W6R2 - A Toughie!! Still did it :)

Morning lovely runners!

Well hello week 6 run 2. You're not so tough, right?

Boy was I wrong! Although it started out OK, I was thrown off my stride a bit by excessive puddle-jumping on the canal tow path, and was suddenly filled with a few nagging doubts. The bridge I usually reach just before the half way point seemed an awfully long way off. So - I had a stern word with myself, told myself to slow down a bit, and that if I could run for 20 minutes I could definitely run for 10. I was glad when Jo said it was time to slow down though. The walk break, the last ever of C25K for me, was welcome, but I suddenly realised that I can do this, so I attacked the second 10 minutes at a sensible pace, but with a new resolve.

I did walk for a few paces, but only because there were 2 dog walkers coming the other way, and it was either that, jump in a deep puddle, or in the canal. So I'm just pretending that didn't happen

By the time I got back I was considerably sweatier than usual (sorry - TMI!) so maybe that's why I found it harder, presumably I was putting in more effort than normal. But - I got through, and was feeling quite good about it by the end.

Anyway, there you go. I think it proves yet again that if you follow the programme, the battle is very much mental. Time for that well-earned cuppa now

[Tracme Graduate]

You deserve that cuppa 🍵 well done 👍🏽 you’re doing fab 🙌🏽 those puddles are so inconsiderate though aren’t they, they just plop themselves wherever they like 😂😂😂 you got this 316neil

[Hidden in reply to Tracme]

Yes, the puddles!! Most of the route along the canal is fine, but there's a few hundred yard stretch which resembles one of those really muddy bits on an army assault course. (The cuppa was great!!)

[DebJogsOn Graduate]

Well done.

I was a bit tripped up (thankfully not literally) by Wk6 R1 this morning but managed to get it done. Looking forward to getting this run under my belt on Tuesday.

Enjoy the long rubs from here on in.😊

[Hidden in reply to DebJogsOn]

Well done DebJogsOn , it's about keeping each other going at this point I think, a mental challenge. We've done 20 minutes, so we can now run FOREVER, right?

[DebJogsOn Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Yes 😊

And that's runs not rubs as in my previous reply 😂

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

Well done buddie! You did so well, especially knowing when to give yourself a good talking to! (I had to have words with myself this morning, too.)

No more recovery walks, eh?! How do you feel about that? Personally, even though I am finding 25 min runs challenging, I am glad to see the back of intervals.

Congratulations on another stellar effort, Neil! Onwards and upwards (and forwards, dog walkers permitting). x

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Hey Sadie-runs

I'm actually quite pleased about the lack of recovery walks for the rest of this. I came to the conclusion on W5R3 that I don't need recovery walks. To mis-quote "Doc" from Back to the Future: "Walks? Where we're going, we don't need walks!". Though obviously warm up/down walks are a good thing

Thanks for your continued motivation And why on earth is this forum not showing me your posts instantly??? I'm following you! In fact, I'm a couple of runs behind you, so I am, literally, following you!!

[Sadie-runs Graduate in reply to Hidden]

New challenges are lovely, and that is what the longer runs bring. I am going to reward myself in a couple of weeks with some gait analysis and some fancy new running shoes. 😀

You are literally following me. I am sure pretty soon you will scoot right past me! I can see you in my peripheral vision. 👀

I am "following" you too (but not in a creepy sense) and get an email when you post a new thingy. It stopped working last week - a glitch I think, but working now.

[Feegle Graduate]

Hi Neil, you and I seem to share similar runs, I too found W6R2 a difficult run...it's strange after being able to run for twenty minutes that this run should cause so much grief.

Anyway congrats and all the best for your twenty five minute run, I'll post the results of mine on Monday night......all being well.

[Hidden in reply to Feegle]

Thanks Feegle , I hope it goes really well for you, I'm sure you'll be fine! I would say "race you" but slow and steady, remember?

[Hidden]

Well done Neil- don't jump the puddles just plough on through them! Save your energy for the running. Your shoes will quickly drain as you go along. They are cleverly designed like that.

It is great when the big chunks of running start. I was scared but in fact week 7 was my favourite- You just went over the top of the c25k hill and its down hill to graduation from here

[Kimchoc08 Graduate]

Well done on the run.

I used to jump the puddles but now I find it much more enjoyable to run through them and it takes me back to my younger days when jumping in muddy puddles was the best thing in the world!!

[Shelby1973 Graduate]

Hey 316neil I've just completed my w6r2 and also found it tough and at points had me wondering if I can do this running lark . But I got through and felt that buzz at the end so here's to wk6r3 on wed . We've got this 316neil 🏃‍♀️🏃

[Hidden in reply to Shelby1973]

Yup, we've got this! Yes, Weds is W6R3 for me too, and an early one. Was going to make it Tueday but my legs need another day I think, all this unaccustomed exercise All the best for your run too!

[Shelby1973 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

U 2 😀 I'm on 12 hour days mon/ tue so luckily I get 2 rest days

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Well done Neil😊...and yes you totally have this now.

Good luck with W6 R3....not that you need luck now...Go you😎x

[TJMazz Graduate]

Well done. You're doing great. I guess it must get harder as the weeks pass. I'm not sure how I'll cope with the longer runs. You look like you're well on the way to graduation now 🙌🏻

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to TJMazz]

It levels off towards the end. I think weeks 5 & 6 are "make or break" (for the overwhelming majority it's "make" - you get great support from the forum for getting over the hurdles). Then week 7 is just repeats of W6R3 of 25 mins, so you know you can do it - just consolidation. After that, 28 mins for W8 doesn't really seem that much more than 25, and finally 30 minutes is hardly a stretch from 28. In fact on W8, I miscalculated the distance of a course I'd plotted, and had to get back to the car to pick up my daughter at a specified time. So I actually carried on running during the "cool down walk" to make a total of 33 mins, and it didn't cause any problem. First post-graduation run I decided I'd actually run 5k, and so ran for 38 mins - again no biggie after doing 30.

So I think after week 5, and certainly after week 6, you've essentially cracked it.

[Hidden]

Fabaroony, you got it under your belt. I can recall one of my runs mis-hearing Mr Smooth and thinking I could stop the run and it was about 20 seconds too soon...I was so miffed at the missing 20 seconds I ran for a longer period at the end. But realit is running involves stopping and starting and taking evasive action from time to time.

Brilliantly done Neil. Great to see your running confidence growing

[Djraw Graduate]

Well done Neil!

[ejvcruns Graduate]

Hey Neil -- congrats! you're almost into the home stretch. Do you like zombies? I love running away from them, which I started in week 7... (zombies run app). It's about now or next week you can start thinking about new routes/new playlists/new something. It's just running from here on in

[Hidden in reply to ejvcruns]

A couple of years ago, I was listening to the Girl with all the Gifts. The dusk was falling, and the fog was billowing over the fields; not a soul in sight....I'm not sure I'm cut out for Zombie Run (although I did run home quite quickly that day- and that was pre c25k!)

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I read that novel -- a great take on the story! I'm not much into horror films (at all) but I like a good narrative. The app allows you to turn zombie chases on and off (mine are still off) and also you can adjust the time of any "mission" which means it's easy to use with the last three weeks of C25K. And afterwards, of course, which is what is important to me, since I get bored with the same tunes almost right away.

[Hidden in reply to ejvcruns]

That sounds really cool!!

[Hidden in reply to ejvcruns]

Thank you I have been known to play the odd computer game featuring the aforementioned undead creatures, so yeah, scared of them!! I must look up that app

[ejvcruns Graduate in reply to Hidden]

If it's your thing, I think the app and the story are good -- at least so far. Worth a check.