Week 5, run 3. Done, sort of!: That was hard... - Couch to 5K

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Week 5, run 3. Done, sort of!

JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10Graduate
13 Replies

That was hard work.

I was OK until 10 minutes in and when she said "you're fit enough to do this, it's all mental now" made me think "who am I kidding, I'm not really fit enough, this is really hard even though I'm going so slow". I had to slow right down to a walk for 5-10 seconds to catch my breath then and once more with 5 minutes to go. The last two minutes were the longest of my life and the music was so SO boring that I was just thinking about how much longer I had left because I wanted to be done with it!!

If it's a struggle should I redo the week or carry on?

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JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10
Graduate
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13 Replies
Qscout profile image
QscoutGraduate

I would say carry on. you DID finish the run so you can do it.

week 6r1 is back to intervals. What you have done is a major step 20 mins, continual running.

Trust the programme, you will be amazed at what you body can do. If in doubt, take an extra day rest before starting wk 6.

no-excuse profile image
no-excuseGraduate

Well done, that is a great run to get done. I would only repeat runs that you don't do not the ones you have. Carry on with the programme you are doing really well! X 😊

JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10Graduate

thank you both, bring on week 6 in that case!!

Carry on, that 20 min run is a key turning point , you did it 😊well done 

mudrunner profile image
mudrunnerGraduate

Carry on! I still find most runs a struggle but can now run for 5.5km without dying. I completed the speed podcast this morning and although it was a 'short' run I could hardly walk during my warm-down walk. That mental hurdle of 20mins is huge! Well done.

JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10Graduate

It was a huge hurdle and a turning point but I don't feel elated like so many of us seem to, I feel like a bit of a fraud and I'm not really sure why!!

IcanandIwill profile image
IcanandIwillGraduate

You did it. No repeat. I  think you only need to repeat if you stop or walk. You didn't. You pushed through. ....that is your mental strength! 

Nick_Buddha_12 profile image
Nick_Buddha_12Graduate

Jenny well done you did it, I will do my W5R3 on Sunday and will lt you know how I get on

trust the programme and keep at it  :-)

JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10Graduate in reply to Nick_Buddha_12

Thanks Nick, good luck for tomorrow :-)

secan profile image
secanGraduate

It *was* all mental. A pause of 5-10 seconds is too short for any actual physical recovery; it is a mere psychological relief.

Just focus and trust in yourself; you can run all the 20 minutes without stopping. In fact, you can run non-stop for 30 minutes and more.

JennyH10 profile image
JennyH10Graduate in reply to secan

Thanks Secan! I didn't think I was going to struggle to do this psychologically but it has been more of a challenge than I expected. I think this has been a big turning point for me, I've just come back from w6r1 and i nailed it, felt fantastic and new fastest pace too! I was astonished!! :-)

Abcd50 profile image
Abcd50

So glad to hear this because week 5 for me coming up and I thought there must have been a mistake in the app! 20 MINUTES!!😱

Just had a really good wk4 run 3 though so here goes!🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Renaeruby profile image
RenaerubyGraduate

Same here last 2 mins I was shouting cmon cmon call the time .

People must of thought I was mad..

I'm not fast at running but trying not to put the pressure on myself.

Keep going and I have repeated each week x 5 runs then moved up to next week but as each run is different on week 5 I am unsure of what to do but think I am going to go to week 6 now

Good luck

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