Is THAT Irish-John running for eight minutes there???? No Way!!!! CAN'T be!!! (but it was ;) )

[Irish-John]

I somehow got it into my head that W5D2 would be my Waterloo. Even though I could not believe I had come this far (see my story - deformed feet etc) for some reason I had a sense of dread and pessimism about it. That 8 minutes run after only a three minute walk after the five run preceeding...wow, that's a lot, isn't it...especially if oyu have deformed feet, asthma, nocotine stained lungs etc etc etc.

I even kind of knew I was setting myself up for failure when I ate too 'just a little' much pizza last night. I also had to start my run an hour earlier than usual, and I did not sleep well...in other words, I have every excuse to fail....right....

Got up, outside temp only 82 so no excuses there, no rain and even the humidity not bad. Found myself delaying going out the door - where's my favourite Bandanna gone now!...where did I put the phone this time!...wonder if there is any word from....nope! If I 'just check my email for a minute' I absolutely know I won't go running this morning and most likely will quit altogether.

I think what I was most worried about was my lack of enthusiasm - no way was I going to get through this am but would I be able to keep my motivation up to keep trying it maybe for a couple of weeks until I could hit 'Did IT' and move on? And - worst of all - what if I never can reach it????

So - out the door, five minute warm up walk and I notice my breathing is pretty ragged already. Nerves are jangling over this even though I know that is stupid. Start running. A guy who obviously works out walking towards me with his wife and teenage kid. He looks at me with a smirk, says something to the others who then look at me and start smirking - wow! Like I don't feel bad already.

Get through the first five. Feeling better. Overlap the smirking three again while in the three minute walk, more smirks from them. Now the dreaded 8 minutes.

I kept forcing myself to slooooow down anytime my legs felt too heavy or breathing just too much. Slow slow slow while still making sure 'both feet off the ground at the same time at some point' as I alternated footfalls.

Overlapped the smirking trio again. Kid not smirking this time, looking at me a bit puzzled, wife not looking at me at all, Gymn guy looking at me with blank expression.

Dang! 'Slow downnn and walkkkkk' goes Laura! I did it!!! Eight minutes continous running! DANG!!!!

However - the last running stage of each day/section is usually the hardest to do - so, walk the five minutes and don't get too over enthusiastic...

Man...this is boring, I still have a minute to walk before running the five. I wonder if I shhould just...nope, TRUST THE PROGRAMME.

Start running. Minute four is a bit tough, minute five passes before I know it. I once more overlap the no-no longer-smirking-trio. I look Gymn guy dead in the eye and say 'Hope you are looking after your body now son, so you will be able to do what I just did at my age" and I smile congenially and leave them and all the smirking asshats behind me both physically and metaphorically.

And the icing on the cake. What now has me feeling like I ran the Boston Marathon? I was confused about time/distances but just now downloaded the stats' about my eight minute run.

I covered exactly - give or take one yard either side) - seven tents of a mile in eight minutes!!!! I am FLABBERGASTED! i had NO idea I was covering the ground at that rate. I honestly thought I was crawling around the circuit I do.

And during that run I was forcing myself to 'go really slow now pal - it's about time not distance and as long as you have both feet off the ground you can legitimatly call yourself a 'runner' " but feeling embarrassed at my sloth-like pace....

The First Revelation of Irish-John. WE CAN BE OUR OWN WORST SMIRKERS WHEN WE FORGET THE REAL REASON WE WANT TO DO THIS RUNNING PROGRAMME. (subtitled - 'Trust Laura, and Trust the Forumites who say 'slow down and slow down some more when it gets overwhelming' )

Thank you all, W5D3 next. I have a feeling it may take me a few attempts - but never again will I feel I will NOT attempt it and the whatever stages I get to

Would not be at this point without all the honest posts about how hard it feels sometimes, thank you for making me realise I am not the only person who feels like 'heart bursting, lungs ripping, head exploding' at SOME points

[John_W Graduate]

Love the write-up John!

Just to be clear, your W5R2 is

- 5 minute warm-up walk

- 8 minute run/jog

- 5 minute walk

- 8 minute run/jog

- 5 minute cool down walk

Yes ?

[Hidden in reply to John_W]

Yes that's 5 - 2. Did that a few days ago. Somehow @irishjohn seems to be doing more??

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Apparently 'my' C25K programme is different somehow? That is a bit upsetting!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Just checked - and the 5 -8-5-8-5 is next, that is W5D3, according to my version of C25K. Total bummer feeling I am not going through this with you all at the same pace

[Hidden in reply to Irish-John]

Oh no ! What are you using? I have the NHS C25K podcasts and W5R2 has 2x 8 min running and W5R3 is 20 mins.

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Well, all I know is it is called 'c25k' and I downloaded it to my Android in May here in the USA. Some of the posts on here that puzzled me a bit now make sense though - basically I think you all get a lot more feedback with yours, and a few 'added extras' ? Basically what I have is what turned out to be a rather unreliable gps readout for time/distance and some version of 'Laura' saying a sentence or two each run ('Good choice to run today' 'Your at the half way point' 'Keep going, your almost there' and of course the welcome 'slow down and walk!'' and such-like ) whatever - it has brought me this far and basically that is all that is important. The goal is the same, the times just a bit different - I think there are more intervals with this one than in yours, but shorter walk breaks or something.

Basically, I dang near expelled my lungs through my nose and mouth at the end of D1W1 while it felt like I was about to suction my pants up the other end of my body simultaneously. That was after the 5 minute walk and then 1 minute run +1.5 Minute walk (6 times) and while I was staggering along like Frankenstein on roller blades for the 5 minute cool down walk. That was June 1st.

So - we are all getting there, and the 'prime directives' are the same I think. Trust the program (as in don't miss those rest days in your enthusiasm, don't think you can skip or omit any stage) and SLOOOOW DOWNNNNNNN when it genuinely feels like you cannot go a step further 0 then slow down even more

I still find it hard to believe that a day is coming when I will run for thirty fie continuous minutes - but it will.

It sure as heck won't be within the '8 weeks' but from where I started - both mentally and physically - my 5 k will be as significant to me as winning the Marathon is to whoever does that (and I think I probably will have enjoyed it more too )

[Hidden in reply to Irish-John]

I think you are doing amazing. Your story is an inspiration to us all.

I started in March but then had nine weeks off after a calf tear sustained in 5-1 and then started all over again. The programme I have (and most on here ) is nine weeks long. I am about to start week 6 mow. I wouldn't worry yours is different - the principles will be the same and somehow we are turning into runners!!

I'm in Scotland and its wet and windy most of the time, but am surprised how I look forward to my runs. Like you, I always take the rest days and definitely run slow slow and more slowly!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for saying I'm an inspiration, I'm just glad I seem to be helping others do this the way I was encouraged and inspired to begin myself As to the difference, 'Our' c25K seems to be more nuanced than the one you all have there. Just checked both sites. Whereas you have a tougher program in that you start the week and continue with the same regime, we start the week and then ramp it up over the three days to reach the stage for that. It's much more incremental progress than yours but a faster progression. We do your last three weeks in our last four days WITH an extra five minutes running tacked on at the last day! So - I guess it is a case of 'six of one, half a dozen of the other' and we truly are all in this together Thank you HilaryC and will follow your progress

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to John_W]

No, my C25K programme for W5D2 was 5 min warm up, 5 minute run, 3 minute walk, 8 minute run, 5 minute walk, 5 minute run, 5 minute cool down. I thought they were all the same, no?

[John_W Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Correct, they're not all the same. But I really wouldn't worry about it John. Just keep going, you're doing great!

If you're interested, have a look at the NHS C25k Livewell site. You'll see the differences for yourself. W5R3 in the original is a 20 minute run, no walking break Just the 5 minute warm-up & cool-down walks as bookends.

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to John_W]

Hmm - I don't hit that until w7D1. W6D1 is 5-10-5-10-5. So it looks like over here we build up slower but finish more intensely? Wonder why they switch it all around, you would think if it has the same name it would be the same program. I'm going to stick with what I have until I 'graduate' but then I think I will attempt the same 5k to 10K you all seem to be on. Kind of a downer that I feel now I am running 'on my own' because this Forum sure helps me keep cheerful about it all, but on the other hand maybe a bit more motivation to 'graduate' and THEN be in the same boat for the 10 K challange

[dddd4 Graduate]

I enjoyed running and walking along with you as I read your post. You can do it and you will get there. Yep slow and slower but that's how we achieve it and there is a long future after graduation to do something about speed if we want to.

[Cairokitten Graduate]

Well done and yes TRUST THE PROGRAMME!! It has got millions of people off their bums and running. We all have our doubts and hard runs, and our dark moments when we think we won't be able to do it. But the truth is, with enough determination, you will do it. I nearly fell at the final hurdle (Still struggling post) but have found a way to carry on and I hope to graduate tomorrow (fingers crossed). Glad you overcame your feelings about the silly man and his family. After all, you overtook them how many times?!!

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Great post and I love the way you handled the smirking trio! You have a great attitude that will get you through to graduation. Enjoy the ride!

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Doesn't matter which path you follow - you'll get there. You're doing just great . You dealt so well with your Smirkers. It helps that you lapped them several times - I can always think of what I should have said about 5 minutes after the event!

[melly4012 Graduate]

John, this is brilliant!!! Great post and some wonderful observations about the programme, the progress and the motivation. This forum got me through in exactly the same way and it's cyclical in that the advice keeps getting recycled to newer runners. It's great after graduation to see others who posted when starting finish the programme and begin to offer advice themselves! This will be you soon!!

Don't worry about the programme being slightly different. As you say we all reach the same point - and that is being a well and truly addicted runner! I don't even need to tell you to ignore and not worry about the idiots you encountered on your run as you already wiped the smirks from their faces with your actions!! So many well dones to you!!!!!!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to melly4012]

Thank you - and it's great to see the Graduates remember where they came from Runners are GOOD people

[pinkangel16 Graduate]

Funny and inspiring. You're doing amazingly well there John.

Two years on And I so remember the worry and doubt, yes the nerves too! It's all part of the journey I guess.

But it works, so stick with it. Good luck with the rest and I look forward to following your progress 😄🏃👌💨

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to pinkangel16]

Thank you ☺

[Mimoblade]

what app do you use to download the stats?

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Mimoblade]

It wasn't an App Mimoblade but one of those Watch-things a friend loaned me and did all the vodoo on to get the info from the thing to an email to me. I am a bit of a technophobe so just being able to manage the C25K app is a milestone (no pun intended ) for me. I can ask them what it is they have if you like though

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

PS - I was going my the GPS mapping that comes with my version of C25K, it is a different one in the USA, but it is totally unreliable. It seemed fine the first week or two but then the time/speed it was recording got screwier and screwier. Basically i am now content that I am indeed running faster than I was walking which I was concerned about. If I manage the 5k in the thirty minutes at W8D3 I will be rather surprised to put it mildly - but I am getting more and more confident that I will at least be able to run continuously for the thirty minutes, even though it probably will take me a number of attempts before I can hit 'Did It' for that stage, and that will be a MAGNIFICENT feeling

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Well done Irish-John, got goose bumps reading about your run... you smashed that 8 mins and showed that family what you are made of.Great stuff.

Doesn't matter that your c25k differs from the NHS Livewell one.. just do it! We will still be happy to read about your trials and successes as we have all been through it. Keep running and keep posting. Onwards and upwards.😊

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thank you Jan, I will just have to keep in mind that the stages are different so I don't mislead anyone who is reading my posts and thinking they apply to the stage they are at - but apart from that, we are indeed all on the same road and it is really supportive to hear from people who are further along and can report back that progress is eminently possible