Finished week 7 - 2 weeks to go

[LauraLiz]

Struggled a bit with this week. Partly with energy levels, pulled a back muscle falling over the cat (his fault), motivation dropped, no real reason why that I can fathom.

But I've got there, the end of another running week. Today's run was the hardest so far but I'm still strangely looking forward to week 8. No matter what, no matter how many runners on the common overtake me (and they really do!), the feeling of pride in my achievement is intoxicating and keeps me going. Actually, just writing that sentence has helped.

Feeling uncertain about 28 mins but I guess if I've made it this far, I can manage an extra 3 minutes. Slowly of course!!!!

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Good runs and bad runs. Today was a bad one. But you know what, you have just run 25 minutes four times in a little over a week.

In fact next week you will have been running 3 times a week for two months now - get in!

The extra 3 minutes will only be hard if you focus on them. But, you don't really need advice, just keep doing what you have been doing to get you this far - you've got this!!

[LauraLiz in reply to Whatsapp]

Thanks so much. There's part of me that just needed to hear that! It's mind over matter as usual 😉

[damienair Graduate]

I find the first 15 minutes are the hardest. Don't look at your time and just keep running. Once you get to 25 mins the extra 3 are no problem. Your ready. I hurt my lower back too, just at the end of week 7. I then had to take a week off. Feeling better now so will do week 8 run 2 this evening.

[LauraLiz in reply to damienair]

Thanks, good advice. I'm so glad I read somewhere here about the first ten-odd minutes being the worst, it helped! Good luck for your run this evening!

[DawnRun]

Well done , I thought for a minute you were doing cani cross but with a cat. I've just finished week 7 run 3. And the second run felt brutal in comparison! The third felt easier. There are so many factors involved but I think you just have to plod on and you get there.

[LauraLiz in reply to DawnRun]

Thanks and you're right, just keep plodding, one foot in front of the next. I'd love to take the cat out but can't see it working well for either of us !!!!

[linda9389 Graduate]

I found week 7 quite a chore. I think I'm addicted to the progress, so four runs of 25 minutes didn't give the same sense of achievement. I too looked forward to the start of week 8 - just so I felt I was moving on. Then that went quickly because there were only 3 not 4! I'm going to need some sort of structured plan to keep me running after completing the 9 weeks (which is becoming a real possiblilty). We're nearly there!

[LauraLiz in reply to linda9389]

I agree with you completely - I like feeling that I've checked something off and moved on! I'm already thinking about how I can maintain a running 'structure' in the weeks after I finish. But at the same time I know I'm running before I can walk if you pardon the pun!! Good luck for the next one

[KLHg Graduate]

You've got this. Since graduation (8 days ago only) I have had struggles with niggles and slow runs. Felt really rubbish because I was so slow my last run I wanted to cry... Then a dear friend pointed out- " a few weeks ago you were nearly crying running 1 min x 8 with lots of walking! Now despite bad runs and feeling rubbish, I couldn't have run for 30 mins before- and I keep telling myself- Even bad runs are better than giving up and sitting on the couch!! You will do it!!!! Remember- slow and proud (and a lot fitter!!)x

[LauraLiz in reply to KLHg]

Thank you. You're right of course. We've come a long way!!! Seriously, your words do help. Thanks and happy running

[KLHg Graduate]

Go us!!

[RebeccaSK Graduate]

This may - or may not - work for you but it works for me and my gremlins! I'm about to do W7R1. W6R3 was hard and I was dreading it but I know it's largely mind over matter for me. When I did W6R3 I pushed myself to the 20 minute mark telling myself I've done this before so I can do it again. Then when I get to the 20 minute mark and my gremlins start screaming at me, I just tell myself that five minutes is nothing, I've come so far in the last ten weeks, I can do five minutes (programme's taking longer because of injury and repeating a couple of weeks). I almost treat it as two separate runs. I'll do the same when I go up to 28 minutes and 30 minutes. As another song starts around the 20 minute mark I tell myself I just have to get to the end of the song and I'll practically be there! I turn it up really loud and just focus on the music!

[LauraLiz in reply to RebeccaSK]

Thanks so much - I think that's really really great advice! I'm feeling much more positive about it today. I'm going to give everyone's advice a go tomorrow! 👍