Panicked about wk5R3

[Simone101]

After a bit of encouragement really. I've been really loving this so far and keeping up with my runs, but about to start week 5 and just had a sneaky peak at what's to come and now really stressed!! 5 mins feels like an achievement at the mo. How on earth will I cope with 20!!!! It just doesn't seem possible. Should I repeat week 4 do u think?

[Hidden]

Hey I've just completed W4 too and admittedly took a sneak peak at W5 now I'm no expert at all but I kept repeating W1/W2 over and over because I didn't feel fit enough to move on but after posting on here and getting lots of support and advise I went back to W1 and started again trusting in the program and moving forward if I completed all 3 runs for that week .... you've come this far... Give W5/R1 a go and see how u get on... if you complete it move on if not repeat it until you do... that's my plan anyway x stay positive x you've got this x

[Shivani05 Graduate]

You can do this. Trust the programme, it is designed to help you get fitter with each run and achieve the goals. Don't worry about 20 mins right now. First get through W5R1, which is 5 min runs. Then deal with the 8 min runs. THEN think about the 20 mins - by then, you will be ready.

I've done the programme twice now. Both times, I hated week 4. I found the jump from 9 mins of running to 16 mins just too difficult. Both times I struggled through week 4, and did not complete it - I attempted all 3 runs but had to stop during the last 5 mins each time for one reason or another. I got so fed up of it I just moved on to week 5, and I can't tell you what changed but I found it easier. Even though I had struggled during week 4, it had made me stronger and was able to deal with week 5. Go slow and trust the programme - and yourself!

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Shivani05]

I had not realised that the jump to week 4 was from 9 to 16 minutes! On paper that looks so much. Personally I found the previous jump from running 1.5 minutes at a time, to 3, the toughest so far. Not that the others are easy, but that's the one I grumbled most about.

It's interesting how we all find different bits harder, there must be so many variables like where we run (hills!), our baseline levels of different types of fitness, etc.

[McFitty Graduate]

Doooon't panic! 😀Week 5 is where the head games seem to start for so many of us. The thought of the runs are worse than the run itself. The first one is 5 min runs and you'll be fine. That will set you up for the 8 minute runs and then you're really just keeping going through the walk break for the last one. It looks much scarier than it is (I know, I was terrified). Trust that the programme will get you through and if you need to repeat a run, that's just extra practice. You CAN do this!💪💪👍

[Hidden]

Just go with it and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. The programme definitely works. But if you have to repeat a run or two, no shame in that.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Okay, time for us to come clean...........none of us have done this run.

Yeah, we all started the first few weeks and were happy that the programme progressed at a rate that made us feel good, until.............yeah, THAT run, then we panicked and just repeated W4.

Some of us have been doing W4 for years, curious as to whether we could move on up, but never having the guts or self belief to give it a go. I wonder if we could do it? No, surely not, we've never done it before, so it stands to reason........ Shame really, cos after all these years of repeating Week 4, we will never know if we could have done it, simply cos we haven't tried.

You have got to understand why we haven't tried it......... I mean, we might not, oh horror of horrors.........we might not manage to complete it, which would lead to the awful likelihood of us having to repeat this one run in a training plan to turn us into runners. No, no we would much rather repeat nice safe, non challenging Week 4 for the rest of our lives. We are not stepping out of our comfort zone, no thanks.

I'm glad we got that one sorted. Phew, back to Week 4.

[Simone101 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Ha......,that post right there has just made me commit to taking on wk 5 and not repeating week 4 Lol. What's the worst that can happen??

[Hidden]

Simone, take a look at all the Week 5 posts everyone being worried about the infamous Run 3, then do yourself a big favour and read everyone who posted afterwards. You are ready, you've done the prep do the run and glory in the smuggest grin that you've had so far. It lasts for days.

[Beatlesforever Graduate in reply to Hidden]

^This. 100% ☺

[icklegui Graduate]

Ahah - yes do take a look at those who posted after completing W5R3!

In summary - trust the programme. Also, though it *looks* like a jump through the week from 5 to 8 to 20 minutes, it isn't. Think about the totals. Last week you were running 16 minutes total plus some walking breaks. This week you'll just be running 20 minutes by the end. You probably won't need those breaks - and, don't forget that if you do still need the breaks it's fine, it just means more practice runs in the bank before you complete Week 5.

[Irish-John Graduate]

You might not complete it the first time - or first few times even - but if you keep going out the door, you will

In a survey that was done here some time ago, turned out less than 10% of Graduates finished the programme 'on time/with distance'

A lot of us repeated several stages/weeks on our way believe me

Every week and increase in time scared me to death. But - kept plugging away slowly and steadily and I literally do feel astonished to this day that I can run the times and distances that I do.

We have 'practice' runs and 'success' runs all the time - but a run is a run is a run The toughest part of all are the steps that actually gets you out the front door - after that the run will take care of itself

Slow and steady, at your own pace - that's how the rest of us did it also

Wishing you many happy miles in your future