Long before I started... that you do not *have* to do any poncy (sorry!) stretching immediately before you set off or straight after you finish. It was Laura starting and finishing with a 5 minute walk that encouraged me. (I do stretch now, just not as part of my run session... very occasionally my body tells me I need to stretch and that is invariably when I've run on a harder surface and skimped the walk bits of the sandwich)
I think (having taken a long time to work up to successfully completing Week 1), an extension of what we all say "Slower!" I started running because I found it too hard to sustain a brisk walk and on rather belated reflection I think one of my problems was *walking* too fast for *me*, not just running too fast. The key thing is keeping moving. I think I'd've appreciated earlier too the suggestion I got elsewhere, to take smaller steps if I was finding it tough going.
I don't think I'd've done it before starting but it was good to learn about big firm support knickers from this forum to stop the uncomfortable tummy wobbles.
The biggest thing I wish I knew when I started running, is that it's as much a mind game as a physical one. Even now I found the first 4 or 5 k. Difficult - my mind telling me all sort of untruths- I am injured, I hurt or I am tired. You are right the answer is to slow down, when you get that second wind, running is easy and glorious. Juicy ju calls it panthering
I just wish I had known how hard starting was, just keep going. Oh and the other thing I wish I had known. We all have bad runs. - mmmmm more mind games
I wish I knew that sickness delaying the infamous week 5 day 3 "20 minute" beast by at least a week is fine and that I will be able to complete it when I get better :-(. Sickness - boo.
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