Week 7 Day 1

[LoungeLizaard]

Hi Guys,

First the good, i've gone (literally) couch potato to now week 7 - I thought I was going great and completed each day and week first time. It was never "easy" but I kept going. I normally run on a treadmill (due to weather) and not to give myself the excuse that I can't go..... So my day 1's are Monday - 2 = Wednesday & 3 = Sat......

Week 6 day 3 I managed the 22 minutes and was really on a high. But when I came to do day 1 for week 7 (25 minutes) I really struggled and walked for 1 minute after 18 minutes..... It literally felt like my legs were dead and I just wanted to stop. I continued to the end of the 25 minutes, but I'm now dreading day 2 (tomorrow evening)....

I've downloaded different music to run too in case that was part of the problem (I've been playing the same playlist for 6 weeks!)

I'm just wondering if there are other things I can do or change - does it even matter? It just feels a bit like I cheated and let myself down.....

But to end on a positive - I'm 44, 6'4 & I've lost just over14 lbs - so it's not all doom and gloom..... Was just wondering what other experiences were and any advice is most welcome.

Thanks

Mitch

[sizexm Graduate]

Hi Mitch, and congratulations for your achievements up to now. We all have bad runs/bad week. I remember that I found week 7 really hard and took a while to complete it. You asked for advice, well, here are my two Eurocents: Don't worry, don't push yourself too hard. You may be running to fast, although it might not feel that way to you. Try different (slower) music or an audiobook/podcast for a change. I found that very helpful, because it makes it easier to find your own rhythm instead of following the music. Remember, this part of the programme is not about speed. Good luck and have fun!

[misswobble Graduate in reply to sizexm]

Could you have run out of steam due to lack of sustenance?

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Don't think so, on 'Run' days, I make sure that I'm well hydrated and have eaten sensibly.... could be sleep related??

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to sizexm]

Thanks sizexm, I have downloaded different music playlists, so will try those tonight, and also thought about slowing down, but I was running at the same pace (8.7km/hr) as 2 days prior, when I did the 22 minutes.

I'll let you know how it goes...... I'll just focus on keeping running, rather than the pace!

[Jop123]

Hi Mitch, I don't have a lot of experience and I'm on the injury couch at the moment, but I thought this might help. I had what I thought was a really bad run in the middle of one of the weeks, legs like lead, struggling for breath and just wanting to stop. I walked for maybe half a minute and started again, I thought I'd blown the whole thing and I'd never get it right. But speaking to friends who are runners they all told me it was in my head, the battle with running is as much mental as it is physical.

I know it sounds corny but it's true, believe you can do it and you will! It worked for me, I thought of it the other way and thought, Hey, I only walked for a minute out of the whole run and concentrated on what I had achieved instead of what I hadn't and it never looked back.

PMA Positive Mental Attitude - it will get you through!

Good luck.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Jop123]

Hi Jop, thanks. I'm a great believer in PMA - I use it on my kids all the time lol..... And yes, in the positive, I actually ran for 25 minutes (just in 2 intervals - 18 & 7 minutes....)

Thanks

[Saralexis Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Also for every 'bad' run you'll find you get a 'good' one- one day in the near future you'll fly through one and feel like you could do anything... Then the next day you'll want to die at ten minutes. Don't extrapolate from one run, just keep going.

Having said that if it *keeps* being hard then repeat week 6 or 7.

[misswobble Graduate]

The weather is not that bad! It's quite balmy out there today. I was out with the dog and boiling! I raced on Sunday in very few clothes. Once you get out there you soon warm up.

[wez70 Graduate]

Thank you Mitch and all of you for posting this! Started Week 7 on Monday and although it felt slow and tough, I'd done my fastest and best distance to date in those 25 minutes ... but just now I've failed miserably on my second run of the week having to stop at 15 minutes and walk/run the rest ... however ... not to be defeated, I'll write this week off with a 20 tomorrow, a 22 on Saturday and try this Week 7 again next week ... I've never managed to run outdoors for longer than a few minutes so can't give up now but nice to know others have struggled along the way ... still feeling grrrrr about it though

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to wez70]

Hey Wez,

The more i've spoken to those around me and read other blogs etc, the biggest single piece of advice seems to be "slow down"....

The whole community on here and other C25K sites are so supportive with advice and help..... "There is no such thing as a bad run" !!

One guy I work with said that in his running club, they regularly train in intervals of 10 or 20 minutes with a walk in the middle, as this is a good way to increase your overall endurance and distance.....

I have my W7D2 tonight, so will post how it goes....

[jojo57 Graduate in reply to wez70]

Wez, I'm in wk 7 and have found it the toughest so far. We'll get there!

[Jeleybelly Graduate]

we all have bad days, either heavy legs or can't catch your breath - doesn't mean for one moment the next run will be like that..

Knock it back to 8.5 next time - just a little slower - you can always put it back to your 'norm' if you're feeling good and strong

[wez70 Graduate]

Cheers both ... looking at my pace when hubs got home and uploaded it (he's the tech geek that 'manages' my programme!) I had taken off at a belting pace as you say and it finished me ... so, lesson learned ... try again ... good luck with your next outings

[LoungeLizaard Graduate]

I made it. Thanks to all you guys. I changed almost everything.....

- I ran at a slightly slower pace (8.4 km/hr)

- New playlist

- I hid the speed and time info on the display (on the treadmill)

- Broke the run down into a number of songs (I even kept running after the 25 mins to finish the song I was on)

- I ran at 8.45pm, so made sure that I'd had a protein snack at 4pm and was well hydrated throughout the day

Some of this I already knew, but most of all it was a culmination of good will and good advice (from you guys), and some of it is just a state of mind!

Was it easy? No. I did struggle towards the end, but thinking in terms of songs definitely seemed to help (only 1 more song to go!)

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. Next run is now on Saturday (another 25 minutes - W7D3) My next update will be next Monday (W8D1 - 28 minutes)

Cheers,

Mitch

[Lina_lou Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Hi there Mitch. Glad to hear you are back on form, I've just done W7R2 tonight. It felt like I was going at a snails pace but was actually faster than Tuesdays run....I was totally amazed!!!

I have a running partner and we motivate each other. Also, I found that a change in route helped too. Good luck for Saturday 👍

[wez70 Graduate]

Well, just completed Wk 7 Run 3 and managed it with a little to spare so I'm very relieved to say the least after Wednesdays disaster! Here's to Week 8 (!!!) and thanks to you all for the encouragement

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to wez70]

Yay!! Go Wez!!!

Think of me tomorrow! doing mine lol!

Massive congratulations! :):):)

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to wez70]

Hi all,

Just completed W7D3 and made it!! Like the previous run I finished the song I was on at that time, so also managed another 2 mins (27 total).....

Week 8 next week and 28 minute runs.... Slow and steady wins the race!!

I'm so happy, and can't believe just a few weeks ago I was struggling to run 3 minutes!! Maybe I'm a third miracle for mother Teresa!!! Stranger things have happened! (And maybe Harry Potter does exist!!)

Cheers guys

[wez70 Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Well done! So pleased you ended the week on a high ... here's to Week 8 for us and many others! Yay