Today was a bad day. Week 4 I hate you already

[dipdab]

So Ive been stressing about the step up from week 3 to week 4 and I knew it was bugging me as even on the warm up walk my breathing wasnt right. Definitely not a good start.

Got through the first uphill 3 minutes but only 90 seconds to recover? I was praying it was a joke but sadly it wasnt off again, for 5 minutes this time, my dog almost trips me up twice by randomly stopping, he obviously isnt used to so much jogging either. This 5 minutes was mainly downhill, sounds easy but gravity wanted me to go faster so took a lot of effort not to go too fast. Got to the end and was feeling pretty chuffed, 2 1/2 minute recovery, I was thinking, I got this, what was I worried about.

Next three minute run and early on I feel my legs starting to get wobbly, my muscles are not used to this and are complaining like mad. This 3 minutes is definitely longer than the first one, it has to be, or did I miss the voice telling me to stop running? The voice appears as Im thinking this so guess there was no mistake, but there is no way I can do another 5 is all I can hear the gremlins chanting.

The next 90 second rest was over before I knew it and im told to start my next 5 minutes, I start a very slow shuffley jog and honestly it was a battle not to cry. My legs did not want to do this and it was messing my breathing, the half way message arrives and the gremlins were screaming at me to give up and collapse in a sobbing heap right there on the pavement.

But I didnt, I finished the 5 minutes, and the cool down, and instead collapsed on my sofa with a bottle of water, very wobbly legs and a stupid grin.

[Cuig1975]

Oh well done 5 mins of my run today were holy hell try thinking about these posts it gets me through, oh and those grinning moments, I'd swear people think I'm crazy on that 5 min cool down

[Bluenicoli]

I had exactly the same thing on that second three minutes, thinking I'd missed to the cue to stop running. Wishful thinking on both our parts! Well done for getting through it!

[Midspur Graduate]

Yay, you did it!! Excellent.

Stop thinking about it though.

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Sounds terrible. I promise the next one will be easier.

[dipdab]

Im actually feeling much more confident about the rest of the week. Yes I was wobbly, but physically I did manage it. It really was the gremlins I was battling with more than my legs, and now I know I can do it, they dont have the same power for the next two runs.

Now Ive had a chance to digest it all, im so proud that being the girl that didnt manage all the 60 second runs three weeks ago, Ive now ran 5 minutes straight, and 16 minutes in total. Thats a lot of progress

[Hidden]

Brilliant well done ! I have a cheesy grin after my good runs now but you must have had a real good one to finish with a stupid grin. Stupid grin beats a cheesy grin every time.

Just like you most went through some pain in legs etc. to get through it. When my legs ached and had moments of doubt I would ask myself "Why am I doing this ?" . Then I would kick in the carrot and stick thoughts "You're legs ached last time worse than this get on with it you wuss!" . Or "Just think of the shame of telling everyone you gave up. What lame excuse will you give ?". Or finally " You've lost weight , feel good and all those people telling you how good you look. You're so vain you can't give it up".

I'm sure you can think of plenty of reasons to keep it up.

How can you get through life without a cheesy or stupid grin!

And it does get easier.

[Flossie22 Graduate]

Really well done! I often wonder how many of us are out there running the C25K now and then with silly grins on our faces! Great job

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done! The achievement is all the sweeter when it's been hard.

[Runfromfat]

At the same point as you, and did my first run of week 4 yesterday !! Your very good description describes exactlly what was going through my head at the same time. Let's hope it gets better !!

[dipdab in reply to Runfromfat]

Got my next run tomorrow, my little girl is poorly with a virus so we are just back from out of hours and its snowing so expecting another tough run. Hope you are getting ok, ill post an update once ive completed wk4r2

[ScottishHoosier Graduate]

Well done!!! You should be so chuffed with yourself for toughing it out!

[Lon70 Graduate]

Well done. You did it. Trust the programme and do it at your own pace and you will succeed. It seemed impossible when I started the journey but like many others here I did it and so will you. Focus on your success and don't think about future runs as they will seem difficult but it is incremental and you will get there.

[Couch5k]

Well done you, I start week 4 on Monday,bit worried as my knees are quite sore and keep hoping they will get better! Really enjoying the sense of achievement after each run but week four is a big step up