I seem to be stuck on W7 and I don't know if it's a mental or physical thing that is preventing me from moving on?
I was away with work last week, so didn't manage to run for 6 days. I was due to move onto W8, but thought I would do another W7 run to ease myself into it and now I can't seem to move on. I just don't feel 'strong' enough at the end of each run.
How can I be so hung up on 3 minutes? Will it make that much difference?
For me, hydration plays a major role in how strong I feel. Also remember--you most certainly can do this. You've gotten this far and you'll get to then end and further 
If you feel OK when running then it's probably the gremlins giving negativity, it happens to a lot of us, I and others have mentioned them a few times in the past, they are just unhelpful thoughts coming through they mean absolutely nothing, and are just a hinderance. As you go on and become more experienced you get to learn how to switch them off and ignore them and they fade away. So, push them aside and go on! You've got this far and graduations just around the corner!😊
davelinks is right.. the pesky gremlins... ! They are so sneaky!
Slow right down... forget the three minute thing.. just think , I can do this, I have come this far.. I will squish those gremlins with every slow, ( slow) step!
Start Week 8... and take it as slow as you like, and when those gremlins come calling.. just run right on over them... the next lamppost, the telegraph pole, the corner... you can do this
You can most definitely do this if you're doing week 7 runs
Move on to week 8, you'll be fine. It's only another 3 mins; you are already doing 25 min runs which you probably thought 7 Weeks ago impossible!!
You're over thinking things and you've stopped trusting the plan. Re-read this post and remember how you felt when you wrote it: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
If it helps, imagine the first 28 minute run as just 25 minutes, which you already know you can do. Guaranteed, once you've completed 25 minutes you'll float through the last 3 minutes. Rinse and repeat for week 9.
Good luck!
Thanks all for taking the time to respond. Just the supportive kick up the bottom I need.
Run planned upon hubbies return this evening - week 8 run 1 it shall be!!
Good!
People often wobble somewhere in the last weeks of the programme... not because they are not capable but consciously or unconsciously they are starting to realise that the end of the programme is in sight and this running lark is for the long haul and they'll have to decide how to carry things forward.
A different route or other change of circumstance may help you out of the rut. You don't have to feel strong at the end of a run... most of the most brilliant runs in history will not leave the athlete 'strong' at the end of it but rolling on the ground utterly spent.
Definitely agree its a mental gremlin.
Do wk8 run, if you don't manage to finish it. Make sure you go past 25 mins. Even if you can do 26 or 27 mins.
Repeating wk 7 is getting you nowhere, maybe repeating wk8 until you can, is moving forward.
Just do it!! (Other famous brand mottos are available)
Don"t even think about it. Switch to autopilot! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
Husband home, ankle-biters tucked up in bed, dinner on the stove... I could procrastinate no more!
I chose the 'long route' (rather than doing laps of a shorter route) which included The Hill to keep my interest... and off I went.
All went well until I mistimed the last half and turned for home too soon. This meant running round the car park for the last 5 minutes (rather than finish by running up 4 flights of steps Rocky style) but I did it! Week 7 loop cracked and on my way to completing Week 8!
Thank you so much for the much needed kick up the bottom!
Of course you did it! You're a runner, remember!
Stuck
Finished W7 nearly 3 weeks ago... then stopped
Saying goodbye to a horrid W7, hello W8!
W7 R2 and a monster hill thrown in ;-)
Struggled on the last W7 run
