Scary run coming up!

[LHF16]

Have just finished w5 r2 which was 8 min run 5 min walk x2. I'm pretty proud to say I managed it! However I'm really not looking forward to the next run 20 mins running altogether with no walk breaks in between! This is scary and I have no idea how that one is going to turn out! Any tips from anyone? Please tell me it's not as bad as it sounds!!

[AngeScott Graduate]

Hey. I was really daunted by this run too! It's nothing like anything you've done before. I would say that you can totally do it if you have followed the programme. A tip from me would be - take it slowly - it's not how fast you go it's making it to the end. I did it 2 weeks ago and just took it slowly and I got there! Think about how far you've come already and believe in yourself! You'll smash it! Let me know how it goes 👍

[Dave55 Graduate]

I'm doing the same run in the morning .

[LHF16 in reply to Dave55]

Good luck!

[Dave55 Graduate in reply to LHF16]

Thankyou

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Trust the programme... you are ready for this ... you will do it. Just take it, as ever, slow and steady

[Hidden in reply to Oldfloss]

Oldfloss always says never to peek ahead, because it can be offputting. But seriously I found the bigger run not half as bad as I imagined. I think it is because you can get a momentum going and that doesn't get broken with the walk breaks. But channel your inner old floss and remember her mantra slow and steady. You'll crack it - others did and you will too

[Lozza1806]

I have just started week 9 and will be doing my final run Saturday, I started couch 2 five k on week four. I didn't think I would be able to do it but following the app I am finding it really good, 30 mins running seems impossible and it's not. Keep going you will feel so much better at the end, I have already lost half a stone. 8 weeks ago I couldn't walk as I had two bulging disc in my back but after having 8 cortisone injections in my spine I am now running and have completed a 5 k run twice so I know I can graduate to the weekly park run

[LHF16 in reply to Lozza1806]

Wow well done to you! 👍👍👍

[Hidden]

It's not as bad as it sounds. Honestly it's not. If, like me, you tend to run too fast, concentrate on starting slow and you will be fine. It's not much of a jump in total minutes, just there's no break.

You can do it. Trust the programme and take it slow and you will be fine. And you will feel fantastic when you finish.

[damienair Graduate]

You will be fine. And when your after completing the run you will be elated. Just don't think to much about it and take your pace nice and steady because your ready. Hey that rhymed.😀

[LHF16 in reply to damienair]

Haha you're a poet and you didn't know it!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Do a search for W5R3 and you will see you are not alone. Most dread it and beat it first time, but why are you dreading it?

You are training your body and crucially, your mind to do things you may never have done before. Approach it positively, without fear, knowing that the worst possible outcome is that you don't complete the run, in which case you keep repeating it until your body (and brain) is strengthened enough to be able to finish it.

The only tip is to do extreme facial stretches every morning leading up to the run, so that the grin you will be wearing for a week, is not too painful.

You can do it!

[LHF16 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Haha great advice on the grin! Thanks!

[iain-strachan Graduate]

Yep - I dreaded it too. And yep, it's not as bad as it sounds! Honestly!

Having to stretch from 8 mins to 20 mins seemed impossible to me before I did it. But I think the way it works is that by the time you've learned to run for 8 minutes continuously, you have found the right pace for you to be able to sustain without getting out of breath. You'll find it's easy to sustain that right pace for 20. The gradual increase in duration of the running time during the previous weeks of the course will have helped you to find the right pace.

[LHF16]

Thanks everyone I'm feeling more confident about this run now! Thanks for your advice and letting me know I'm not the only one to have had these thoughts about this run!!

[Coddfish Graduate]

Take it slow is the obvious piece of advice. Check the wind, make sure your run doesn't involve running into it. If you are able to, run somewhere new to keep you interested and stop you thinking "last time I had finished when I got to this place"

[SloeMike]

Yes 20 mins is very daunting, the thought of it, when you actually do it take it slowly and you will probably find as I did that you still have more in your tank at the end. You will find that you will amaze yourself, the whole programme is fantastic. Good luck!!

[Lily62 Graduate]

You can do it! It does seem like a sudden big jump up to 20 mins but as everyone else has said go slow and you'll be fine. The feeling when you've done it is fantastic!