I was doing really well, after slowing down I'd managed to get all the way through to week 9 without issue, but I've not been able to complete 3 consecutive 30 minute runs in nearly 3 weeks of trying.
Different reasons each time, breathing not right, foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain etc so I'm giving up for a week or so and will restart around week 7 or 8 next week.
It's very annoying as I was hoping to do a proper 5k at the end of last month and push towards a 10k for next month but it appears to be on hold for a while.
Not really any point to this post other than I am frustrated and needed to share
Hi Sadamski - be careful you distinguish between pushback from your body and pushback from your mind.
This training plan is as much, if not more about training your mind to believe you can run as training your body to actually run.
Reading your post, I would say it seems the 'gremlins' might be winning the fight. Frustration is inevitable really in this plan as you get the balance between pushing through the discomfort but backing off when you need to.
If it was me, I would take 2 or 3 days rest, then resume week 9 but going _really_ slowly. If, towards the end you still have a lot in your tank, then finish strong.
Going back to week 7 or 8 I think is admitting that you aren't a 'week 9 runner', but you are, you eared this. But, 30 minutes continual running is hard on your body, particularly if you are going too fast (which almost everybody is :-)).
There is no shame AT ALL in repeating a week or two if you need to, at all. In fact, it only shows your determination which is a good thing. However, don't let the gremlins overstate the challenge you are facing.
Dunno - up to you, and above all I would encourage you to keep going as you are, actually, doing really really well (how many others would have given up before now?!)
Reading your expectations however (a 10k only a month after a 5k) does lead me to think you are a bit optimistic, and therefore trying to achieve a 5k in 30 minutes. Take that pressure off yourself, run for 30 minutes however slowly you need to and then build up from there.
Hope this helps :-).
Hi Yatesco,
thanks for that.
I know I'm some way off 5k in 30 mins, i'm probably looking at 35-40 minutes for a 5k.
My intention after completing week 9 was to add a couple of minutes per week until I hit the 5k and go from there, but i've got stuck before that.
You are probably right about the gremlins getting the better of me and some of it being in my mind, but I just don't want to risk a niggle becoming more serious and putting me out of action for a while as I've done a couple of times in the past when I've started a fitness regime and gone at it too fast.
Discretion being the better part of valour and all that