Restarting after a few weeks off

[Thok]

Before Easter I finished week 6 without failing any runs. Then over Easter I tried W7 R1 while staying with family and I had to give up after 5 mins. Not sure if it was the heat (I got sun burn!) or just terrible pacing as I didn't have my usual milestones to pace myself. Feeling deflated for failing I took a 2 week "rest".

Anyway now I'm trying to pick it up again and have redone W6 R1 then W6 R2 twice. I just got back from W6 R3 but I had to take a couple of 1 min walking brakes (pausing the app to make sure I still run the full length).

Any tips for regaining confidence after a failed run/getting back up to speed?

[runlikeagirl Graduate]

I'm sure there are better advisers than me but having just completed Week 7 it was my stalling point too. I developed an 'I can't run more than 10 minutes' belief (strange after having run 20 minutes!.. maybe I just didn't want to?) But thanks to good advice to go s...l...o...w...l...y and a decision to just wipe out any judgemental attitudes (whether real or ones I had invented in my head) I've now decided to push on and get on with it. And I have. Keep at it. You can do it.

[Thok in reply to runlikeagirl]

I really struggle to keep a slow pace haha.

I picked up a fitness tracker at the weekend (good for motivation as I now need to justify spending money on it.) I kept checking it to try and keep to an 8min per km pace but at the end of the run its showing an average pace of 6'42" per km over the 25 mins.

[runlikeagirl Graduate in reply to Thok]

You may be competing with 'yourself' too much? I know I do. I AM my own worst critic. I've always been told that I'm too hard on myself so, whilst I am happily successful at what I'm good at, I have a competitive streak and when tasked to do something I have no natural aptitude for then I have alarm bells and sirens ringing all over the place! Maybe we both could benefit from chilling a bit? Well I know I do! (Hope you don't mind the self reflection and hope it's of some use) x

[Thok in reply to runlikeagirl]

I think you're​ probably right. I guess I just have to stick at it and keep telling myself to slow the f**k down. (I think I was chanting that to myself for the last few mins earlier).

[runlikeagirl Graduate in reply to Thok]

Good luck and jog to the chant x