Struggling with week 4.

[Ybism001]

Hi all,

Just a wuick question regarding week 4 of couch to 5k. To give a bit of background, i had surgery on my acl last year and have only jist gkt back to running. Unfortuantely in the year or so i was away from gym and exercise, ive put on a lot of weight.

Anyway, i recently started couch to 5k and ive got to the fourth week without much trouble. Yesterday when i tried the first workout of the fourth week, i found the first three minutes easy. the 5 minutes run was ok to start with but by the end i was seriously struggling. The break in between that and the next run meant the second three minutes was ok until the last 20 seconds or so. The last 5 minute run was completely impossible for me however - i ran about 45 seconds and just couldn't do any more. I was wondering whether anyone else has also struggled with that bit of the fourth week or any other week and how they got past it. Any answers appreciated.

Thanks.

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Was it a case of struggling for breath or having heavy legs?

If you are out of breath, the only effective advice is to slow down. During c25k you should be able to run an hold a conversation at the same time. If you cannot do that, you are going too fast. Try to slow the running intervals right down and it should be much easier.

[Ybism001 in reply to Dunder2004]

I think it was a bit of both - I've been back in the gym for around a month now and this is the first time I've struggled with anything this badly. I was out of breath towards the end of the five minute run and the second third minute run but I think I could have held a conversation at the same time. It was just that second five minute run which completely took it out of me.

[Shivani05 Graduate]

I found week 4 the hardest week of the programme. The jump from 9 mins of running to 16 mins was just too hard for me. I struggled through it (both times I did the programme), and the first time around I didn't even finish the last run of W4R3. I just moved on to week 5 and surprisingly that was a breeze! This programme does work. You just have to persevere. Slow and steady. Good luck!

[Ybism001 in reply to Shivani05]

I read a few other answers along those lines - skip week 4 and week 5 should be okay. But given week 5 is three intervals of five minutes, doesn't that mean I'd struggle even more with that seeing as I struggled with two five minute runs this week?

[Shivani05 Graduate in reply to Ybism001]

Don't skip week 4! Shuffle your way through it as best as you can, do it for 4 runs if necessary, but do it. Running for 5 mins is not the problem, its total running time. W3 is 9 mins of running and W4 is 16 mins. That's a significant jump. But W5 is 15 mins. Once you've suffered through W4, W5 isn't so bad because your total running time is almost the same.

[mustgetthin Graduate]

I agree with the other comments. Slow down to a comfortable pace. If your legs are heavy take an extra rest day and see how you feel. Also you can reprat it as much as you like. I changed my route and had a steep hill in it when I did wk 5. I did each of the 3 runs for a week as I couldnt get up the hill. It doesnt matter how long it takes. Xx

[marthavive]

It also happened to me in weeks 4 and 5. I have weak ankles so moving to longer runs has been very difficult. I repeated week 4 about three times until I felt comfortable to move on to week 5. Now I am applying the same to week 5. I will repeat it as many times as it takes for my ankles to get stronger and for me to feel confident before moving to week 6. Remember there is no need to finish the plan in 10 weeks. The plan is the same for each of us but the journey is different. The trick is not to give up, you can do it!

[Ybism001 in reply to marthavive]

Do you mean you did week 4 for three weeks in a row or three days of week 4 workouts?

[marthavive in reply to Ybism001]

I ran week 4 three weeks in a row. You may not have to repeat them as many times as me. I have tried couchto5k a few times already. I always tried to stick to the plan of finishing in 9 weeks but my ankle usually starts to hurt around weeks 4-5; never managed to get til week 7. My only solution is to repeat every week, no matter how many times, until my ankle gets use to running and so far no pain after two weeks in a row doing week 5 It looks promising this time! Good luck with your runs

[Hswaff Graduate]

I have had the exact same experience. The first 3 weeks I managed quite well - each time I felt the runs were just within my limit, which meant I could see my limit improving with each run.

In week 4, the first 3 minute run was no trouble, the first 5 minute run was challenging but achievable, the second 3 minute run (which includes an uphill section) I found the last 20 seconds difficult to complete, and I was only able to manage 90 seconds of the final 5 minute run. I literally had nothing left in the tank and had to walk the rest of the way home.

On my second run in week 4, I was able to do 2 minutes of the final run before giving up, but after a couple of minutes walking, found the energy to do two 1-minute jogs on the way back.

So on my 3rd attempt, I'm aiming to complete that last 5 minutes in two halves, and then repeat Week 4 until I can achieve the goal of 5 minutes nonstop.

[ToniCR Graduate]

I did my w4r1 today and the only way I got through it was running at a snail's pace. I was so slow. My breathing was fine, but my legs were very sore. I didn't think I'd make it through to the end. I had to distract myself mentally to not think about the pain and just keep going no matter what. It's a huge jump up from week 3.

[CThorn]

I know this thread is quite old but I found it as was searching 'couch to 5k week 4 is hard' and I have had the exact same experience as the OP and many of the people replying. I hadn't realised the total running time had jumped from 9 to 16 mins so that may explain it! I thought maybe I had low blood sugar or if running for blocks of 5 mins was harder, but I also have managed the first 5min block easily. I am going to repeat week 4 this week until I can manage it!

[heather131181]

6 years on from when this thread was started and I am struggling with 4 too! Read all advice and going to repeat week 4! Hope you all are still running 😆

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to heather131181]

Good for you, I did week 4 and struggled, it's a big jump, but a few years later I can run a week 4 run easily

[heather131181 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Are you still running then?

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to heather131181]

Yes, I enjoy running, I've done the programme to support friends a couple of times and last week ran week 4 run 1 with my neighbour, it didn't feel tough but then I've been running more lately so am stronger, I retired recently so have more time

[nowster Graduate in reply to heather131181]

People look at the schedule for week 5 and worry about it, not realising that the hard work is actually in week 4.

Up to that point your sessions have had 9 minutes of total running time each.

Week 4 nearly doubles that to 16 minutes per session.

My own hardest session was the Week 4 Run 3, mainly because the weather was awful (a humid, misty interval between torrential downpours). I pushed through it.

A couple of days later I did Week 5 Run 1 on a sunny but slightly chilly morning, and it was one of the best runs of the programme.

(That was three years ago.)