Struggling with Week 7

[mrspinkrat]

Hi all! I've posted a couple of times on my C 2 5K journey and you've all been brilliantly supportive and helpful. Now I need your help again!

I have arrived at Week 7, Run 1 and am failing miserably. I'm finding it impossible to run the full 25 minutes without stopping. I absolutely am pushing myself to the limit but have to stop as I simply cannot go on any more. So in a 25 minute run I am stopping at least two or three times and have to walk for a minute before I can run again. So I'm currently feeling like a complete and utter failure. I don't understand why I am finding this so impossible when I have come so far 🙁

Any suggestions please guys as I am feeling quite disheartened at the moment.

Thanks all xx

Ps My next attempt is this evening 😅

[misswobble Graduate]

Just calm down and stop worrying 🙂

Keep going very slowly, and when you need to stop then do so. there is absolutely no problem with that. These mini breaks can make the difference between completing the session and not.

You stop,and wait til your breathing goes back to normal, and then jog on

No worries 🙂💪🏃‍♀️👍✔️

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Two words - Sustainable pace.

You did this run W6R3, so you know you can. But if you are running out of steam then you need to slow it down.

Another thing is to stop thinking about the run in terms of time. Think about your route, think about anything you like, let your mind drift, as long as you are not thinking about how much longer you have left. You've got this!!

[Rammy75]

You're not failing, you're practicing!

[mrspinkrat in reply to Rammy75]

Nice Username!!

[ejvcruns Graduate]

Did you run the 25 mins in week 6? My guess is that you're going too fast. that's what does me in...

[icklegui Graduate]

Found the same myself on Monday - I'd already done 25 minutes in Week 7 Run 1, and 2! It was hard, then for no great reason I just couldn't finish the third run of that week. All the things I've read about on here seemed to just evaporate along with my energy, perhaps also it was just a bit too warm, late in the day, etc.

But just went out with renewed determination - no great change other than that and a little voice reminding me "posture, relax breathing, sustainable pace, if a great song comes on the radio don't speed up..." and did it. At times I was surely running slower than walking, but it was sustainably slow enough to get to the end! I am really finding this week tough though so you absolutely have my sympathy. If you take another practice run anyway, it doesn't matter - every bit of running counts towards your stamina bank and there's no law that says you must complete this in a certain time.

Oh - and a fair few people seem to need extra rest days at this end of the course! So treat yourself kindly

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

You have found the level that matches your current fitness. Repeat it, nice and slowly, strengthening your body with each run and it will soon be in the bag.

At this stage you really need self belief, so don't bother going out of the house unless you believe you will do it. We believe that you will........you just have to convince yourself.

Go for it...........slowly!

[mrspinkrat in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you - I believe!! 😊👍🏻

[Hidden]

I would say that this is as much a head problem as a leg problem (if not more so). Please don't use words like failure; you have come on a journey from the couch to being able to run for 25 minutes- even if you have to take a couple of pauses. That's not bad is it? You will get there, just keep battling and as IannodaTruffe says, go out with positivity and self belief

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

No such word as 'f***' not on this forum

So... just slow down.. breathe and slow down more... If you are taking it steadily and still need a breather then as misswobble says, stop and catch your breath and move on

Run, take it all in and enjoy ... you can do this