to one day be able to enjoy the run so I can call myself a runner, and I don't think I'll be able to do that if I don't listen to my body!
I look forward to hearing more about your journey please do post about your progress in the forum. All the best!
Well done for trying to find a way forward. I was a non runner before c25k and think running very slowly was what got me through the increasing run times. Even if it is very slow, you are still running. Now I have graduated, I trot along nicely and can even run 6K, so from someone who slowed down to make it, you will get there. The other thing is breathing, nice and slow and deep, even starting to get increased oxygen into your body on the warm up walk, I am sure that helped me, come on, we r rooting for u!
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Week 5 run 2
Week 5 and hills 
Week 5 run 2 completed! 
Week 5 Run 1
Week 5 Run 3...
