Wk1 run 1

[Heidi-D]

I struggled to run for the 60 secs, please tell me that I am not the only one

[SC1472 Graduate]

Hello Heidi and welcome.

Well done on taking the first step - this is a fantastic programme to follow but can also be a bit of a shock. You will have better runs and you will have some not so good runs. You may have aches and pains and you will also find breathing a struggle but stick with it and it will all start to click into place. Keep us updated.

[Bonkersbrit Graduate]

We have all been there, huffing and puffing, sweating and wheezing as we shuffle along barely any faster than a walk. That's absolutely the norm.

Congrats on getting out there👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Remember " You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great😀😀". That gets me out of the door on days when I am really not feeling it!!

I believe the harder you find it in Week 1, the more scope you have for improvement, and the faster you are likely to notice it. Keep going, keep posting, keep smiling😀😀🏃🏼‍♀️👍🏼🐢

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Congratulations you have just done the hardest run. You may have found 60 seconds hard, but you managed to do it 8 times. With the warm up/ warm down walks you were on the go for 21 minutes all-told without stopping. That is a great start.

For each run you will be pushing yourself; it doesn't get easier but you will get stronger.

You can slow down if you are finding it tough. We are not learning to sprint, but build our stamina (speed comes with time). So set off on your 'runs' (jogs) as though you are going for a long run - even if it is only for 1 minute.

[Wizziewood]

Welcome and well done for getting started. I'm sure many of us found the first run hard, I certainly did. But that's what's so good about this programme, it continually challenges you with each run and gets you there at the end.

Trust in the programme, take it really slowly, take your rest days and you'll be fine.

Keep posting and let us know how you're going. There's so much support and encouragement here.

You CAN do it, good luck and happy running!

[Hidden]

Week 1 day 1 was awful, those 60 seconds just went on and on. I couldn't breathe, felt sick and my face looked like a big red tomato.

You're definately not on your own and I promise that if you stick with it it will get better. I now love running but only when I'm not doing it lol it's really hard some days but the high you get afterwards makes it worthwhile.

Good luck!!! 😆😆 xx

[AnneDroid Graduate in reply to Hidden]

"I now love running but only when I'm not doing it" - haha, yes, that's it exactly.

[naedoot]

Scary how 60 secs can affect you. But you have done it, well done

[KimLoulou Graduate]

Yes I struggled. Now on week 8 and running for 28 mins. The programme works!!

[nikkiwabit Graduate]

Think you have the idea now - not you are not the only one!

[Heidi-D]

Yes I am definitely not alone then, thank you everyone, I had real high after I finished definitely sticking with it

[Irish-John Graduate]

You are not the only one. I was literally turning blue around my eyes and lips that first day - now I am running 5K up and down hills and building back up to where I can run 10 K again after a lay off. Keep on running - this programme WORKS

[Hidden]

Definitely not the only one. I just got to Week 2 yesterday. The jogging is easy for me. It's the breathing that's hard!!

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Hidden]

i am the same i can jog at a decent pace for what seems like ages but i feel it is my poor breathing technique holding me back, it's getting better but still feel like i have a long way to go

[Hidden in reply to womblejogger]

I've read a lot about breathing tips and watched lots of videos on techniques, but once I'm out there, somewhere around half way through, I just default into the "stay alive" breathing technique.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Hidden]

is that what's called the bee gees method

[Hidden in reply to womblejogger]

hahaha! If only I looked that cool doing it!

[Lois5107]

Just keep running. I'm on week 8 and honestly thought I'd never get that far

[Starttorunat51]

Yep, sounds like you're doing it exactly right!

I was the same, had to do week 1 twice because I found it so hard, but did my second run of week 8 yesterday - 28 minutes straight running! I could never have imagined I'd get to this point but, like everyone else has said, please trust the programme, its flipping brilliant. I say that as someone who actively avoided running for 51 years (I was terrified of it in fact, I still remember trauma of being told I had to run in school). Now I'm slightly disappointed to be going on holidays tomorrow to a place thats going to be too hot to run, so I'm going to have to pause for a while 🤣

Keep with it - you can do it!

[Catherinel14secondtimearound]

So did I - puffing and panting to get enough air into my lungs. Stick with it and trust the program- it really does work. I am on week 6 run 1 today 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️ Good luck with your journey 👍

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Catherinel14secondtimearound]

did week 6 run 1 yesterday oddly found it harder than week five run 3 we'll all get there

[iain-strachan Graduate]

I remember doing W1R1 and getting to the point where Jo said you're almost done, and thought it meant that was the last 60 second run, only to be gutted to find there were two more, not one! It seemed a lot to endure.

By the time I got to week 3, the 90 second bursts seemed absolutely effortless. Each time it steps up, it feels like a challenge, and I find myself dreading it, but then finding I can do it fine, and am ready to dread the next challenge!

I think everyone struggles, but you get there in the end. I hope! I'm on Week 7 now and would not have dreamed I'd get to run 25 minutes without a break! Now, having done it twice I'm like: Meh! No big deal!

[Dimple_7]

You are not the only one!

I really struggled with a one minute run at the start... now I'm on W8 R1 - I ran for 28 minutes this morning!

Trust the programme and keep going. ☺

[togetherforever]

Well done doing your first run. Getting out the door to do your first run is the hardest!

I have just finished week 3 this morning and it is getting easier. You will learn breathing techniques that work for you and its all about trial and error in the early stages.

I look forward to reading about your journey.

[Hidden]

When I start to get breathless, I slow down. To start with, that will feel pretty slow! With time, your aerobic capacity will improve, and you'll be able to go a bit faster. At this stage, we're focussing on keeping going, so that means finding a comfortable pace and sticking with it. So now, my legs get tired instead of my lungs!

I'm doing wk 6 day 2 today. It's my 2nd time around, I did the course last year, graduated and then had to take some time out. Despite the long lay-off, it still feels easier this time around!

[Cliff_H Graduate]

I did but it's so satisfying when you can run for beyond 30 mins, remember how hard it is so you know how far you have come each week

[RebeccaSK Graduate]

Those first couple of weeks are awful. I remember my first run well - I managed to run for 45 seconds and truly could not have run a step more!!!! Now I'm on W9 - everyone keeps saying it but follow the programme and you WILL improve. Don't be afraid to repeat a week if you don't feel ready to move on - I did that and believe that it helped me to improve. I may be on W9 but I started running back in April - you can do the maths - that's more than 9 weeks ago!!!!!!!

Breathing was a major problem for me at first - but it will sort itself out, just remember to breathe. That sounds stupid - but I became aware that I was holding my breath half the time!!!!!!

[Si68 Graduate]

Stick with it, you will soon be doing a lot more and wondering how you got that far. It's worth persevering

Happy running

[Linds100]

You are 100 percent not alone. I am repeating week 1 days just to build up before moving on and sometimes the pain is too much. Let's both not give up and keep going. We can do this!!!

[Maztink]

Week one is the hardest. You will have gathered by now that most folk felt like that! Congratulations for getting out there and starting!

[Wannaberoadrunner Graduate]

I've completed the programme and I still struggle initially. The first 10 minutes have me thinking 'maybe I should stop...', but I don't. Before you know it, it's done. Point is, it doesn't get easier, it just gets more doable.