Help!!!!

[JJnicmum]

Week 8 run 1 on Monday was tough....but I got through it, but tonight which was run 2 was utterly horrific.....got to 14 minutes and just couldn't go any further......walked a bit and tried to start running again and just couldn't! Sounds completely ridiculous I know, but I'm terrified that I won't be able to get any further. I just wonder what I should do......am I destined to fail or is this 'normal'? I'm totally fed up that I've not been able to finish this tonight!!!! I so want to get through the couch to 5k.......advice please!!!! Thank you.

[Hidden]

You have done it once. Why would you not be able to do it again? We all have off days. I can usually tell within a few steps if I am going to struggle. Often hard to work out why. Could be more tired than usual, not drunk enough water in the last 24 hours, different time of day, weather, route, or just random annoying off day.

Don't worry. Rest day, go again and remember you have proved you can do it.

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank You for your words of encouragement....I've been a bit cocky up until now and it's really knocked my confidence....I think I'm concentrating too much on what I feel I 'must' achieve and totally forgetting where I've come from!

[TimB19 Graduate]

I had problems on Sunday. The best advice I have seen is take it slow and steady. When I used to run at school I never used to win anything because I always started slow. I was like the tortoise against the hares. I'd pick off a few near the end by picking up the pace later on. Get to 14 mins at a slow and comfortable pace. Don't push too hard. You will do it.

[Gchurchlow]

I had the same problem with week 8 so I decided to go back and do week 7 again which is going fine. I feel.pretty confident I can do week 8 now. It was all a bit of a big jump from week 6 to 7 to 8 and I was very tired. However someone on here said lots of people redid a week so I didn't feel bad about it at all.

[Hidden]

Okay sometimes we have crap crap crappety crap runs. It just happens, no reason.

Take a deep breath, recite I can and will do this run, then take an extra day's rest and try again.

At this stage of the programme, the cumulative effect and mileage or kilométrage starts hitting you, so taking an extra days rest is a sensible thing.

Week 8 is not much worse than W7, but one thing to look out for is maybe you started too quickly? I found that towards the end I was starting out quicker than previously and like the dodgy battery in the Duracell ad, I ran out of steam sooner.

Bizarrely now is the time to really temper the temptation to be a speedy Gonzales.

You will be fine next time out, honest!

Happy running next time out

[ejvcruns Graduate]

Agreed, run very slow and takes 2 days off.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Yep, you probably need some extra rest and a bit of care making sure you are giving yourself the best chance of having a good run.

You find that most of those who have been running a while adjust many elements of their lives to make sure they enjoy their runs to the maximum. Sleep, rest, diet, hydration etc all affect your running and can nearly all be controlled, but there are many aspects beyond our control and try as we may, we all have duff runs.

I refuse to call them bad runs, because with a bit of analysis, they can teach us things to avoid and things to include in our lives to maximise our performance and enjoyment.

Every run is training for the next one.

Live, learn, move on...........you will be fine.

[Hidden]

Everyone here is right, everyone has terrible runs now and again. Mine were just fine until my graduation run last week - I took it too fast and just couldn't finish! I was actually feeling sick. But I got the best advice here on the forum and went out two days later, took it slow and steady, and no problem!! Don't worry, as Michael would say, 'You can do this' 😀

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank You for your words of encouragement....I've been a bit cocky up until now and it's really knocked my confidence....I think I'm concentrating too much on what I feel I 'must' achieve and totally forgetting where I've come from!

[Fiona_B Graduate]

Hi JJnicmum, I also did Week 8 Run 2 this morning and really struggled with it. Week 8 Run 1 was OK so I don't know what happened. Just a bad day, probably. I also changed to a new route starting in Week 7 as I was sick of just running round the park, but now start with 10 minutes uphill. It's not a huge hill but it seems a long 10 minutes. I am going to try Week 8 Run 3 on a flatter route. Good luck!

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Fiona_B]

Thank You 😊 it's so comforting knowing I'm not the only one!

[Hidden]

Ah yes, this was me on Tuesday! Set out to do week 8 run 1 and for the first time since starting this program, I had to stop after 10 mins, I just couldn't do it.

Like you, all those doubting thoughts came creeping in, and it was especially horrible nor getting that hit of elation from persevering and completing the run.

The advice on here was to rest, and I'm resting good and proper until Sunday morning. What kind of a day had you experienced before your run? I am recovering from a charity run and a 14 hour day at work on Monday (I'm a teacher) and I have accepted my body was telling me to give it a rest.

Don't give up, we can and we WILL conquer this-see you at the finish line!

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank You for your words of encouragement....I've been a bit cocky up until now and it's really knocked my confidence....I think I'm concentrating too much on what I feel I 'must' achieve and totally forgetting where I've come from!

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Don't worry JJnicmum...you are a runner now and will definitely be able to do this run....extra rest days are absolutely needed at this end of the program. You will do it next time. Start nice and slow and ease into it.

Good luck 😊x

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thank You......I can't understand why having come so far I still have such little self-belief.....finishing the programme is so important, but I know I give myself such a hard time if I 'fail'!!! Idiotic I know...

[Hidden in reply to JJnicmum]

Sounds as though you have a competitive streak 😉

[JJnicmum Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I wish!!! I think I'm just a bit of an obsessive!!! 🙄

[KatyKaycd Graduate]

I did W8R2 this morning and also found it tougher than W8R1. I put it down to the fact that I was running indoors on a treadmill. I think it is much easier when you run outdoors and also there isn't quite the same temptation to give up when you know you have to get home! Stepping off a treadmill is just too easy.

[hilsry Graduate]

Rest, rehydrate and then slow down. You can do it!