I'm writing this after a particularly difficult series of three runs last week doing Week 7.
Although I achieved them, it was touch and go and I really struggled. I was still having trouble regaining my breath after the 5 minute warm down. I take weekends off from C25k so should do my first Week 8 run on Monday but I wondering whether I should stick to 25 minutes until I can do it without so much effort?
I remembered that up to Week 7 I still had energy enough to "up it" in the last minute but I barely had enough to finish the 25 minute runs never mind turning the wick up!
One part of me wants at least to try Week 8 but the bit of my brain which doesn't accept failure wants to stay in safe pastures until I'm guaranteed to make the 28 minutes.
Anyone been in that position and what did you do?
Thanks folks!
Written by
Tractorman
Graduate
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Its very much a psychological challenge as well as a physical one now. Dont listen to any gremlins saying you may not do it, quash those thoughts and tell yourself you can SO do it.
The graduates on this site have been through these doubts and come out the other side, even us older ones! If we can do it then you can! Believe in yourself, we believe in you!
Slow down right from the start, and stay slow. Pick a nice flat route. Rest, eat well, forget the alcohol for a while........,its amazing the difference this can make. Make sure you are hydrated.
Its only a couple of extra minutes each run and Laura has prepared you for this. So run week 8, whats the worse that can happen? You may need to repeat a practice run, so what, every run helps stamina and strength.
Come on runner, we are with you on completing these final two weeks 😀✋🏼👍🏼🏃🏻🏃🏻♀️
You did the runs and even pushed hard so you passed the test. Week 8 and even 9 are not harder so I would keep going. Only suggestion is that I steadied up and focussed on run time only, speed can be worked on later and the programme is pushing you with increasing run times, but it does not give extra points for going faster. I think avoiding injury is crucial as your legs become accustomed to the changes. A shin issue, a twisted ankle or damaged knees would take many weeks to sort out and I think slow and steady wins the race. Of course, we all have different goals but I would maybe work on those post graduation? Very well done for passing week 7, graduation is in sight! 😀
You can do it. You ran for 25 minutes nonstop even though it was hurting. You know you can do this. My only advice would be to run a bit slower. It's not about running as far as you can as fast as you can in the time, at this stage it's just getting your body used to running for a length of time. I have learnt this lesson myself this week. I graduated a while ago and this week I discovered if I starting running just a fraction slower I could run for 55 minutes easily instead of 45minutes feeling exhausted and miserable.
I think you should slow your pace down so that you still have "something left in the tank." I don't think you need to re-do week 7. It's mind over matter, most of the time, in my opinion, so if you go off slow and steady, keep telling yourself you can do it, think about your breathing, your running technique, your arms, etc. and before you know it, you'll have completed 28 minutes! Good luck on Monday and happy running to you.
It is very, very common for people to have some tough runs at this stage. And that's not a bad thing, getting a disagreeable run under your belt before graduation means you have the resources in place not to get freaked by them because they will happen.
There is also a conscious or unconscious panic about graduating - what then, you have to decide what to do next, it is all up to you and this is (or should be) for life... no wonder it makes us wobble a teeny bit and mentally back off.
Slow it down! How did you feel after the last run of week 6? That was 25 minutes too. It may just be the difference in the music tempo. Definitely go for the week 8 run. Or, if you need the safety net of week 7, run with the week 7 podcast and just try and tack the extra 3 minutes on the end of it. Whatever and however you do it, every run is a run😊
Slow and steady and move on to week 8 would be my advice. If you are out of breath, you are going too fast and, at this stage, there is no need to "up it" at the end.
I agree with the all the above posts Tractorman ..Week 8 next. There is no reason not to, its only three more minutes you can manage that.😊
Now you are doing the longer runs its more important to run REALLY slowly at the start of your run as your body takes on extra oxygen for the exertion. You may then find after about 8 mins you relax a bit and may have a bit left in the tank at the end. Also extra rest days in between may help..you are a proper runner now..
Hi kcorea, I think you'll find you're on the wrong forum - this one is all about running. You are subscribed to a part of healthunlocked dedicated to a specific health problem.
Well, I'm no expert on Healthunlocked but I clicked on your username and it shows you are a Member of a Community called sruk. This is the web address:
It says "Scleroderma & Raynaud's UK (SRUK), the only UK Charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with Scleroderma and Raynaud's phenomenon"
You have posted a question in their forum 17 days ago "Burning spots on body (fingers and upper body)" which has had two replies. You have "hidden" the post so I cannot see them but you will have access to them if you log into that Community.
Thank you for your interest I would like to know health problems like mine There are many problems out there Thank you again I will look forward to hearing from you
Thanks for all the responses, they DO make a difference. To prove it, I am now committed to starting Week 8 tomorrow. Sunday is a "dry day" for me so I should be good tomorrow morning - and I think I'll return to my original route that I was running before week 7. I only changed it as it was a suggestion on the podcast but there is one short but quite significant hill on my new route and I think it was probably expecting too much of me to deal with an extra 5 minutes and the incline without having issues. I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow.
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Good luck on Monday and happy running to you.
Slow but sure , week 7 done
Week 1 Rerun 
Struggling with week 7
Week 7 - What a mission!
