Hi- I have been so enthusiastic up to now, but Week 7 was really tough (my asthma has been playing up big time). My confidence has gone right down (which is crazy really as the idea of even running 20 minutes a few months ago was ridiculous...)
Has anyone else been through this? I am covering only about 4km including my two five minute walks, how far do you guys cover by this point?
Sorry for being a Debbie Downer.
Only 4K ?..🙂 That is an amazing achievement. That's more than I could manage at your stage. I really struggled with week 7 and fell into the trap of trying to compare my progress with others. Last night, I managed 5.7k in less than 40 mins and am chuffed. There are others with much faster times but who cares. Hang in there, it's worth it😇
I'm still on 4km after graduating including my 5 minute warm up and cool down walks, so don't get discouraged; you're doing brilliantly 
I found week 7 the hardest week of all. Keep going as next week you will be so close to graduating it will seem much more manageable. Don't worry about speed or distance yet, just keep plodding through until you can do the 30 minutes non stop. Some people can do 5k upon graduation, most can't, stop trying to compare yourself to others, this is your running experience and your future, you will start to enjoy it more soon.
Have read that running is beneficial to asthmatics in time, are you using your inhaler before you start?
You won't really lose anything if you have a short break if you need it. Your distance is OK, but you don't need to do 5k to complete the programme, just to be able to run constantly for 30 mins by the end, remember to keep your speed down, as you could make it harder by going too fast and try and avoid hills while doing c25k. Well done with what you've achieved already, not far from graduation, try and keep it there! Good luck!😊
Yes, I have just been to the asthma nurse and have a new regime... I think it is the pollen at the moment! Thanks for the words of encouragement
"only about 4k" - Wow - 4k! How many K did you do 7 weeks ago?
I find running, particularly this late in the program is far more about mental gremlins (self-doubt specifically) than it is about physical fitness.
You have earned the right to call yourself a week 8 runner because of all the prep work and runs you have done up to this point. Nothing and nobody can take that away as it is a fact.
My advice - stop focussing on how you feel and rely on the facts that you have done everything you need to do to succeed, you just need to keep going.
As for asthma, yeah, that does change things slightly. I don't suffer from that so I can't really offer anything. If you need to stop you need to stop.
Ultimately, it would be far far better for you to do week 8 with walks when necessary than sit on the couch - it is really really hard to give up that couch :-).
You are doing brilliantly well. Seriously, look how far you have come. All you need to do is take that decision to get out, relax, take a deep breath and then one foot after the other.
You can do this. We have all been there and have done it.
Go on Debbie Downer, become a Victor Victorious. (yeah, I struggled for a better name there :-))
Thank you, all those things are true!! I think the pollen has made the asthma worse, but I need to remember how far I've come and relax!! I will be a Victor Victorious!!!
Just try and relax a bit. This is not a race so chill out. Hang loose and have some fun with it. It's about getting off the couch and doing some walking with a bit of running thrown in. So what if you don't get to 5k in 9 weeks? No-one minds and neither should you
Just hang in there. Go nice and steady and you'll be fine. Let us know how you get on with your next run.
If it's any consolation - and it should be - you have done the hardest parts. Actually starting the programme and completing week 6 are the toughest bits and you've overcome those. Come on, you can do this!
Thanks Miss Wobble, you are right, it is not a race! I am now mid-week 8 and although it is still hard, I know that it is getting easier each time and am motivated to carry on! It's great to have such encouraging replies
I really struggled with Week 7 and didn't enjoy it at all. Gave myself a good talking to before starting Week 8. Like you, I reminded myself of what had been achieved so far and got back the 'can do' attitude. I'm still only running around 4K in 30 minutes but try to push on to 5k after that.
You will get there but it really doesn't matter, as others will tell you, the aim is to run for 30 minutes by the end of the programme regardless of distance.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks, all very true, and actually 4k is pretty amazing when you think about how far most of us could run to begin with!
Week 8 is only a small step up and it's really all about consolidation now - getting stronger all the time. Please don't worry about distance - few of us complete the programme running 5k. You're doing fine!
I agree with all the above!! Some days are good, some less so, but even the less good ones are the better than the couch. 4K is excellent - I don't measure, but at my pace (to borrow a brilliant quote from 90ldfinch from a reply some weeks ago, a "Really, really slow shuffle forwards"), I'm sure I do much less than that. But it's at least 25 minutes! You're doing great.
Thanks just running for that long is so good! Thanks for the encouragement.
You have done so well to get this far.... I'm also an asthma sufferer and it does make it tough..... Lots of pollen about at the mo, have you tried going out early in the morning?? It's better then as the air is clearer
Yes the pollen is evil! I have found going out later in the evening helps a lot... hopefully it will calm down soon!
Hi FranAndHen -I started week 8 on Monday and really struggled. The gremlins were out and I tried a new route - only to find I'd picked some major hills! I've got some busy work days ahead and am out of my usual routine, so even finding the time to keep going is tricky. One of my gremlins is telling me I'm nearly there but it's still hard work and that I won't be good at keeping going after I graduate. So I'm going to give myself a good talking to! I do find it helpful that I'm accountable to everyone on here. Hope your next run is a better one - keep us posted.
I think the benefits are so massive, hopefully you will find the time continue as you have made it this far! I will check up on how you're doing!
I have this morning run W9R3 and MapMyRun says I covered 4.5k including the walks, so you are doing really well!
I can honestly say my asthma is much better now than it was ten weeks ago. Do have an asthma review though if you are noticing a change, I did and their advice really helped.
Gremlins are hard to beat, I'm sure they will stay with me forever, but you do find ways of dealing with them and telling them to *** off!
Keep going, only two weeks left...
The thing I was forgetting is that it is not a race, and no one cares if I have to repeat week 9 until I get the 5km! Just running for so long is an achievement, you're right. I have upped my inhalers and hopefully that will help soon. Thanks for the kind words!
I think week 7 is tough and can be hard for some, especially if you have asthma I would imagine. However keep at it and have trust in the process, as it does work. The distance is not important at this point, it's the routine and following the plan laid out by Laura. You'll look back on week 7 as many of us have and thought it was tough, but managed to persevere to complete the program. Well done, keep at it and don't worry about distance for the time being
You're doing great. You need to think back to the first weeks, and how long you were able to run for then - and realise how far you've come already.
Week 8 run 3 done - feels weird
Any week 8 people out there feeling weak?!
Week 8 run 1 - feeling good
Week 8, feel inadequate!
Feeling like a massive fail ! Week 8 run 1
