Getting Serious - Week 5 Run 2

Ah week 5 you have arrived, and first things first you will be told how things are getting serious this week - Laura is not lying!

Recently I have had to take longer than two days between runs/jogs simply because life has been in the way. With my partners birthday and both sets of parents visiting, plus a one day trip to the beautiful Peak District there hasn't been much time for rest.

Anyway, back to running. After some poor packing on my part and a quick dash to Argos to buy some cheap headphones after arriving back down South later than planned I begrudgingly threw on my running gear. But the days had stacked up and so had my excuses. I completely missed what Laura was explaining in the warm up as I was hating my new headphones (I like being able to use the controls on the cord on my usual pair alas the cheap ones will do!).

However, missing the instructions kind of worked in my favour, I had read on here roughly what run 2 entailed and convinced myself it was a 5 minute run, walk, followed by an 8 minute run and then cool down. I was wrong! It was when it was nearing on the first 5 minutes that Laura stated that's halfway I twigged it was 8 minutes of running. Usually this would send me into a panic but I had paced myself well and only had to really push through in the final minute.

Overall, I felt good but my left knee is still starting to niggle a little whilst running. Not to the point where I think I should stop but I am aware its starting to appear. Plus I am unsure whether the first signs of a cold are starting to show, which I seem to have been battling off for a while now as my energy levels all round are low and well you know the first signs of a cold - lets not be graphic here!

Now do I face run 3 (I am not confident about this AT ALL) or repeat run 1 and 2 for some confidence boosting?!? Decision time soon!

[Lee337 Graduate]

Hiya Bones!

I have just completed week 4 and will be starting my week 5 after my rest day tomorrow and I am also not confident at all about run 3 of week 5! I really cannot see myself running for a whole 20 minutes non-stop!!

If I were you, I would simply go for it and see how you get on. If you really cannot complete it successfully, then have a rest day and attempt it again, and so on until you do complete it successfully. That's what I will be doing anyway.

I'll be interested to see if you do attempt it and indeed if you actually manage to complete it successfully. That will certainly give me a bit of a confidence boost if you do.

All the best with it!

[Hidden in reply to Lee337]

I think I am going to give it a shot, so far the program hasn't failed me. But should it take some repetition then that's what it takes. Hopefully I can get myself in the right mind-set before attempting it. But so far I am finding that I am recovering quicker than previously and don't feel like I'm dying as much when I face the dreaded hill in my run.Though I am having to extend my rest days a little in order for my calf muscles to recover.

Good luck - I look forward to hearing how week 5 goes for you!

[McFitty Graduate]

Aha, the battle of the mind! The fear of failure and that damnable "I'm really not sure I can do this" gremlin, they play havoc with our confidence! Good advice from Lee337 ... If it turns out to be a 'practice' run, so be it, you try again. But if you start slow, keep it slow and ignore the "I can't do it voices" you will be amazed at what you are capable of. Good luck

[Hidden in reply to McFitty]

Thanks for the encouragement, I am aiming for Friday as run day. Hopefully there will be tears of joy! Plus, that both my mind and knee pull me through!

[misswobble Graduate]

I would face run 3! You have come this far so are ready

Have faith in the programme and yourself.

You'll enjoy it. If you are getting niggles it means your body is sitting up and taking notice. Hopefully nothing serious and you can keep going steadily through the programme

If you have the sniffles you are ok. Anything above the neck and you're good to go.