I know we don't use the F word

[Cgar]

I need to take the positives and learn from my mistakes. and there are a few lessons to be learned from today's effort. I went out for my W6R1 run. I know others have said this was tricky but I didn't understand why. After all I have run for 20 minutes straight. In fact I had done 20 minutes straight three times as my Monday evening running mates had missed a week so we went back and repeated. So surely W6R1 would be a breeze?

Not quite. First I don't think I prepared enough. I was planning to go out this evening, but saw it was due to rain so switched to an afternoon run. I hadn't drunk enough water, and I indulged in leftover chocolate. So off I went, warm up walk was fine. The run started. And my competitive streak took over. I wanted to see how much further I could run in 5 minutes compared to earlier efforts. Pick up the pace. What could go wrong?  

The pace was good, but I was a bit out of breath when the walk started. Then the 8 minute run. I started a slower pace, but then the stitch came. i tried to run through it, but it was too much. I had to stop and walk home.

I will try again on Wednesday, starting slower and keeping steady. I will do this. 

[wez70 Graduate]

Aw hey! It feels really disconcerting when you have your first 'bad' run doesn't it? But I learned very quickly that no run is a bad run. I know you've heard that before but some days, we just aren't up for the job and we have no idea why. Since graduating in January I've had plenty of good days and a handful of not so god day s as I call them now. I ran 8k this morning and know for a fact that in the next couple of weeks I'll set out and pack it in before I even hit 10 minutes ... just the way it goes sometimes.

Week 6 for some reason is a tricky beast ... perhaps we kid ourselves that because we conquered the first long run with no walking that that's it ... we're there. But these last weeks until graduation will get better, you'll feel stronger and your mindset will then tell you that the freedom to plan routes, times and other goals is within reach so don't be disheartened ... slow is the word and for me, it's never been about speed, just building stamina as I'm now heading for a 10k in June which I never thought in my wildest I'd ever even contemplate when I first began. Well done for getting out there and good luck for your next outing ... sure it will be fine

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

It's amazing how many people trip up over these runs ( not literally hopefully😏)

I think it's over confidence after the euphoria of week 5 run 3.

Put it down to experience and go out nice and slow and steady next time and you will be fine. Good luck!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Lots of folk finding this a tricky time...check out the posts!

Tuck it away... focus on the distance you have come... 

Next time out...slow and really steady...go with it.

Be positive, be patient... above all be persistent...You can do this

[Celtprof Graduate]

I've been there-last week! It really unsettled me as I felt so good about running for twenty minutes. You'll definitely do it next time as you clearly know what to do differently. Good luck! 

[vivster Graduate]

Complacency can definitely be a problem, I think. Having heard the wk 6 horror stories, I was cautious on runs 1 and 2 (which were fine) and then just sort of hurled myself at run 3 and crashed and burned at 18 minutes. I intend to be slower and more strategic tomorrow when I give it another go.

I also read a couple of C25k blogs before I started, and a couple of people reported that once they cracked 20 mins, then 25 was a breeze. This hasn't been the case for me, but I had assumed it would be.